Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, the Chair of Network Rail, unveiled a plaque last Saturday, 25th May 2024 at Highams Park station in north-east London, to mark the 150th anniversary of the London Overground station.

Arriva Rail London (ARL) funded and installed the plaque which the Railway Heritage Trust commissioned to celebrate a new addition to the station exterior.

Alongside Lord Hendy at the unveiling were members of the Highams Park Planning Group (HPPG), and local residents and businesses.

Lord Hendy is also Chair of the National Railway Museum’s Advisory Board.

Lord Hendy suggested the plaque last November when he attended an event to celebrate 150 years of Highams Park becoming part of Britain’s railway network.

The plaque provides a snapshot of the station’s rich history, including its transition from a small wooden building to the design that exists today.

The unveiling was accompanied by a performance from the 17th Pals’ Battalion Band and a mini food market in the station car park.

Highams Park station was originally named Hale End when it opened in 1873. The surrounding area was then little more than a rural hamlet and saw little growth until a British Xylonite factory opened in 1897.

Neville Ashbee, the architect of Liverpool Street station, redesigned the station around the turn of the century when it was renamed Highams Park after a nearby manorial estate at the edge of Epping Forest. The same building is today used by commuters heading into central London.

A disused parcel office at the station that for years had been a cluttered storage room has been refurbished for community use through an initial grant of £30,000 from Arriva Rail London (ARL) for initial works on the space, before handing it over to Highams Park Planning Group to manage further refurbishment.

Further contributions towards the refurbishment were £10,000 from Greater London Authority’s ‘High Streets for All’ fund, £10,000 from Waltham Forest Council, and £10,000 from Highams Park Planning Group’s resources.

I’m delighted to have unveiled this plaque at Highams Park Station. The history of Highams Park demonstrates how railway stations are key to the development of local economies and communities and this continues to the present day. It is great to see the pride the community takes in its station.

Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill,, Chair of Network Rail

We are pleased to have supported in the funding and installation of this plaque, which reflects Arriva Rail London and Transport for London’s dedication to preserving the heritage of London’s railway network.

Andy Teesdale, head of concession management at Arriva Rail London