Metropolitan Line
|
|
| Lines of the London Underground | |
| Bakerloo | |
| Central | |
| Circle | |
| District | |
| East London | |
| Hammersmith & City | |
| Jubilee | |
| Metropolitan | |
| Northern | |
| Piccadilly | |
| Victoria | |
| Waterloo & City | |
| Docklands Light Railway | |
| Tramlink | |
The Metropolitan Line is an integral part of the London Underground. It was the first Underground line, and thus the first subway in the world, opening on January 10, 1863 (however, that initial section now belongs to the Hammersmith & City Line). The main line runs from Aldgate in the City of London to Amersham, with branch lines to Uxbridge, Watford and Chesham. For the initial section of the Line the rails are in tunnel for much of the way; beyond Baker Street, at Finchley Road the Line runs in the open.
The four-track layout for part of the distance - between Baker Street and Moor Park - allows for the running of fast (express) services to the outer suburbs. Baker Street is the terminus for many trains, but others complete their journeys into the City to either Moorgate (where there are terminal platforms) or Aldgate.
| Contents |
History
- see Main Article Metropolitan and Metropolitan District Railways
The origins of the Metropolitan Line lie with the incorporation, in 1853, of the North Metropolitan Railway, the original name of the Metropolitan Railway, which railway had been empowered, with the Metropolitan District Railway to complete an Inner Circle of railways in London. The first section was opened from near Paddington to Farringdon Street (now Farringdon station) in January 1863; work on the railway had begun in February 1860 using the "cut-and-cover" method of construction. This caused massive traffic disruption in north London: during the work the Fleet Sewer bursting into the diggings, flooding the partly-built tunnel.
Another major change took place in 1988, when the Hammersmith & City Line and East London Line – which already had well-defined individual identities – were split off from the Metropolitan Line to be run separately. The Metropolitan Line is now confined to its northern extension from Baker Street plus its original track to Aldgate, running through the tunnels opened by the Metropolitan Railway back in 1868. The Metropolitan and East London Lines use the same trains and are still physically linked, although there is no longer a passenger interchange.
In 1998, the Metropolitan Line was partly privatised in a controversial Public-Private Partnership. It is now part of the "Sub-Surface Railways" group, managed along with the Circle, Hammersmith & City and District lines by the Metronet consortium.
The Metropolitan Line's influence on underground railways worldwide has been immense. The Paris Metro took its name, in full Chemin de fer métropolitain - from the Metropolitan Line. This is the origin of the term metro.
Stations
in order from east to west
Shared Circle Line track and main branch
- Terminus: Aldgate
- Liverpool Street
- Moorgate
- Barbican
- Farringdon
- King's Cross St. Pancras
- Euston Square
- Great Portland Street (after this station no longer shares track with Circle Line)
- Baker Street
- Finchley Road
- Wembley Park
- Preston Road
- Northwick Park
- Harrow-on-the-Hill
The line splits here into two branches - the Uxbridge branch and the Northwood branch.
Uxbridge Branch
(continuing from Harrow on the Hill)
Northwood Branch
(continuing from Harrow on the Hill)
The line splits here into two branches -- the main line towards Amersham and the Watford branch.
Watford Branch
(continuing from Moor Park)
Towards Amersham
(continuing from Moor Park)
From Chalfont and Latimer station trains can go to Amersham (as the majority do) or to Chesham. Only in peak hours do trains run through to Chesham; at all other times passengers must change onto the shuttle service running between Chalfont & Latimer and Chesham.
Current service pattern
- Off-peak service pattern: The current off-peak service pattern is as follows:
- 6tph Uxbridge - Aldgate (all stations)
- 6tph Watford - Baker Street (all stations)
- 4tph Amersham - Baker Street (all stations to Moor Park, then Harrow-on-the-Hill, Wembley Park and Finchley Road only. This section is also run by 2tph Chiltern Railways trains to and from Aylesbury, providing a 6tph service between Amersham and London.
- 2tph Chesham - Chalfont & Latimer
- (tph=trains per hour)
- Peak hours*
The Metropolitan line, unlike other London Underground lines, operates fast train services during peak hours. (The Piccadilly Line runs a fast service between Hammersmith and Turnham Green/Acton Town, but this operates round the clock, since the intermediate stations do not have platform faces on the Piccadilly tracks). There are also through trains to Aldgate from Watford/Amersham; semi-fasts to Watford/Uxbridge not stopping at Northwick Park or Preston Road; and through trains to Chesham. There are also a few early-morning/late-evening trains from Rickmansworth to Watford.
Future Plans
Transport for London and Hertfordshire County Council are developing plans to divert the line from the current Watford station and re-route it over the disused Croxley Green branch line to Watford Junction. New stations would be provided at Ascot Road and Watford West. See for details (http://tube.tfl.gov.uk/content/about/pastfuture/croxley.asp)
External links
- Metropolitan Line (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tube/company/linefacts/?line=metropolitan) - London Underground website
- Clive's Underground Line Guide - Metropolitan Line (http://www.davros.org/rail/culg/metropolitan.html)
- The Metropolitan Line (http://www.metroland.org.uk/)de:Metropolitan Line
Categories: London Underground | Hillingdon | Harrow | Brent | Camden | Westminster | Islington | City of London