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Victoria line

The Victoria line is a London Underground line that runs between Brixton in south London and Walthamstow Central in the north-east, via the West End. It is printed in light blue on the Tube map and is one of the only two lines on the network to run completely underground, the other being the Waterloo & City line.[note 1]

Victoria line
A 2009 stock Victoria line train departs Euston
Overview
Termini
  • Walthamstow Central
  • Brixton
Stations16
Colour on mapLight blue
Service
TypeRapid transit
SystemLondon Underground
Operator(s)London Underground Limited
Depot(s)Northumberland Park
Rolling stock2009 Stock
Ridership302.009 million (2019)[1] passenger journeys
History
Opened1 September 1968; 55 years ago (1968-09-01)
Last extension1971
Technical
Line length21 km (13 mi)
CharacterDeep-level
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
ElectrificationFourth rail630 V DC
Operating speed80 km/h (50 mph)
SignallingCBTC (Distance to Go Radio)
London Underground
Bakerloo
Central
Circle
District
Hammersmith & City
Jubilee
Metropolitan
Northern
Piccadilly
Victoria
Waterloo & City
London Overground
Liberty
Lioness
Mildmay
Suffragette
Weaver
Windrush
Other TfL Modes
DLR
Elizabeth line
London Trams

The line was constructed in the 1960s and was the first entirely new Underground line in London for 50 years. It was designed to reduce congestion on other lines, particularly the Piccadilly line and the Charing Cross branch of the Northern line. The first section, from Walthamstow Central to Highbury & Islington, opened in September 1968 and an extension to Warren Street followed in December. The line was completed to Victoria station in March 1969 and was opened by Queen Elizabeth II who rode a train from Green Park to Victoria. The southern extension to Brixton opened in 1971, and Pimlico station was added in 1972.

The Victoria line is operated using automatic train operation, but all trains have drivers. The 2009 Tube Stock replaced the original 1967 Tube Stock trains. The line serves 16 stations and all but Pimlico provide interchanges with other Transport for London or National Rail services. The line, the most intensively used on the Underground,[note 2] was used by 302 million passengers in 2019, making it the second-busiest tube line.

History edit

 
Geographically accurate map of the Victoria line

Planning edit

The first proposal for a railway in this area appeared in the County of London Plan, published in 1943.[2] In 1948, a working party set up by the British Transport Commission (BTC) proposed a tube railway from Victoria to Walthamstow,[3] largely based on a 1946 plan for a Croydon-to-Finsbury Park line. Its main purpose was to relieve congestion in the central area, which had been a problem since the 1930s.[4] Other benefits were linking the key railway stations at Victoria, Euston, King's Cross and St Pancras and improving connections between north-east London and the city.[5]

In early 1949, the BTC committee looked at the feasibility of building a deep-level tube to fulfil these requirements.[6] For the first time, cost–benefit analysis was used to ensure the line would be built within budget and be profitable.[7] A private bill was introduced in Parliament in 1955, describing a line from Victoria to Walthamstow (Wood Street), next to the British Rail station. Another proposal, not in the bill, supported an extension from Victoria to Fulham Broadway on the District line terminating at Edmonton instead of Walthamstow.[8][9] Proposals were made to extend the line north to South Woodford or Woodford to provide interchange with the Central line.[10] In 1961, it was decided to terminate the line at Walthamstow (Hoe Street) station, which was renamed Walthamstow Central on 6 May 1968 in anticipation of the line's opening.[11][12] The line was planned to have cross-platform interchanges at Oxford Circus, Euston and Finsbury Park (with the Bakerloo, Northern (Bank) and Piccadilly lines respectively) and at Walthamstow Central to provide a quick and easy connection between the new line and existing services.[13]

The name "Victoria line" dates from 1955; other suggestions were "Walvic line" (Walthamstow–Victoria), "Viking line" (Victoria–King's Cross), "Mayfair line" and "West End line".[9] During the planning stages, it was known as Route C and named the Victoria line (after the station) by David McKenna, Chairman of British Transport Advertising, whose suggestion was seconded by Sir John Elliot.[9][14] The board decided that the Victoria line sounded "just right".[9]

Walthamstow–Victoria edit

Initial construction began in January 1960, when two test tunnels were started from Tottenham to Manor House under Seven Sisters Road. The tunnels were excavated using an experimental "drum digger" rotary shield, powered by hydraulic rams, that could cut more than 60 feet (18 m) per day. The work was completed in July 1961, with the expectation it would be used for the completed Victoria line.[15]

After the line gained parliamentary approval on 20 August 1962 with a budget of £56 million, construction began the following month.[16] The economic boom of the mid-to-late 1950s had faded leading to a rise in unemployment in London, and the government had hoped that building the Victoria line would alleviate this.[17] Work began adapting Oxford Circus station to link to the new line; a cross-platform interchange was provided with the Bakerloo line and a subway link with the Central line.[18] A steel umbrella was erected over the junction in August 1963 so that a new ticket hall could be built without disrupting existing traffic.[16] Rolling stock on the line was fitted with Automatic Train Operation (ATO), which allowed self-driving of the train based on automatic electrical signals along the track.[19] In March 1964, a £2.25 million contract was awarded to Metro-Cammell for the Victoria line fleet.[20]

That October, the Northern City Line closed between Drayton Park and Finsbury Park so that the latter station could be redesigned for a cross-platform interchange between the Victoria and Piccadilly lines. All major contracts had been awarded by 1965, and construction was on track to be completed in 1968.[21] New stations were constructed at Walthamstow Central, Blackhorse Road, Tottenham Hale and Seven Sisters.[22] The station at Blackhorse Road was built on the opposite side of the road from the mainline station (serving the Kentish Town to Barking line) and was not an interchange.[23][note 3]

The line opened from Walthamstow Central to Highbury & Islington on 1 September 1968.[25][26] There was no opening ceremony; instead the normal timetable started.[25] The first train left Walthamstow Central for Highbury & Islington at 7:32 a.m. The line proved to meet a need; more than 1,000 tickets were purchased at Highbury & Islington within its first hour of opening.[27]

The next section to Warren Street, opened on 1 December 1968, again without ceremony.[25] The line was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 7 March 1969 when it had been completed to Victoria. At 11:00 a.m., the Queen made the first trip, on a 5d (2.08p) ticket, from Green Park to Victoria, where she unveiled a plaque.[28][29] In so doing, she was the first reigning monarch to ride on the Underground.[30] The line was open to the general public by 3:00 p.m. Trains from Walthamstow to Victoria took around 24 minutes.[28]

Victoria–Brixton edit

 
Pimlico station was the last part of the Victoria line to open, and is the line's only station that is not an interchange.

The 3.5-mile (5.6 km) extension from Victoria to Brixton with stations at Vauxhall and Stockwell was approved in March 1966.[21] Preparatory work had started at Bessborough Gardens near Vauxhall Bridge Road in May 1967.[31] The contract was awarded on 4 August 1967.[21] A proposal to build Pimlico tube station received Government approval on 28 June 1968.[32][25] In July, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales visited tunnel workings under Vauxhall Park.[33]

The Brixton extension was bored using the older Greathead shield. Although slower, use of the tunnelling shield allowed easier digging through the gravel strata south of the Thames. It was opened on 23 July 1971 by Princess Alexandra, who made a journey from Brixton to Vauxhall.[34][35] On opening, it was the first new section of Underground to open south of the Thames since the extension of the City and South London Railway from Clapham Common to Morden in 1926.[34] The final piece of the Victoria line, Pimlico station, opened on 14 September 1972.[36]

London Transport considered extensions to Streatham, Dulwich and Crystal Palace to provide a connection to southeast London and Kent but no construction work was undertaken.[37]

Post-opening edit

The Kentish Town to Barking line did not close as expected and both stations at Blackhorse Road remained open. The mainline station was moved to the same side of the road as the tube station and was connected to the Victoria line on 14 December 1981 via an overbridge. The original station was then closed and demolished.[38][39]

The London Underground (Victoria) Act 1991 allowed for the construction of a 43-metre (140 ft) underground pedestrian link at Victoria station between the Victoria line platforms and the sub-surface Circle line platforms above.[40] The London Underground (Victoria Station Upgrade) Order 2009 came into force in September that year, authorising the construction of a second 1,930-square-metre (21,000 sq ft) ticket hall at Victoria.[41]

Warren Street tube station was attacked in the 2005 London bombings. There were no fatalities in this attack. After the 2005 London bombings, there was heightened security. The London Police wrongly detained and shot 27-year-old Jean Charles de Menezes once he boarded a train at one of the stations on the Victoria line. Jean did not survive. After he died a memorial was placed close to Stockwell station.[42]

On 23 January 2014, during upgrade work at Victoria, construction workers accidentally penetrated the signalling room of the Victoria line and flooded it with quick-drying concrete, leading to the suspension of services south of Warren Street.[43] Services resumed the following day after sugar was used to slow the setting of the concrete and make it easier to shovel out.[44][45]

A 24-hour Night Tube service on Friday and Saturday nights, due to start in September 2015 on the entire line,[46] was delayed because of strike action.[47] The service began in August 2016, with trains running at 10-minute intervals on the whole line.[48]

Design edit

Every Victoria line station, apart from Pimlico and Blackhorse Road, was built as an interchange and several stations were rearranged to allow for cross-platform interchange with the line. In some stations, the Victoria line platforms were built on either side of the existing arrangement; in others, the Victoria line uses the older platforms and the existing line was diverted onto a new alignment.[49] All platforms on the line are 132.6 metres (435 ft) long.[50] The line has hump-backed stations to allow trains to store gravitational potential energy as they slow down and release it when they leave a station, providing an energy saving of 5% and allowing trains to run 9% faster.[51][52]

The stations were originally tiled in blue and grey, each decorated with tiled motifs in seating recesses for identification.[53] Some motifs were puns; the image for Brixton, for instance, was a ton of bricks.[34] During construction of the first stage of the Jubilee line in 1979, the motifs on Green Park station were replaced by others matching the design for the Jubilee line platforms.[54]

In late 2010 and 2011, platform humps were installed on all Victoria line stations except Pimlico to provide step-free access to trains.[55] The project was in accordance with the Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Non Interoperable Rail System) Regulations 2010 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.[56][57] The Victoria line humps resemble the Harrington Hump, a type of ramp being installed on some mainline stations, but are of a masonry construction.[58]

Service and rolling stock edit

 
The line's original 1967 Stock was used until mid-2011. It is seen here at Holborn on a farewell tour.

About 200 million passengers a year use the Victoria line.[59] It is the sixth-most heavily used line on the network in absolute figures, but in terms of the average number of journeys per mile it is by far the most intensively used.[60] From May 2017, trains run every 100 seconds during peak periods, providing 36 trains per hour.[61] All trains run from Brixton to Seven Sisters and some continue to Walthamstow Central.[62] During off-peak periods, the Victoria line runs 27 trains per hour between Brixton and Walthamstow central. [1]

When the line opened, services were operated by a fleet of 39+12 eight-car trains of 1967 Tube Stock trains. In the early planning stages, an articulated type of rolling stock was considered, but not progressed because of difficulties transferring the stock to Acton Works for heavy overhauls.[63] After Acton Works closed, this no longer applies. The 2009 tube stock has a wider profile and slightly longer carriages which precludes it from running on other deep-level tube lines. The 1967 stock was supplemented by 1972 Mark I Tube Stock, transferred from the Northern line and converted to be compatible with the 1967 stock.[64]

 
2009 tube stock at the Victoria line's Northumberland Park Depot

Replacement of the 1967 rolling stock began in July 2009.[65][66] The 2009 Tube Stock fleet of 47 eight-car trains, was built by Bombardier Transportation.[67] Testing the first prototypes began in 2008. The trains began to be introduced in 2009 and most were in operation by the following year. The last of the 1967 stock trains ran on 30 June 2011, after which the entire service was provided by 2009 stock.[68][69]

On opening, the line was equipped with a fixed-block Automatic Train Operation system (ATO). The train operator closed the train doors and pressed a pair of "start" buttons and, if the way ahead was clear, the ATO drives the train at a safe speed to the next station. At any point, the driver could switch to manual control if the ATO failed.[27] The system, which operated until 2012, made the Victoria line the world's first full-scale automatic railway.[note 4]

The Victoria line runs faster trains than other Underground lines because it has fewer stops, ATO running and modern design.[73][74] Train speeds can reach up to 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). A common method used by north London residents to visit the West End is to take the Northern line Bank branch, change platforms at Euston, and continue on faster Victoria line trains.[52][73] The original signalling has been replaced with a more modern ATO system from Westinghouse Rail Systems incorporating 'Distance to Go Radio' and more than 400 track circuits. The track operator, London Underground Limited, claimed it is the world's first ATO-on-ATO upgrade.[65][67][75] The new system allowed a revised timetable to be introduced in February 2013, allowing up to 33 trains per hour instead of 27.[76] In combination with new, faster trains, the line's capacity increased by 21%, equivalent to an extra 10,000 passengers per hour.[65][68]

Facilities edit

Step-free access edit

 
Notice explaining about step-free access. This can be found inside every Victoria line train.

When the line was built, budgetary restrictions meant that station infrastructure standards were lower than on older lines and on later extension projects.[17] Examples include narrower than usual platforms and undecorated ceilings at Walthamstow Central, Blackhorse Road and Tottenham Hale, affecting lighting levels.[77] The line was built with fewer escalators than other lines as a cost-saving measure.[78] The lack of a third escalator linking station entrances to platforms at some stations can cause severe congestion at peak times.[79] Stations have closed temporarily for safety reasons when escalators have been unserviceable.[80]

Step-free routes are available between the Victoria line and other lines at most interchanges.[81] Tottenham Hale, Finsbury Park, King's Cross St Pancras, Green Park, Victoria, Vauxhall and Brixton have step-free access from street to train.[82][81][83][84][85][86] Platform humps have been installed at all stations (except Pimlico) to provide level access to trains, improving access for customers with mobility impairments, luggage or pushchairs.[87]

Ventilation edit

 
Ferry Lane fan shaft and emergency access point at Heron Island, approximately halfway between Blackhorse Road and Tottenham Hale stations

About 50 ventilation shafts were constructed during the construction phase.[88] Midpoint tunnel ventilation shafts remain between stations. Special "local arrangements" are in place should it be necessary to evacuate passengers from trains via Netherton Road emergency escape shaft.[89] Planning permission for a shaft at Ferry Lane, next to Tottenham Hale station, was granted on 11 January 1968, during the first phase of construction.[90]

By mid-2009, trial boreholes for a cooling system at Green Park station had been drilled and more were scheduled to be created by the end of 2009.[91] In 2010, Engineering & Technology reported that 200 litres (44 imp gal) of water per second for the cooling system was being pumped through heat-exchangers at Victoria station from the River Tyburn and into the River Thames.[92]

Between 2009 and 2014, thirteen ventilation shafts were refurbished. In the first phase were Drayton Park, Gillingham Street, Moreton Terrace, Pulross Road, Somerleyton Road and Tynemouth Road.[93] For the second phase were Cobourg Street, Dover Street, Gibson Square, Great Titchfield Street, Isledon Road, Kings Cross, Palace Street and Rita Road.[93]

By 2009, changes at Cobourg Street were in the planning stage and demolition at Moreton Terrace, Somerleyton Road and Drayton Park shafts had taken place.[91] Planning permission for Netherton Road shaft was granted on 8 September 1967.[94] On 31 March, the demolition and rebuilding of Netherton Road shaft was allowed as permitted development.[95][96]

Depot edit

The depot at Northumberland Park, the service and storage area for trains, is the only part of the Victoria line above ground. Trains access the depot via a branch line in a tunnel to the north of Seven Sisters.[97]

The depot opened with the first stage of the line in September 1968. It is next to Northumberland Park railway station, on Tottenham Marshes in the London Borough of Haringey, over a mile from the Victoria line. When built, it was 900 feet (270 m) long and had working space for 22 eight-car trains.[23] As part of Transport for London's tube upgrade scheme, the depot has been expanded and upgraded to accommodate all the 2009 Tube Stock trains.[98][99]

Future edit

Tottenham Hotspur F.C. and its supporters have campaigned for a surface station next to Northumberland Park Station, adjacent to the depot to improve the stadium's transport links, which are essential for the club to redevelop its ground and increase capacity. The plans require co-operation with the local council and Network Rail to minimise disruption.[100][101] It was announced by Haringey Council in its 2012 A Plan for Tottenham report that there was "potential for a Victoria Line extension to Northumberland Park".[102]

Crossrail 2, also known as the Chelsea-Hackney line, is a proposed line across central London between Victoria and King's Cross St Pancras tube station to increase capacity in Central London by 270,000 passengers per day. It is intended to relieve congestion on the Victoria line, a key line connecting several important London termini.[103][104]

Proposals have been made to extend the line one stop southwards from Brixton to Herne Hill, a significant interchange in south London providing access to Kent, Blackfriars, London Bridge and Sutton. The latter station would be on a large reversing loop with a single platform removing a critical capacity restriction eliminating the need for trains to reverse at Brixton and provide a more obvious route for passengers who look for the nearest tube station before any other transport options.[105][106]

Stations edit

Victoria line
Detailed track diagram[107]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Walthamstow Central   [108]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Blackhorse Road  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tottenham Hale    [109]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Seven Sisters    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Piccadilly line northbound
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Finsbury Park        
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Piccadilly line south/westbound
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Highbury & Islington      
 
 
 
 
 
 
↓ right hand running
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
King's Cross St. Pancras  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Euston      
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Warren Street  
 
↑ right hand running
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bakerloo line northbound
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oxford Circus    
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bakerloo line southbound
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Green Park      
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Victoria        
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pimlico
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Vauxhall      
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Northern line northbound
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stockwell  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Northern line southbound
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brixton    
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
station platforms connected
on the same level
Station Image Opened Victoria line service began Interchanges Position
Walthamstow Central     26 April 1870[110][a] 1 September 1968

London Overground

51°34′59″N 000°01′11″W / 51.58306°N 0.01972°W / 51.58306; -0.01972 (01 - Walthamstow Central station)
Blackhorse Road     19 July 1894[38]

London Overground

51°35′13″N 000°02′29″W / 51.58694°N 0.04139°W / 51.58694; -0.04139 (02 - Blackhorse Road station)
Tottenham Hale       15 September 1840[112][b]

National Rail

51°35′18″N 000°03′35″W / 51.58833°N 0.05972°W / 51.58833; -0.05972 (03 - Tottenham Hale station)
Seven Sisters     [c]   22 July 1872[114]

London Overground and National Rail

51°34′56″N 000°04′31″W / 51.58222°N 0.07528°W / 51.58222; -0.07528 (04 - Seven Sisters station)
Finsbury Park         1 July 1861[115][d]

Piccadilly line (CPI)[23] and National Rail

51°33′53″N 000°06′23″W / 51.56472°N 0.10639°W / 51.56472; -0.10639 (05 - Finsbury Park station)
Highbury & Islington       26 September 1850[116]

London Overground and National Rail (CPI)[117]

51°32′45″N 000°06′18″W / 51.54583°N 0.10500°W / 51.54583; -0.10500 (06 - Highbury & Islington station)
King's Cross St Pancras           10 January 1863[118] 1 December 1968

Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Northern and Piccadilly lines; National Rail and Eurostar

51°31′49″N 000°07′27″W / 51.53028°N 0.12417°W / 51.53028; -0.12417 (07 - King's Cross St Pancras tube station)
Euston       12 May 1907[119]

Northern line (CPI with Bank branch),[28] London Overground and National Rail

51°31′42″N 000°07′59″W / 51.52833°N 0.13306°W / 51.52833; -0.13306 (08 - Euston tube station)
Warren Street   22 June 1907[119]

Northern line

51°31′29″N 000°08′18″W / 51.52472°N 0.13833°W / 51.52472; -0.13833 (09 - Warren Street tube station)
Oxford Circus   30 July 1900[120] 7 March 1969

Bakerloo (CPI)[28] and Central lines

51°30′55″N 000°08′30″W / 51.51528°N 0.14167°W / 51.51528; -0.14167 (10 - Oxford Circus tube station)
Green Park     15 December 1906[121]

Piccadilly and Jubilee lines

51°30′24″N 000°08′34″W / 51.50667°N 0.14278°W / 51.50667; -0.14278 (11 - Green Park tube station)
Victoria   (  Trains to Gatwick)     1 October 1860[122]

Circle and District lines and National Rail

51°29′48″N 000°08′41″W / 51.49667°N 0.14472°W / 51.49667; -0.14472 (12 - London Victoria station)
Pimlico   14 September 1972[123] 51°29′22″N 000°08′00″W / 51.48944°N 0.13333°W / 51.48944; -0.13333 (13 - Pimlico tube station)
Vauxhall       11 July 1848[122] 23 July 1971

National Rail, London River Services (St George Wharf Pier)[124]

51°29′07″N 000°07′22″W / 51.48528°N 0.12278°W / 51.48528; -0.12278 (14 - Vauxhall station)
Stockwell   4 November 1890[125]

Northern line (CPI)[34]

51°28′21″N 000°07′20″W / 51.47250°N 0.12222°W / 51.47250; -0.12222 (15 - Stockwell tube station)
Brixton       23 July 1971[126]

National Rail (within a 100 metres (330 ft) walking distance)

51°27′45″N 000°06′54″W / 51.46250°N 0.11500°W / 51.46250; -0.11500 (16 - Brixton tube station)
  1. ^ Opened as Hoe Street, renamed when Victoria Line opened on 1 September 1968.[111]
  2. ^ Opened as Tottenham, renamed on 1 December 1968.[112]
  3. ^ Seven Sisters is the only station with more than 2 platforms. The third is a holding platform for trains that terminate their journeys from Brixton at Seven Sisters instead of at Walthamstow. The third platform allows access to the Northumberland Park depot.[113]
  4. ^ Opened as Seven Sisters Road (Holloway), renamed 15 November 1869.[115]

See also edit

Notes and references edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ The exception is a branch line not used by passengers from Seven Sisters to the line's depot at Northumberland Park, position: 51°36′04″N 000°03′11″W / 51.60111°N 0.05306°W / 51.60111; -0.05306 (1 - Northumberland Park Depot)
  2. ^ in terms of the average number of journeys per mile
  3. ^ The Kentish Town-to-Barking service, serving Blackhorse Road, was proposed for closure under the Beeching cuts.[24]
  4. ^ Although the system was tested on the Tube on a smaller scale before that, initially on a short section of the District line; then a larger trial was carried out on the Central line between Woodford and Hainault.[70][71][72]

References edit

Citations

  1. ^ "London Assembly Questions to the Mayor". London Assembly. 2022. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  2. ^ Day & Reed 2010, p. 143.
  3. ^ Horne 1988, pp. 14–15.
  4. ^ Wolmar 2012, p. 301.
  5. ^ HMSO 1959, p. 10.
  6. ^ Day & Reed 2010, p. 148.
  7. ^ Wolmar 2012, pp. 300–301.
  8. ^ Cooke, B.W.C., ed. (April 1955). "Proposed New London Underground". The Railway Magazine. Vol. 101, no. 648. London. pp. 279–281.
  9. ^ a b c d Day & Reed 2010, p. 153.
  10. ^ "Public Passenger Transport, London". Hansard. 18 December 1963.
  11. ^ Horne 1988, p. 15.
  12. ^ Butt 1995, p. 240.
  13. ^ HMSO 1959, p. 13.
  14. ^ Klapper 1976, p. 123.
  15. ^ Day & Reed 2010, p. 156.
  16. ^ a b Day & Reed 2010, pp. 160–161.
  17. ^ a b Martin 2012, p. 235.
  18. ^ HMSO 1959, p. 36.
  19. ^ Day & Reed 2010, p. 160.
  20. ^ Day & Reed 2010, p. 161.
  21. ^ a b c Day & Reed 2010, p. 163.
  22. ^ HMSO 1959, p. 37.
  23. ^ a b c Day & Reed 2010, p. 167.
  24. ^ . Rail Engineer. 13 September 2016. Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  25. ^ a b c d Day & Reed 2010, p. 166.
  26. ^ "London's new tube starts work". Modern Railways. Vol. XXIV, no. 241. Shepperton, Middlesex: Ian Allan Ltd. October 1968. p. 532.
  27. ^ a b "Busy start for Victoria Line". The Times. London. 2 September 1968. p. 3. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  28. ^ a b c d Day & Reed 2010, p. 168.
  29. ^ "Victoria Line". The Times. London. 7 March 1969. p. X. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  30. ^ "150 Facts for 150 Years of the Tube". The Independent. 9 January 2013. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  31. ^ "Seeing Red Over A Green". The Times. London. 24 May 1967. p. 2. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  32. ^ "Victoria Line Extension (Pimlico Station) (Hansard, 28 June 1968)". api.parliament.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  33. ^ "Picture Gallery". The Times. London. 13 July 1968. p. 3. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  34. ^ a b c d Day & Reed 2010, p. 171.
  35. ^ "Picture Gallery". The Times. London. 24 July 1971. p. 2. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  36. ^ Day & Reed 2010, p. 172.
  37. ^ Warman, Christopher (23 March 1973). "GLC Conservatives hope to put north Kent towns on Tube". The Times. London. p. 6. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  38. ^ a b Butt 1995, p. 36.
  39. ^ "Barking – Gospel Oak Line User Group E-Bulletin" (PDF). 27 April 2012. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 October 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  40. ^ "London Underground (Victoria) Act 1991" (Statutory Instrument). The National Archives. 27 June 1991. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  41. ^ "The London Underground (Victoria Station Upgrade) Order 2009" (Statutory Instrument). The National Archives. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  42. ^ "Jury sees harrowing de Menezes film". 12 April 2012.
  43. ^ "Victoria Tube line part shut hit by wet concrete flood". BBC News. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  44. ^ Edgar, James (24 January 2014). "Underground blunder: 'sugar used to slow concrete setting'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  45. ^ Gray, Richard (24 January 2014). "Why sugar helped remove Victoria Line concrete flood". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  46. ^ "The Night Tube". The Future of the Tube. Transport for London. from the original on 11 July 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  47. ^ "Night Tube begins in London, bringing 'huge boost' to capital". BBC News. 20 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  48. ^ "The Night Tube". Transport for London. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  49. ^ Day & Reed 2010, pp. 167–168.
  50. ^ "2009 Tube Stock on Track" (PDF). London Underground Railway Society. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 October 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  51. ^ MacKay, David J.C. (2008). Sustainable Energy - without the hot air (Free full text). ISBN 978-1-906860-01-1.
  52. ^ a b "This Northern Line Cheat Will Save You Minutes On Every Commute". Londonist. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
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victoria, line, fortifications, malta, victoria, lines, london, underground, line, that, runs, between, brixton, south, london, walthamstow, central, north, east, west, printed, light, blue, tube, only, lines, network, completely, underground, other, being, wa. For the fortifications in Malta see Victoria Lines The Victoria line is a London Underground line that runs between Brixton in south London and Walthamstow Central in the north east via the West End It is printed in light blue on the Tube map and is one of the only two lines on the network to run completely underground the other being the Waterloo amp City line note 1 Victoria lineA 2009 stock Victoria line train departs EustonOverviewTerminiWalthamstow CentralBrixtonStations16Colour on mapLight blueServiceTypeRapid transitSystemLondon UndergroundOperator s London Underground LimitedDepot s Northumberland ParkRolling stock2009 StockRidership302 009 million 2019 1 passenger journeysHistoryOpened1 September 1968 55 years ago 1968 09 01 Last extension1971TechnicalLine length21 km 13 mi CharacterDeep levelTrack gauge1 435 mm 4 ft 8 1 2 in standard gaugeElectrificationFourth rail 630 V DCOperating speed80 km h 50 mph SignallingCBTC Distance to Go Radio Transport for London rail linesLondon UndergroundBakerlooCentralCircleDistrictHammersmith amp CityJubileeMetropolitanNorthernPiccadillyVictoriaWaterloo amp CityLondon OvergroundLibertyLionessMildmaySuffragetteWeaverWindrushOther TfL ModesDLRElizabeth lineLondon TramsvteThe line was constructed in the 1960s and was the first entirely new Underground line in London for 50 years It was designed to reduce congestion on other lines particularly the Piccadilly line and the Charing Cross branch of the Northern line The first section from Walthamstow Central to Highbury amp Islington opened in September 1968 and an extension to Warren Street followed in December The line was completed to Victoria station in March 1969 and was opened by Queen Elizabeth II who rode a train from Green Park to Victoria The southern extension to Brixton opened in 1971 and Pimlico station was added in 1972 The Victoria line is operated using automatic train operation but all trains have drivers The 2009 Tube Stock replaced the original 1967 Tube Stock trains The line serves 16 stations and all but Pimlico provide interchanges with other Transport for London or National Rail services The line the most intensively used on the Underground note 2 was used by 302 million passengers in 2019 making it the second busiest tube line Contents 1 History 1 1 Planning 1 2 Walthamstow Victoria 1 3 Victoria Brixton 1 4 Post opening 2 Design 3 Service and rolling stock 4 Facilities 4 1 Step free access 4 2 Ventilation 5 Depot 6 Future 7 Stations 8 See also 9 Notes and references 9 1 Notes 9 2 References 10 External linksHistory edit nbsp Geographically accurate map of the Victoria linePlanning edit The first proposal for a railway in this area appeared in the County of London Plan published in 1943 2 In 1948 a working party set up by the British Transport Commission BTC proposed a tube railway from Victoria to Walthamstow 3 largely based on a 1946 plan for a Croydon to Finsbury Park line Its main purpose was to relieve congestion in the central area which had been a problem since the 1930s 4 Other benefits were linking the key railway stations at Victoria Euston King s Cross and St Pancras and improving connections between north east London and the city 5 In early 1949 the BTC committee looked at the feasibility of building a deep level tube to fulfil these requirements 6 For the first time cost benefit analysis was used to ensure the line would be built within budget and be profitable 7 A private bill was introduced in Parliament in 1955 describing a line from Victoria to Walthamstow Wood Street next to the British Rail station Another proposal not in the bill supported an extension from Victoria to Fulham Broadway on the District line terminating at Edmonton instead of Walthamstow 8 9 Proposals were made to extend the line north to South Woodford or Woodford to provide interchange with the Central line 10 In 1961 it was decided to terminate the line at Walthamstow Hoe Street station which was renamed Walthamstow Central on 6 May 1968 in anticipation of the line s opening 11 12 The line was planned to have cross platform interchanges at Oxford Circus Euston and Finsbury Park with the Bakerloo Northern Bank and Piccadilly lines respectively and at Walthamstow Central to provide a quick and easy connection between the new line and existing services 13 The name Victoria line dates from 1955 other suggestions were Walvic line Walthamstow Victoria Viking line Victoria King s Cross Mayfair line and West End line 9 During the planning stages it was known as Route C and named the Victoria line after the station by David McKenna Chairman of British Transport Advertising whose suggestion was seconded by Sir John Elliot 9 14 The board decided that the Victoria line sounded just right 9 Walthamstow Victoria edit Initial construction began in January 1960 when two test tunnels were started from Tottenham to Manor House under Seven Sisters Road The tunnels were excavated using an experimental drum digger rotary shield powered by hydraulic rams that could cut more than 60 feet 18 m per day The work was completed in July 1961 with the expectation it would be used for the completed Victoria line 15 After the line gained parliamentary approval on 20 August 1962 with a budget of 56 million construction began the following month 16 The economic boom of the mid to late 1950s had faded leading to a rise in unemployment in London and the government had hoped that building the Victoria line would alleviate this 17 Work began adapting Oxford Circus station to link to the new line a cross platform interchange was provided with the Bakerloo line and a subway link with the Central line 18 A steel umbrella was erected over the junction in August 1963 so that a new ticket hall could be built without disrupting existing traffic 16 Rolling stock on the line was fitted with Automatic Train Operation ATO which allowed self driving of the train based on automatic electrical signals along the track 19 In March 1964 a 2 25 million contract was awarded to Metro Cammell for the Victoria line fleet 20 That October the Northern City Line closed between Drayton Park and Finsbury Park so that the latter station could be redesigned for a cross platform interchange between the Victoria and Piccadilly lines All major contracts had been awarded by 1965 and construction was on track to be completed in 1968 21 New stations were constructed at Walthamstow Central Blackhorse Road Tottenham Hale and Seven Sisters 22 The station at Blackhorse Road was built on the opposite side of the road from the mainline station serving the Kentish Town to Barking line and was not an interchange 23 note 3 The line opened from Walthamstow Central to Highbury amp Islington on 1 September 1968 25 26 There was no opening ceremony instead the normal timetable started 25 The first train left Walthamstow Central for Highbury amp Islington at 7 32 a m The line proved to meet a need more than 1 000 tickets were purchased at Highbury amp Islington within its first hour of opening 27 The next section to Warren Street opened on 1 December 1968 again without ceremony 25 The line was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 7 March 1969 when it had been completed to Victoria At 11 00 a m the Queen made the first trip on a 5d 2 08p ticket from Green Park to Victoria where she unveiled a plaque 28 29 In so doing she was the first reigning monarch to ride on the Underground 30 The line was open to the general public by 3 00 p m Trains from Walthamstow to Victoria took around 24 minutes 28 Victoria Brixton edit nbsp Pimlico station was the last part of the Victoria line to open and is the line s only station that is not an interchange The 3 5 mile 5 6 km extension from Victoria to Brixton with stations at Vauxhall and Stockwell was approved in March 1966 21 Preparatory work had started at Bessborough Gardens near Vauxhall Bridge Road in May 1967 31 The contract was awarded on 4 August 1967 21 A proposal to build Pimlico tube station received Government approval on 28 June 1968 32 25 In July the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales visited tunnel workings under Vauxhall Park 33 The Brixton extension was bored using the older Greathead shield Although slower use of the tunnelling shield allowed easier digging through the gravel strata south of the Thames It was opened on 23 July 1971 by Princess Alexandra who made a journey from Brixton to Vauxhall 34 35 On opening it was the first new section of Underground to open south of the Thames since the extension of the City and South London Railway from Clapham Common to Morden in 1926 34 The final piece of the Victoria line Pimlico station opened on 14 September 1972 36 London Transport considered extensions to Streatham Dulwich and Crystal Palace to provide a connection to southeast London and Kent but no construction work was undertaken 37 Post opening edit The Kentish Town to Barking line did not close as expected and both stations at Blackhorse Road remained open The mainline station was moved to the same side of the road as the tube station and was connected to the Victoria line on 14 December 1981 via an overbridge The original station was then closed and demolished 38 39 The London Underground Victoria Act 1991 allowed for the construction of a 43 metre 140 ft underground pedestrian link at Victoria station between the Victoria line platforms and the sub surface Circle line platforms above 40 The London Underground Victoria Station Upgrade Order 2009 came into force in September that year authorising the construction of a second 1 930 square metre 21 000 sq ft ticket hall at Victoria 41 Warren Street tube station was attacked in the 2005 London bombings There were no fatalities in this attack After the 2005 London bombings there was heightened security The London Police wrongly detained and shot 27 year old Jean Charles de Menezes once he boarded a train at one of the stations on the Victoria line Jean did not survive After he died a memorial was placed close to Stockwell station 42 On 23 January 2014 during upgrade work at Victoria construction workers accidentally penetrated the signalling room of the Victoria line and flooded it with quick drying concrete leading to the suspension of services south of Warren Street 43 Services resumed the following day after sugar was used to slow the setting of the concrete and make it easier to shovel out 44 45 A 24 hour Night Tube service on Friday and Saturday nights due to start in September 2015 on the entire line 46 was delayed because of strike action 47 The service began in August 2016 with trains running at 10 minute intervals on the whole line 48 Design editEvery Victoria line station apart from Pimlico and Blackhorse Road was built as an interchange and several stations were rearranged to allow for cross platform interchange with the line In some stations the Victoria line platforms were built on either side of the existing arrangement in others the Victoria line uses the older platforms and the existing line was diverted onto a new alignment 49 All platforms on the line are 132 6 metres 435 ft long 50 The line has hump backed stations to allow trains to store gravitational potential energy as they slow down and release it when they leave a station providing an energy saving of 5 and allowing trains to run 9 faster 51 52 The stations were originally tiled in blue and grey each decorated with tiled motifs in seating recesses for identification 53 Some motifs were puns the image for Brixton for instance was a ton of bricks 34 During construction of the first stage of the Jubilee line in 1979 the motifs on Green Park station were replaced by others matching the design for the Jubilee line platforms 54 In late 2010 and 2011 platform humps were installed on all Victoria line stations except Pimlico to provide step free access to trains 55 The project was in accordance with the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Non Interoperable Rail System Regulations 2010 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 56 57 The Victoria line humps resemble the Harrington Hump a type of ramp being installed on some mainline stations but are of a masonry construction 58 Service and rolling stock edit nbsp The line s original 1967 Stock was used until mid 2011 It is seen here at Holborn on a farewell tour About 200 million passengers a year use the Victoria line 59 It is the sixth most heavily used line on the network in absolute figures but in terms of the average number of journeys per mile it is by far the most intensively used 60 From May 2017 trains run every 100 seconds during peak periods providing 36 trains per hour 61 All trains run from Brixton to Seven Sisters and some continue to Walthamstow Central 62 During off peak periods the Victoria line runs 27 trains per hour between Brixton and Walthamstow central 1 When the line opened services were operated by a fleet of 39 1 2 eight car trains of 1967 Tube Stock trains In the early planning stages an articulated type of rolling stock was considered but not progressed because of difficulties transferring the stock to Acton Works for heavy overhauls 63 After Acton Works closed this no longer applies The 2009 tube stock has a wider profile and slightly longer carriages which precludes it from running on other deep level tube lines The 1967 stock was supplemented by 1972 Mark I Tube Stock transferred from the Northern line and converted to be compatible with the 1967 stock 64 nbsp 2009 tube stock at the Victoria line s Northumberland Park DepotReplacement of the 1967 rolling stock began in July 2009 65 66 The 2009 Tube Stock fleet of 47 eight car trains was built by Bombardier Transportation 67 Testing the first prototypes began in 2008 The trains began to be introduced in 2009 and most were in operation by the following year The last of the 1967 stock trains ran on 30 June 2011 after which the entire service was provided by 2009 stock 68 69 On opening the line was equipped with a fixed block Automatic Train Operation system ATO The train operator closed the train doors and pressed a pair of start buttons and if the way ahead was clear the ATO drives the train at a safe speed to the next station At any point the driver could switch to manual control if the ATO failed 27 The system which operated until 2012 made the Victoria line the world s first full scale automatic railway note 4 The Victoria line runs faster trains than other Underground lines because it has fewer stops ATO running and modern design 73 74 Train speeds can reach up to 50 miles per hour 80 km h A common method used by north London residents to visit the West End is to take the Northern line Bank branch change platforms at Euston and continue on faster Victoria line trains 52 73 The original signalling has been replaced with a more modern ATO system from Westinghouse Rail Systems incorporating Distance to Go Radio and more than 400 track circuits The track operator London Underground Limited claimed it is the world s first ATO on ATO upgrade 65 67 75 The new system allowed a revised timetable to be introduced in February 2013 allowing up to 33 trains per hour instead of 27 76 In combination with new faster trains the line s capacity increased by 21 equivalent to an extra 10 000 passengers per hour 65 68 Facilities editStep free access edit nbsp Notice explaining about step free access This can be found inside every Victoria line train When the line was built budgetary restrictions meant that station infrastructure standards were lower than on older lines and on later extension projects 17 Examples include narrower than usual platforms and undecorated ceilings at Walthamstow Central Blackhorse Road and Tottenham Hale affecting lighting levels 77 The line was built with fewer escalators than other lines as a cost saving measure 78 The lack of a third escalator linking station entrances to platforms at some stations can cause severe congestion at peak times 79 Stations have closed temporarily for safety reasons when escalators have been unserviceable 80 Step free routes are available between the Victoria line and other lines at most interchanges 81 Tottenham Hale Finsbury Park King s Cross St Pancras Green Park Victoria Vauxhall and Brixton have step free access from street to train 82 81 83 84 85 86 Platform humps have been installed at all stations except Pimlico to provide level access to trains improving access for customers with mobility impairments luggage or pushchairs 87 Ventilation edit nbsp Ferry Lane fan shaft and emergency access point at Heron Island approximately halfway between Blackhorse Road and Tottenham Hale stationsAbout 50 ventilation shafts were constructed during the construction phase 88 Midpoint tunnel ventilation shafts remain between stations Special local arrangements are in place should it be necessary to evacuate passengers from trains via Netherton Road emergency escape shaft 89 Planning permission for a shaft at Ferry Lane next to Tottenham Hale station was granted on 11 January 1968 during the first phase of construction 90 By mid 2009 trial boreholes for a cooling system at Green Park station had been drilled and more were scheduled to be created by the end of 2009 91 In 2010 Engineering amp Technology reported that 200 litres 44 imp gal of water per second for the cooling system was being pumped through heat exchangers at Victoria station from the River Tyburn and into the River Thames 92 Between 2009 and 2014 thirteen ventilation shafts were refurbished In the first phase were Drayton Park Gillingham Street Moreton Terrace Pulross Road Somerleyton Road and Tynemouth Road 93 For the second phase were Cobourg Street Dover Street Gibson Square Great Titchfield Street Isledon Road Kings Cross Palace Street and Rita Road 93 By 2009 changes at Cobourg Street were in the planning stage and demolition at Moreton Terrace Somerleyton Road and Drayton Park shafts had taken place 91 Planning permission for Netherton Road shaft was granted on 8 September 1967 94 On 31 March the demolition and rebuilding of Netherton Road shaft was allowed as permitted development 95 96 Depot editThe depot at Northumberland Park the service and storage area for trains is the only part of the Victoria line above ground Trains access the depot via a branch line in a tunnel to the north of Seven Sisters 97 The depot opened with the first stage of the line in September 1968 It is next to Northumberland Park railway station on Tottenham Marshes in the London Borough of Haringey over a mile from the Victoria line When built it was 900 feet 270 m long and had working space for 22 eight car trains 23 As part of Transport for London s tube upgrade scheme the depot has been expanded and upgraded to accommodate all the 2009 Tube Stock trains 98 99 Future editTottenham Hotspur F C and its supporters have campaigned for a surface station next to Northumberland Park Station adjacent to the depot to improve the stadium s transport links which are essential for the club to redevelop its ground and increase capacity The plans require co operation with the local council and Network Rail to minimise disruption 100 101 It was announced by Haringey Council in its 2012 A Plan for Tottenham report that there was potential for a Victoria Line extension to Northumberland Park 102 Crossrail 2 also known as the Chelsea Hackney line is a proposed line across central London between Victoria and King s Cross St Pancras tube station to increase capacity in Central London by 270 000 passengers per day It is intended to relieve congestion on the Victoria line a key line connecting several important London termini 103 104 Proposals have been made to extend the line one stop southwards from Brixton to Herne Hill a significant interchange in south London providing access to Kent Blackfriars London Bridge and Sutton The latter station would be on a large reversing loop with a single platform removing a critical capacity restriction eliminating the need for trains to reverse at Brixton and provide a more obvious route for passengers who look for the nearest tube station before any other transport options 105 106 Stations editvteVictoria lineLegend nbsp Walthamstow Central nbsp nbsp Blackhorse Road nbsp nbsp nbsp Northumberland Park Depot nbsp nbsp Tottenham Hale nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Seven Sisters nbsp nbsp nbsp Finsbury Park nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp link with Piccadilly line nbsp nbsp Highbury amp Islington nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp cross over nbsp King s Cross St Pancras nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Euston nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Warren Street nbsp nbsp cross over nbsp Oxford Circus nbsp nbsp nbsp Green Park nbsp nbsp nbsp Victoria nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Pimlico nbsp River Thames nbsp Vauxhall nbsp nbsp nbsp Stockwell nbsp nbsp Brixton nbsp Detailed track diagram 107 Legend nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Walthamstow Central nbsp 108 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Blackhorse Road nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Tottenham Hale nbsp nbsp 109 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp to Northumberland Park Depot nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Seven Sisters nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Piccadilly line northbound nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Finsbury Park nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Piccadilly line south westbound nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Northern City Line northbound nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Highbury amp Islington nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Northern City Line to Moorgate nbsp right hand running nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp King s Cross St Pancras nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Northern line to Bank nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Euston nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Northern line to Camden Town nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Warren Street nbsp nbsp right hand running nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Bakerloo line northbound nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Oxford Circus nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Bakerloo line southbound nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Green Park nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Victoria nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Pimlico nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp River Thames nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Vauxhall nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Northern line northbound nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Stockwell nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Northern line southbound nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Brixton nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp station platforms connectedon the same levelStation Image Opened Victoria line service began Interchanges PositionWalthamstow Central nbsp nbsp 26 April 1870 110 a 1 September 1968 London Overground 51 34 59 N 000 01 11 W 51 58306 N 0 01972 W 51 58306 0 01972 01 Walthamstow Central station Blackhorse Road nbsp nbsp 19 July 1894 38 London Overground 51 35 13 N 000 02 29 W 51 58694 N 0 04139 W 51 58694 0 04139 02 Blackhorse Road station Tottenham Hale nbsp nbsp nbsp 15 September 1840 112 b National Rail 51 35 18 N 000 03 35 W 51 58833 N 0 05972 W 51 58833 0 05972 03 Tottenham Hale station Seven Sisters nbsp nbsp c nbsp 22 July 1872 114 London Overground and National Rail 51 34 56 N 000 04 31 W 51 58222 N 0 07528 W 51 58222 0 07528 04 Seven Sisters station Finsbury Park nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 1 July 1861 115 d Piccadilly line CPI 23 and National Rail 51 33 53 N 000 06 23 W 51 56472 N 0 10639 W 51 56472 0 10639 05 Finsbury Park station Highbury amp Islington nbsp nbsp nbsp 26 September 1850 116 London Overground and National Rail CPI 117 51 32 45 N 000 06 18 W 51 54583 N 0 10500 W 51 54583 0 10500 06 Highbury amp Islington station King s Cross St Pancras nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 10 January 1863 118 1 December 1968 Circle Hammersmith amp City Metropolitan Northern and Piccadilly lines National Rail and Eurostar 51 31 49 N 000 07 27 W 51 53028 N 0 12417 W 51 53028 0 12417 07 King s Cross St Pancras tube station Euston nbsp nbsp nbsp 12 May 1907 119 Northern line CPI with Bank branch 28 London Overground and National Rail 51 31 42 N 000 07 59 W 51 52833 N 0 13306 W 51 52833 0 13306 08 Euston tube station Warren Street nbsp 22 June 1907 119 Northern line 51 31 29 N 000 08 18 W 51 52472 N 0 13833 W 51 52472 0 13833 09 Warren Street tube station Oxford Circus nbsp 30 July 1900 120 7 March 1969 Bakerloo CPI 28 and Central lines 51 30 55 N 000 08 30 W 51 51528 N 0 14167 W 51 51528 0 14167 10 Oxford Circus tube station Green Park nbsp nbsp 15 December 1906 121 Piccadilly and Jubilee lines 51 30 24 N 000 08 34 W 51 50667 N 0 14278 W 51 50667 0 14278 11 Green Park tube station Victoria nbsp nbsp Trains to Gatwick nbsp nbsp 1 October 1860 122 Circle and District lines and National Rail 51 29 48 N 000 08 41 W 51 49667 N 0 14472 W 51 49667 0 14472 12 London Victoria station Pimlico nbsp 14 September 1972 123 51 29 22 N 000 08 00 W 51 48944 N 0 13333 W 51 48944 0 13333 13 Pimlico tube station Vauxhall nbsp nbsp nbsp 11 July 1848 122 23 July 1971 National Rail London River Services St George Wharf Pier 124 51 29 07 N 000 07 22 W 51 48528 N 0 12278 W 51 48528 0 12278 14 Vauxhall station Stockwell nbsp 4 November 1890 125 Northern line CPI 34 51 28 21 N 000 07 20 W 51 47250 N 0 12222 W 51 47250 0 12222 15 Stockwell tube station Brixton nbsp nbsp nbsp 23 July 1971 126 National Rail within a 100 metres 330 ft walking distance 51 27 45 N 000 06 54 W 51 46250 N 0 11500 W 51 46250 0 11500 16 Brixton tube station Opened as Hoe Street renamed when Victoria Line opened on 1 September 1968 111 Opened as Tottenham renamed on 1 December 1968 112 Seven Sisters is the only station with more than 2 platforms The third is a holding platform for trains that terminate their journeys from Brixton at Seven Sisters instead of at Walthamstow The third platform allows access to the Northumberland Park depot 113 Opened as Seven Sisters Road Holloway renamed 15 November 1869 115 See also edit nbsp London transport portalList of crossings of the River Thames Tunnels underneath the River ThamesNotes and references editNotes edit The exception is a branch line not used by passengers from Seven Sisters to the line s depot at Northumberland Park position 51 36 04 N 000 03 11 W 51 60111 N 0 05306 W 51 60111 0 05306 1 Northumberland Park Depot in terms of the average number of journeys per mile The Kentish Town to Barking service serving Blackhorse Road was proposed for closure under the Beeching cuts 24 Although the system was tested on the Tube on a smaller scale before that initially on a short section of the District line then a larger trial was carried out on the Central line between Woodford and Hainault 70 71 72 References edit Citations London Assembly Questions to the Mayor London Assembly 2022 Retrieved 29 February 2024 Day amp Reed 2010 p 143 Horne 1988 pp 14 15 Wolmar 2012 p 301 HMSO 1959 p 10 Day amp Reed 2010 p 148 Wolmar 2012 pp 300 301 Cooke B W C ed April 1955 Proposed New London Underground The Railway Magazine Vol 101 no 648 London pp 279 281 a b c d Day amp Reed 2010 p 153 Public Passenger Transport London Hansard 18 December 1963 Horne 1988 p 15 Butt 1995 p 240 HMSO 1959 p 13 Klapper 1976 p 123 Day amp Reed 2010 p 156 a b Day amp Reed 2010 pp 160 161 a b Martin 2012 p 235 HMSO 1959 p 36 Day amp Reed 2010 p 160 Day amp Reed 2010 p 161 a b c Day amp Reed 2010 p 163 HMSO 1959 p 37 a b c Day amp Reed 2010 p 167 Gospel Oak to Barking Renaissance Rail Engineer 13 September 2016 Archived from the original on 12 July 2018 Retrieved 12 September 2018 a b c d Day amp Reed 2010 p 166 London s new tube starts work Modern Railways Vol XXIV no 241 Shepperton Middlesex Ian Allan Ltd October 1968 p 532 a b Busy start for Victoria Line The Times London 2 September 1968 p 3 Retrieved 12 September 2018 a b c d Day amp Reed 2010 p 168 Victoria Line The Times London 7 March 1969 p X Retrieved 13 September 2018 150 Facts for 150 Years of the Tube The Independent 9 January 2013 Archived from the original on 17 August 2022 Retrieved 13 September 2018 Seeing Red Over A Green The Times London 24 May 1967 p 2 Retrieved 12 September 2018 Victoria Line Extension Pimlico Station Hansard 28 June 1968 api parliament uk Retrieved 23 April 2020 Picture Gallery The Times London 13 July 1968 p 3 Retrieved 12 September 2018 a b c d Day amp Reed 2010 p 171 Picture Gallery The Times London 24 July 1971 p 2 Retrieved 14 April 2018 Day amp Reed 2010 p 172 Warman Christopher 23 March 1973 GLC Conservatives hope to put north Kent towns on Tube The Times London p 6 Retrieved 13 September 2018 a b Butt 1995 p 36 Barking Gospel Oak Line User Group E Bulletin PDF 27 April 2012 p 14 Archived PDF from the original on 10 October 2022 Retrieved 12 September 2018 London Underground Victoria Act 1991 Statutory Instrument The National Archives 27 June 1991 Retrieved 11 June 2012 The London Underground Victoria Station Upgrade Order 2009 Statutory Instrument The National Archives 28 August 2009 Retrieved 11 June 2012 Jury sees harrowing de Menezes film 12 April 2012 Victoria Tube line part shut hit by wet concrete flood BBC News 23 January 2014 Retrieved 25 January 2014 Edgar James 24 January 2014 Underground blunder sugar used to slow concrete setting The Daily Telegraph Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 Retrieved 30 July 2017 Gray Richard 24 January 2014 Why sugar helped remove Victoria Line concrete flood The Daily Telegraph Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 Retrieved 25 January 2014 The Night Tube The Future of the Tube Transport for London Archived from the original on 11 July 2015 Retrieved 11 July 2015 Night Tube begins in London bringing huge boost to capital BBC News 20 August 2016 Retrieved 24 August 2018 The Night Tube Transport for London Retrieved 21 August 2016 Day amp Reed 2010 pp 167 168 2009 Tube Stock on Track PDF London Underground Railway Society Archived PDF from the original on 10 October 2022 Retrieved 12 July 2009 MacKay David J C 2008 Sustainable Energy without the hot air Free full text ISBN 978 1 906860 01 1 a b This Northern Line Cheat Will Save You Minutes On Every Commute Londonist 27 May 2016 Retrieved 14 September 2018 Day amp Reed 2010 p 169 Day amp Reed 2010 p 180 Tube Update Plan Victoria Transport for London Archived from the original on 26 February 2014 Retrieved 6 December 2011 Victoria Line Platform Humps and RVAR Livis Archived from the original on 11 July 2015 Retrieved 6 December 2011 Victoria Line Platform Humps and RVAR PDF Livis Archived from the original PDF on 11 July 2015 Retrieved 6 December 2011 Creating Step Free Access for All PDF Marshalls Archived PDF from the original on 11 July 2015 Retrieved 6 December 2011 London Underground s Victoria Line marks 50th birthday BBC News 1 September 2018 Retrieved 12 September 2018 LU Performance Data Almanac Transport for London Archived from the original on 3 August 2012 Retrieved 1 August 2012 Dan Templeton 26 May 2017 New Victoria Line timetable increases frequency International Railway Journal Retrieved 14 July 2017 Feather Clive 20 June 2017 Victoria Line Services Clive s Underground Line Guides Archived from the original on 25 October 2018 Retrieved 25 October 2018 Day 1969 p 81 Hardy 2002 pp 10 12 a b c Tube Upgrade Plan Victoria line Transport for London Archived from the original on 19 June 2011 Retrieved 19 June 2011 Information on Cooling th Tube temperature monitoring Transport for London 3 October 2017 Retrieved 23 October 2018 a b Waboso David December 2010 Transforming the tube Modern Railways London pp 42 45 a b Final 1960s stock withdrawn from Victoria Line Rail Peterborough 10 August 2011 p 14 Londonist Ltd Last 1967 Victoria Line Train YouTube 3 July 2011 Archived from the original on 11 December 2021 Retrieved 23 October 2018 Driverless metros poised to expand Railway Gazette International 1 March 2000 Archived from the original on 23 October 2012 Retrieved 25 October 2007 These trials matured into attended ATO London s Victoria line was the first into revenue service on 1 September 1968 with Philadelphia s Lindenwold line close behind in January 1969 Automatic Train Operation on the Victoria Line The Tube Professionals Rumour Network Retrieved 6 September 2007 House of Lords Hansard for 25 Feb 1998 pt 9 Parliamentary Debates Hansard House of Lords 25 February 1998 col 747 a b Martin 2012 p 236 HMSO 1959 p 12 Victoria line heads Metronet renewal Railway Gazette 1 August 2003 Retrieved 24 August 2018 Victoria line customers have most intensive train service in the country Press release Transport for London 4 February 2013 Archived from the original on 14 December 2013 Retrieved 23 October 2018 Victoria Line Railway Magazine Vol 115 1969 p 246 I m very worried that Crossrail doesn t have enough escalators CityMetric 27 September 2017 Archived from the original on 14 September 2018 Retrieved 14 September 2018 Hill Dave 15 March 2010 Transport for London escalating issues The Guardian Retrieved 26 October 2018 Highbury amp Islington closed for escalator repairs PDF Transport for London Archived PDF from the original on 10 October 2022 Retrieved 17 September 2018 a b Standard Tube Map PDF Map Not to scale Transport for London November 2022 Archived PDF from the original on 7 November 2022 Retrieved 12 November 2022 Finsbury Park Tube station becomes step free Transport for London Press release 28 January 2019 Retrieved 8 March 2021 Step free Tube Guide PDF Transport for London April 2021 Archived PDF from the original on 15 May 2021 Avoiding stairs Tube guide PDF Transport for London May 2020 Archived PDF from the original on 27 November 2020 36m upgrade of Vauxhall Tube station reaches half way 18 December 2014 Archived from the original on 11 July 2015 Retrieved 11 July 2015 Victoria Improvements and Projects Transport for London Archived from the original on 11 July 2015 Retrieved 11 July 2015 Victoria line What We ve Done Transport for London Archived from the original on 11 July 2015 Retrieved 11 July 2015 Dunton C E Kell J Morgan H D 1 June 1966 Discussion on Paper No 6845 Victoria Line experimentation design programming and early progress ICE Proceedings Report Vol 34 Institution of Civil Engineers p 459 doi 10 1680 iicep 1966 8978 ISSN 1753 7789 London Underground 28 April 2002 Detrainment of Passengers PDF Standards Tc100 2 1 Archived from the original PDF on 25 August 2011 Retrieved 24 October 2018 OLD 1968 0211 Online Planning Services Haringey Council 11 January 1968 Retrieved 1 August 2013 Land At Ferry Lane Construction of new fan house form Victoria Line a b London Underground Limited 20 May 2009 Parry Richard ed Performance Report to the Rail and Underground Panel PDF Managing Director s Report London Underground Report Transport for London Archived from the original PDF on 1 August 2013 Retrieved 12 June 2012 span, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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