Editing Victoria line (section)

===Walthamstow–Victoria===
Initial construction began in January 1960, when two test tunnels were started from [[Tottenham]] to [[Manor House, London|Manor House]] under [[Seven Sisters Road]]. The tunnels were excavated using an experimental "drum digger" rotary shield, powered by [[hydraulic ram]]s, that could cut more than {{convert|60|ft}} per day. The work was completed in July 1961, with the expectation it would be used for the completed Victoria line.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=156}}

After the line gained parliamentary approval on 20 August 1962 with a budget of £56{{nbsp}}million, construction began the following month.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|pp=160–161}} 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.{{sfn|Martin|2012|p=235}} 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.{{sfn|HMSO|1959|p=36}} A steel umbrella was erected over the junction in August 1963 so that a new ticket hall could be built without disrupting existing traffic.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|pp=160–161}} 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.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=160}} In March 1964, a £2.25{{nbsp}}million contract was awarded to [[Metro-Cammell]] for the Victoria line fleet.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=161}}

That October, the [[Northern City Line]] closed between {{rws|Drayton Park}} and {{rws|Finsbury Park}} 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.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=163}} New stations were constructed at Walthamstow Central, {{rws|Blackhorse Road}}, {{rws|Tottenham Hale}} and {{rws|Seven Sisters}}.{{sfn|HMSO|1959|p=37}} The station at Blackhorse Road was built on the opposite side of the road from the mainline station (serving the [[Gospel Oak to Barking line|Kentish Town to Barking line]]) and was not an interchange.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=167}}{{refn|The Kentish Town-to-Barking service, serving Blackhorse Road, was proposed for closure under the [[Beeching cuts]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.railengineer.uk/2016/09/13/gospel-oak-to-barking-renaissance/ |title=Gospel Oak to Barking Renaissance |work=Rail Engineer |date=13 September 2016 |access-date=12 September 2018 |archive-date=12 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712122518/https://www.railengineer.uk/2016/09/13/gospel-oak-to-barking-renaissance/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>|group=note}}

The line opened from Walthamstow Central to {{stn|Highbury & Islington}} on 1 September 1968.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=166}}<ref name="Modern-Railways-1068">{{cite magazine |date=October 1968 |title=London's new tube starts work |magazine=Modern Railways |publisher=Ian Allan Ltd. |location=Shepperton, Middlesex |volume=XXIV |issue=241 |page=532}}</ref> There was no opening ceremony; instead the normal timetable started.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=166}} The first train left Walthamstow Central for Highbury & Islington at 7:32&nbsp;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>{{cite news |title=Busy start for Victoria Line |newspaper=The Times |location=London |date=2 September 1968 |page=3 |access-date=12 September 2018 |url=http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&userGroupName=kccl&tabID=T003&docPage=article&searchType=BasicSearchForm&docId=CS51736354&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

The next section to [[Warren Street tube station|Warren Street]], opened on 1 December 1968, again without ceremony.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=166}} The line was formally opened by Queen [[Elizabeth II]] on 7 March 1969 when it had been completed to Victoria. At 11:00&nbsp;a.m., the Queen made the first trip, on a 5[[£sd|d]] (2.08p) ticket, from Green Park to Victoria, where she unveiled a plaque.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=168}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Victoria Line |newspaper=The Times |location=London |date=7 March 1969 |page=X |access-date=13 September 2018|url=http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&userGroupName=kccl&tabID=T003&docPage=article&searchType=BasicSearchForm&docId=CS771977319&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> In so doing, she was the first reigning monarch to ride on the Underground.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/history/150-facts-for-150-years-of-the-london-tube-8444153.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220817/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/history/150-facts-for-150-years-of-the-london-tube-8444153.html |archive-date=17 August 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=150 Facts for 150 Years of the Tube |newspaper=The Independent |date=9 January 2013 |access-date=13 September 2018}}</ref> The line was open to the general public by 3:00&nbsp;p.m. Trains from Walthamstow to Victoria took around 24{{nbsp}}minutes.{{sfn|Day|Reed|2010|p=168}}