Jump to content

Piccadilly line

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Piccadilly line
A Piccadilly line train at Russell Square
Overview
Stations53
Colour on mapDark blue
Websitetfl.gov.uk
Service
TypeRapid transit
SystemLondon Underground
Depot(s)Cockfosters
Northfields
Rolling stock1973 Stock
Ridership210.169 million (2011/12)[1] passenger journeys
History
Opened15 December 1906
Last extension2008
Technical
Line length71 km (44 mi)
CharacterDeep Tube
Track gauge4 ft 8 12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
London Underground
Bakerloo
Central
Circle
District
Hammersmith & City
Jubilee
Metropolitan
Northern
Piccadilly
Victoria
Waterloo & City
Other systems
Crossrail
DLR
London Trams
London Overground
TfL Rail

The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground. It is coloured dark blue on the Tube map. It is the fifth busiest line on the Underground network judged by the number of passengers transported per year. It is mainly a deep-level line, running from the north to the west of London via Zone 1. However, there are a number of surface sections mostly in its westernmost parts. Out of the 53 stations served, 25 are underground. It is the second longest line on the system, after the Central Line.

Infrastructure

[change | change source]

Rolling stock

[change | change source]
Piccadilly line trains of 1973 stock at Rayners Lane station

Like most Underground lines, the Piccadilly line is operated by a single type of rolling stock. In this case it is the 1973 tube stock. The trains are painted in the standard London Underground livery of blue, white and red. Seventy-six trains out of a fleet of 88 are needed to run the line's peak service. One unit (166-566-366) was severely damaged by the terrorist attack of 7 July 2005. The stock was recently refurbished, and was due for replacement by 2014,[2] but the order for new trains was cancelled in July 2010.[3]

The line was previously worked by 1959 stock, 1956 stock, 1938 stock, standard tube stock and 1906 gate stock.

The line has two depots, at Northfields55 map 55 and Cockfosters.54 map 54 There are sidings at Oakwood, South Harrow, Arnos Grove, Rayners Lane, Down Street, Wood Green, Barons Court, Acton Town, Ruislip and Uxbridge.

Signalling

[change | change source]

The line is controlled from the control centre at Earl's Court, which it used to share with the District line. It is in need of resignalling, and this work is planned to be carried out by 2014.

Service pattern

[change | change source]

The current off-peak service pattern is:

6 trains per hour CockfostersHeathrow Terminal 5 (via Terminals 1, 2, 3)
6 trains per hour Cockfosters – Heathrow Terminal 4 (returning around the loop and serving Terminals 1, 2, 3)
3 trains per hour Cockfosters – Uxbridge
3 trains per hour Cockfosters – Rayners Lane
6 trains per hour Arnos Grove – Northfields

Often late evening services terminate at Oakwood instead of Cockfosters.

Trains will also make an additional stop at Turnham Green during early mornings and late evenings but will not stop at the station during the main part of the day.

Other services operate at times, especially at the start and towards the end of the traffic day.

Geographically accurate path of the Piccadilly line
Geographically accurate path of the Piccadilly line

Easier Versions can be found http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/standard-tube-map.gif Archived 2008-05-27 at the Wayback Machine

Stations

[change | change source]
Piccadilly Line
Cockfosters
 
Cockfosters
depot
 
Oakwood
Southgate
Arnos Grove
Arnos Grove sidings
Bounds Green
Wood Green
Turnpike Lane
Harringay (St. Ann's Road)
proposed but never built
Manor House
Finsbury Park Victoria Line National Rail
Arsenal
Holloway Road
Caledonian Road
York Road
King's Cross St. Pancras
Circle line (London Underground) Hammersmith & City Line Metropolitan Line Northern Line Victoria Line National Rail
Russell Square
Holborn Central line (London Underground)
Aldwych
Covent Garden
Leicester Square Northern Line
Piccadilly Circus Bakerloo Line
Green Park Jubilee Line Victoria Line
Down Street
Hyde Park Corner
Knightsbridge
Brompton Road
South Kensington Circle line (London Underground) District Line
Gloucester Road Circle line (London Underground) District Line
Earl's Court District Line
Barons Court District Line
Hammersmith Circle line (London Underground) District Line Hammersmith & City Line
Non-stop section
Non-stop section
Ravenscourt Park (District Line)
Stamford Brook (District Line)
Turnham Green (District Line)
limited Piccadilly line services
District line
to Richmond
Chiswick Park (District Line)
Acton works
Acton Town District Line enlarge…
Ealing Common depot
Ealing Common District Line enlarge…
North Ealing
Park Royal
Park Royal & Twyford Abbey
Alperton
Sudbury Town
Sudbury Hill
South Harrow
Rayners Lane Metropolitan Line
joint with Metropolitan line
joint with Metropolitan line
Eastcote Metropolitan Line
Ruislip Manor Metropolitan Line
Ruislip Metropolitan Line
to Ruislip Central line depot
Ickenham Metropolitan Line
Hillingdon Metropolitan Line
Uxbridge depot
Uxbridge
(original site)
Uxbridge Metropolitan Line
South Ealing
Northfields
Northfields depot
Boston Manor
Osterley & Spring Grove
Osterley
Hounslow EastHounslow Town
Hounslow Central
Hounslow West
Hatton Cross
Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 London Heathrow Airport Template:Heathrow rail services
Heathrow Terminal 4 London Heathrow Airport
Heathrow Terminal 5 London Heathrow Airport Template:Heathrow rail services
Notice explaining about step-free access. This can be found inside every Piccadilly line train.
Notice explaining alternative routes to Covent Garden. This can be found inside every Piccadilly line train.

(In order from east to west.)

Cockfosters branch

[change | change source]
Cockfosters branch
Station Image Opened Additional information
Cockfosters 31 July 1933 One of the two depots is located here1 map 1
Oakwood Disabled access 13 March 1933 Opened as Enfield West; renamed Enfield West Oakwood 3 May 1934; renamed 1 September 19462 map 2
Southgate 13 March 1933 in deep-level tunnel3 map 3
Arnos Grove 19 September 1932 Trains may terminate here: there are several sidings for stabling trains4 map 4
Tunnel section commences
Bounds Green 19 September 1932 5 map 5
Wood Green 19 September 1932 6 map 6
Turnpike Lane 19 September 1932 7 map 7
Manor House 19 September 1932 8 map 8
Original Section
Finsbury Park National Rail 15 December 1906 9 map 9
Arsenal 15 December 1906 Opened as Gillespie Road; renamed Arsenal (Highbury Hill) 31 October 1932; the suffix was later dropped in 196010 map 10
Holloway Road 15 December 1906 11 map 11
Caledonian Road Disabled access 15 December 1906 12 map 12
King's Cross St. Pancras Disabled access National Rail 15 December 1906 Opened as King's Cross; renamed King's Cross for St. Pancras 1927; renamed 193313 map 13
Russell Square 15 December 1906 14 map 14
Holborn 15 December 1906 Renamed Holborn (Kingsway) 22 May 1933; the suffix was later dropped.15 map 15
Covent Garden 11 April 1907 16 map 16
Leicester Square 15 December 1906 17 map 17
Piccadilly Circus 15 December 1906 18 map 18
Green Park 15 December 1906 Opened as Dover Street; renamed 18 September 193319 map 19
Hyde Park Corner 15 December 1906 In the event of disruption, trains may terminate here via a crossover20 map 20
Knightsbridge 15 December 1906 21 map 21
South Kensington 8 January 1907 22 map 22
Gloucester Road 15 December 1906 23 map 23
Earl's Court Disabled access 15 December 1906 24 map 24
Tunnel section ends
Barons Court 15 December 1906 25 map 25
Hammersmith Disabled access 15 December 1906 26 map 26

Extension to Hounslow and Uxbridge

[change | change source]
Extension to Hounslow and Uxbridge
Station Image Opened Additional information
Turnham Green 1 January 1869 Originally the London and South Western Railway; first served by the Piccadilly line 23 June 196327 map 27
Acton Town Disabled access 1 July 1879 Originally the Metropolitan District Railway, later District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 4 July 193228 map 28
The line splits here into two branches – the Heathrow branch and the Uxbridge branch.

Heathrow branch

[change | change source]
Continuing from Acton Town
Station Image Opened Additional information
South Ealing 1 May 1883 Originally the Metropolitan District Railway, later District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 29 April 193529 map 29
Northfields 16 April 1908 Originally the District line (one of the two depots is here and some trains terminate here); first served by the Piccadilly line 9 January 193330 map 30
Boston Manor 1 May 1883 Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 13 March 193331 map 31
Osterley 23 March 1934 32 map 32
Hounslow East Disabled access 2 May 1909 Opened as Hounslow Town by the District line renamed 1 December 1925; first served by the Piccadilly line 13 March 193333 map 33
Hounslow Central 1 April 1886 Opened as Heston-Hounslow by the District line, renamed 1 December 1925; first served by the Piccadilly line 13 March 193334 map 34
Tunnel section recommences
Hounslow West Disabled access 21 July 1884 Opened as Hounslow Barracks by the District line, renamed 1 December 1925; first served by the Piccadilly line 13 March 1933, resited 19 July 197535 map 35
Hatton Cross 19 July 1975 36 map 36
Heathrow Terminal 4 Disabled access 12 April 1986 37 map 37
Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 Disabled access 16 December 1977 Opened as Heathrow Central; renamed Heathrow Central Terminals 1,2,3 on 3 September 1983; renamed 12 April 198638 map 38
Heathrow Terminal 5 Disabled access 27 March 2008 39 map 39

Just beyond Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 tube station, the line goes into a new section to serve Heathrow Terminal 5 tube station, which opened in March 2008. Half of all Heathrow trains use the loop and serve Terminal 4 and the other half omit Terminal 4 and serve Terminal 5.[4]

Uxbridge branch

[change | change source]
Continuing from Acton Town
Station Image Opened Additional information
Ealing Common 1 July 1879 Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 4 July 193240 map 40
North Ealing 23 June 1903 Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 4 July 193241 map 41
Park Royal 6 July 1931 Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 4 July 1932; renamed Park Royal (Hanger Hill) 1 March 1936; renamed 194742 map 42
Alperton 28 June 1903 Opened as Perivale-Alperton by the District line; renamed 7 October 1910; first served by the Piccadilly line 4 July 193243 map 43
Sudbury Town Disabled access 28 June 1903 Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 4 July 193244 map 44
Sudbury Hill (National Rail Sudbury Hill Harrow) 28 June 1903 Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 4 July 193245 map 45
South Harrow 28 June 1903 Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 4 July 1932; closed when re-located 4 July 1935; re-opened 5 July 193546 map 46
Rayners Lane 1 March 1910 Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 23 October 1933 (from here to Uxbridge trains share track with Metropolitan line, and some trains terminate here)47 map 47
Eastcote 1 March 1910 Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 23 October 193348 map 48
Ruislip Manor 5 August 1912 Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 23 October 193349 map 49
Ruislip 1 March 1910 Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 23 October 1933 (some trains terminate here in Monday-Friday peak hours)50 map 50
Ickenham 1 March 1910 Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 23 October 193351 map 51
Hillingdon Disabled access 10 December 1923 Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 23 October 1933; renamed Hillingdon (Swakeleys) April 1934; the suffix was later dropped; closed when re-located 5 December 1992; re-opened 6 December 199252 map 52
Uxbridge Disabled access 1 March 1910 Terminus. Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 23 October 1933; closed when re-located 3 December 1938; re-opened 4 December 193853 map 53

Closed stations

[change | change source]
The Aldwych branch
  • Aldwych opened on 30 November 1907 as the Strand tube station. It was at the end of a branch line from the main line at Holborn. An evening through-northbound 'Theatre' train ran until 1910. From 1917 onwards, it was served only by a shuttle from Holborn. In the same year it was renamed Aldwych when Charing Cross on the Northern line was renamed Strand. It was temporarily closed in 1940 during World War II to be used as an air-raid shelter. It re-opened in 1946. The possibility of extending the branch to Waterloo was discussed, but the scheme never proceeded.[5] Aldwych was finally closed on 30 September 1994; the level of use was said to be too low to justify the £1 million in estimated costs of a complete replacement of the lifts. The station is regularly used by film makers.
  • Brompton Road opened 15 December 1906; closed 30 July 1934, between Knightsbridge and South Kensington.
  • Down Street opened 15 December 1906; closed 21 May 1932, between Green Park and Hyde Park Corner.
  • Osterley & Spring Grove first served 13 March 1933; closed 24 March 1934 between Boston Manor and Hounslow East. It was replaced by Osterley.
  • Park Royal & Twyford Abbey opened 23 June 1903; closed 5 July 1931. Although on the route of the current Piccadilly line, a short distance north of the present Park Royal station, it was never served by Piccadilly line trains. It was opened by the District line, the original operator of the line between Ealing Common and South Harrow, and was closed and replaced by the present Park Royal station before the Piccadilly line started running trains to South Harrow in 1932.
  • York Road opened 15 December 1906; closed 19 September 1932, between King's Cross St Pancras and Caledonian Road. It has been suggested[6] that this station may be reopened to serve new developments on the nearby Kings Cross railway lands, but this idea is not being progressed at present. The road the station served, 'York Road', has since been renamed 'York Way'.

The Piccadilly line was to be upgraded in 2014–15 and would have had new trains as well as new signalling. This would have increased the line's capacity by some 24%.[7] Bids for the rolling-stock order were submitted in 2008. However, after the acquisition of Tube Lines by Transport for London in June 2010, this order was cancelled.[3]

[change | change source]

References

[change | change source]
Notes
  1. "LU Performance Data Almanac". Transport for London. 2011–2012. Archived from the original on 2012-08-03. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  2. "Tube Lines invites expressions of interest from manufacturers for new Piccadilly line trains". Tubelines. 15 January 2007. Archived from the original on 18 July 2007. Retrieved 17 August 2007.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Ford, Roger (October 2010). "Rolling stock famine deepens as Bombardier feasts on past orders". Modern Railways. 67 (745): 22. Archived from the original on 2011-05-17.
  4. "Piccadilly line's new timetable". Transport for London. 8 January 2008. Archived from the original on 27 February 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2008.
  5. "More Tube Lines Discussed". The Times. London. 27 April 1965.
  6. "York Way Station". www.alwaystouchout.com. Alwaystouchout.com. 11 January 2006. Archived from the original on 29 October 2006. Retrieved 11 July 2008.
  7. "Transforming the Piccadilly Line". www.tfl.gov.uk. Transport for London. Archived from the original on 29 January 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
Bibliography
  • Barker, T.C.; Robbins, Michael (1974). A History of London Transport: Volume two – the Twentieth Century to 1970. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd. ISBN 978-0-04-385067-1.
  • Croome, Desmond F. (1998). The Piccadilly Line – An Illustrated History. London: Capital Transport Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85414-192-7.
  • Horne, Mike (2007). The Piccadilly Tube – A History of the First Hundred Years. London: Capital Transport. ISBN 978-1-85414-305-1.
  • Lee, Charles E. (1966). Sixty Years of the Piccadilly. London: London Transport.
  • Lee, Charles E. (1973). The Piccadilly Line: a brief history. London: London Transport. ISBN 978-0-85329-042-1.

Other websites

[change | change source]
KML is from Wikidata