20 years on the Central Line at Ongar - 28th September 2014

On the 30th September 1994 the last underground train ran between Ongar and Epping on the Central Line. Service that day had been provided by the 1960 3 car unit Craven stock, which had been providing the motive power since the line had been reduced to a peak hour shuttle service only.

However on the weekend of 26th, 27th and 28th September the same Craven 1960 stock made a return visit to the now Epping and Ongar Railway for an 'End of Tube' remembrance. Of course the Epping & Ongar railway is no longer electrified and therefore the tube train had to be push/pulled by a Schoma Diesel unit or a number of them.

But from the right direction you could believe the Tube was being self propelled. The other downside was that the Tube doors had to be manually opened and closed and I believe there were no lights either!

Also in attendance was Met 1, the first Steam Train on the Metropolitan Underground, unfortunately that had problems on the Sunday and had to be withdrawn.

In addition there were numerous buses of all type and colours (well Green and Red with a silver one as well). These provided shuttle services between Epping, North Weald, Ongar and Shenfield and a very colourful sight they made too. My favourite was the 160A which used to travel to Falconwood, my old bus service before being replaced by the B16.