Southbury Loop

The Southbury Loop (formerly known as the Churchbury loop) is a line linking Edmonton Green, in north-east London, to Cheshunt. It was opened by the Great Eastern Railway in 1891 although initially it was not very successful and was closed to passenger traffic in 1910. Goods trains continued to use the line although in World War I passenger services were reinstated for munitions workers. Once the war finished the line returned to its goods-only role although was occasionally used for diversionary purposes when the West Anglia Main Line was closed south of Cheshunt. Electrification of the line and the reintroduction of passenger services in 1960 saw the line become busy with regular suburban services as part of the Lea Valley Lines. The line became part of London Overground in May 2015.

The line from Bury Street Junction, north of Lower Edmonton High Level railway station, to Cheshunt was opened by the Great Eastern Railway on 1 October 1891 and known as the Churchbury Loop. It had first been considered by the GER in the 1860s as part of programme of suburban expansion. The opening of the Enfield Town branch had helped Enfield and Tottenham to grow so in its "Additional Powers Act" the GER applied for a branch to leave the Bethnal Green to Edmonton line (now the line via Seven Sisters).and join the main line near Enfield Lock. These proposals were abandoned in 1869 and it wasn't until 1882 that the powers were revived through another act of parliament this time linking to the main line at Cheshunt Railway Station. The reasoning was that the new line would open up housing development in the area but it was another seven years before construction started in 1889. The contract worth £94,322 was let to contractor Walter Scott and Co of Newcastle-under-Tyne.

Although construction costs were relatively low, the GER provided well built stations in anticipation of the business these stations were expected to generate. The line was 5 miles and 75 chains long with stations at Churchbury, Forty Hall and Theobalds Grove. Goods yards were provided at Churchbury and Forty Hall stations and there was also a siding serving a brick works close to Churchbury.

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