Victoria line

Template:Short description Template:For Template:Good article Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox rail line

The Victoria line is a London Underground line that runs between Template:Lus in South London, and Template:Stn in the east, via the West End. It is printed in light blue on the Tube map and is one of the only two lines on the network to run completely underground, the other being the Waterloo & City line.Template:Refn

The line was constructed in the 1960s and was the first entirely new Underground line in London for 50 years. It was designed to reduce congestion on other lines, particularly the Piccadilly line and the Template:Lus branch of the Northern line. The first section, from Walthamstow Central to Template:Stn, opened in September 1968 and an extension to Template:Lus followed in December. The line was completed to Victoria station in March 1969 and was opened by Queen Elizabeth II who rode a train from Green Park to Victoria. The southern extension to Brixton opened in 1971, and Template:Lus (the only station in the line without an interchange) was added in 1972.

The Victoria line is operated using automatic train operation, but all trains have drivers. The 2009 Tube Stock replaced the original 1967 Tube Stock trains. The line serves 16 stations and all but Pimlico provide interchanges with other Transport for London or National Rail services. The line, the most intensively used on the Underground,Template:Refn was used by 302 million passengers in 2019, making it the second-busiest tube line. With trains arriving every 100Template:Nbspseconds at peak times, it is one of the most frequent rapid transit lines in the world.

History

Planning

The first proposal for a railway in this area appeared in the County of London Plan, published in 1943.Template:Sfn In 1948, a working party set up by the British Transport Commission (BTC) proposed a tube railway from Victoria to Walthamstow,Template:Sfn largely based on a 1946 plan for a Croydon-to-Finsbury Park line. Its main purpose was to relieve congestion in the central area, which had been a problem since the 1930s.Template:Sfn Other benefits were linking the key railway stations at Template:Rws, Template:Rws, Template:Rws and Template:Rws and improving connections between north-east London and the city.Template:Sfn

In early 1949, the BTC committee looked at the feasibility of building a deep-level tube to fulfil these requirements.Template:Sfn For the first time, cost–benefit analysis was used to ensure the line would be built within budget and be profitable.Template:Sfn A private bill was introduced in Parliament in 1955, describing a line from Victoria to Walthamstow (Template:Rws), next to the British Rail station. Another proposal, not in the bill, supported an extension from Victoria to Fulham Broadway on the District line terminating at Edmonton instead of Walthamstow.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>Template:Sfn Proposals were made to extend the line north to South Woodford or Woodford to provide interchange with the Central line.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1961, it was decided that the line would terminate at Walthamstow (Hoe Street) station rather than Wood Street – this would cut costs by £1.4Template:Nbspmillion, and "satisfactory interchange" with British Railways was available at Hoe Street station.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Walthamstow (Hoe Street) was later renamed Template:Rws on 6 May 1968 in anticipation of the line's opening).Template:Sfn Template:Sfn The line was planned to have cross-platform interchanges at Oxford Circus, Euston and Template:Stn (with the Bakerloo, Northern (Bank) and Piccadilly lines respectively) and at Walthamstow Central to provide a quick and easy connection between the new line and existing services.Template:Sfn

The name "Victoria line" dates from 1955; other suggestions were "Walvic line" (Walthamstow–Victoria), "Viking line" (Victoria–King's Cross), "Mayfair line" and "West End line".Template:Sfn During the planning stages, it was known as Route C and named the Victoria line (after the station) by David McKenna, Chairman of British Transport Advertising, whose suggestion was seconded by Sir John Elliot.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn The board decided that the Victoria line sounded "just right".Template:Sfn

Walthamstow–Victoria

Initial construction began in January 1960, when two test tunnels were started from Tottenham to Manor House under Seven Sisters Road. The tunnels were excavated using an experimental "drum digger" rotary shield, powered by hydraulic rams, that could cut more than Template:Convert per day. The work was completed in July 1961, with the expectation it would be used for the completed Victoria line.Template:Sfn

After the line gained parliamentary approval on 20 August 1962 with a budget of £56Template:Nbspmillion, construction began the following month.Template:Sfn The economic boom of the mid-to-late 1950s had faded leading to a rise in unemployment in London, and the government had hoped that building the Victoria line would alleviate this.Template:Sfn Work began adapting Oxford Circus station to link to the new line; a cross-platform interchange was provided with the Bakerloo line and a subway link with the Central line.Template:Sfn A steel umbrella was erected over the junction in August 1963 so that a new ticket hall could be built without disrupting existing traffic.Template:Sfn Rolling stock on the line was fitted with Automatic Train Operation (ATO), which allowed self-driving of the train based on automatic electrical signals along the track.Template:Sfn In March 1964, a £2.25Template:Nbspmillion contract was awarded to Metro-Cammell for the Victoria line fleet.Template:Sfn

That October, the Northern City Line closed between Template:Rws and Template:Rws so that the latter station could be redesigned for a cross-platform interchange between the Victoria and Piccadilly lines. All major contracts had been awarded by 1965, and construction was on track to be completed in 1968.Template:Sfn New stations were constructed at Walthamstow Central, Template:Rws, Template:Rws and Template:Rws.Template:Sfn The station at Blackhorse Road was built on the opposite side of the road from the mainline station (serving the Kentish Town to Barking line) and was not an interchange.Template:Sfn Template:Refn

The line opened from Walthamstow Central to Template:Stn on 1 September 1968.Template:Sfn<ref name="Modern-Railways-1068">Template:Cite magazine</ref> There was no opening ceremony; instead the normal timetable started.Template:Sfn The first train left Walthamstow Central for Highbury & Islington at 7:32 a.m. The line proved to meet a need; more than 1,000 tickets were purchased at Highbury & Islington within its first hour of opening.<ref name=times19680902>Template:Cite news</ref>

The next section to Warren Street, opened on 1 December 1968, again without ceremony.Template:Sfn The line was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 7 March 1969 when it had been completed to Victoria. At 11:00 a.m., the Queen made the first trip, on a 5d (2.08p) ticket, from Green Park to Victoria, where she unveiled a plaque.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In so doing, she was the first reigning monarch to ride on the Underground.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The line was open to the general public by 3:00 p.m. Trains from Walthamstow to Victoria took around 24Template:Nbspminutes.Template:Sfn

Victoria–Brixton

File:PimlicoStation.jpg

Pimlico station was the last part of the Victoria line to open, and is the line's only station that is not an interchange.

The Template:Convert extension from Victoria to Brixton with stations at Template:Rws and Stockwell was approved in March 1966.Template:Sfn Preparatory work had started at Bessborough Gardens near Vauxhall Bridge Road in May 1967.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The contract was awarded on 4 August 1967.Template:Sfn A proposal to build Pimlico tube station received Government approval on 28 June 1968.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Sfn In July, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales visited tunnel workings under Vauxhall Park.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The Brixton extension was bored using the older Greathead shield. Although slower, use of the tunnelling shield allowed easier digging through the gravel strata south of the Thames. It was opened on 23 July 1971 by Princess Alexandra, who made a journey from Brixton to Template:Stn.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On opening, it was the first new section of Underground to open south of the Thames since the extension of the City and South London Railway from Clapham Common to Morden in 1926.Template:Sfn The final piece of the Victoria line, Pimlico station, opened on 14 September 1972.Template:Sfn

London Transport considered extensions to Streatham, Dulwich and Crystal Palace to provide a connection to southeast London and Kent but no construction work was undertaken.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Post-opening

The Kentish Town to Barking line did not close as expected and both stations at Blackhorse Road remained open. The mainline station was moved to the same side of the road as the tube station and was connected to the Victoria line on 14 December 1981 via an overbridge. The original station was then closed and demolished.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The London Underground (Victoria) Act 1991 allowed for the construction of a Template:Convert underground pedestrian link at Victoria station between the Victoria line platforms and the sub-surface Circle line platforms above.<ref name="victoria-act-1991">Template:Cite web</ref> The London Underground (Victoria Station Upgrade) Order 2009 came into force in September that year, authorising the construction of a second Template:Convert ticket hall at Victoria.<ref name="victoria-station-twao">Template:Cite web</ref>

Warren Street tube station was attacked in the 21st July 2005 London bombings. There were no fatalities in this attack. After the 7 July 2005 London bombings, there was heightened security. The Metropolitan Police wrongly detained and fatally shot 27-year-old Jean Charles de Menezes once he boarded a train at Template:Lus. After his death, a memorial to Menezes was placed close to Stockwell station.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 23 January 2014, during upgrade work at Victoria, construction workers accidentally penetrated the signalling room of the Victoria line and flooded it with quick-drying concrete, leading to the suspension of services south of Warren Street.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Services resumed the following day after sugar was used to slow the setting of the concrete and make it easier to shovel out.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Cbignore</ref><ref>Template:Cite news Template:Cbignore</ref>

A 24-hour Night Tube service on Friday and Saturday nights, due to start in September 2015 on the entire line,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> was delayed because of strike action.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The service began in August 2016, with trains running at 10-minute intervals on the whole line.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Design

Every Victoria line station, apart from Pimlico and Blackhorse Road, was built as an interchange and several stations were rearranged to allow for cross-platform interchange with the line. In some stations, the Victoria line platforms were built on either side of the existing arrangement; in others, the Victoria line uses the older platforms and the existing line was diverted onto a new alignment.Template:Sfn All platforms on the line are Template:Convert long.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The line has hump-backed stations to allow trains to store gravitational potential energy as they slow down and release it when they leave a station, providing an energy saving of 5% and allowing trains to run 9% faster.<ref>Template:Withouthotair</ref><ref name=victoriacut>Template:Cite web</ref>

The stations were originally tiled in blue and grey, each decorated with tiled motifs in seating recesses for identification.Template:Sfn Some motifs were puns; the image for Brixton, for instance, was a ton of bricks.Template:Sfn During construction of the first stage of the Jubilee line in 1979, the motifs on Green Park station were replaced by others matching the design for the Jubilee line platforms.Template:Sfn

In late 2010 and 2011, platform humps were installed on all Victoria line stations except Pimlico to provide step-free access to trains.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The project was in accordance with the Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Non Interoperable Rail System) Regulations 2010 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Victoria line humps resemble the Harrington Hump, a type of ramp being installed on some mainline stations, but are of a masonry construction.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Service and rolling stock

1967 stock at Holborn

The line's original 1967 Stock was used until mid-2011. It is seen here at Template:Stl on a farewell tour.

About 200Template:Nbspmillion passengers a year use the Victoria line.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It is 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.<ref name="passenger numbers">Template:Cite web</ref> From May 2017, trains run every 100Template:Nbspseconds during peak periods, providing 36 trains per hour.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> All trains run from Brixton to Seven Sisters and some continue to Walthamstow Central.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During off-peak periods, the Victoria line runs 27 trains per hour between Brixton and Walthamstow Central.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

When the line opened, services were operated by a fleet of Template:Frac eight-car trains of 1967 Tube Stock trains. In the early planning stages, an articulated type of rolling stock was considered, but not progressed because of difficulties transferring the stock to Acton Works for heavy overhauls.Template:Sfn After Acton Works closed, this no longer applies. The 2009 tube stock has a wider profile and slightly longer carriages which precludes it from running on other deep-level tube lines. The 1967 stock was supplemented by 1972 Mark I Tube Stock, transferred from the Northern line and converted to be compatible with the 1967 stock.Template:Sfn

Replacement of the 1967 rolling stock began in July 2009.<ref name="TfL_transform">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The 2009 Tube Stock fleet of 47 eight-car trains was built by Bombardier Transportation.<ref name="waboso">Template:Cite news</ref> Testing the first prototypes began in 2008. The trains began to be introduced in 2009 and most were in operation by the following year. The last of the 1967 stock trains ran on 30 June 2011, after which the entire service was provided by 2009 stock.<ref name="rail20110811">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web Template:Cbignore</ref>

On opening, the line was equipped with a fixed-block Automatic Train Operation system (ATO). The train operator closed the train doors and pressed a pair of "start" buttons and, if the way ahead was clear, the ATO drives the train at a safe speed to the next station. At any point, the driver could switch to manual control if the ATO failed.<ref name=times19680902/> The system, which operated until 2012, made the Victoria line the world's first full-scale automatic railway.Template:Refn

The Victoria line runs faster trains than other Underground lines because it has fewer stops, ATO running and modern design.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Train speeds can reach up to Template:Convert. A common method used by north London residents to visit the West End is to take the Northern line Bank branch, change platforms at Euston, and continue on faster Victoria line trains.<ref name=victoriacut/>Template:Sfn In the 2010s, the original signalling was replaced with a more modern ATO system from Westinghouse Rail Systems incorporating 'Distance to Go Radio' and more than 400 track circuits. London Underground claimed it was the world's first ATO-on-ATO upgrade.<ref name=TfL_transform/><ref name="waboso"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The new signalling system allowed a revised timetable to be introduced in February 2013, allowing up to 33 trains per hour instead of 27.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> In combination with new, faster trains, the line's capacity increased by 21%, equivalent to an extra 10,000 passengers per hour.<ref name=TfL_transform/><ref name="rail20110811"/> By 2019, the line was running around 36 trains per hour at peak times, with a train arriving every 100Template:Nbspseconds – making it one of the most frequent rapid transit lines in the world.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Facilities

Step-free access

(Wheelchair symbol) and the text: Stations with step-free access from the Victoria line platforms to the street are shown with this symbol.

Notice explaining about step-free access. This can be found inside every Victoria line train.

When the line was built, budgetary restrictions meant that station infrastructure standards were lower than on older lines and on later extension projects.Template:Sfn Examples include narrower than usual platforms and undecorated ceilings at Walthamstow Central, Blackhorse Road and Tottenham Hale, affecting lighting levels.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The line was built with fewer escalators than other lines as a cost-saving measure.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The lack of a third escalator linking station entrances to platforms at some stations can cause severe congestion at peak times.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Stations have closed temporarily for safety reasons when escalators have been unserviceable.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Step-free routes are available between the Victoria line and other lines at most interchanges.<ref name=tubemap/> Tottenham Hale, Finsbury Park, King's Cross St Pancras, Green Park, Victoria, Vauxhall and Brixton have step-free access from street to train.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref><ref name=tubemap>Template:Cite map/Standard Tube Map</ref><ref>Template:Citation step free tube map</ref><ref>Template:Citation Avoiding stairs Tube guide</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Platform humps have been installed at all stations (except Pimlico) to provide level access to trains, improving access for customers with mobility impairments, luggage or pushchairs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ventilation

The aboveground Ferry Lane fan shaft building and emergency access point at Heron Island, approximately halfway between Blackhorse Road and Tottenham Hale stations

Ferry Lane fan shaft and emergency access point at Heron Island, approximately halfway between Template:Stn and Template:Stn stations

About 50 ventilation shafts were constructed during the construction phase.<ref>Template:Cite report</ref> Midpoint tunnel ventilation shafts remain between stations. Special "local arrangements" are in place should it be necessary to evacuate passengers from trains via Netherton Road emergency escape shaft.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Planning permission for a shaft at Ferry Lane, next to Tottenham Hale station, was granted on 11 January 1968, during the first phase of construction.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

By mid-2009, trial boreholes for a cooling system at Green Park station had been drilled and more were scheduled to be created by the end of 2009.<ref name="lul-md-report-2009q1"/> In 2010, Engineering & Technology reported that Template:Convert of water per second for the cooling system was being pumped through heat-exchangers at Victoria station from the River Tyburn and into the River Thames.<ref name="douglas-2010">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Between 2009 and 2014, thirteen ventilation shafts were refurbished. In the first phase were Drayton Park, Gillingham Street, Moreton Terrace, Pulross Road, Somerleyton Road and Tynemouth Road.<ref name="klettner"/> For the second phase were Cobourg Street, Dover Street, Gibson Square, Great Titchfield Street, Isledon Road, Kings Cross, Palace Street and Rita Road.<ref name="klettner">Template:Cite news</ref>

By 2009, changes at Cobourg Street were in the planning stage and demolition at Moreton Terrace, Somerleyton Road and Drayton Park shafts had taken place.<ref name="lul-md-report-2009q1">Template:Cite report</ref> Planning permission for Netherton Road shaft was granted on 8 September 1967.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 31 March, the demolition and rebuilding of Netherton Road shaft was allowed as permitted development.<ref>Template:Cite report</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Depot

Two Victoria line trains sitting in sidings

2009 tube stock at the Victoria line's Northumberland Park Depot

The depot at Northumberland Park, the service and storage area for trains, is the only part of the Victoria line above ground. Trains access the depot via a branch line in a tunnel to the north of Seven Sisters.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The depot opened with the first stage of the line in September 1968. It is next to Northumberland Park railway station, on Tottenham Marshes in the London Borough of Haringey, over a mile from the Victoria line. When built, it was Template:Convert long and had working space for 22 eight-car trains.Template:Sfn As part of Transport for London's tube upgrade scheme, the depot has been expanded and upgraded to accommodate all the 2009 Tube Stock trains<ref name="waboso 2">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a new signalling system.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Future

Tottenham Hotspur F.C. and its supporters have campaigned for a surface station next to Northumberland Park Station, adjacent to the depot to improve the stadium's transport links. The plans would require co-operation with the local council and Network Rail to minimise disruption.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was announced by Haringey Council in its 2012 A Plan for Tottenham report that there was "potential for a Victoria Line extension to Northumberland Park".<ref>Template:Cite report</ref>

Crossrail 2, also known as the Chelsea-Hackney line, is a proposed line across central London between Victoria and King's Cross St Pancras tube station to increase capacity in Central London by 270,000 passengers per day. It is intended to relieve congestion on the Victoria line, a key line connecting several important London termini.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Proposals have been made to extend the line one stop southwards from Brixton to Herne Hill, a significant interchange in south London providing access to Kent, Template:Rws, Template:Rws and Template:Rws. Herne Hill would be on a large reversing loop with a single platform removing a critical capacity restriction eliminating the need for trains to reverse at Brixton and provide a more obvious route for passengers who look for the nearest tube station before any other transport options.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Map

Geographically accurate path of the Victoria line

Stations

Template:Victoria Line RDT

Station	Image	Opened	Template:Nowrap Template:Nowrap	Interchanges	Position
Walthamstow Central Template:Rail-interchange	File:Walthamstow Central stn new entrance.JPG	26 April 1870Template:Sfn Template:Efn	1 September 1968	Weaver line	Template:Coord
Blackhorse Road Template:Rail-interchange	File:Blackhorse Road stn building.JPG	19 July 1894Template:Sfn		Suffragette line	Template:Coord
Tottenham Hale Template:Rail-interchange Template:Access icon	File:Tottenham Hale station 070414.JPG	15 September 1840Template:Sfn Template:Efn		National Rail	Template:Coord
Seven Sisters Template:Rail-interchange Template:Rail-interchange Template:Efn	File:Seven Sisters ground level entrance.JPG	22 July 1872Template:Sfn		Weaver line and National Rail	Template:Coord
Finsbury Park Template:Rail-interchange Template:Rint Template:Access icon	File:Finsbury Park tube stn entrance Station Place.JPG	1 July 1861Template:Sfn Template:Efn		Piccadilly line (Template:Abbr)Template:Sfn and National Rail	Template:Coord
Highbury & Islington Template:Rail-interchange Template:Rail-interchange	File:Highbury & Islington station building.JPG	26 September 1850Template:Sfn		Mildmay line, Windrush line and National Rail (Template:Abbr)Template:Sfn	Template:Coord
King's Cross St Pancras Template:Rail-interchange Template:Rail-interchange Template:Rint Template:Access icon	File:KXSP 2006-05-30 07.jpg	10 January 1863Template:Sfn	1 December 1968	Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Northern and Piccadilly lines; National Rail and Eurostar	Template:Coord
Euston Template:Rail-interchange Template:Rail-interchange	File:Euston station facade.jpg	12 May 1907Template:Sfn		Northern line (Template:Abbr with Bank branch),Template:Sfn Lioness line and National Rail	Template:Coord
Warren Street	File:Warren Street stn entrance.JPG	22 June 1907Template:Sfn		Northern line	Template:Coord
Oxford Circus	File:Oxford Circus stn Bakerloo building.jpg	30 July 1900Template:Sfn	7 March 1969	Bakerloo (Template:Abbr)Template:Sfn and Central lines	Template:Coord
Green Park Template:Access icon	File:Green Park stn building.JPG	15 December 1906Template:Sfn		Piccadilly and Jubilee lines	Template:Coord
Victoria Template:Rail-interchange (Template:Rail-interchange Trains to Gatwick) Template:Access icon	File:Victoria tube antrance.jpg	1 October 1860Template:Sfn		Circle and District lines and National Rail	Template:Coord
Pimlico	File:PimlicoStation.jpg	14 September 1972Template:Sfn		Template:N/a	Template:Coord
Vauxhall Template:Rail-interchange Template:Access icon	File:Vauxhall Railway Station - geograph.org.uk - 725651.jpg	11 July 1848Template:Sfn	23 July 1971	National Rail, London River Services (St George Wharf Pier)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Coord
Stockwell	File:StockwellTube.jpg	4 November 1890Template:Sfn		Northern line (Template:Abbr)Template:Sfn	Template:Coord
Brixton Template:Rail-interchange Template:Access icon	File:Brixton tube station entrance.JPG	23 July 1971Template:Sfn		National Rail (within a Template:Convert walking distance)	Template:Coord