Central Line Birthdays

65 years ago today in 1948 a number of stations on the Central Line east and west extensions opened. Among them were West Ruislip, South Ruislip, Ruislip Gardens and Northolt in the west and Loughton in the east. These stations had been planned in the 1930's but their construction was delayed by World War 2. When they eventually came to be built many of the designs had to be redrawn to take account of the post war material shortages. This most affected the stations on the west end of the extension, with F.F.C. Curtis' designs for South Ruislip and Ruislip Gardens adjusted by Kennet and Turner. On the east extension Loughton, (designed by John Murray Easton), although opened in 1940 as part of the London and North Eastern Railway, became part of the Central Line on the same day. The other stations to become part of the Central Line on 21st November 1948 were Grange Hill, Chigwell, Roding Valley and Buckhurst Hill.