Barking Park
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Barking Park
Barking Park, in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, in east London, is a park covering just under 30 hectares to the east of Barking town centre. It lies north of Longbridge Road, and is near the boundary with Loxford. The park was the first council controlled park in the Borough, and was first established as a classic Victorian park in 1896. According to the newly restored commemorative plaque by the main gates in Longbridge Road, it was officially opened on 9 April 1898 by Councillor C L Beard J.P., Chairman of Barking Town Urban District Council.
The park's most significant feature is a 910 metre long boating lake on the north side of the park. Rowing boats were introduced first, and then on 1 April 1953, motor boats and a Mississippi style paddle steamer called "Phoenix II" made their debut. The paddle steamer continued to operate on the lake until 1967.
Other facilities include tennis and basketball courts, two bowling greens (indoor and outdoor), a children's playground, football pitches and a flower garden. A lido was built in 1931 but this was closed permanently in 1988. The longstanding park cafe was demolished and a roller-skating park built on the site.
The park contains a recently renovated war memorial for men of the Barking Town Urban District who fell in World War I and World War II. Every year on Remembrance Day (usually the 2nd Sunday in November) a commemorative ceremony is held at the war memorial preceded by music from a local marching band.
In 2006 the council received stage one funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to develop a proposal for restoration of the park. Since then two lengthy new pathways have been constructed in the main grassed area adjacent to Longbridge Road.
| Barking Park Light Railway | |
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| Locale | The Park Lodge, Longbridge Road, Barking, Essex |
| Dates of operation | 2008– |
| Track gauge | 7 1⁄4 in (184 mm) |
| Previous gauge | 9 1⁄2 in (241 mm) |
| Length | 340 metres (1,120 ft) |
| Website | http://www.bplr.co.uk/ |
Barking Park Light Railway
Barking Park Light Railway, a miniature passenger railway, opened in the early 1950s. It originally consisted of three coaches hauled by a steam locomotive named "The Empress", running over a length of 9 1⁄2 in (241 mm) gauge track, from the main park entrance at Longbridge Road to a turntable at the boating lake. After being replaced by a sit-in diesel locomotive named "Little Nan", The Empress was eventually restored and re-gauged to 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) and is now running at the Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway.
About halfway along the line, trains went through a gated level crossing. When trains were not running, the level crossing afforded access to the park from the adjacent Park Avenue, but this side entrance has now been permanently closed.
The railway ran until 2005 when it was closed by the owner, who felt that it was no longer cost effective to maintain and repair the train; however, the railway has since been redeveloped by a father & son team who bought the line from the previous owner. It now features new trains, and new 7 1⁄4 in (184 mm) gauge track, with wheelchair-friendly station access. The new train service ran a few times during 2008 but the official grand re-opening took place at Easter in 2009. The previous level crossing was removed.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Barking Park Light Railway |
Sources
- The Boroughs parks and open spaces LB Barking and Dagenham, Local studies info sheet #6
http://www.barking-dagenham.gov.uk/barking-park/
External links
- Barking and Dagenham Council - Barking Park
- Barking Park Light Railway
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