What does district line mean? This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word district line Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition: district line(noun) the boundary between two districts Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition: District line The District line is a London Underground service that crosses Greater London from east to west. From Upminster, the eastern terminus, the line runs through Central London to Earl's Court before dividing into three western branches that go to Ealing Broadway, Wimbledon and Richmond. A branch also runs northward from Earl's Court to Edgware Road via Paddington. Coloured green on the tube map, the line serves 60 stations in 40 miles, and crosses the Thames by bridges on the Wimbledon and Richmond branches. The track and stations between Barking and Aldgate East are shared by the Hammersmith & City line, and between Tower Hill and Gloucester Road and on the Edgware Road branch by the Circle line. Of the 60 stations served, 25 are below ground.

Unlike London's deep-level tube railways, the railway tunnels are just below the surface and the trains are of a similar size to those on British main lines. In 2011/12 over 208 million passenger journeys were made. The original Metropolitan District Railway opened in December 1868 from South Kensington to Westminster as part of a plan for an underground 'inner circle' connecting London's main-line termini. Services were operated at first using wooden carriages hauled by steam locomotives. Electrification was financed by the American Charles Yerkes, and electric services began in 1905. In 1933 the railway was absorbed by the London Passenger Transport Board. 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 has been served by the District line since 1946, and a short branch to South Acton closed in 1959. The trains carried guards until one person operation was introduced in 1985.

Numerology The numerical value of district line in Chaldean Numerology is: 9 Pythagorean Numerology UrbanRail.Net > Europe > UK > London Underground & DLR History | Lines | Future | Overground | Docklands Light Railway | Tramlink | Books | Links System Greater London is home to some 7.5 million people. With a total route length of over 400 km, the London Underground is among the largest rapid transit systems in the world. But despite its name, less than 50% of the entire system is underground. The extensive network can be divided into two groups: 1) Subsurface lines which include the Circle Line, Hammersmith & City Line, Metropolitan Line and District Line (and previously also the East London Line). The different subsurface lines are interlaced, and the District Line actually represents a small metro network by itself. The subsurface lines run at low depth or on the surface and are among the oldest London Underground routes. Trains used on these lines are 2.85-2.95 m wide and 3.69 m high.

2) Tube lines which include the Northern Line, Central Line, Bakerloo Line, Piccadilly Line, Victoria Line, Jubilee Line and the Waterloo & City Line. In Central London, the tube lines run through deep tube tunnels, and trains are 2.64 m wide and only 2.88 m high. Outside Central London, many sections of the tube lines run on the surface. The tube lines represent about two thirds of the total length of the network. The entire London Underground is therefore also known as "the Tube". Due to the different train and tunnel profiles, subsurface and tube lines can only share the same tracks on surface routes, which is the case on the section between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge, which is served by both the Metropolitan Line and the Piccadilly Line. Bakerloo Line trains share mainline tracks (now part of the London Overground network). Besides the London Underground system proper, the Greater London area is served by the growing Docklands Light Railway, London Tramlink, London Overground plus numerous frequent suburban trains radiating from the various terminal stations and the cross-city Thameslink trains.

History - 19th Century - The Beginnings London is the mother of all the world's metro systems. Already in 1863 the first tunnel was opened in the city centre for a rail line between Paddington (originally called Bishops Rd) and Farringdon although trains of the Metropolitan Railway were operated initially with steam engines. In the following decades the line was extended east and west, and reached Hammersmith in 1864, South Kensington in 1868, Aldgate in 1876, and Tower of London in 1882. A northwestern branch was opened from Baker Street to Swiss Cottage in 1868 which was later extended in stages as far as Chesham by 1889. In the meantime, between 1868 and 1871, the Metropolitan District Railway built a line between South Kensington and Mansion House. The entire circle was finished in 1884 with the Mansion House - Tower section.

The District was also extended at both ends during the following decades and served Hammersmith in 1874, Richmond in 1877, Ealing Broadway in 1879 and Wimbledon in 1889. The Metropolitan Line persists on the London Underground map (although part of the original line now is the Hammersmith & City Line) and has become a synonym all over the world for many different kinds of urban rail transport systems. This first line was so successful that very quickly a large network of underground and surface lines was built. The first "real" metro line, however, was the City & South London Railway, between Stockwell and King William Street (later replaced by Bank) in the City of London, which opened on 4 Nov 1890 and which is part of today's Northern Line. This was the first underground line in the world using electric traction. In 1898, two years after Glasgow 's cable drawn subway and Budapest 's first electric underground line had opened, another short electric tube line started operating in London, this is today's Waterloo & City Line. From 1900 onwards, the Metropolitan and the District Railways began electrifying all their lines.

- 20th & 21st Century Most of today's underground lines were built in the first half of the 20th century in deep level tube tunnels within the central area of London and extended above ground through the suburbs. Later, in the 1960s, the Victoria Line was an important addition to the network. Eventually the Jubilee Line complemented the current system in time for the Millennium celebrations. While the expansion of the underground network almost came to a stop in the 1970s, a light rail system was built for the new housing developments in the former docklands area, the Docklands Light Railway, which was expanded underground under the River Thames to Greenwich and Lewisham (opened 20 Nov 1999 except Cutty Sark station). In South London, around Croydon, a modern tram network was built which runs on street level in downtown Croydon and on old BR tracks on outer routes. The system opened for traffic in summer 2000. In 1993 construction work for the south-east extension of the Jubilee Line began.

The above ground section between Stratford and North Greenwich opened May 14, 1999 with the entire extension entering service in various stages until 22 Dec. 1999. Former Jubilee Line terminus at Charing Cross was closed on 20 Nov. 1999. On 27 March 2008, the Piccadilly Line was extended to serve the new Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport (2 km). 6 trains an hour now run via the Terminal 4 loop, and 6 trains go directly to Terminal 5. ( Photos here ) On 12 Oct 2008, a new station was added on the Hammersmith & City Line, called Wood Lane and located between Latimer Road and Shepherd's Bush stations, the latter having been renamed Shepherd's Bush Market at the same time. ( Photos here ) On 13 Dec 2009, the traditional Circle Line ceased to be a proper circular line, it now operates from Hammersmith to Edgware Road via the entire circle.

Circle Line 26.5 km, 36 stations (serving Edgware Road twice, and two different Paddington stations) Until 13 Dec 2009, the Circle Line was a real circular line (20.5 km), but now it is operated from Hammersmith to Edgware Road via Paddington, Edgware Road, Liverpool Street, Embankment, Victoria and High Street Kensington. On almost its entire route, the Circle Line shares tracks with other subsurface lines. Farringdon | Kings Cross/St. Pancras | Bayswater Metropolitan Line 65.3 km, 34 stations The Metropolitan Line's four western branches are operated as follows during off-peak hours (all trains stopping all stations), with a complex pattern of fast and semi-fast services during peak hours: 1) Aldgate - Uxbridge (4t/h) 5) Kensington Olympia - High Street Kensington Bow Road | Wimbledon | Chiswick Park Northern Line 59.

1 km, 52 stations The central segment of the Northern Line incorporates what was the world's first electric underground railway, opened in 1890 between Stockwell and King William Street (near the present Monument station). The Northern Line probably has the most unconventional route layout worldwide, with three northern termini and one in the south, plus two different routes through the city centre, resulting in complex service pattern. From the northern branches, southbound trains continue through the city on alternating routes (indicated "via Bank" or "Via Charing Cross"), with some trains terminating at Kennington. There are recent plans to extend the Northern Line from the Kennington loop to Battersea Park with an intermediate station at Nine Elms. Finchley Central | Goodge Street | Clapham South Central Line 73.3 km, 50 stations Opened in 1900, the Central Line is a cross-city tube line right through the heart of London, with two branches at the western end, and two at the eastern, where the Hainault loop is served frequently by trains via Newbury Park to Hainault, but on the Hainault - Woodford section there is a train only every 20 minutes.

Ealing Broadway | Lancaster Gate | Holborn Waterloo & City Line 2.4 km, 2 stations The Waterloo & City Line is a non-stop shuttle service between Waterloo railway station and the City of London. It only became part of the London Underground system in 1994. Waterloo | Bank | Bank Bakerloo Line 23.6 km, 25 stations The Bakerloo Line is a typical tube line on its route through the city centre, opened in the first decade of the 20th century, but north of Queen's Park it shares tracks with London Overground services (Euston to Watford Jn), so the tube trains have to stop at platforms which have a height between the typical tube platforms and those of mainline railways. Harrow & Wealdstone | Maida Vale | Lambeth North Piccadilly Line 65.6 km, 52 stations The Piccadilly Line is a typical tube line from the early 20th century, although some of the western sections date back to 1877, when they were opened as part of the District and Metropolitan Railways. It runs from the north towards the west, where it splits into two branches.

On the Uxbridge branch, tracks are shared with the Metropolitan Line between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge. Between South Kensington and Turnham Green, the Piccadilly Line runs parallel to the District Line, but on separate tracks. On the Heathrow branch, trains either run around the Terminal 4 loop in an anti-clockwise direction or go directly to Terminal 5. Arnos Grove | Hyde Park Corner | Acton Town Victoria Line 21.3 km, 16 stations The Victoria Line is a relatively new tube line built in the 1960s to create yet another north-south link through Central London and connect several railway termini. The Victoria Line is completely underground. Finsbury Park | Stockwell | Warren Street Jubilee Line 37.2 km, 27 stations The Jubilee Line is the latest addition to the London Underground network, although some sections on its northern part had opened in as early as 1879 as part of the Metropolitan Railway.

The route to Stanmore was initially a branch of the Metropolitan Line when it opened in 1932, it was transferred to the Bakerloo Line in 1939, and was eventually integrated into the new Jubilee Line in 1979. The Jubilee Line was finally extended to Stratford via Canary Wharf in 1999. The underground stations along this extension are equipped with platform screen doors. Canary Wharf | London Bridge | West Ham .. Other Urban Rail Systems in Greater London .. Docklands Light Railway 34 km, 40 stations The DLR is a rapid transit system in East London, developed since the 1980s. It runs mostly elevated or at grade, but includes two tunnels under the River Thames. In preparation for the 2012 Olympics, yet another 6 km leg was added to the system: the section from Canning Town to Stratford was taken over from the North London Railway, and a short extension to Stratford International Station was newly built (6 stations). This extension opened on 31 Aug 2011. The DLR is operated with driverless trains, although all trains have a steward onboard who is responsible for door closing.

The basic line pattern is: 1) Bank - Lewisham 5) Stratford International - Woolwich Arsenal / Beckton. Crossharbour | South Quay (old station) | Bank London Tramlink 28 km, 38 stops London's only tram system opened in 2000 as "Croydon Tramlink"; it uses some disused railway routes, but runs on-street through the Croydon town centre. Ever since it opened, extensions have been proposed as well as new lines in other parts of London, but none of these has come to fruition. More about Tramlink London Overground The London Overground network was launched in November 2007, after the North London Line (Richmond to Stratford), the West London Line (Clapham Junction to Willesden Junction), the Gospel Oak to Barking Line, and the Watford Junction to Euston Line, all previously operated by Silverlink, had been taken over by Transport for London in order to create an S-Bahn/RER-style service by incorporating the upgraded East London Line and establishing an orbital service in the mid-term.

Shoreditch High Street | Dalston Junction | Imperial Wharf The East London Line, formerly part of the London Underground network, was closed in December 2007 to allow for its upgrading and extension north to Highbury & Islington (connection with North London Line) and south on existing tracks to West Croydon, Crystal Palace and Clapham Junction. Initially, the line will run from Dalston Junction in the north to New Cross, Crystal Palace and West Croydon in the south. Along the northern stretch, there are four new stations: Shoreditch High Street (replacing the original Shoreditch station, which closed permanently on 9 June 2006), Hoxton, Haggerston, Dalston Junction (adjacent to Silverlink's Dalston Kingsland). Later it will continue to Canonbury and Highbury & Islington (2011). The southern extension uses existing railway lines shared with other services.

It is returning into service with new rolling stock in various stages from 2010 to 2012: 09 June 2006: Shoreditch Station closed (ELL) 09 Dec 2006: Stratford ï¿½ North Woolwich closed for the DLR extension (NLL) 11 Nov 2007: London Overground introduced for NLL, WLL, GOBLIN and Watford DC services 22 Dec 2007: London Underground East London line (Whitechapel ï¿½ New Cross / New Cross Gate) closed for conversion 28 Sept 2008: Shepherd's Bush station opened (WLL) 15 April 2009: Stratford Overground platforms relocated (NLL) 27 Sept 2009: Imperial Wharf station opened (WLL) 20 Feb 2010: Gospel Oak ï¿½ Stratford closed (NLL) 27 April 2010: Dalston Junction ï¿½ New Cross/New Cross Gate (ELL) 23 May 2010: New Cross Gate ï¿

½ Crystal Palace/West Croydon (ELL) 01 June 2010: Gospel Oak ï¿½ Stratford reopened (NLL) 28 Feb 2011: Dalston Junction ï¿½ Highbury & Islington 09 Dec 2012: Clapham Junction ï¿½ Dalston Junction (via Surrey Quays) (SLL) 31 May 2015: Liverpool Street ï¿½ Chingford / Enfield Town / Cheshunt OVERGROUND ROUTES: London Underground - Wikishire London Underground Jump to: navigation , search London Underground roundel The London Underground is an urban rail system serving a large part of Middlesex and neighbouring areas of Essex , Surrey , Kent , Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire in Great Britain.

Despite the name, about 55% of the network is above ground. The system is colloquially known as the Tube. The latter term was originally applied only to the deep-level bored lines, along which run slightly lower, narrower trains along standard-gauge track, to distinguish them from the sub-surface cut and cover lines that were built first, but any such distinction has long been lost and in recent years "The Tube" has been used by London Underground Limited. [1] When its first section opening in 1863, London's was the first underground railway system in the world. [2] In 1890 it became the first to operate electric trains. [3] Contents The first line opened on 10 January 1863 London Underground has: 270 stations (of which 260 are owned by the company) the entire length of the system is about 250 miles [4] The average number of passengers is about: 2.95 million people every day [4] 1,073 million people every year The London Underground Railway is the oldest underground urban railway in the world.

In length, at 250 miles it is second only to that of Shanghai. [5] The Tube Map The tube map, with its schematic non-geographical layout and colour-coded lines, is considered a design classic, and many other transport maps worldwide have been influenced by it. The map was designed by Harry Beck in 1933. Beck was an electrical engineer who worked for London Underground. When his radical design was accepted he was taken on as London Underground's chief map designing consultant and remained so until his retirement. The original maps were often street maps with the lines superimposed, but as well as being visually complex, this produced problems of space, as central stations were far closer together than outlying ones. Beck proposed the replacement of the geographical layout by a schematic one, comparable to electrical circuitry diagrams. The result is a map characterised by a schematic non-geographical layout and the use of colour coding for lines. The map is now considered a design classic; virtually every major urban rail system in the world now has a similar map, and many bus companies have also adopted the concept.

There are many references in culture to the map, including parodies of it using different station-names, particularly in London advertisements for unrelated products and services. The intellectual property in the map is however closely guarded by London Underground, who have a particular office which considers any application to reproduce the map in any form and administers copyright licensing fees. London Underground Limited The earlier lines of the present London Underground network were built by various private companies. Apart from the main line railways, they became part of an integrated transport system in 1933 when the London Passenger Transport Board or London Transport was created. The underground network became a single entity in 1985, when the Government created London Underground Limited (LUL). [6] Since 2003 LUL has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Transport for London, a statutory corporation responsible for most aspects of the transport system in the Greater London administrative area. [7] Bakerloo Line Bakerloo Line A deep level line running between Harrow and Wealdstone station and Elephant and Castle. It is named from its original two termini; Baker Street and Waterloo. ( map ) Central Line Central Line A deep level line in central London, emerging at the surface at its eastern and western ends.

Its western end has two branches, terminating at West Ruislip and Ealing Broadway respectively, which branches join at North Acton . It passes through the centre of London, running beneath Oxford Street to the City and out into Essex . Its eastern terminus is Epping , though it also contains a wide eastward loop from Woodford . ( map ) Circle Line Circle Line A subsurface line which until 2010 ran each way in an endless loop with Liverpool Street Station in the east and Notting Hill Gate in the west. It now runs into a spur to Hammersmith before rejoining its original loop. ( map ) District Line District Line A subsurface line largely overground, serving the Middlesex and Essex suburbs. It is complicated with several branches. Its eastern terminus is Upminster in Essex , from which it runs cleanly westward through the City and West End beneath the Thames Embankment. In the area of Earls Court one branch heads north to Edgware Road, a spur runs to Kensington Olympia, another branch runs south and crosses beneath the Thames to finish at Wimbledon , while another branch continues westward, emerging into daylight again.

This branch splits at Turnham Green , one branch heading south, crossing under the Thames and finishing at Richmond, Surrey , the other going to Ealing Broadway. ( map ) Hammersmith & City Line Hammersmith & City Line A subsurface line without any branches. It runs from Hammersmith eastwards, originally to the City but now extended to Barking , Essex . ( map ) Jubilee Line Jubilee Line A deep level line, first opened for the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977, though incorporating track from the original Metropolitan Line. It originally ran to Charing Cross Station, but for the millennium events in 2000 it was extended south and eastwards to serve the "Millennium Dome" in North Woolwich and now runs from Stanmore , through Westminster , under the Thames to Waterloo Station, eastwards and crosses beneath the Thames three more times before heading northwards above ground to Stratford . ( map ) Metropolitan Line Metropolitan Line A subsurface line serving commuters from Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire as well as from suburban Middlesex. It is above ground for most of its course, delving beneath only south of Finchley Road. The line was originally the Metropolitan Railway.

It runs between Aldgate station at the edge of the City and from Baker Street it heads north-west to Harrow on the Hill , from which it breaks into two branches, one terminating at Uxbridge , the other splitting at Moor Park into Amersham and Watford branches, with a fourth Chesham branch splitting off at Chalfont and Latimer Station in Little Chalfont . ( map ) Northern Line Northern Line A complex deep level line. Its southern terminus is at Morden in Surrey . North of Kennington it splits into two branches which both head north, through the West end and the City respectively, to rejoin at Camden Town. North of Camden Town the line splits again, one heading to Edgware and the other to High Barnet in Hertfordshire , the latter with a side branch serving only Mill Hill East. ( map ) Piccadilly Line Piccadilly Line A deep level line emerging into daylight at its northern and western ends.

It runs between Cockfosters (at the northern edge of Middlesex) and Acton Town, where it splits to two branches; one heading westward to Heathrow Airport and the other north through the towns of western Middlesex to Uxbridge , accompanying the Metropolitan Line from Rayners Lane. ( map ) Victoria Line A deep level line without any branches, running between Brixton and Walthamstow Central. ( map ) Waterloo & City Line Waterloo & City Line A deep level line, with just two stations; Waterloo Station (in Surrey ) and Bank (in the City of London ). It serves commuters arriving at Waterloo for jobs in the City. The line is nicknamed "the Drain". ( map ) East London Line East London Line The East London Line was closed in 2007 and no longer forms part of the Underground. It reopened as part of London Overground system in May 2010. Cultural references Design and the arts The London Underground roundel, seen here at Piccadilly Circus TfL's Tube map and roundel logo are instantly recognisable by any Londoner, almost any Briton, and many people around the world. It has become a major pop culture symbol.

TfL licenses the sale of clothing and other accessories featuring its graphic elements and it takes legal action against unauthorised use of its trademarks and of the Tube map. Nevertheless, unauthorised copies of the logo continue to crop up worldwide. In popular culture Model of a London underground carriage in Legoland Windsor The Underground has been featured in many movies and television shows, including Sliding Doors, Creep, Tube Tales and Neverwhere. The London Underground Film Office handles over 100 requests a month. The Underground has also featured in music such as The Jam's "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight" and in literature such as the graphic novel V for Vendetta. Popular legends about the Underground being haunted persist to this day. [8] The announcement "mind the gap", heard when trains stop at certain platforms, has become a well known catchphrase. The London Underground map serves as a playing field for the conceptual game of Mornington Crescent (which is named after Mornington Crescent tube station on the Northern Line), and the board game The London Game. Selected facts Longest journey without changing trains – 34.1 miles, from West Ruislip to Epping on the Central Line taking 1 hour 28 minutes.

[9] Longest distance between stations –3.89 miles, between Chalfont and Latimer and Chesham on the Metropolitan Line. [9] Shortest distance between stations – 0.16 miles, between Leicester Square and Covent Garden on the Piccadilly line. [9] Shortest escalator – 13 feet, at Stratford station. [9] Longest escalator – 197 feet, at Angel station. [9] Deepest lift shaft – 181 feet, at Hampstead station. [9] Deepest station – 192 feet below street level, at Hampstead station. [9] Shallowest deep-level station –26 feet, at Redbridge station. [10] Highest station – 490 feet above sea level, at Amersham. [9] Furthest outpost – 27 miles, Amersham station. [9] Line serving the most stations – District Line, serving 60 stations. [9] Line serving the fewest stations – Waterloo & City Line, serving 2 stations. [9] Busiest station –Victoria station with 78 million passengers a year.

[9] Highest point above ground level – 60 feet, Dollis Brook Viaduct on the Northern Line's Mill Hill East branch. [9] Fastest Tube Challenge journey to visit to all London Underground stations – 16 hours, 44 minutes and 16 seconds. Other London region rail systems Current ↑ "Central line facts" . Transport for London. . Retrieved 28 April 2010. Further reading Day, John R.; Reed, John (31 December 2001). The Story of London's Underground (8th ed.). London: Capital Transport. ISBN 1854142453 . Franch, John (2006). Robber Baron: The Life of Charles Tyson Yerkes. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 9780252030994 . Garland, Ken (5 December 1994). Mr. Beck's Underground Map. London: Capital Transport. ISBN 1854141686 . Green, Oliver (1987). The London Underground, An illustrated history. Ian Allan Ltd.

ISBN 1854142089 . Harris, Cyril M. (1977). What's in a Name? The origins of station names of the London Underground. ISBN 1854142410 . Hutchinson, Harold F. (1963). London Transport Posters. London Transport. ISBN 085329027X . Jackson, Alan; Croome, Desmond (10 May 1993). Rails Through The Clay. Capital Transport. ISBN 1854141511 . Lawrence, David (5 December 1994). Underground Architecture. Capital Transport. ISBN 1854141600 . Lee, Charles E. (1973). The Bakerloo line, a brief history. London: London Transport. OCLC 59999073 . (and similar volumes covering other lines, published 1972–1976) Meek, James (5 May 2005). "Crocodile's Breath" . London Review of Books. . Retrieved 11 July 2008.

Menear, Laurence (1983). London's Underground Stations, a Social and Architectural Study. Midas Books. ISBN 9780859361248 . OCLC 12695214 . Rose, Douglas (2005). The London Underground: A Diagrammatic History. Capital Transport. ISBN 978-1-85414-315-0 . Saler, Michael (1999). The Avant-Garde in Interwar England: 'Medieval Modernism' and the London Underground. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195147189 . London Orbital Railway – aspiblog The District line gets the aspiblog treatment. INTRODUCTION The title of this post comes from the title of Piers Connor’s history of the District Line, which is getting the aspiblog treatment this week… HISTORY As with that of it’s second youngest, the Victoria, almost precisely a century later, London’s second oldest underground line’s initial opening occurred in three phases between 1868 and 1871.

After the third and final phase of opening the Metropolitan District Railway (as it was officially called at that time) looked like this: A running theme of these early years were squabbles between the District and the Metropolitan over the completion of The Inner Circle (now the Circle line) and who could run their trains where. In the 1870s the District started producing maps for the benefit of their passengers, as these pictures show… I do not know what these very early maps looked like, but here is a picture of my facsimile of a pre-Beck geographical map… The Richmond and Wimbledon branches were both opened during the 1870s, followed by branches to Hounslow (the origin of the Heathrow branch of today’s Piccadilly line), Uxbridge (again handed over to the Piccadilly in the 1930s) and between 1883 and 1885, before being pared back to Ealing Broadway, Windsor (more on this later).

The current eastern terminus of Upminster was reached (by a grant of running powers rather than new build) in 1902, and for a brief period as this reproduction postcard shows occasional District line trains ran to Southend and Shoeburyness… Additionally, a branch to Kensington Olympia was created, which linked to a corresponding branch south from whatt is now the Hammersmith and City. Also, sometimes services ran from the district line north of Olympia to Willesden Junction. Additionally, there was a spur to South Acton and even briefly a terminus specifically to serve Hounslow Barracks. In the 1930s a lot of the western services (Hounslow and Uxbridge specifically) were transferred to the Piccadilly line, while the Hounslow Barracks service ceased to exist, and the South Acton spur was abandoned. Nevertheless, with main western termini at Wimbledon, Richmond and Ealing, and a cross branch serving Wimbledon, Edgware Road and Kensington Olympia the District remains a very complicated line. SPECULATIONS Although I leave the eastern end of the line unchanged, my suggestions for the District involve some very dramatic changes.

My plans for the Wimbledon, Edgware Road and Olympia branches will form the subject of a later post, and for the moment I will settle for saying that these branches would cease to form part of the District line, and that as with my changes involving branches that would remain part of the District line the plans involve making use of a feature that might otherwise be problematic (see The Great Anomaly ), the fact that being one the older lines, this line was built to mainline specifications. Although my plans for the Richmond and Ealing branches are big, they involve only a small amount of new track – enough to link the lines that serve Windsor and Eton Riverside and Windsor and Eton Central forming a giant loop at the western end of the line. This loop would link with my suggested London Orbital Railway at Staines and at West Drayton. Thus in place of the current fiendishly complex District Line there would be ‘horizontal frying pan’ line, with Upminster to Turnham Green serving as the handle in this model.

It would also make possible a reissue with appropriate modifications of this old poster… A GUIDED TOUR OF THE PRESENT-DAY DISTRICT LINE From Richmond to Gunnersbury the District and London Overground share a route, which features one of only two above-ground crossings of the Thames on the entire network (the other is Putney Bridge – East Putney on the Wimbledon branch of the District). Richmond features a deer park, as advertised on this old poster… Kew Gardens actually has a pub that is built into the station, and serves a world famous botanic garden… Gunnersbury is not very significant, although the flying junction that this branch forms with the rest of the District line just beyond here and just before Turnham Green is very impressive, to the extent that it too has featured in a PR campaign back in the day… The section from Ealing Broadway to Acton Town includes a depot which features the steepest gradient on the system at 1 in 28 (passengers are not carried over this gradient – the steepest passenger carrying gradient is 1 in 32).

At Ealing Common the District and Piccadilly lines converge, not to diverge again until the Piccadilly goes underground just east of Barons Court and even then, the Piccadilly follows the District at a deeper level until South Kensington. Between Acton Town and Turnham Green the District calls at Chiswick Park. After Turnham Green the District has stations at Stamford Brook and Ravenscourt Park. From the latter the remains of the viaduct that once carried trains from what is now the Hammersmith and City lines onto these tracks can still be seen. Beyond Hammersmith and Barons Court the District calls at West Kensington before arrving at the grand meeting point of Earls Court . Immediately east of Earls Court is Gloucester Road (pronounced glos-ta not glue-cess-ta – Americans please note), which at platform level has been restored to something like it would have looked in 1868, while the frontage at surface level is as nearly restored as the creation of a new shopping centre permits… The inside back cover of the Piers Connor book – a look along one of the restored platforms at Gloucester Road. From London Underground: The Official Handbook, a picture of Gloucester Road at surface level.

One stop further east at South Kensington is an original shopping arcade of the sort that several stations were provided with back in the day, complete with some splendid decorative ironwork (pictures photographed from London underground: The Official Handbook…) One stop on from South Kensington is Sloane Square, which I remember from growing up in London is the station that served Peter Jones (a huge department store). Also, a large pipe above the platforms here is the only routinely visible sign of the river Westbourne (for more detail click here ). From Sloane Square, the line visits Victoria ( the ultimate transport hub ). We are about enter a section of the journey featuring a lot of landmarks, so I will be giving each station I cover a section heading, starting with… ST JAMES PARK This station is the local station for London Underground’s official headquarters , located at 55 Broadway. It is also, along with Temple and Mansion House one only three stations on this section if the district to be served only by the district and circle lines. WESTMINSTER The local station for the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey (officially the Collegiate Church of St Peter). The Abbey was originally founded by Edward the Confessor, who reigned from 1042-1066.

While many look askance at the amounts of money trousered by folks in the House of Commons these people are at least elected, whereas in the House of Lords large sums of money go to people who are not elected, some of whom barely bother to attend and the vast majority of whom have demonstrated time and again that they are a waste of space. Even Baron Kinnock of Bedwelty, who has personally profited hugely from the existence of the House of Lords reckons that it is ripe for abolition. Since the opening of the warped (I will not dignify it with the word modified) Jubilee line extension in 1999 there has been an interchange here. EMBANKMENT The station that has been through more name changes than any other on the system (people couldn’t decide whether Charing Cross, Embankment or both should be emphasised).

The issue was put to bed for good in 1979 when the Jubilee opened, and its Charing Cross terminus created interchanges with what had previously been separate stations, Trafalgar Square on the Bakerloo line and Strand on the Northern, which meant that with Charing Cross definitively settled on for the marginally more northerly of the stations, this one had to be plain Embankment. The Embankment from which this station takes its name was designed as part of the building of this line by Joseph William Bazalgette, who also designed London’s sewer system. His great-great grandson Peter is a well known TV producer with some good series to his credit and Big Brother to his debit. This, photographed from the Piers Connor book is a diagram of the profile of the Embankment… TEMPLE This is the only station name to feature both on London Underground and the Paris Metro (it also features on the Hong Kong network). In the days before the Aldwych branch of the Piccadilly line was axed there was an interchange here, as Temple is very close to Aldwych.

BLACKFRIARS A station which derives its name from the Dominicans, who were referred to as black friars because of the colour of their habits. There is an interchange with both Thameslink and South Eastern here. Also, it is one end point of short scenic walk, which takes in a bridge over the Thames, Gabriel’s Wharf , The Oxo Tower , the Bernie Spain Gardens and the vast collection of attractions that between them constitute The South Bank , finally ending at Waterloo . Also if you go East instead of West after crossing the river you can take in the ruins of Winchester Palace (the former London residence of the Bishop of Winchester) and Clink Street, once home to a prison so notorious that ‘clink’ became slang for prison, a building that now houses London Dungeon , ending at London Bridge (you could continue yet further east – to Greenwich or even Woolwich were you feeling strong). I have done Waterloo – London Bridge and also Greenwich-London Bridge, and indeed Woolwich-Greenwich, so all these indvidual stretches are comfortably manageable.

Also in this part of the world is Sainsbury’s main post-room where I once temped for a week (giving the agency feedback I took the opportunity to make it clear that I would not take any more work in that particular establishment – it was hell). MANSION HOUSE This name is either contradictory (a mansion is different from a house, being much larger) or tautologous (a mansion in a kind of large house) depending on your definitions. From 1871-1884 it was the eastern end of the District. The building after which the station is named is “the home and office of the Lord Mayor of the city of London” – an office filled four times by Richard Whittington (for once the story underplayed the the truth) in the fourteenth century. CANNON STREET A mainline rail terminus, albeit not a very significant one. MONUMENT I mentioned this station in my post about the Central line because it is connected to the various lines that serve by Bank by means of escalators. This interchange was first created in 1933, but the current arrangement dates only from the opening of the Docklands Light Railway terminus at Bank.

TOWER HILL I have given this station an individual post to itself. From here the Circle and District diverge, the Circle going round to Aldgate while the District heads to Aldgate East . It is also at this point that I abandon for the moment separate station headings. THE EASTERN END OF THE LINE At Aldgate East the Hammersmtih and City line joins the District and they run together as far as Barking. In between Aldgate East and Whitechapel there used be a line connecting to Shadwell (formerly East London Line, now London Overground). Whitechapel has been in the news recently because a museum that was given planning permission on the basis of being dedicated to the women of the East End turned out when it opened to be dedicated to Jack the Ripper. This has been the subject of a vigorous 38Degrees campaign seeking both to get the monstrosity closed and to establish a proper East End Womens Museum . Some of those involved in the campaign met with the mayor of Tower Hamlets recently, and he has apparently been sympathetic and has confirmed that he too is unhappy with the way the planning process was subverted by an act of calculated dishonesty.

Beyond Whitechapel, the line has an interchange with the Central line at Mile End which is unique for an interchange between ‘tube’ and ‘subsurface’ lines in being cross-platform and underground, Bow Road, which has an interchange with the Docklands Light Railway station at Bow Church is the last station on the line to be in tunnel. East of Bow Road the line rises on a 1 in 45 gradient to emerge into the open some way before Bromley-by-Bow. West Ham is nowadays a major interchange, featuring mainline railways, the Jubilee line, the Docklands Light Railway (this section which runs from Stratford to Woolwich was once part of the line that became the nucleus of London Overground, which originally ran from Richmond to North Woolwich, but now terminates at Stratford) and of course the District and Hammersmith & City lines. The main line railway runs side by side with the District to Upminster, and then continues to Southend and Shoeburyness. Upton Park is until 2017, when the club in question move to the Olympic Stadium, the local station for West Ham United’s home ground.

Barking in the eastern limit of the Hammersmith & City, also the terminus of London Overground branch from Gospel Oak and an interchange with mainline railways. Upminster is the easternmost destination currently served by London Underground. EDGWARE ROAD, OLYMPIA AND WIMBLEDON For this section I will be reverting to individual headings for station names… EDGWARE ROAD A four platform station, where the Hammersmith & City line and the District and Circle lines meet (do not be fooled by the fact that both have stations called Paddington). This is the only one of the original 1863 stations to be served by District line trains. PADDINGTON (PRAED STREET) Why have I given this station a suffix that does not feature in it’s current title?

Because the current plain “Paddington” designation is misleading – although the interchange to the Bakerloo line’s Paddington is a sensible one to have, you do far better for the mainline station and Hammersmith & City line to go on one stop to Edgware Road, make a quick cross-platform change to the Hammersmith & City and arrive at platforms that are structurally part of the mainline railway station (the two extra stops – one in each direction – plus a cross platform interchange taking less long between them than the official interchange up to the mainline station from here. Therefore to avoid misleading people the title of this station should either by given a suffix or changed completely, and the only interchange that should be shown is that with the Bakerloo. I have previously given Paddington a full post to itself, but failed to make the foregoing points with anything approaching sufficient force. BAYSWATER This station is on the north side of Hyde Park, and like the two on either side of it still has the same style of roof over the platforms as when it opened – a style now not seen anywhere else on the system. NOTTING HILL GATE I refer you to my previous post devoted to this station .

HIGH STREET KENSINGTON This is the point at which this branch of the District diverges from the Circle line. The District branch continues south to the “Crewe of the Underground”, Earls Court, while the circle goes round to Gloucester Road (this section of track features in the Adventure of the Bruce Partington Plans, being the point at which the body of Arthur Cadogan West was fed through a rear window of a flat occupied by one Hugo Oberstein onto the roof of a conveniently stationary train, where it remained until being shaken off at Aldgate. Mycroft Holmes was sufficiently discombobulated by the case to change his routine (a thing so rare that his brother the consulting detective Sherlock Holmes likened it to seeing a tram car in a country lane) and pay a visit to Baker Street to seek assistance. OLYMPIA Trains to all manner of destinations pass through this station, but for the District it is a mere side branch.. WEST BROMPTON An interchange with a London Overground branch. This station is fully open to the elements, as are all the others we have still to pass through. FULHAM BROADWAY The local station for Chelsea FC’s home ground, Stamford Bridge.

PARSONS GREEN This would become a District line terminus, with an interchange to the new Hackney-Chelsea line, under official plans. In my personal ideas for the future it would be an interchange point but no terminus. PUTNEY BRIDGE The local station for Fulham FC’s home ground, Craven Cottage. This would also be the best station to travel to if you wished to catch the Boat Race, second oldest of all the inter-university sporting contests. Like some the other posters I have displayed in this post this one would need adapting, but it could certainly be reissued. The oldest of all the inter-university sporting contests is the Varsity Cricket Match, first played in 1827, two years before the first Boat Race took place. EAST PUTNEY This station is the first of a section that used to be mainline railway. SOUTHFIELDS Another stop with a sporting connection – this is the local station for the world’s most famous tennis championship – Wimbledon. Although I have already given this station a full post, I show this picture again… WIMBLEDON PARK The Central Line gets the aspiblog treatment!

Along the way a wide variety of attractions are mentioned, plenty of pictures are shown and past, present and one vision of the future are covered. INTRODUCTION Welcome to the latest addition to the series of posts themed around public transport in London . Although the main theme is the Central line, there is going to be much more in the speculative section than usual for reasons that will become obvious. HISTORY The first proposals for a Central London Railway were made in 1892, and the CLR opened, running from Shepherd’s Bush to Bank, in 1900. Early proposals for extensions to this line included turning it into a loop, with a smaller loop through Liverpool Street to the east of the main line (think Ptolemy’s epicycles!). After this was rejected, there were two plans involving connections to Richmond… Neither of these went through either.

In the 1930s two proposals, both involving existing lines operated by mainline railway companies did ultimately lead to serious extensions (before these two were incorporated into the line it still only ran from Liverpool Street to Ealing Broadway)… The western extension did come into being as far as West Ruislip, and the mainline railway still calls at Denham on its way to High Wycombe, although there is no station at Harefield Road. The eastern extension happened as shown, although Blake Hall was closed down in 1982, and the entire stretch from Epping to Ongar in 1994. When Central line trains started running to West Ruislip in 1957, the line had taken the shape it would have until 1994, with the closure of the Ongar end of the line. More about this and the history of the line can be found in J. Graeme Bruce and Desmond F. Croome’s book “The Twopenny Tube” (named in honour of the Central London Railway’s original flat fare back in 1900).

Another sine qua non for anyone interested in the Central line is Danny Dorling’s “The 32 Stops”, which takes us on a journey from West Ruislip to Woodford (the section of line within Greater London), and is comfortably the best of Penguin’s 150th anniversary series (albeit not by as big a margin as the Parreno travesty in connection with Hammersmtih & City line is the worst). SPECULATIONS As mentioned in my introduction, this going to be detailed, because between the western and eastern ends of the Central line and my ideas for the Hainault loop I pretty much have to go in to detail regarding my vision of a London Orbital Railway. To set the scene, my plans for the southern portion of the Hainault loop are an extended version of the plans for a Hackney-Chelsea line shown on this adapted 1994 Journey Planner… Rather than this proposal, which abbreviates but does not eliminate the Wimbledon branch of the district, my plan puts the central and Hainault loop portions of that line into a longer, better integrated whole that runs from Woking to Chelmsford.

As for the northern part of the loop, that will have to wait for a later post except to say that trains running that side of the loop would follow the new line from Hainault to Chelsmford and that the rest of the plan also involves the Victoria line. THE LONDON ORBITAL RAILWAY This is not to be a completely new route, but to utilise existing track where possible, and link up all the major rail networks around London. In this vein, the points selected to be the extremities of the system are all major railway stations on exisiting networks. These are Maidstone East (Southeastern corner), Woking (Southwestern corner), Oxford (Northwestern corner, selected for historical reasons and Chelmsford (Northeastern corner). Oxford is on a spur which connects to the true orbital part of the network at Rickmansworth, having passed through Brill, Aylesbury, Amersham and Chalfont & Latimer en route (see my Metropolitan line post for more detail).

Southwards from Rickmansworth it travels to Northwood, Ruislip Common, West Ruislip, Ickenham, South Ruislip, Hillingdon, Uxbridge, Uxbridge Moor, Cowley, Little Britain, Yiewsley, West Drayton, Harmondsworth, Heathrow Terminals 1,2 and 3, Heathrow Terminal 4, Stanwell, Ashford (Surrey), Staines, Laleham, Chertsey, Addlestone, West Byfleet (from where there is a spur to Woking). East from West Byfleet, the line would run Weybridge, Hersham, Esher, Hinchley Wood, Hook, Chessington South, Ewell West, Cheam, Sutton, West Croydon, East Croydon, Addiscombe, Shirley, Spring Park, West Wickham, Hayes, Keston, Locksbottom, Farnborough (Kent), Green Street Green, Chelsfield, Well Hill, Lullingstone Park, Eynsford, Maplescombe, with a spur to West Kingsdown and Maidstone.

North from Maplescombe the line would then proceed to Farningham, Horton Kirby, Farningham Road, Sutton-at-Hone, Darenth, Fleet Downs, New Town, Dartford, Joyce Green, Purfleet, Aveley, Wennington, Upminster, Emerson Park, Ardley Green, Harold Wood, Harold Hill, Noak Hill, St Vincents Hamlet, Great Baddow and Chelmsford. Finally, west from Chelmsford it would head to Ongar, Broxbourne, Hertford East, Hertford North, Welwyn Garden City, St Albans, Watford Junction and completing the circle at Rickmansworth (see my previous posts, “ Watford and Watford Junction ” and “ The Great Anomaly ” for more details on this connection). Ideally every London Underground line (except the Circle for the obvious reason and the Waterloo & City) would have a connection to somewhere on this orbital route as well. THE WOKING TO CHELMSFORD LINE The Hackney-Chelsea line as shown in the adapted 1994 journey planner takes over the southern half of the District line’s Wimbledon branch.

If it took over the entire branch, with an interchange to the District at Earls Court I could see the logic, but I see little point in taking over half a branch. Thus, my proposal for a more logical and better integrated Hackney-Chelsea line runs as follows: Woking, West Byfleet, Walton-on-Thames, Hersham, Fieldcommon, Hampton Court (there are actually at least three locations with this title, one in the midlands, one in King’s Lynn, and this one which is the parvenu of the three), Teddington, Ham , Petersham, East Sheen, Barnes Bridge, Castelnau, Parsons Green, from which it would follow the original as far as Hainault. From Hainault, this line would then run to Chigwell Row, Lambourne End, Stapleford Abbots, Navestock, Kelvedon Hatch, Doddinghurst, Loves Green, Great Baddow and Chelmsford.

POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS TO THE CENTRAL ITSELF Although West Ruislip is itself on the orbital route, my plan in the interest of greater integration would see the Central line run alongside the orbital through Ruislip Common and Northwood to Rickmansworth (and possibly services on the orbital would skip the two intermediate stops). This would give the Central line direct interchanges to both the northern and western segments of the orbital at that end. The Ealing Broadway branch would be extended by taking over the Greenford branch from mainline railways, and then rather than terminating at Greenford, services via Ealing would run through to Rickmansworth (yes there is scope for confusion, but I still think it could be made to work). Finally, the eastern end of the line would lose the Hainault loop, but the Eppin-Ongar section would be reopened, and then a further extension of 11.4 miles would take the line to Chelmsford, thereby connecting to both the northern and eastern segments of the orbital. The map below shows the area through which such an extension would run: As you can see, this would give the Central line connection to three of the four segments of the orbital.

I also have an idea for completing the set, namely reviving the old project for a Richmond extension, diverging from the main line at Shepherds Bush and running as follows: Seven Stars Corner, Bedford Park, rising to the surface at Gunnersbury, running along current District tracks to Richmond, and then calling additionally at Twickenham, Hanworth, Sunbury, Upper Halliford, Shepperton, Lower Halliford, Oatlands Park, Weybridge, West Byfleet and Woking. TRANSITION POINT Having had a look at the history of the line, and also at a vision for future developments it is a time to change tack, and as with the posts about the Hammersmith and City , Piccadilly and Metropolitan lines we will now journey along the existing line. THE JOURNEY We start our journey on the section of the line along which life expectancy falls by two months per minute of journey time (see the Dorling book): WEST RUISLIP The western point of the line, and the starting point for the longest continuous journey currently makeable on London Underground – 34.1 miles to Epping.

The mainline railway from Marylebone calls at this station en route the High Wycombe, Banbury and Birmingham among other places, but although the railway snakes away into the distance the station has a fairly rural aspect. For more please see my previous post “ West Ruislip and Ickenham ” SOUTH RUISLIP The point at which the railway into Marylebone diverges from the Central line. GREENFORD The northern terminus of a small branch line from Ealing, which as I have already indicated I see as being suitable for being subsumed into the Central line. As currently constituted the station, which is elevated, although not quite so dramatically as Alperton on the Piccadilly line has three platforms, two through platforms for the Central and a single terminal platform for the branch line. In my scheme this would become four platforms, all operated by the Central line. Greenford is also notable for the presence of the old Hoover building (now a Tesco superstore).

HANGER LANE The last station on this branch before the joining point at North Acton, this area is chiefly notable for four words capable in conjunction of reducing any London based motorist to a quivering wreck: Hanger Lane Gyratory System (a very regular feature of traffic bulletins for those who listen to the radio): Before we continue our journey eastwards, we have a small gap to fill (no branches ignored by this writer)… EALING BROADWAY The other western terminus of this line, a junction with the District and with mainline railways (although trains going that far do not call at Ealing Broadway this is the original Great Western Railway, along which trains travel to Penzance, West Wales (the divergence point between these two routes is at Bristol) and also up to Banbury via Oxford). WEST ACTON One of no fewer than seven stations in London to feature Acton as part of its name (the other two Actons on the Central, Acton Town on the District and Piccadilly, South Acton and Acton Central on London Overground and Acton Mainline on First Great Western), and the only other station besides Ealing Broadway on this branch.

NORTH ACTON An account of the Metropolitan line with some bold and imaginative suggestions for the future. INTRODUCTION Welcome to the latest addition to my series “ London Station by Station “. My post on the Hammersmith and City line enjoyed some success, and my second essay in covering a whole line in one post, Project Piccadilly , was even more successful, featuring in two online publications. So now I am producing a third post of that type, this time on the Metropolitan line. ANOMALIES Metropolitan by name, very unmetropolitan by nature. Also, it is classed as London Underground, but most of its length is in the open air. The only stretch of this line is currently constituted that follows the original Metropolitan Railway is from just west of Farringdon to just east of Baker Street (The original eastern terminus was at Farringdon Street, just south of the present station, and the Metropolitan platforms at Baker Street (nos 1-4) are not those used by the original line).

Almost the entire length of the current line (and there was once a lot more of it as you will see in due course) developed from… A SINGLE TRACK BRANCH FROM BAKER STREET TO SWISS COTTAGE In 1868 a single track spur was opened from the Metropolitan Railway running north from Baker Street to St John’s Wood Road, Marlborough Road and terminating at Swiss Cottage. It was this little spur that caught the attention of Edward Watkin, who saw it as having a role to play in achieving his dream of a rail network linking Paris, London and Manchester, his three favourite cities (he would have managed this had he not been baulked over his version of the Channel Tunnel, which eventually opened a century later). EXPANSION That single track spur would be doubled, and from its next point north, Finchley Road, quadrupled and it would spread out into the hinterlands of Buckinghamshire, giving rise to a number of new branches.

At its absolute height there were branches terminating at Uxbridge (sill present in its entirety), Stanmore (still served but not by the Met), Watford (still present as opened in 1925), Chesham (still as opened in 1889), Verney Junction (a place of no significance near modern day Milton Keynes) and Brill (at 51 miles from Baker Street the furthest point from London reached by any London Underground line). The latter two branches were closed in the middle 1930s, services terminating at Quainton Road just beyond Aylesbury for a time, until further paring back to Aylesbury (still served by mainline trains, with a new station at Aylesbury Vale Parkway just beyond Aylesbury itself) and finally Amersham, the current outlying point of the system, a mere 27 miles from Baker Street. After the expansionism of Watkin, the third of the three great figures in the development of the Metropolitan took over, Robert Hope Selbie, creator of “Metroland”. To help you orient yourself here are some maps… Brill and Oxford. The Metropolitan Railway and its connecttions.

“Metroland” The area around Verney Junction. To finish this section, The Stanmore branch, along with the intermediate stations between Finchley Road and Wembley Park, and new tube-level intermediates between Baker Street and Finchley Road was taken over by the Bakerloo line in 1939, and then to ease congestion on the latter by the new Jubilee line (with brand spanking new stations at Bond Street, Green Park and Charing Cross as well). SPECULATIVE SUGGESTIONS Of the Metropolitan branches that are still served by that line, the Amersham and Watford branches would be subsumed into my plans for a London Orbital Railway (Rickmansworth would be the northwestern corner of the orbital network itself, with a spur running via Amersham and Aylesbury to form significant connections at Oxford and/ or Milton Keynes (see the section above, and also my post “Ongar” ). The Chesham branch would then become one of just two Metropolitan branches, with a northward extension to Tring and another interchange with mainline railways. The Uxbridge branch would remain unchanged, though gaining a connection with the Orbital route.

At the other end, Aldgate would be abandoned as a terminus, the track connection from Aldgate East to Shadwell be revived for the Metropolitan, and a connection via New Cross to South Eastern tracks and Metropolitan services running through to Sevenoaks would further increase the London Underground presence in Southeast London and West Kent (see Project Piccadilly for another envisaged connection to this part of the world). The reason for projecting this line over existing track rather than looking at a completely new route is that is one of the old lines, built to mainline specifications and its tunnels were built using the cut-and-cover method, which makes building new tunnel sections more problematic than for a deep-level tube line. THE TRANSITION POINT At this stage of proceedings, having seen the Metropolitan lines past, present and a possible vision for its future we are going to make a journey along the line as it is currently constituted, so fasten your seatbelts… ALDGATE – BAKER STREET

Question: Upminster and Ealing Broadway are respectively the eastern and western termini or which London Underground line?
Answer: The District Line