| District line | |
|---|---|
 | |
.jpg) A District line train atWimbledon with a service toEdgware Road | |
| Overview | |
| Termini |
|
| Stations | 60 |
| Colour onmap | Green |
| Website | tfl.gov.uk |
| Service | |
| Type | Rapid transit |
| System | London Underground |
| Depot(s) | |
| Rolling stock | S7 Stock |
| Ridership | 251.199 million (2019)[1] passenger journeys |
| History | |
| Opened | 24 December 1868; 156 years ago (1868-12-24) |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 64 km (40 mi) |
| Character | Sub-surface |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge |
| Electrification | 750V DC and 630V DC on sections used by the Piccadilly line |
| Operating speed | 62 mph (100 km/h) |
| Signalling | CBTC (East of Barons Court/Fulham Broadway)Tripcock/Trainstop (West of Barons Court/Fulham Broadway) |
TheDistrict line is aLondon Underground line running fromUpminster in the east andEdgware Road in the west toEarl's Court in west London, where it splits into multiple branches. One branch runs toWimbledon in south-west London and a short branch, with a limited service, only runs for one stop toKensington (Olympia).[2] The main route continues west from Earl's Court toTurnham Green after which it divides again into two western branches, toRichmond andEaling Broadway.
Printed in green on theTube map, the line serves 60 stations (more than any other Underground line)[3] over 40 miles (64 km). It is the only Underground line to use a bridge to traverse theRiver Thames, crossing on both the Wimbledon and Richmond branches.[4] The track and stations betweenBarking andAldgate East are shared with theHammersmith & City line, and betweenTower Hill andGloucester Road and on the Edgware Road branch they are shared with theCircle line. Some of the stations betweenSouth Kensington andEaling Common are shared with thePiccadilly line. Unlike London'sdeep-level lines, the railway tunnels are just below the surface, and the trains are of a similar size to those on British main lines.
The District line is the busiest of the sub-surface lines and the fifth-busiest line overall on the Underground, with over 250 million passenger journeys recorded in 2019.[5]
The originalMetropolitan District Railway (as it was then called) opened in December 1868 from South Kensington toWestminster as part of a plan for a below-ground "inner circle" connecting London's main line termini. At first, services were operated using wooden carriages hauled by steam locomotives. Electrification was financed by the AmericanCharles Yerkes, and electric services began in 1905. The railway was absorbed by theLondon Passenger Transport Board in 1933. In the first half of the 1930s, the Piccadilly line took over the Uxbridge and Hounslow branches, although a peak-hour District line service ran on the Hounslow branch until 1964. Kensington (Olympia) has been served by the District line since 1946, and a short branch toSouth Acton closed in 1959. The trains carriedguards untilone-person operation was introduced in 1985.
The signalling system is being upgraded (as part of theFour Lines Modernisation project) as of September 2019 and the previousD Stock trains were fully replaced by seven-carS Stock trains in April 2017.
The Metropolitan District Railway (commonly known as the District Railway) was formed to build and operate part of an underground 'inner circle' connecting London's railway termini. The first line opened in December 1868, with services from South Kensington to Westminster; these were operated by theMetropolitan Railway using wooden carriages hauled bysteam locomotives. By 1871, when the District began operating its own trains, the railway had extended to West Brompton and a terminus atMansion House.[6] A curve fromEarl's Court onto theWest London Railway was used by theLondon & North Western Railway (L&NWR) for a service toBroad Street and theGreat Western Railway for a service to Moorgate via Paddington.[7] Between 1 March 1883 and 30 September 1885, the District Railway ran trains between Mansion House andWindsor, via Paddington. Stations after Ealing Broadway (the current terminus) were West Ealing, Hanwell, Southall, Hayes & Harlington, West Drayton, Langley, Slough, and Windsor. The service was discontinued because it was uneconomic.[8][9]
Hammersmith was reached from Earl's Court, services were extended to Richmond over the tracks of theLondon and South Western Railway (L&SWR), and branches reached Ealing Broadway, Hounslow and Wimbledon. As part of the project that completed theCircle line in October 1884, the District began to serveWhitechapel.[10] Services began running to Upminster in 1902, after a link to theLondon, Tilbury & Southend Railway (LT&SR) had been built.[11]
At the start of the 20th century, the District was seeing increased competition from the new electric underground tube lines and trams, and the use of steam locomotives underground led to unpopular smoke-filled stations and carriages.[11] The AmericanCharles Yerkes, who was later to form theUnderground Electric Railways of London, financed the needed electrification of the railway and the first electric services ran from Ealing to South Harrow in 1903.[12] Electric multiple-units were introduced on other services in 1905, and East Ham became the eastern terminus. Electric locomotives were used on the L&NWR services from Mansion House to Earl's Court, and in later years exchanged for a steam locomotive on LT&SR services from Southend to Ealing Broadway at Barking.[11]
Hounslow and Uxbridge were served by 2 or 3-car shuttles from Mill Hill Park (now Acton Town); some trains also served South Acton and central London in the peaks.[13] Services were extended again to Barking in 1908 and Upminster in 1932.[14] In 1932Piccadilly line trains were extended from Hammersmith to South Harrow, taking over the District service from Acton Town to South Harrow, although the District continued to provide a shuttle from South Harrow to Uxbridge.[15] In 1933, Piccadilly line trains reached Hounslow West, the District continuing to run services with an off-peak shuttle from South Acton to Hounslow.[16]
On 1 July 1933, the District Railway amalgamated with other Underground railways, tramway companies and bus operators to form theLondon Passenger Transport Board, and from 23 October 1933 Piccadilly line trains ran through to Uxbridge and the District line shuttle was withdrawn.[17] Most of the trailer cars on the District line were the 1904–1905B Stock type with wooden bodies, but motor cars were less than fifteen years old. The 1935–1940New Works Programme saw theQ Stock formed from these motor cars, upgraded with electro-pneumatic brakes and guard controlled air-operated doors, and the trailers replaced with new vehicles.[18] The off-peak District line services on the Hounslow branch were withdrawn on 29 April 1935 and South Acton served by a shuttle to Acton Town.[16]
TheLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) had taken over the L&NWR railway's service from Earl's Court and by theSecond World War this had been cut back to an electric Earl's Court to Willesden Junction shuttle.[16] Following bombing of the West London Line in 1940, the LMS and the Metropolitan line services over theWest London Line were both suspended. This left theOlympia exhibition centre without a railway service, so after the war the Kensington Addison Road station was renamedKensington (Olympia) and served by a District line shuttle from Earl's Court.[19]R Stock, composed of new cars and the Q Stock trailers that had been built in 1938, replaced the trains with hand-operated sliding doors that remained.[20] The new trains were built between 1949 and 1959,[21] and after 1952 trains were constructed from aluminium, saving weight. One train was left unpainted as an experiment and considered a success, so between 1963 and 1968 trains were left unpainted or painted white or grey to match.[22] The transfer ofCO/CP Stock from the Metropolitan line in the early 1960s allowed some of the Q stock to be scrapped.[23] The slow tracks on the former LT&SR line to Upminster were shared with steam locomotive hauled goods and passenger services, until 1961 when the District took over exclusive use of the DC electrified lines.[24]
The South Acton shuttle was withdrawn on 28 February 1959, followed by the peak hour District line through service to Hounslow on 9 October 1964.[25] The whole District line service could not run through Aldgate East as this station was also served by Hammersmith & City trains, so some trains terminated at a bay platform at Mansion House, leaving the line east to Tower Hill overcrowded. Tower Hill station was also cramped, so the station was rebuilt with three platforms on a new site. This opened in 1967 and a year later trains reversed at the new station.[26]
Services were operated with 6 cars off-peak and 8 cars during peak hours until 1971, when trains were reformed as fixed 7-car trains, and some 6-car trains for the Edgware Road branch.[27] The CO/CP and R Stock were replaced in the late 1970s by new trains with unpainted aluminium bodies.[28] A shorter train was needed on the Edgware Road branch due to the platform lengths so more of theC stock units, then already in use on the Circle and Hammersmith and City lines, were built.[29] The rest of the District line could use longer trains and newD Stock trains were introduced between 1979 and 1983.[28]Driver-only operation of the trains was proposed in 1972, but due to conflict with the trade unions was not introduced on the District line until 1985.[30] In 2003, the infrastructure of the District line was partly privatised in apublic–private partnership, managed by theMetronet consortium. Metronet went intoadministration in 2007 and the local government bodyTransport for London took over responsibilities.[31]
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The District line is 40 miles (64 km) long and serves 60 stations.[32][33] The line is electrified with a four-rail DC system: from Upminster to Putney Bridge, Olympia, Barons Court, and Edgware Road a central conductor rail is now energised at−250 volts and a rail outside the running rail at+500 V, giving a potential difference of750 V. The section from Barons Court to Ealing Broadway remains at−210 V with a rail outside the running rail at+420 V, giving a potential difference of630 V.[34] The two sections over which main line trains run, from East Putney to Wimbledon, and from Gunnersbury to Richmond, have the centre rail bonded to the running rails.[35] West of Earl's Court, there are four branches. AtEaling Broadway station, the District line has platforms north of theCentral line and theGreat Western Main Line out of Paddington. After about2⁄3 mile (1.1 km), the line meets the Piccadilly line Uxbridge branch at Hanger Lane junction, and the tracks are then shared throughEaling Common station untilActon Town station, where the Piccadilly line Heathrow branch joins. From Acton Town to Barons Court, the line has four tracks, paired by use: the District line uses the outer pair and the non-stopping Piccadilly line trains use the inner pair.[36] AtRichmond station, theMildmay line and District line platforms are north of theWaterloo to Reading line through platforms. The two tracks which cross the Thames atKew Railway Bridge are shared with the Mildmay line trains until Gunnersbury junction, after which the District line tracks join the four-track District and Piccadilly lines just beforeTurnham Green station.[36]
On the main line, there arecross-platform interchanges at Acton Town, Hammersmith and Barons Court stations, after which the Piccadilly line tracks descend into tunnels, while the District line becomes two tracks through West Kensington station. Before the line enters Earl's Court station, the short Kensington (Olympia) branch joins at a flat junction and the Wimbledon branch at a grade-separated junction.[36] On the Wimbledon branch, the District line atWimbledon station is west of theSouth West Main Line platforms, then the two-track line has a junction atEast Putney station with theHounslow Loop Line, before passing over the River Thames onFulham Railway Bridge; the line continues by passing under the West London Railway and coming alongside it atWest Brompton station before the junction with the main line and the four-platform Earl's Court station.[36]
East of Earl's Court there is a grade-separated junction off the main line to the Edgware Road branch. This follows the Circle line afterHigh Street Kensington station where there are also two bay platforms for the District line. AfterPaddington station this branch joins theHammersmith & City line at Praed Street junction, before terminating at the four-platformEdgware Road.[36] The main line joins the Circle line at Gloucester Road and the line and stations are in cut-and-cover tunnels, meeting the Thames atWestminster station, after which the railway is in theVictoria Embankment on the north bank of the river. AtTower Hill station, there is a bay platform.[36]
After Tower Hill, the Circle line diverges, the District line joining the Hammersmith & City line just beforeAldgate East station. The line passes over the Windrush line at Whitechapel station before continuing on the 2-mile (3.2 km)Whitechapel & Bow Railway to Bow Road, where the line surfaces, and Bromley-by-Bow, where the line runs alongside theLondon, Tilbury and Southend line fromFenchurch Street station. There is an interchange with this line at the next station, West Ham, as well as with theJubilee line and theDocklands Light Railway. There is a bay platform at the next station, Plaistow, and the Hammersmith & City line terminates at Barking station.[36] The District line follows the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway for another eight stations, before terminating atUpminster station.[36]
The line mainly runs in cut and cover tunnels betweenWest Kensington andBow Road, including the Edgware Road branch. However, due to the nature of sub-surface lines, the cutting is occasionally left open both at and between stations for ventilation. West of Earls Court, the line is entirely surface level, with the exception of the Hammersmith and Fulham Broadway stations, which are in cuttings built over by recent developments. There is also a small section of tunnel between Southfields and East Putney.
 | Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found onPhabricator and onMediaWiki.org. |
The off-peak service since 9 December 2012 is:
This gives a service of 18 trains per hour (a train every 3–4 minutes) between Earl's Court and Tower Hill. Together with theCircle line, there are 24 trains per hour (a train every 2.5 minutes) between Gloucester Road and Tower Hill. 208 million passenger journeys were made on the District line in 2011/12.[42]
There are additional trains during peak hours. The central section from Earl's Court to Aldgate East is in Zone 1 and to the west Ealing Broadway and Wimbledon are in Zone 3 and Richmond in Zone 4. To the east the line runs to Upminster in Zone 6.[43]
The current 7-car S Stock trains began to enter service on the line in 2013,[44] beginning with services between Olympia and West Ham, gradually replacing the C and D Stock.[45] Like the 8-car variants now in use on theMetropolitan line, these trains are part of Bombardier'sMovia family, with air-conditioning, as the sub-surface tunnels (unlike those on the deep-level tube lines) are able to disperse the exhausted hot air.[46]
With a top speed of 62 mph (100 km/h),[46] a 7-car S Stock train has a capacity of 865 passengers compared to 739 for a 6-car C Stock train and 827 for a 6-car D Stock train.[47][48][49] With a length of 117 metres (384 ft), the S Stock trains are 24 metres (79 ft) longer than the 93-metre (305 ft) long C stock trains, and station platforms have been lengthened.[50] The trains haveregenerative brakes, allowing them to return around 20 per cent of their energy to the network.[51] Traction voltage was increased in 2017 from nominal 630 V to 750 V to give better performance and allow the trains to return more energy to the network through their regenerative brakes.[49] 630 V section remains Barons Court-Ealing Broadway. The service was run byD78 Stock until April 2017.
The S Stock trains are maintained atEaling Common Depot[a] andUpminster Depot.[b] Ealing Common Depot was built by the District Railway when it was electrified in the early 1900s.[52] Upminster depot was built 1956–1958 when the District line tracks were segregated.[53] Trains may also be stabled in the sidings east of Barking alongside Hammersmith & City Line trains.
It was planned that a new signalling system would be used first on the sub-surface lines from the end of 2016,[54] but signalling contractor Bombardier was released from its contract by agreement in December 2013 amid heavy criticism of the procurement process[55] and London Underground subsequently awarded the contract for the project toThales in August 2015.[56]
With the introduction of S7 Stock, the track, electrical supply, and signalling systems are being upgraded in a programme planned to increase peak-hour capacity on the line by 27 per cent by the end of 2023.[54][57][58] A single control room for the sub-surface railway opened at Hammersmith on 6 May 2018, andCommunications Based Train Control (CBTC) provided by Thales will progressively replace 'fixed block' signalling equipment dating back to the 1940s.[54][59]
The rollout of CBTC has been split into sections, each known as a Signal Migration Area (SMA), and are located on the line as follows:[60]
| SMA[i] | from | to | status | date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Paddington | Edgware Road | commissioned | September 2019 |
| 3 | Monument | Stepney Green | completed | July 2020 |
| 4 | Monument | Sloane Square | completed | August 2020 |
| 5 | Sloane Square |
| completed | March 2022 |
| 6 | Stepney Green | Becontree | completed | January 2023 |
| 7 | Becontree | Upminster | completed | March 2023 |
| 10 | Barons Court |
| planned | TBD |
| 11 | Stamford Brook | Richmond | deferred | until further notice |
| 12 | Fulham Broadway | East Putney | planned | TBD |
In order from west to east
| Station | Image | Opened[8] | Branch | Additional information | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Richmond   |  | 1 October 1877 | Richmond | Connects with National Rail services. Opened by theL&SWR as Richmond New on 1 January 1869 and this amalgamated with the main line station in 1937.[61] | 51°27′47″N000°18′00″W / 51.46306°N 0.30000°W /51.46306; -0.30000 (01 – Richmond station) |
| Kew Gardens |  | 1 October 1877 | Richmond | L&SWR station opened 1 January 1869[62] | 51°28′38″N000°17′07″W / 51.47722°N 0.28528°W /51.47722; -0.28528 (02 – Kew Gardens station) |
| Gunnersbury |  | 1 October 1877 | Richmond | Connects withMildmay line services. Opened by L&SWR as Brentford Road 1 January 1869, renamed 1871.[63] | 51°29′30″N000°16′30″W / 51.49167°N 0.27500°W /51.49167; -0.27500 (03 – Gunnersbury station) |
Ealing Broadway |  | 1 July 1879 | Ealing Broadway | Connects withCentral line,Elizabeth line and National Rail services. | 51°30′53″N000°18′06″W / 51.51472°N 0.30167°W /51.51472; -0.30167 (04 – Ealing Broadway station) |
| Ealing Common |  | 1 July 1879 | Ealing Broadway | Connects withPiccadilly line. Between 1886 and 1910 known as Ealing Common and West Acton[8] | 51°30′37″N000°17′17″W / 51.51028°N 0.28806°W /51.51028; -0.28806 (05 – Ealing Common tube station) |
| Acton Town |  | 1 July 1879 | Ealing Broadway | Connects with Piccadilly line. Opened as Mill Hill Park, renamed 1 March 1910. Connects with Piccadilly line | 51°30′10″N000°16′48″W / 51.50278°N 0.28000°W /51.50278; -0.28000 (06 – Acton Town tube station) |
| Chiswick Park |  | 1 July 1879 | Ealing Broadway | Opened as Acton Green, renamed Chiswick Park and Acton Green in 1889, renamed 1910 | 51°29′41″N000°16′04″W / 51.49472°N 0.26778°W /51.49472; -0.26778 (07 – Chiswick Park tube station) |
| Turnham Green |  | 1 June 1877 | Main line | L&SWR station opened 1 January 1869 | 51°29′43″N000°15′18″W / 51.49528°N 0.25500°W /51.49528; -0.25500 (08 – Turnham Green tube station) |
| Stamford Brook |  | 1 February 1912 | Main line | 51°29′42″N000°14′45″W / 51.49500°N 0.24583°W /51.49500; -0.24583 (09 – Stamford Brook tube station) | |
| Ravenscourt Park |  | 1 June 1877 | Main line | Opened as Shaftesbury Road by L&SWR on 1 April 1873, renamed 1 March 1888 | 51°29′39″N000°14′09″W / 51.49417°N 0.23583°W /51.49417; -0.23583 (10 – Ravenscourt Park tube station) |
| Hammersmith |  | 9 September 1874 | Main line | Connects with Piccadilly,Hammersmith & City andCircle lines | 51°29′39″N000°13′30″W / 51.49417°N 0.22500°W /51.49417; -0.22500 (11 – Hammersmith tube station) |
| Barons Court |  | 15 December 1906 | Main line | Connects with Piccadilly line | 51°29′26″N000°12′49″W / 51.49056°N 0.21361°W /51.49056; -0.21361 (12 – Barons Court tube station) |
| West Kensington |  | 9 September 1874 | Main line | Opened as North End (Fulham),[64] renamed 1877 | 51°29′27″N000°12′23″W / 51.49083°N 0.20639°W /51.49083; -0.20639 (13 – West Kensington tube station) |
Wimbledon  |  | 3 June 1889 | Wimbledon | Connects with National Rail andTramlink services.L&SWR station opened 21 May 1838. | 51°25′24″N000°12′15″W / 51.42333°N 0.20417°W /51.42333; -0.20417 (14 – Wimbledon station) |
| Wimbledon Park |  | 3 June 1889 | Wimbledon | 51°26′02″N000°12′00″W / 51.43389°N 0.20000°W /51.43389; -0.20000 (15 – Wimbledon Park tube station) | |
| Southfields |  | 3 June 1889 | Wimbledon | 51°26′42″N000°12′25″W / 51.44500°N 0.20694°W /51.44500; -0.20694 (16 – Southfields tube station) | |
| East Putney |  | 3 June 1889 | Wimbledon | 51°27′31″N000°12′41″W / 51.45861°N 0.21139°W /51.45861; -0.21139 (17 – East Putney tube station) | |
| Putney Bridge |  | 1 March 1880 | Wimbledon | Opened as Putney Bridge & Fulham, renamed 1 January 1902 as Putney Bridge & Hurlingham, current name from 1932 | 51°28′06″N000°12′32″W / 51.46833°N 0.20889°W /51.46833; -0.20889 (18 – Putney Bridge tube station) |
| Parsons Green |  | 1 March 1880 | Wimbledon | 51°28′31″N000°12′04″W / 51.47528°N 0.20111°W /51.47528; -0.20111 (19 – Parsons Green tube station) | |
| Fulham Broadway |  | 1 March 1880 | Wimbledon | Opened as Walham Green, renamed 2 March 1952 | 51°28′50″N000°11′41″W / 51.48056°N 0.19472°W /51.48056; -0.19472 (20 – Fulham Broadway tube station) |
| West Brompton |  | 12 April 1869 | Wimbledon | Connects with National Rail andMildmay line services. | 51°29′12″N000°11′45″W / 51.48667°N 0.19583°W /51.48667; -0.19583 (21 – West Brompton station) |
| Kensington (Olympia) |  | 20 December 1946 | Olympia | Connects with National Rail andMildmay line services. TheL&SWR opened a Kensington station on the West London Railway briefly in 1844. This station was opened on 2 June 1862 and was renamed Kensington Addison Road in 1868[65] and served by L&NWR, GWR, Metropolitan and other railways until services were withdrawn in 1940. Reopened as a branch of the District line in 1946.[66] | 51°29′55″N000°12′39″W / 51.49861°N 0.21083°W /51.49861; -0.21083 (22 – Kensington (Olympia) station) |
| Earl's Court |  | 30 October 1871 | Main line | Connects with Piccadilly line and all other District line services. | 51°29′29″N000°11′41″W / 51.49139°N 0.19472°W /51.49139; -0.19472 (28 – Earl's Court tube station) |
| High Street Kensington |  | 1 October 1868 | Edgware Road | Opened as Kensington (High Street) and name gradually changed by 1880.[8] Connects with the Circle line. | 51°30′03″N000°11′33″W / 51.50083°N 0.19250°W /51.50083; -0.19250 (33 – High Street Kensington tube station) |
| Notting Hill Gate |  | 1 October 1868 | Edgware Road | Connects withCentral line. | 51°30′32″N000°11′49″W / 51.50889°N 0.19694°W /51.50889; -0.19694 (34 – Notting Hill Gate tube station) |
| Bayswater |  | 1 October 1868 | Edgware Road | Opened as Bayswater, renamed Bayswater (Queen's Road) & Westbourne Grove in 1923, Bayswater (Queen's Road) in 1933 and Bayswater (Queensway) in 1946, after which the suffix was gradually dropped.[8] | 51°30′43″N000°11′17″W / 51.51194°N 0.18806°W /51.51194; -0.18806 (35 – Bayswater tube station) |
| Paddington |  | 1 October 1868 | Edgware Road | Opened as Paddington (Praed Street), renamed in 1948.[8] Connects withBakerloo line,Circle andHammersmith & City lines to Hammersmith,Elizabeth line, and Paddington main line station. | |
| Edgware Road |  | 1 October 1863 | Edgware Road | Connects with Circle and Hammersmith & City lines. | 51°31′12″N000°10′04″W / 51.52000°N 0.16778°W /51.52000; -0.16778 (27 – Edgware Road tube station) |
| Gloucester Road |  | 1 October 1868 | Main line | Opened as Brompton (Gloucester Road), renamed in 1907.[8] Connects with Piccadilly andCircle lines. | 51°29′41″N000°10′59″W / 51.49472°N 0.18306°W /51.49472; -0.18306 (32 – Gloucester Road tube station) |
| South Kensington |  | 24 December 1868 | Main line | Connects withPiccadilly line | 51°29′39″N000°10′26″W / 51.49417°N 0.17389°W /51.49417; -0.17389 (31 – South Kensington tube station) |
| Sloane Square |  | 24 December 1868 | Main line | 51°29′33″N000°09′24″W / 51.49250°N 0.15667°W /51.49250; -0.15667 (30 – Sloane Square tube station) | |
| Victoria |  | 24 December 1868 | Main line | Connects withVictoria line and National Rail services. | 51°29′48″N000°08′41″W / 51.49667°N 0.14472°W /51.49667; -0.14472 (29 – London Victoria station) |
| St James's Park |  | 24 December 1868 | Main line | 51°29′58″N000°08′04″W / 51.49944°N 0.13444°W /51.49944; -0.13444 (28 – St James's Park tube station) | |
| Westminster |  | 24 December 1868 | Main line | Opened as Westminster Bridge, renamed in 1907.[8] Connects withJubilee line. | 51°30′04″N000°07′30″W / 51.50111°N 0.12500°W /51.50111; -0.12500 (27 – Westminster tube station) |
| Embankment |  | 30 May 1870 | Main line | Opened as Charing Cross, renamed Charing Cross Embankment in 1974 and to the current name from 1976.[8] Connects withBakerloo andNorthern lines and Charing Cross National Rail station. | 51°30′25″N000°07′19″W / 51.50694°N 0.12194°W /51.50694; -0.12194 (26 – Embankment tube station) |
| Temple |  | 30 May 1870 | Main line | Opened as The Temple.[8] | 51°30′40″N000°06′52″W / 51.51111°N 0.11444°W /51.51111; -0.11444 (25 – Temple tube station) |
| Blackfriars |  | 30 May 1870 | Main line | Connects with National Rail services. | 51°30′42″N000°06′11″W / 51.51167°N 0.10306°W /51.51167; -0.10306 (24 – Blackfriars station) |
| Mansion House |  | 3 July 1871 | Main line | 51°30′44″N000°05′39″W / 51.51222°N 0.09417°W /51.51222; -0.09417 (23 – Mansion House tube station) | |
| Cannon Street(WB) |  | 6 October 1884 | Main line | Connects with National Rail services. | 51°30′37″N000°05′27″W / 51.51028°N 0.09083°W /51.51028; -0.09083 (22 – Cannon Street station) |
Monument |  | 6 October 1884 | Main line | Opened as Eastcheap, renamed The Monument in 1884.[8] Escalator connection to Bank station giving connections withCentral,Northern,Waterloo & City andDLR. | 51°30′47″N000°05′17″W / 51.51306°N 0.08806°W /51.51306; -0.08806 (21 – Bank–Monument station) |
| Tower Hill |  | 25 September 1882 | Main line | The Metropolitan Railway opened "Tower of London" but closed it in 1884 after the District Railway opened "Mark Lane" nearby. This station was renamed "Tower Hill" in 1946 and moved to the site of the "Tower of London" station in 1967.[8][67] Connects with Circle line. | 51°30′36″N000°04′34″W / 51.51000°N 0.07611°W /51.51000; -0.07611 (20 – Tower Hill tube station) |
| Aldgate East |  | 6 October 1884 | Main line | Connects with Hammersmith & City line. Moved to current position in 1938.[8] | 51°30′55″N000°04′20″W / 51.51528°N 0.07222°W /51.51528; -0.07222 (19 – Aldgate East tube station) |
| Whitechapel |  | 6 October 1884 | Main line | Connects withWindrush line andElizabeth line services. Opened as Whitechapel (Mile End), renamed in 1901. | 51°31′08″N000°03′40″W / 51.51889°N 0.06111°W /51.51889; -0.06111 (20 – Whitechapel station) |
| Stepney Green |  | 23 June 1902 | Main line | 51°31′19″N000°02′47″W / 51.52194°N 0.04639°W /51.52194; -0.04639 (21 – Stepney Green tube station) | |
| Mile End |  | 2 June 1902 | Main line | Cross platform interchange withCentral line. | 51°31′30″N000°01′59″W / 51.52500°N 0.03306°W /51.52500; -0.03306 (22 – Mile End tube station) |
| Bow Road |  | 11 June 1902 | Main line | 51°31′38″N000°01′29″W / 51.52722°N 0.02472°W /51.52722; -0.02472 (23 – Bow Road tube station) | |
| Bromley-by-Bow |  | 2 June 1902 | Main line | Opened as LT&SR station in 1894. First served as Bromley, LT&SR station closed in 1940 and renamed in 1967.[8][68] | 51°31′26″N000°00′41″W / 51.52389°N 0.01139°W /51.52389; -0.01139 (24 – Bromley-by-Bow tube station) |
| West Ham |  | 2 June 1902 | Main line | Connects withJubilee line,Docklands Light Railway and National Rail services. Named West Ham (Manor Road) from 1924 to 1969, Metropolitan service began in 1941 and LT&SR station closed 1994.[8][69] | 51°31′41″N000°00′14″E / 51.52806°N 0.00389°E /51.52806; 0.00389 (25 – West Ham station) |
| Plaistow |  | 2 June 1902 | Main line | LT&SR station opened in 1858.[70] | 51°31′53″N000°01′02″E / 51.53139°N 0.01722°E /51.53139; 0.01722 (26 – Plaistow tube station) |
| Upton Park |  | 2 June 1902 | Main line | LT&SR station opened in 1877.[71] | 51°32′06″N000°02′04″E / 51.53500°N 0.03444°E /51.53500; 0.03444 (27 – Upton Park tube station) |
| East Ham |  | 2 June 1902 | Main line | LT&SR station opened in 1858.[72] | 51°32′20″N000°03′06″E / 51.53889°N 0.05167°E /51.53889; 0.05167 (28 – East Ham tube station) |
| Barking |  | 2 June 1902 | Main line | Connects with National Rail andSuffragette line. LT&SR station opened in 1854.[73] District Railway service withdrawn 1905–1908.[8] | 51°32′21″N000°04′54″E / 51.53917°N 0.08167°E /51.53917; 0.08167 (29 – Barking station) |
| Upney |  | 12 September 1932 | Main line | 51°32′19″N000°06′05″E / 51.53861°N 0.10139°E /51.53861; 0.10139 (53 – Upney tube station) | |
| Becontree |  | 12 September 1932 | Main line | 51°32′25″N000°07′37″E / 51.54028°N 0.12694°E /51.54028; 0.12694 (54 – Becontree tube station) | |
| Dagenham Heathway |  | 12 September 1932 | Main line | Opened as Heathway, renamed 1949. | 51°32′30″N000°08′49″E / 51.54167°N 0.14694°E /51.54167; 0.14694 (55 – Dagenham Heathway tube station) |
| Dagenham East |  | 2 June 1902 | Main line | Opened as Dagenham in 1885,[74] District line service withdrawn 1905 to 1932 and station renamed 1949.[8] | 51°32′40″N000°09′56″E / 51.54444°N 0.16556°E /51.54444; 0.16556 (56 – Dagenham East tube station) |
| Elm Park |  | 13 May 1935 | Main line | 51°32′59″N000°11′52″E / 51.54972°N 0.19778°E /51.54972; 0.19778 (57 – Elm Park tube station) | |
| Hornchurch |  | 2 June 1902 | Main line | LT&SR station opened 1885,[75] District line service withdrawn 1905 to 1932. | 51°33′11″N000°13′08″E / 51.55306°N 0.21889°E /51.55306; 0.21889 (58 – Hornchurch tube station) |
| Upminster Bridge |  | 17 December 1934 | Main line | 51°33′29″N000°14′03″E / 51.55806°N 0.23417°E /51.55806; 0.23417 (59 – Upminster Bridge tube station) | |
| Upminster |  | 2 June 1902 | Main line | LT&SR station opened 1885,[76] District line service withdrawn 1905 to 1932. Connects with National Rail and Liberty line services. | 51°33′32″N000°15′04″E / 51.55889°N 0.25111°E /51.55889; 0.25111 (60 – Upminster station) |
Now served by the Piccadilly line, the Hounslow branch opened to the now closedHounslow Town on 1 May 1883 and was extended on a separate route toHounslow West on 21 July 1884. The District line served the present Piccadilly line stations between Acton Town and Hounslow West as well as the former station ofOsterley & Spring Grove (closed 1934) until District line services were withdrawn on 9 October 1964. From 13 June 1905 until 28 February 1959, the District line ran a one-stop shuttle between Acton Town andSouth Acton.[8]
Also now served by the Piccadilly line, theSouth Harrow branch opened from north of Ealing Common on 28 June 1903 and extended over Metropolitan Railway tracks toUxbridge on 1 March 1910. The District line served the present Piccadilly line stations betweenNorth Ealing and South Harrow until 4 July 1932 and the stations betweenRayners Lane and Uxbridge until 25 October 1933. The District Railway also served the now closedPark Royal & Twyford Abbey until its replacement byPark Royal on 6 July 1931.[8]
Between 1 March 1883 and 30 September 1885, the District Railway provided a service to Windsor, serving: West Ealing, Hanwell, Southall, Hayes & Harlington, West Drayton, Langley, Slough, and Windsor.[8][9]
From 1910 to 1939, the District line's eastbound service ran as far asSouthend-on-Sea andShoeburyness.[77]
Currently part of theEast London line, the District Railway branched away from the main line west of Whitechapel and served stations between Shadwell and New Cross from 1 October 1884 until 31 July 1905.[8]
Between Whitechapel and Aldgate East, the District line servedSt. Mary's (Whitechapel Road) from 1 October 1884 to 30 April 1938, closing when Aldgate East station moved.[8][78]
From 25 September 1882 until its closure on 12 October 1884,Tower of London station was served by the District Railway.[8]
In 1911, theUnderground Electric Railways Company of London agreed to finance the construction of theWimbledon and Sutton Railway and eight new stations for theextension of District Railway services to Sutton. Construction of the line was delayed byWorld War I and, as part of a deal with theSouthern Railway (SR) to agree to the extension of theCity and South London Railway toMorden, construction of the line was taken over by the SR.[79][80]
Walford East is a fictional District line station in the BBC televisionsoap operaEastEnders,[81] and since February 2010 episodes have usedComputer-generated imagery (CGI) of District line trains running into the station.[82] The production tube map situates this station in place of Bromley-by-Bow.
In theSherlock episode "The Empty Hearse", a fictional unopened terminus station called Sumatra Road (situated underneath theHouses of Parliament as a disused branch line from Westminster Station) was created for the episode's story of a terrorism plot. The station was actually filmed atAldwych with ex-Northern line1972 stock which caused continuity errors as deep-level trains and tunnels were used when the District line is sub-surface.[83]
West Ashfield tube station, despite its name, is a mock-up District line station in the third floor of a building used for training ofTfL staff in a simulated environment; the "station" is slated to be closed by 2024.[84][85] Maps within the facility show West Ashfield as a station on the District line between West Kensington and Earl's Court.[86]
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