Victoria line

This article is about the tube line in London. For other uses, see Victoria line (disambiguation).

Victoria

Colour on map	Light Blue
Year opened	1968
Line type	Deep Level
Rolling stock	2009 Tube Stock 8 carriages per trainset
Stations served	16
Length	21 km (13 mi)
Depots	Northumberland Park
Journeys made	183 million
Rail lines of Transport for London  London Underground lines   Bakerloo   Central   Circle   District   Hammersmith & City   Jubilee   Metropolitan   Northern   Piccadilly   Victoria   Waterloo & City Other lines   Docklands Light Railway   Tramlink   Overground

The Victoria line is a deep-level London Underground line running from the south (Zone 2) to the north-east (Zone 3) of London. It is coloured light blue on the Tube map. It is the only line on the Underground, except for the two-station Waterloo & City line, that is entirely below ground, the only section of track to emerge above ground being the connection from Seven Sisters to the line's depot at Northumberland Park.

183 million passengers use the Victoria line each year, making it the fourth 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 intensely used line. Each platform constructed specifically for the Victoria line from new is 132.6 metres (435 ft) long. The line has hump-backed stations which allow trains to store gravitational potential energy as they slow down and release it when they leave a station. This provides an energy saving of 5% and makes the trains run 9% faster.

The only station on the Victoria Line to have no form of interchange is Pimlico.

History

A tube railway running from Victoria to Walthamstow was first proposed by a Working Party set up by the British Transport Commission in 1948. The main purpose was to relieve congestion in the central area. The necessary Private Bill was introduced into Parliament in 1955. It described a line from Victoria to Walthamstow (Wood Street). There was also a proposal, though not included in the Bill, for a subsequent extension from Victoria to Fulham Broadway station on the District line.

Construction began in 1962 on the Walthamstow-Victoria section and continued until 1972, when Pimlico station was opened. A test tunnel from Tottenham to Manor House under Seven Sisters Road had been bored in 1959 and was later incorporated into the running tunnels.

Air shaft & emergency access point, Heron Island; approximately halfway between Blackhorse Road and Tottenham Hale

In August 1967 the government gave approval for the Brixton extension. Preparatory work had already started at Bessborough Gardens near Vauxhall Bridge Road in May 1967. In June 1968 a proposal to build a station at Pimlico was approved.

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

The line was designed to relieve congestion on other lines, in particular the Piccadilly line, as well as to maximise possible interchanges. It had been intended to build the line beyond Walthamstow Central to Wood Street (Walthamstow), where it would have surfaced to terminate next to the British Rail station. Proposals were also made to extend the line as far as South Woodford or Woodford, to provide interchange with the Central line. However, in a late decision in 1961 the line was cut back to Walthamstow (Hoe Street) station, renamed Walthamstow Central in 1968.

Every Victoria line station apart from Pimlico was built as an interchange station, and several existing stations were rearranged to allow for cross-platform interchange with the new line. In some cases this was achieved by placing the Victoria line platforms on either side of the existing station; in others, the Victoria line uses one of the older platforms and the existing line was diverted into a new platform. Particularly significant is the direct interchange with the Bakerloo line at Oxford Circus, a pivotal node at the heart of the whole network, facilitating a wide range of north-south journeys across central London.

At Euston, northbound Victoria and Northern line (Bank branch) trains run along adjacent platforms, although they travel in opposite directions. Other cross-platform interchanges are provided at Stockwell (with the Northern line), Highbury & Islington (with First Capital Connect, originally the Northern City Line), and at Finsbury Park (with the Piccadilly line).

All Victoria line stations were originally tiled in blue/grey. Each station was decorated with tiled motifs in seating recesses to help identify the station. During the construction of the Jubilee line in the late 1970s, the original motifs on Green Park station were replaced by motifs matching the new design for the Jubilee line platforms. These were in turn replaced in 2009 by replicas of the original design.

Over the course of late 2010 and 2011, platform humps have been installed on all Victoria Line stations except Pimlico to provide step-free access to trains. The impetus for their installation are the Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Non Interoperable Rail System) Regulations 2010 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. The Victoria line hump resemble in form the Harrington Hump, a ramp type being installed on some mainline stations, but are of a masonry construction.

Opening

The first section to be opened was between Walthamstow Central and Highbury & Islington. There was no initial opening ceremony: instead the normal timetable started on Sunday 1 September 1968. The first train left Walthamstow Central for Highbury & Islington at about 6.30 am. Later that year, the section between Highbury & Islington and Warren Street was opened, again without ceremony.

The official opening ceremony took place at Victoria station on 7 March 1969: Queen Elizabeth II unveiled a commemorative plaque on the station concourse. After a short ceremony, Her Majesty bought a 5d ticket (five old pence = 2.08p) and travelled to Green Park.

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

Service and rolling stock

2009 stock at Northumberland Park Depot

Trains run every two minutes during peak periods. In normal service all trains run from Brixton to Seven Sisters, with roughly three out of five continuing to Walthamstow Central.

When the line was opened it was served by a fleet of 39 1/2 8-car trains of 1967 Tube Stock trains. These were later supplemented by a number of cars of 1972 Mark I Tube Stock converted to be compatible with the 1967 stock. Ultimately there were 43 trains, each made up of two four-car units. These were replaced by 2009 Tube Stock between 2009 and 2011 (see below).

In the early planning stages of the line an articulated type of rolling stock was considered, but the idea was dropped because of difficulties in transferring the stock to Acton Works for heavy overhauls. With the demise of Acton Works this requirement no longer exists, and the new 2009 tube stock has a wider profile and slightly longer carriages which preclude it running on other deep-level tube lines.

The line is equipped with an Automatic Train Operation system (ATO); the train operator (driver) closes the train doors and presses a pair of "start" buttons, and if the way ahead is clear, the ATO drives the train at a safe speed to the next station and stops it there. This system has operated since the line opened in 1968, making the Victoria line the world's first full-scale automatic railway.

Replacement of the 1967 rolling stock began in July 2009 as part of Transport for London's 5-year £10 billion redevelopment project. A new fleet of 47 8-car trains called 2009 Tube Stock were built by Bombardier Transportation. The first prototypes began testing in 2008. The main fleet began to be introduced in 2009 and went into main service in 2010. The last of the 1967 stock trains ran on 30 June 2011, after which the whole service was provided by 2009 stock.

The signalling is being replaced with a more modern ATO system from Westinghouse Rail Systems. LUL claims that this is the world's first ATO-on-ATO upgrade. Installation is well advanced, and the new system will be fully in use by the end of 2012, allowing up to 33 trains per hour instead of 27. This in combination with the new, faster trains will increase the line's capacity overall by 21%.

Possible future projects

When the Victoria line was built, budget restrictions meant that station infrastructure standards were lower than on older lines and on later extension projects. Examples include narrower than usual platforms and undecorated ceilings at Walthamstow Central, Blackhorse Road and Tottenham Hale, adversely affecting lighting levels. At most stations there is still a concrete staircase between the up and down escalators, where an additional escalator could be installed. The lack of a third escalator can cause severe congestion at peak times. However, in recent years an additional escalator has been installed in place of the fixed stairway at Brixton (2004) and Vauxhall (2006). There have been station closures for safety reasons, when both escalators have been unserviceable. Over many years, heavy equipment has been installed in fenced-off sections at the ends of platforms owing to the lack of anywhere else to install them.^{[citation needed]}

Supporters of Tottenham Hotspur (and the club itself) have campaigned for a surface station to be built next to Northumberland Park Station, adjacent to the line's depot. This would improve the football ground's transport links, seen as essential if the club's wish to redevelop their ground and increase its capacity is to become a reality. The idea was looked into, but Network Rail owns the necessary land and needs it for its own expansion plans.

If the Chelsea–Hackney line were to be built it would relieve congestion on the Victoria line, offering an alternative route across central London between Victoria and King's Cross St. Pancras.

For many years there have been proposals to extend the line one stop southwards from Brixton to Herne Hill. Herne Hill station would be on a large reversing loop with one platform. This would remove a critical capacity restriction by eliminating the need for trains to reverse at Brixton. However, it would be expensive and cannot currently be justified on cost-benefit grounds. Because the current line is heavily overcrowded this is considered to be the only extension proposal with any realistic prospect of coming to fruition; but to have any hope of being built, it would have to be seen to be effective in reducing overcrowding (by enabling trains to run more frequently) and not to increase it.^{[citation needed]}

Map

Stations

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

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

Station	Image	Opened	Additional information
Walthamstow Central		1870	Victoria line began 1 September 1968
Blackhorse Road		19 July 1894	Current station opened 1 September 1968
Tottenham Hale		15 September 1840	Opened as Tottenham, renamed and beginning of Victoria line 1 September 1968
Seven Sisters		22 July 1872	Victoria line began 1 September 1968
Finsbury Park		1 July 1861	Opened as Seven Sisters Road (Holloway), renamed 15 November 1869, Victoria line began 1 September 1968
Highbury & Islington		1872	Victoria line began 1 September 1968
King's Cross St. Pancras		1863	Victoria line began 1 December 1968
Euston		12 May 1907	Victoria line began 1 December 1968
Warren Street		22 June 1907	Victoria line began 1 December 1968
Oxford Circus		30 July 1900	Victoria line began 7 March 1969
Green Park		15 December 1906	Victoria line began 7 March 1969
Victoria ( Trains to Gatwick)		1 October 1860	Victoria line began 7 March 1969
Pimlico		14 September 1972
Vauxhall		11 July 1848	Victoria line began 23 July 1971
Stockwell		4 November 1890	Victoria line began 23 July 1971
Brixton		23 July 1971

The following stations have step-free access from the street to platform level on the Victoria line: Tottenham Hale, King's Cross St. Pancras and Brixton.

Depot

• Northumberland Park Depot

Maps

• ^map 1 Walthamstow Central – 51°34′59″N 000°01′11″W
• ^map 2 Blackhorse Road – 51°35′13″N 000°02′29″W
• ^map 3 Tottenham Hale – 51°35′18″N 000°03′35″W
• ^map 4 Seven Sisters – 51°34′56″N 000°04′31″W
• ^map 5 Finsbury Park – 51°33′53″N 000°06′23″W
• ^map 6 Highbury & Islington – 51°32′45″N 000°06′18″W
• ^map 7 King's Cross St. Pancras – 51°31′49″N 000°07′27″W
• ^map 8 Euston – 51°31′42″N 000°07′59″W
• ^map 9 Warren Street – 51°31′29″N 000°08′18″W

• ^map 10 Oxford Circus – 51°30′55″N 000°08′30″W
• ^map 11 Green Park – 51°30′24″N 000°08′34″W
• ^map 12 London Victoria – 51°29′48″N 000°08′41″W
• ^map 13 Pimlico – 51°29′22″N 000°08′00″W
• ^map 14 Vauxhall – 51°29′07″N 000°07′22″W
• ^map 15 Stockwell – 51°28′21″N 000°07′20″W
• ^map 16 Brixton – 51°27′45″N 000°06′54″W
• ^map 17 Northumberland Park Depot – 51°36′04″N 000°03′11″W

External links

• "Victoria line facts". Transport for London. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/modesoftransport/londonunderground/keyfacts/13176.aspx. Retrieved 2 November 2011. 
• "Victoria line". Clive's UndergrounD Line Guides. 30 December 2007. http://www.davros.org/rail/culg/victoria.html. Retrieved 11 July 2008. 
• "Automatic Train Operation on the Victoria Line". Tube Prune. 15 March 2003. http://www.trainweb.org/tubeprune/Victoria%20Line%20ATO.htm. Retrieved 11 July 2008. 
• "BCV (Bakerloo, Central & Victoria) Upgrade". Alwaystouchout.com. 8 September 2006. http://www.alwaystouchout.com/project/40. Retrieved 11 July 2008. 

• London Transport Museum Poster Archive – images of the station tiling motifs:

• Brixton
• Stockwell
• Vauxhall
• Pimlico
• Victoria
• Green Park (2nd version)

• Oxford Circus (2nd version)
• Warren Street
• Euston
• King's Cross St. Pancras
• Highbury & Islington

• Finsbury Park
• Seven Sisters
• Tottenham Hale
• Blackhorse Road
• Walthamstow Central