SideTracked Caches are intended to provide quick Cache-and-dashes at railway stations. For more information on SideTrack Caches, please visit the SideTracked website.
TOTTENHAM HALE STATION
Tottenham Hale is a National Rail and London Underground station on the Victoria Line, West Anglia Main Line and Stansted Express route of the Greater Anglia network. The station falls into London's Travel Zone 3.
The station opened in 15 September 1840 as "Tottenham", on the Northern & Eastern Railway (N&ER) line from Stratford in east London to Broxbourne in Hertfordshire. The suffix "Hale" was added to the station's name in 1875; this was removed in November 1938, before being restored in 1968 when it became an interchange station with London Underground on the opening of the first stage of the Victoria Line.
Until 1868, Tottenham Hale was used as a railhead for cattle traffic from East Anglia. Trains were unloaded here, and the cattle driven miles down what is now the A10 road towards London. In 1868, the link (since removed) to the Tottenham and Hampstead Junction Railway was opened. Four years later, in 1872, the route via Clapton was opened, offering a more direct route to Liverpool Street. In 1882, the line through Tottenham Hale became part of a major rail freight artery, with the opening of the Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Railway, providing a link for the Great Eastern from the coalfields in the north to London.
The station was susceptible to flooding in the early 20th century, with one of the worst instances being between 18 and 22 February 1919 when the River Lea overflowed its bank and rail traffic was suspended. During World War Two, on 21 March 1944, a number of incendiary bombs fell close to the station, destroying a lineside hut.
On 14 July 1967, planning permission was granted for the addition of the London Underground Victoria Line station. In the late 1990's, at the same time as the Stansted Express service to Stansted Airport was started, the British Rail station at Tottenham Hale was totally rebuilt along a revamp of the Underground station. None of the original Victorian station exists nowadays.
A new service was added on 11 December 2005 to and from Stratford, reintroducing a direct passenger connection between Tottenham Hale and Stratford, via the mainly freight line across the Walthamstow Marshes. Following the 2011 England riots, which began in Tottenham, a redevelopment of the tube, bus and rail stations was used to encourage investment in the area, completed in 2014.
The station undertook new improvement works, completed in 2022, to fit the regenaration of the area. This included a new entrance, widening of the concourse, an additional platform and a new third railway track between Stratford and Angel Road/Meridian Water.
THE CACHE
The cache is magnetic and is hidden just outside the station. Stealth is very much needed as this can be a busy area with muggles on the street and looking down from the surrounding buildings. A pen or sharp object is recommended to help retrieve the log.