London Underground Victoria Line

**London Underground Victoria Line** is a Transport for London operated tube line in London, England. Running between Brixton and Walthamstow Central, it is coloured light blue on the Tube map and is one of just two lines to run entirely below ground, the other being the Waterloo & City line.

The Victoria line is a deep-level line and has always been operated using automatic train operation, but all trains carry drivers. There are 16 stations on the route, all but Pimlico providing interchanges with other Underground lines or National Rail services. It is used by 200 million passengers each year, making it the sixth-most heavily used line on the network in absolute figures, but in terms of the average number of journeys per mile it is by far the most intensively used line.

## History

Constructed in the 1960s, it was the first entirely new Underground line in London for 50 years and was designed to relieve congestion on other lines, particularly the Piccadilly line and the Charing Cross branch of the Northern line. The first section, from Walthamstow Central to Highbury & Islington, opened in September 1968, with an extension to Warren Street following soon afterward. By March 1969 the line reached Victoria station, with the southern portion to Brixton opening in 1971. Finally, Pimlico station was added in 1972.

The first section to be opened was between Walthamstow Central and Highbury & Islington. There was no initial opening ceremony; instead the normal timetable started on Sunday 1 September 1968. The first train left Walthamstow Central for Highbury & Islington at about 6:30 am. Later that year, the section between Highbury & Islington and Warren Street was opened, again without ceremony, on 1 December 1968.

The name "Victoria line" dates back to 1955; other suggestions were "Walvic line" (Walthamstow–Victoria) and "Viking line" (Victoria–King's Cross). During the planning stages, it was known as *Route C* and then was named the Victoria line after Victoria Station by David McKenna, whose suggestion was seconded by Sir John Elliot.

The official opening ceremony took place at Victoria station on 7 March 1969: Queen Elizabeth II unveiled a commemorative plaque on the station concourse. After a short ceremony, she bought a 5d ticket and travelled to Green Park.

The 3.5 mile extension from Victoria to Brixton was approved in August 1967. At the time, London Transport mentioned the possibility of further extensions to Streatham, Dulwich and Crystal Palace, but these were never built.

Princess Alexandra opened the Brixton extension on 23 July 1971, making a journey from Brixton to Vauxhall. The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh had previously visited the line during its construction: in July 1968, they visited tunnel workings under Vauxhall Park.

It had been intended to build the line beyond Walthamstow Central to Wood Street (Walthamstow), where it would have surfaced to terminate next to the British Railstation. Proposals were also made to extend the line as far north as South Woodford or Woodford, to provide interchange with the Central line. However, in a late decision in 1961 the line was cut back to Walthamstow (Hoe Street) station, renamed Walthamstow Central in 1968.

In July 2009, brand new 2009 tube stock trains were introduced.

On 30 June 2011, the 1967 stock trains were withdrawn from the line and replaced by brand new 2009 tube stock trains.

On 1 July 2011, the line was converted to a full 2009 tube stock operation.

## Current Route

The Victoria Line operates via these primary locations.

* Walthamstow Central
* Blackhorse Road
* Tottenham Hale
* Seven Sisters
* Finsbury Park
* Highbury & Islington
* King's Cross St Pancras
* Euston
* Warren Street
* Oxford Circus
* Green Park
* Victoria
* Pimlico
* Vauxhall
* Stockwell
* Brixton

## Gallery

Line logoLine mapA 2009 Tube Stock train at Northumberland Park depotA 1967 Tube Stock trainInterior of a 1967 Tube Stock trainInterior of a 2009 Tube Stock trainLine map 2