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Central line (London Underground)

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the London Underground line. For other uses, seeCentral line.
London Underground line

Central line
A1992 stock Central line train leavingTheydon Bois
Overview
Stations49
Colour onmapRed
Websitetfl.gov.uk/tube/route/central
Service
TypeRapid transit
SystemLondon Underground
Depot(s)
Rolling stock1992 Stock
Ridership301.127 million (2019)[2] passenger journeys
History
Opened30 July 1900; 125 years ago (1900-07-30)
Last extension1949
Technical
Line length74 km (46 mi)
CharacterDeep-level tube
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge
ElectrificationFourth rail, 630 V DC
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

TheCentral line is aLondon Underground line that runs betweenWest Ruislip orEaling Broadway in the west, andEpping orWoodford via Hainault in the north-east, via theWest End,the City, and theEast End. Printed in red on theTube map, the line serves 49 stations over 46 miles (74 km), making it the network's longest line.[3] It is one of only two lines on the Underground network to cross theGreater London boundary, the other being theMetropolitan line. One of London'sdeep-level railways traversing narrow tunnels, Central line trains are smaller than those on British main lines.

The line was opened as theCentral London Railway in 1900, crossing central London on an east–west axis along the central shopping street ofOxford Street to the financial centre of theCity of London. It was later extended to the western suburb ofEaling. In the 1930s, plans were created to expand the route into the new suburbs, taking over steam-hauled outer-suburban routes to the borders of London and beyond to the east. These projects were mostly realised after theSecond World War, when construction stopped and the unused tunnels were used as air-raid shelters and factories. However, suburban growth was limited by theMetropolitan Green Belt: of the planned expansions one (toDenham, Buckinghamshire) was cut short and the eastern terminus ofOngar ultimately closed in 1994 due to low patronage; part of this section between Epping and Ongar later became theEpping Ongar Railway. The Central line has mostly been operated byautomatic train operation since a major refurbishment in the 1990s, although all trains still carry drivers. Many of its stations are of historic interest, from turn-of-the-century Central London Railway buildings in west London to post-war modernist designs on the West Ruislip and Hainault branches, as well as Victorian-eraEastern Counties Railway andGreat Eastern Railway buildings east ofStratford, from when the line to Epping was a rural branch line.

In terms of total passengers, the Central line is the third busiest on the Underground. In 2019, over 300 million passenger journeys were recorded on the line.[4] As of 2013, it operated the second-most frequent service on the network, with 34 trains per hour (tph) operating for half-an-hour in the westbound direction during the morning peak, and between 27 and 30 tph during the rest of the peak.[5] TheElizabeth line, which began most of its core operation from 24 May 2022,[6] provides interchanges with the Central line at Stratford,Liverpool Street,Tottenham Court Road,Ealing Broadway,[7] andBond Street, relieving overcrowding.

History

[edit]

Central London Railway

[edit]
Main article:Central London Railway
Harry Bell Measures designed the surface buildings for the CLR, such as this one atOxford Circus.

TheCentral London Railway (CLR) was given permission in 1891 for a tube line betweenShepherd's Bush and a station atCornhill, and the following year an extension toLiverpool Street was authorised, with a station atBank instead of at Cornhill.[8] The line was built following the streets above rather than running underneath buildings, because purchase of wayleave under private properties would have been expensive.[a] While the tracks in opposite directions mostly run side-by-side, in some places one line runs above another due to lack of space, with platforms at different levels atSt Paul's,Chancery Lane andNotting Hill Gate stations.[9] The tunnels were bored with the nominal diameter of11 feet8+1⁄4 inches (3.562 m), increased on curves, reduced to 11 feet 6 inches (3.51 m) near to stations.[10] The tunnels generally rise approaching a station, to aid braking, and fall when leaving, to aid acceleration.[9]The Central London Railway was the first underground railway to have the station platforms illuminated electrically.[11] All the platforms were lit by Crompton automatic electricarc lamps, and other station areas byincandescent lamps. Both theCity and South London Railway and theWaterloo and City Railway were lit by gas lamps, primarily because the power stations for these lines had been designed with no spare capacity to power electric lighting. With the white glazed tiling, all underground Central London Railway platforms were very brightly lit. The use of electric lighting was further made possible because the Central London was also the first tube railway to useAC electrical distribution[b] and thesubstationtransformers, not compatible with DC, were able to reduce the voltage to the level required for lighting. Earlier tube lines usedDC power generators at the 500 volts required to run the trains.

The line between Shepherd's Bush and Bank was formally opened on 30 June 1900, public services beginning on 30 July.[12] With a uniform fare of 2d the railway became known as the "Twopenny Tube".[12] It was initially operated byelectric locomotives, with motor armatures built directly on the axles to eliminate noise-producing gearboxes, hauling carriages. This did not allow springing, and the locomotives' considerable unsprung weight caused much vibration in the buildings above the line, so that the railway rebuilt the locomotives to use geared drives. This allowed higher-speed and lighter motors to be used, which reduced the unsprung, and total, weight of the locomotive. The railway also tried an alternative approach: it converted four coaches to accommodate motors and control gear. Two of these experimental motor coaches were used in a 6-coach train, the control gear being operated by the system used on the Waterloo and City Railway.[c] The modified locomotives were a considerable improvement, but lighter purpose-designed motor coaches were even better. The CLR ordered 64 new motor cars[d] designed to useSprague's recently developedtraction control system. The CLR was exclusively using the resultingelectric multiple units by 1903.[13]

In July 1907, the fare was increased to 3d for journeys of more than seven or eight stations. The line was extended westwards with a loop serving a single platform atWood Lane for the 1908Franco-British Exhibition. A reduced fare of 1d, for a journey of three or fewer stations, was introduced in 1909, andseason tickets became available from 1911. The extension to Liverpool Street opened the following year, providing access to theGreat Eastern Railway station and the adjacentBroad Street railway station by escalators. The Central London Railway was absorbed into theUnderground Group on 1 January 1913.[14]

In 1911, theGreat Western Railway won permission for a line fromEaling Broadway to a station near to the CLR'sShepherd's Bush station, with a connection to theWest London Railway, and agreement to connect the line to the Central London Railway, and for the CLR to run trains to Ealing Broadway. Construction of the extension from the CLR to Ealing Broadway started in 1912,[15] but opening was delayed byWorld War I. The CLR purchased new rolling stock for the extension, which arrived in 1915 and was stored before being lent to theBakerloo line. The rolling stock returned when the extension opened in 1920.[16]

In 1912, plans were published for a railway from Shepherd's Bush toTurnham Green andGunnersbury,[17] allowing the Central London Railway to run trains onLondon and South Western Railway (L&SWR) tracks toRichmond. The route was authorised in 1913,[18] but work had not begun by the outbreak of war the following year.[19] In 1919, an alternative route was published, with a tunnelled link to the disused L&SWR tracks south oftheir Shepherd's Bush station then viaHammersmith (Grove Road) railway station.[20] Authorisation was granted in 1920,[21][19] but the connection was never built, and the L&SWR tracks were used by thePiccadilly line when it was extended west ofHammersmith in 1932.[22]

London Transport and the Second World War

[edit]

On 1 July 1933, the Central London Railway and other transport companies in the London area were amalgamated to form theLondon Passenger Transport Board, generally known asLondon Transport.[23] The railway was known as the "Central London Line", becoming the "Central line" in 1937.[24][25] The 1935–40New Works Programme included a major expansion of the line.[24] To the west new tracks were to be built parallel with theGreat Western Railway'sNew North Main Line as far asDenham. To the east, new tunnels would run to just beyondStratford station, where the line would be extended over theLondon & North Eastern Railway suburban branch toEpping andOngar in Essex, as well as a new underground line betweenLeytonstone andNewbury Park mostly underEastern Avenue so as to serve the new suburbs of north Ilford and theHainault Loop.[26] Twenty two level crossings would also be removed,grade separating the line.[24] Platforms at central London stations would also be lengthened to allow for 8-car trains.[26]

Construction started, the tunnels through central London being expanded and realigned and the stations lengthened, but it proved impossible to modifyWood Lane station to take 8-car trains and a new station atWhite City was authorised in 1938.[27] The line was converted to the London Underground four-rail electrification system in 1940.[28] The positive outer rail is 40 mm (1.6 in) higher than on other lines, because even after reconstruction work the tunnels are slightly smaller.[citation needed] Most of the tunnels for the extensions to the east of London had been built by 1940, but work slowed due to the outbreak of the Second World War until eventually being suspended in June.[28] The unused tunnels between Leytonstone and Newbury Park were equipped by thePlessey Company as an aircraft components factory, opening in March 1942 and employing 2,000 people.[29] Elsewhere, people used underground stations as night shelters during air raids. The unopenedBethnal Green station had space for 10,000 people. In March 1943, 173 people died there in acrowd crush when a woman entering the shelter fell at the bottom of the steps and those following fell on top of her.[29]

Post war

[edit]
Loughton station was rebuilt in the 1930s, with a central track accessed by two platforms for the Central line extension. Opening in 1940, it was not served by Central line trains until 1948.[30] Today, the station is alisted building.[31]

Construction restarted after the war, and the western extension opened as far as Greenford in 1947[32] and West Ruislip in 1948.[33] The powers to extend the line to Denham were never used due to post-war establishment of theGreen Belt around London, which restricted development of land in the area.[33] The eastern extension opened as far as Stratford in December 1946, with trains continuing without passengers to reverse in the cutting south of Leyton.[34] In 1947, the line opened to Leytonstone, and then Woodford and Newbury Park.[35] Stations from Newbury Park to Woodford via Hainault and from Woodford to Loughton were served by tube trains from 1948.[33] South of Newbury Park, the west-facing junction with the main line closed in the same year to allow expansion of Ilford carriage depot.[36] The extension transferred to London Underground management in 1949, when Epping began to be served by Central line trains. The single line to Ongar was served by a steamautotrain operated by British Rail (BR) until 1957, when the line was electrified.[37] BR trains accessed the line via a link from Temple Mills East to Leyton.[38]

On 8 April 1953, 12 people were killed and 46 were injured as a result of arear-end collision in a tunnel just to the east ofStratford station, caused bydriver error after asignal failure.[39][40]

The Central line stations east of Stratford kept their goods service for a time, being worked fromTemple Mills, with the Hainault loop stations served via Woodford.[38] The BR line south of Newbury Park closed in 1956[36] and Hainault loop stations lost their goods service in 1965, the rest of the stations on the line following in 1966. Early morning passenger trains from Stratford (Liverpool Street on Sundays) ran to Epping or Loughton until 1970.[41] The single-track section from Epping to Ongar was electrified in 1957[42] and then operated as a shuttle service using short tube trains. However, carrying only 100 passengers a day and losing money, the section closed in 1994, and is now used by the heritageEpping Ongar Railway.[43]

The entire Central line was shut between January and March 2003, after 32 passengers were injured when a train derailed at Chancery Lane due to a traction motor falling on to the track. The line was not fully reopened until June.[44][45] In 2003, the infrastructure of the Central line was partly privatised in apublic–private partnership, managed by theMetronet consortium. Metronet went intoadministration in 2007, andTransport for London (TfL) took over its responsibilities.[46]

Route

[edit]

Map

[edit]
The route of the Central line through theLondon Boroughs and the county ofEssex

Railway line

[edit]
Central line
Ongar
Blake Hall
Ongar section closed 1994,
nowEpping Ongar Railway
North Weald
Epping
Theydon Bois
Debden
Loughton
Buckhurst Hill
Roding Valley
Chigwell
Grange Hill
Woodford
Hainault
Fairlop
South Woodford
Barkingside
Newbury Park
Snaresbrook
Gants Hill
Fairlop Loop
toGreat Eastern Main Line
Wanstead
Redbridge
Leytonstone
Leytonstone High Road (London Overground)
Leyton
Great Eastern Main Line
toNorwich
StratfordJubilee LineLondon OvergroundElizabeth LineDocklands Light RailwayNational Rail
Docklands Light Railway
toStratford International
Docklands Light Railway
viaCanning Town
North London line
toRichmond
Jubilee line
toStanmore
Elizabeth line
 
Great Eastern Main Line
toLiverpool Street
Docklands Light Railway
toLewisham
Mile EndDistrict LineHammersmith & City Lineenlarge…
Bethnal Green
Shoreditch High StreetEast London line
(proposed)
Liverpool Street
Circle line (London Underground)Hammersmith & City LineMetropolitan Line
London OvergroundElizabeth LineNational Rail
BankCircle line (London Underground)District LineNorthern LineWaterloo & City LineDocklands Light Railway
St Paul's
Chancery Lane
HolbornPiccadilly Line
British Museum
Tottenham Court RoadNorthern LineElizabeth Line
Oxford CircusBakerloo LineVictoria Line
Bond StreetJubilee LineElizabeth Line
Marble Arch
Elizabeth line
 
Lancaster Gate
Queensway
Notting Hill GateCircle line (London Underground)District Line
Holland Park
Shepherd's Bush (West London lineNational Rail)
Shepherd's Bush
right-hand running starts
White City Depot
(relocated underground 2007)
Wood Lane
(additional platforms)
 
Circle andH&C lines
toHammersmith
Circle andH&C lines
viaLiverpool Street
Wood Lane (Metropolitan Line)
Wood Lane (Circle line (London Underground)Hammersmith & City Line)
White City
GWR goods line
toWest London Line
right-hand running ends
East Acton
North Acton
First Central
(proposed)
West Acton
Piccadilly andDistrict lines
viaEarl's Court
A406/A40 gyratory
Hanger Lane
enlarge…Ealing BroadwayNational RailDistrict LineElizabeth Line
Perivale
Great Western Main Line
toReading
Greenford branch line
toWest Ealing
GreenfordNational Rail
Northolt
South RuislipNational Rail
Ruislip GardensRAF Northolt
Ruislip (Metropolitan LinePiccadilly Line)
Metropolitan andPiccadilly lines
toUxbridge
West RuislipNational Rail
South Harefield
Harefield Road
Denham

The Central line is 74 kilometres (46 mi) long and serves 49 stations.[3][47] The line is predominantly double-track, widened to three tracks for short sections south of Leytonstone and west of White City; no track is shared with any other line, though some sections run parallel to other routes. Total track length is 147.1 kilometres (91.4 mi), of which 52.8 kilometres (32.8 mi) is in tunnel;[3][48] this track is electrified with a four-rail DC system: a central conductor rail is energised at −210 V and a rail outside the running rail at +420 V, giving a potential difference of 630 V.[49]

The single-track line north of Epping, which closed in 1994, is now theEpping Ongarheritage railway. Shuttle services operate, mostly on some weekends and for special events, between North Weald and Ongar and North Weald andCoopersale.[50] These do not call atBlake Hall, as the station platform was removed by London Transport after the station closed, and the remaining building is now a private residence.

The section betweenLeyton and just south ofLoughton is the oldest railway alignment in use on the current London Underground system, having been opened on 22 August 1856 by theEastern Counties Railway (ECR). Loughton toEpping was opened on 24 April 1865 by the ECR's successor, theGreat Eastern Railway (GER), along with the section to Ongar. TheHainault Loop was originally the greater part of theFairlop Loop opened by the GER on 1 May 1903.[51]

The line has three junctions:

  • Woodford Junction is a flat junction
  • north of Leytonstone the branch to Newbury Park descends into tube tunnels under the older route to Woodford
  • west of North Acton there is anotherburrowing junction separating the lines to Ealing Broadway and West Ruislip.[48]

The Central line is essentially self-contained, but connections to other railways currently exist indirectly via Ruislip Depot, namely to theChiltern Main Line beside West Ruislip station, and from the same depot to the Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines[52]. Other connections, now closed, once existed at Newbury Park (ex-GER, closed in stages 1947-1956[51]), at Leyton (ex-GER, closed 1971[51]), just north of White City (ex-GWR, closed 1938[51]), at North Acton (ex-GWR, closed 1964[51]), and at Ealing Broadway (connection to GWR, closed 1972[51], and siding connections to the District Line, closed 2010[51]).

The line has the shortest escalator on the London Underground system, atStratford (previously at Chancery Lane), with a rise of 4.1 metres (13 ft)[53] and, at Stratford and Greenford, the only stations where escalators take passengersup to the trains. The escalator atGreenford was the last one with wooden treads on the system until it was replaced in March 2014. They were exempt from fire regulations because they were outside the tunnel system.[54]

The line has the shallowest underground Tube platforms on the system, atRedbridge, just 7.9 metres (26 ft) below street level, and the sharpest curve, the Caxton Curve, between Shepherds Bush and White City.[3]

List of stations

[edit]

Open stations

[edit]
StationImageDistance between stations[55]Opened[56] or services startedBranchNotes
kmmi
West RuislipNational Rail——21 November 1948Ruislip branchConnects withNational Rail services. Opened as Ruislip & Ickenham in 1906 by Great Western and Great Central Joint Committee (GW&GCJC), renamed West Ruislip (for Ickenham) in 1947; the suffix was later dropped.[57]
Ruislip Gardens2.041.2721 November 1948Ruislip branchOpened in 1934 by GW&GCJC, main line services withdrawn 1958.[58]
South RuislipNational Rail0.860.5321 November 1948Ruislip branchConnects with National Rail services. Opened as Northolt Junction by GW&GCJC in 1908, renamed South Ruislip & Northolt Junction in 1932, and renamed in 1947.[59]
Northolt2.281.4221 November 1948Ruislip branchReplaced a nearby GWR station that had opened in 1907.[59]
GreenfordNational RailDisabled access1.781.1130 June 1947Ruislip branchConnects with National Rail services toWest Ealing (in bay platform). GWR station opened in 1904.[60] The station was the last one to retain a wooden escalator, replaced in 2014 by the firstincline lift on the Underground.[61]
Perivale1.691.0530 June 1947Ruislip branchOpened by GWR as "Perivale Halt" in 1904, closed 1915–20; Halt suffix lost in 1922.[62]
Hanger Lane2.101.3030 June 1947Ruislip branch
Ealing BroadwayElizabeth LineNational Rail——3 August 1920Ealing branchConnects withDistrict line,Elizabeth line and National Rail services. Opened byDistrict Railway in 1879, link to main-line station opened in 1965/6.[63]
West Acton1.530.955 November 1923Ealing branch
North Acton2.491.55
from Hanger Lane
5 November 1923Main routeGWR station opened in 1904, moved to its current position in 1913 and closed in 1947.[64]
1.771.10
from West Acton
East Acton1.110.693 August 1920Main routeRight-hand running ends some distance southeast of the station from White City.
White City2.061.2823 November 1947Main routeConnects withCircle andHammersmith & City lines fromWood Lane. Trains run right-handed through this station
Shepherd's BushLondon OvergroundNational Rail1.160.7230 July 1900Main routeConnects withMildmay line andNational Rail services fromShepherd's Bush National Rail station. Refurbished in 2008. To the west of the station, right-hand running starts en route to White City.
Holland Park0.870.5430 July 1900Main route
Notting Hill Gate0.610.3830 July 1900Main routeConnects withCircle andDistrict lines.
Queensway0.690.4330 July 1900Main routeOpened as Queens Road; renamed 1 September 1946
Lancaster Gate0.900.5630 July 1900Main route
Marble Arch1.200.7530 July 1900Main route
Bond StreetDisabled accessElizabeth Line0.550.3424 September 1900Main routeConnects withJubilee line andElizabeth line, the latter since 24 October 2022.
Oxford Circus0.660.4130 July 1900Main routeConnects withBakerloo andVictoria lines.
Tottenham Court RoadDisabled accessElizabeth Line0.580.3630 July 1900Main routeConnects withNorthern line andElizabeth line, the latter since 24 May 2022. Opened as Oxford Street; renamed 9 March 1908.
Holborn0.880.5525 September 1933Main routeOriginally opened as aPiccadilly line station on 15 December 1906, Central line platforms opened later and station renamed Holborn (Kingsway); the suffix was later dropped.
Chancery Lane0.400.2530 July 1900Main routeRenamed Chancery Lane (Gray's Inn) 25 June 1934; the suffix was later dropped
St Paul's1.030.6430 July 1900Main routeOpened as Post Office; renamed 1 February 1937. Interchangeable fromCity Thameslink from walking distance.
BankDocklands Light Railway0.740.4630 July 1900Main routeConnects withCircle,District,Northern andWaterloo & City lines andDLR.
Liverpool StreetNational RailElizabeth LineLondon Overground0.740.4628 July 1912Main routeConnects withCircle,Hammersmith & City andMetropolitan lines,Weaver line, Elizabeth line and National Rail services.
Bethnal Green2.271.414 December 1946Main route
Mile End1.641.024 December 1946Main routeCross-platform interchange withDistrict andHammersmith & City lines. Opened in 1902 for District Railway services.[65]
StratfordNational RailDocklands Light RailwayElizabeth LineLondon OvergroundDisabled access2.831.764 December 1946Main routeConnects withJubilee line,Mildmay line,DLR, Elizabeth line with cross-platform interchange and National Rail services. Opened byEastern Counties Railway (ECR) in 1839.[66]
Leyton2.091.305 May 1947Main routeOpened as Low Leyton by ECR in 1856, renamed in 1868.[67]
Leytonstone1.621.015 May 1947Main routeOpened by ECR in 1856.[68]
Wanstead1.721.07
from Leytonstone
14 December 1947Hainault loopUsed during the war as an air-raid shelter and the tunnels as a munitions factory for Plessey electronics.
Redbridge1.220.7614 December 1947Hainault loopDuring the war, the completed tunnels at Redbridge were used by the Plessey company as an aircraft parts factory.
Gants Hill1.270.7914 December 1947Hainault loopDuring the war, it was used as an air-raid shelter and the tunnels as a munitions factory for Plessey electronics.
Newbury ParkDisabled access2.361.4714 December 1947Hainault loopOpened 1903 on the GER Ilford to WoodfordFairlop Loop line.[69]
Barkingside1.110.6931 May 1948Hainault loopOpened 1903 on the GER Fairlop Loop, closed 1916–19.[70]
Fairlop1.220.7631 May 1948Hainault loopOpened 1903 on the GER Fairlop Loop.[71]
HainaultDisabled access0.750.4731 May 1948Hainault loopOpened 1903 on the GER Fairlop Loop, closed 1908–30.[72]
Grange Hill1.120.7021 November 1948Hainault loopOpened 1903 on the GER Fairlop Loop.[73]
Chigwell1.320.8221 November 1948Hainault loopOpened 1903 on the GER Fairlop Loop.[71]
Roding ValleyDisabled access2.281.4221 November 1948Hainault loopTrains continue to Woodford. Opened 1936 by the LNER on the Fairlop Loop.[74]
Snaresbrook1.570.98
from Leytonstone
14 December 1947Epping branchOpened as Snaresbrook & Wanstead by ECR in 1856, renamed Snaresbrook for Wanstead in 1929, renamed for the transfer to the Central line.[67]
South WoodfordDisabled access1.290.8014 December 1947Epping branchOpened by ECR in 1856 as George Lane, and renamed South Woodford (George Lane) in 1937, current name from 1950. "(George Lane)" still appears on some of the platformroundels.[75]
WoodfordDisabled access1.801.12
from South Woodford
14 December 1947Epping branch/
Hainault loop		Opened by ECR in 1856.[68]
1.330.83
from Roding Valley
Buckhurst HillDisabled access2.311.44
from Woodford
21 November 1948Epping branchOpened as a single line by ECR in 1856, moved slightly when line doubled in 1881/2.[76]
Loughton1.831.1421 November 1948Epping branchOpened by ECR in 1856, moved when line was extended to Ongar in 1865, and again in 1940.[68]
DebdenDisabled access2.021.2625 September 1949Epping branchOpened by GER in 1865 as Chigwell Road, renamed Chigwell Lane later the same year. Closed 1916–19, named changed when transferred to Central line.[77]
Theydon Bois3.342.0825 September 1949Epping branchOpened by GER in 1865 as Theydon, renamed later the same year.[78]
EppingDisabled access2.541.5825 September 1949Epping branchOpened by GER in 1865.[79]

Former stations

[edit]
  • On the Denham extension, aborted due to its location in a sparsely populated area within the Metropolitan Green Belt:
  • Wood Lane; closed 22 November 1947,[56] replaced by White City.
  • British Museum; closed 24 September 1933,[56] replaced by two new platforms at the Piccadilly line's Holborn station.
  • On theshuttle service from Epping to Ongar, closed in September 1994:
    • North Weald; it was first served by the Central line on 25 September 1949,[56] taking over the Great Eastern Railway (GER)'s services. It closed on 30 September 1994.[56]
    • Blake Hall; it was first served by the Central line 25 September 1949. The station closed on 31 October 1981.[56]
    • Ongar; it was first served by the Central line, which took over the GER services, on 25 September 1949.[56] It was closed on 30 September 1994[56]

Rolling stock

[edit]

Former rolling stock

[edit]
Illustration of Bank station in 1903 showing the original electric multiple units

When the railway opened in 1900, it was operated byelectric locomotives haulingcarriages with passengers boarding via lattice gates at each end. The locomotives had a large unsprung mass, which caused vibrations that could be felt in the buildings above the route. After an investigation by theBoard of Trade, by 1903 the carriages had been adapted to run as trailers and formed with new motor cars intoelectric multiple units.[80] TheCentral London Railway trains normally ran with six cars: four trailers and two motor-cars, although some trailers were later equipped with control equipment to allow trains to be formed with 3 cars.[81] Work started in 1912 on an extension toEaling Broadway, and new more powerful motor-cars were ordered. These arrived in 1915, but completion of the extension was delayed because ofWorld War I, and the cars were stored. In 1917, they were lent to theBakerloo line, where they ran on the newly opened extension toWatford Junction. Returning in 1920/21, and formed with trailers converted from the original carriages, they became the Ealing Stock.[16] In 1925–28, the trains were rebuilt, replacing the gated ends with air-operated doors, allowing the number of guards to be reduced to two.[82] After reconstruction of the Central London Railway tunnels, the trains were replaced byStandard Stock transferred from other lines and the last of the original trains ran in service in 1939.[83]

Standard Stock behind a steam autotrain service at Epping in 1957

The Standard Stock ran as 6-car trains until 1947, when 8-car trains became possible afterWood Lane was replaced by a new station atWhite City. More cars were transferred from other lines as they were replaced by1938 Stock.[84] In the early 1960s, there was a plan to re-equip the Piccadilly line with new trains and transfer its newer Standard Stock to the Central line to replace the older cars there, some of which had been stored in the open during the Second World War and were becoming increasingly unreliable.[85] However, after the first deliveries of1959 Stock were running on the Piccadilly it was decided to divert this stock to the Central line, together with extra non-driving motor cars to lengthen the trains from 7-car to 8-car.1962 Stock was ordered to release the1959 Stock for the Piccadilly line. The last Standard Stock train ran on the Central line in 1963,[86] and by May 1964 all 1959 Stock had been released to the Piccadilly line.[87]

The single track section from Epping to Ongar was not electrified until 1957, prior to which the service was operated by anautotrain, carriages attached to a steam locomotive capable of being driven from either end, hired from British Railways, and an experimental AEC three-car lightweightdiesel multiple unit operated part of the shuttle service Monday-Friday in June 1952.[42] Upon electrification,1935 Stock was used,[88] until replaced by four-car sets of1962 Stock specially modified to cope with the limited current.[citation needed] The section closed in 1994, and is now the heritageEpping Ongar Railway.

A shuttle operated on the section fromHainault toWoodford after a train of1960 Stock was modified to test theautomatic train operation system to be used on theVictoria line. As each 1967 Stock train was delivered, it ran in test for three weeks on the shuttle service.[89]

Current rolling stock

[edit]

When the signalling on the Central line needed replacement by the late 1980s, it was decided to bring forward the replacement of the 1962 Stock, due at about the time as the replacement of the 1959 Stock. The signalling was to be replaced with an updated version of theAutomatic Train Operation (ATO) system used on the Victoria line, the line traction supply boosted and new trains built.[90] Prototype trains were built with two double and two single doors hung on the outside of each carriage of the train, and with electronic traction equipment that gaveregenerative andrheostatic braking.[91]

In accordance with this plan, the first 8-car trains of1992 Stock entered service in 1993,[92][93] and while the necessary signalling works for ATO were in progress,One Person Operation (OPO) was phased in between 1993 and 1995.[43]Automatic train protection was commissioned from 1995 to 1997 andATO from 1999 to 2001, with a centralised control centre in West London.[3]

The five-year Central Line Improvement Programme (CLIP) to refurbish the 30-year-old trains started in 2023, as it was considered cheaper than replacing the trains.[94] New motors, lighting, doors, and seats will be installed, and the trains will have passenger information displays, wheelchair areas andCCTV. The programme is being carried out at a new Train Modification Unit (TMU) in Acton, and had been expected to complete in late 2023.[95] In November 2020 TfL announced that this had been delayed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, with expected completion by the end of 2025.[96] By January 2025, with £160m of the original £500m budget spent, only one refurbished train had entered service with a further 3 expected to be completed by the end of 2025.[97] A timetable that would improve train frequencies, relieving delays and overcrowding, would not be implemented until December 2024. An expert suggested that in hindsight, given the problems with CLIP, it would have been better to buy new trains.[94]

Future rolling stock

[edit]
Main article:New Tube for London

In the mid 2010s, TfL began a process of ordering new rolling stock to replace trains on the Piccadilly, Central, Bakerloo and Waterloo & City lines.[98] TfL explained that the 1992 Stock used on the Central and Waterloo & City lines was significantly less reliable than more modern rolling stock.[98][99] A feasibility study into the new trains showed that new generation trains and re-signalling could increase capacity on the Central line by 25%, with 36 trains per hour.[98]

In June 2018, theSiemens MobilityInspiro design was selected.[100] These trains would have an open gangway design, wider doorways, air conditioning and the ability to run automatically with a new signalling system.[101] TfL could only afford to order Piccadilly line trains at a cost of £1.5bn.[102] However, the contract with Siemens includes an option for 100 trains for the Central line in the future.[103] This would take place after the delivery of the Piccadilly line trains in the 2030s.[101]

Depots

[edit]

There are three depots:Ruislip,Hainault andWhite City.[1] White City depot first opened in 1900 when the initial line went into operation; Ruislip and Hainault depots were completed in 1939. During the Second World War, anti-aircraft guns were made at Ruislip Depot and theU.S. Army Transportation Corps assembled rolling stock at Hainault between 1943 and 1945.[104] As part of the construction of theWestfield London shopping centre, the depot at White City was replaced underground, opening in 2007.[105]

Services

[edit]

During the off-peak, services on the Central line are grouped by branch lines: trains on the West Ruislip branch run to/from Epping, while trains to/from Ealing Broadway run on the Hainault Loop. Services at peak times are less structured, and trains can run between any two terminus stations at irregular intervals (e.g. from Ealing Broadway to Epping).[106]

As of January 2020[update], the typical off-peak service, in trains per hour (tph), is:[106]

The above services combine to give a total of 24 trains per hour each way (one every 2 minutes and 30 seconds) in the core section between White City and Leytonstone. At peak times, the frequency increases further, with up to 35 trains per hour each way in the core section.

A 24-hourNight Tube service began on the Central line on 19 August 2016, running on Friday and Saturday nights.[107] Night tube services are:

  • 3 tph between Ealing Broadway and Hainault (via Newbury Park)
  • 3 tph between White City and Loughton

Peak-time frequency

[edit]

In September 2013, the frequency in the morning peak period was increased to 35 trains per hour, giving the line the most intensive train service in the UK at the time.[108] Before that date, theVictoria line held the record with 33 trains per hour; it regained it in May 2017 with an increased frequency of 36 trains per hour (one every 100 seconds) during peak periods.[109]

Proposed and cancelled extensions

[edit]

Hillingdon

[edit]

The Central crosses over the Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines' shared Uxbridge branch near West Ruislip depot, and a single track linking the two routes was laid in 1973. In the 2010s, theLondon Borough of Hillingdon has lobbied TfL to divert some or all Central trains along this toUxbridge, asWest Ruislip station is located in a quiet suburb andUxbridge is a much more densely populated regional centre. TfL has stated that the link will be impossible until the Metropolitan line's signalling is upgraded in 2017.[110]

Additional stations

[edit]

The Central line runs directly belowShoreditch High Street station and an interchange has been desired locally since it opened in 2010. The station would lie between Liverpool Street and Bethnal Green, one of the longest gaps between stations in inner London. Although there would be benefits to this interchange, it was ruled out on grounds of cost, the disruption it would cause to the Central line while being built and because the platforms would be too close to sidings at Liverpool Street and would not be developed until after theCrossrail-developedElizabeth line became fully operational.[111]

The developers of theFirst Central business park atPark Royal, west London, were planning a new station between North Acton andHanger Lane. This would have served the business park and provided a walking-distance interchange withPark Royal Piccadilly line station.[112] This is not being actively pursued; London Underground said that the transport benefits of a Park Royal station on the Central line were not sufficient to justify the costs of construction.[113]

Harlow extension

[edit]

In 2021,Harlow District Council proposed extending the line from its eastern terminus in Epping toHarlow. They argued this would reduce travel times to Epping and London, and help with efforts to add 19,000 new homes to the town and expand the population to 130,000. However, no funding has been allocated for this proposed extension.[114]

References

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^To encourage the building of tube railways, the wayleave for building under streets was free.
  2. ^Power was generated at 5,000 volts at33+1⁄3 Hz from six 850 kW generators at Wood Lane.
  3. ^Although the Board of Trade forbade this system being used on any future passenger railway, it was used in this case because the trains were experimental and were forbidden to carry fare-paying passengers.
  4. ^The CLR adopted the American term of 'car' rather than 'coach' with the introduction of the Electrical Multiple Unit.

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ab"London Underground Key Facts". Transport for London. n.d. Archived fromthe original on 15 December 2011. Retrieved21 May 2008.
  2. ^"London Assembly Questions to the Mayor". London Assembly. 2022. Retrieved29 February 2024.
  3. ^abcde"Central line facts". Transport for London. Archived fromthe original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved1 December 2012.
  4. ^"Greater London Authority Questions to the Mayor". Greater London Authority. 2022. Retrieved29 February 2024.
  5. ^"Central Line Timetable"(PDF). TfL. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 15 April 2014. Retrieved7 July 2015.
  6. ^Topham, Gwyn (21 August 2020)."Crossrail delayed again until 2022 and another £450m over budget".The Guardian. London. Retrieved2 November 2020.
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  8. ^Day & Reed 2010, p. 52.
  9. ^abGreen 1987, p. 21.
  10. ^Day & Reed 2010, p. 53.
  11. ^Horne 1987, p. 16.
  12. ^abDay & Reed 2010, pp. 56–57.
  13. ^Green 1987, p. 22.
  14. ^Day & Reed 2010, pp. 58–59.
  15. ^Croome & Jackson 1993, p. 119.
  16. ^abBruce 1988, pp. 31–33.
  17. ^"No. 28666".The London Gazette. 26 November 1912. pp. 9018–9021.
  18. ^"No. 28747".The London Gazette. 19 August 1913. pp. 5929–5931.
  19. ^abBadsey-Ellis 2005, pp. 273–274.
  20. ^"No. 31656".The London Gazette. 25 November 1919. p. 14473.
  21. ^"No. 32009".The London Gazette. 6 August 1920. pp. 8171–8172.
  22. ^Green 1987, p. 42.
  23. ^Day & Reed 2010, p. 110.
  24. ^abcNorth East London Electrification report upon the extension of the Central London line and train services.London Passenger Transport Board. 1935.
  25. ^Day & Reed 2010, p. 212.
  26. ^abDay & Reed 2010, p. 116.
  27. ^Day & Reed 2010, p. 124.
  28. ^abDay & Reed 2010, p. 134.
  29. ^abDay & Reed 2010, p. 142.
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  31. ^Historic England."Details from listed building database (1141221)".National Heritage List for England. Retrieved11 November 2017.
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  33. ^abcCroome & Jackson 1993, p. 294.
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  35. ^Croome & Jackson 1993, p. 287, 291.
  36. ^abCroome & Jackson 1993, p. 291.
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  38. ^abCroome & Jackson 1993, p. 296.
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  40. ^"Tube Train Crash – Stratford"(black & white newsreel).Pathé News. 1953.Archived from the original on 4 June 2012. Retrieved12 June 2012.
  41. ^Croome & Jackson 1993, p. 347.
  42. ^abDay & Reed 2010, p. 149.
  43. ^abDay & Reed 2010, p. 200.
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  46. ^"PPP Performance Report"(PDF). Transport for London. 2010. pp. 7–8. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 26 April 2012. Retrieved7 March 2012.
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  50. ^"Our Train and Vintage London Bus Timetables". Epping Ongar Railway. Updated to show times for the following months.
  51. ^abcdefgBrown 2012.
  52. ^"Clive's Underground Line Guides - Central Line". Clive Feather. Retrieved3 August 2025.
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  56. ^abcdefghRose 2007.
  57. ^Leboff 1994, p. 152.
  58. ^Leboff 1994, p. 117.
  59. ^abLeboff 1994, p. 126.
  60. ^Leboff 1994, p. 64.
  61. ^"Incline lift at Greenford Tube station is UK first" (Press release). Transport for London. 20 October 2015.Archived from the original on 29 June 2016. Retrieved23 March 2021.
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  63. ^Leboff 1994, p. 42.
  64. ^Leboff 1994, p. 97.
  65. ^Leboff 1994, p. 92.
  66. ^Leboff 1994, p. 160.
  67. ^abLeboff 1994, p. 86.
  68. ^abcLeboff 1994, p. 87.
  69. ^Leboff 1994, p. 96.
  70. ^Leboff 1994, p. 18.
  71. ^abLeboff 1994, p. 54.
  72. ^Leboff 1994, p. 65.
  73. ^Leboff 1994, p. 63.
  74. ^Leboff 1994, p. 115.
  75. ^Leboff 1994, p. 127.
  76. ^Leboff 1994, p. 27.
  77. ^Leboff 1994, p. 41.
  78. ^Leboff 1994, p. 134.
  79. ^Leboff 1994, p. 53.
  80. ^Bruce 1988, pp. 25–29.
  81. ^Bruce 1988, p. 30.
  82. ^Croome & Jackson 1993, pp. 201–202.
  83. ^Croome & Jackson 1993, pp. 247–248.
  84. ^Bruce 1988, pp. 71–72.
  85. ^Croome & Jackson 1993, pp. 313, 318.
  86. ^Croome & Jackson 1993, p. 328.
  87. ^Bruce 1988, p. 92.
  88. ^Bruce 1988, p. 76.
  89. ^Croome & Jackson 1993, p. 338.
  90. ^Croome & Jackson 1993, p. 470.
  91. ^Croome & Jackson 1993, pp. 471–473.
  92. ^Day & Reed 2010, p. 198.
  93. ^"Rolling Stock Information Sheets"(PDF). London Underground. March 2007.Archived(PDF) from the original on 4 October 2013.
  94. ^abLydall, Ross (12 September 2024)."Central line unlikely to improve until December after delays to refurbished trains".Evening Standard.
  95. ^Rullion."Be a part of the Central Line Improvement Programme".Rullion. Retrieved17 February 2021.
  96. ^"FOI request detail".
  97. ^"FOI request detail".
  98. ^abc"New Tube for London - Feasibility Report"(PDF).Transport for London. October 2014. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 5 March 2016. Retrieved26 June 2022.
  99. ^Hawkins, John (January 2017)."LU Train reliability"(PDF). Retrieved5 March 2021.
  100. ^"Siemens to supply London Underground deep tube fleet".Metro Report International. 15 June 2018.
  101. ^ab"Piccadilly Line: Plans for new 'walk-through' trains unveiled".BBC News. 4 March 2021. Retrieved5 March 2021.
  102. ^Harris, Simon (3 January 2018)."Plan to sell part of Tube fleet branded 'quite mad'".ITV News. Retrieved6 March 2021.
  103. ^"Siemens Mobility Limited to be awarded TfL contract to design and manufacture a new generation of Tube trains" (Press release). Transport for London. 15 June 2018. Retrieved16 June 2018.
  104. ^Croome & Jackson 1993, pp. 294–295.
  105. ^"White City Central Line Sidings".Ian Ritchie Architects. Retrieved27 May 2020.
  106. ^ab"Central line working timetable"(PDF). London Underground Ltd. 26 January 2020. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 23 December 2019. Retrieved13 April 2020.
  107. ^Standard Night Tube Map(PDF) (Map). Transport for London. June 2023.Archived(PDF) from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved3 June 2024.
  108. ^"Tube improvement plan: Central line". Transport for London. n.d. Archived fromthe original on 22 January 2014. Retrieved8 January 2014.
  109. ^Templeton, Dan (26 May 2017)."New Victoria Line timetable increases frequency".International Railway Journal. London. Retrieved14 July 2017.
  110. ^Coombs, Dan (17 June 2011)."Extending Central Line to Uxbridge will cut traffic".Uxbridge Gazette. Archived fromthe original on 9 August 2011.
  111. ^Hawkins, John (13 January 2009).Meeting Reports: The East London Line Extension(PDF) (Report). London Underground Railway Society.
  112. ^"First Central Business Park". Archived fromthe original on 29 September 2007.
  113. ^"Proposed Park Royal Central Line station"(PDF). London Borough of Brent. 20 October 2009.[permanent dead link]
  114. ^"Harlow's addition to London Underground proposed by council".BBC News. 11 August 2021. Retrieved26 March 2023.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Brown, Joe (1 October 2012).London Railway Atlas (3rd ed.). Ian Allan Publishing.ISBN 978-0-7110-3728-1.
  • Badsey-Ellis, Antony (2005).London's Lost Tube Schemes. Capital Transport.ISBN 1-85414-293-3.
  • Bruce, J Graeme (1988).The London Underground Tube Stock. Shepperton: Ian Allan.ISBN 0-7110-1707-7.
  • Croome, D.; Jackson, A (1993).Rails Through The Clay – A History of London's Tube Railways (2nd ed.). Capital Transport.ISBN 1-85414-151-1.
  • Day, John R; Reed, John (2010) [1963].The Story of London's Underground (11th ed.). Capital Transport.ISBN 978-1-85414-341-9.
  • Green, Oliver (1987).The London Underground — An illustrated history.Ian Allan.ISBN 0-7110-1720-4.
  • Horne, Mike A.C. (1987).The Central Line: A Short History. North Finchley: Douglas Rose.ISBN 1-870354-01-X.OCLC 59844512.OL 12070417M.
  • Leboff, David (1994).London Underground Stations. Ian Allan.ISBN 978-0-7110-2226-3.
  • Rose, Douglas (December 2007) [1980].The London Underground: A Diagrammatic History (8th ed.). Capital Transport.ISBN 978-1-85414-315-0.

External links

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