Victoria line

Infobox TfL line
Line=Victoria
ColourName=Light Blue
TextColour=White
YearOpened=1968
DeepOrSurface=Deep Tube
RollingStock=1967 Tube Stock
StationsServed=16
LengthKm=21
LengthMiles=13.25
AnnualPassengers=161,319,000
Depots=Northumberland Park

The Victoria line is part of the London Underground system and is a deep-level line running from the south-west to the north-east of London. It is coloured light blue on the Tube map and is the busiest line on the network, [cite web|url=http://www.metronetrail.com/default.asp?sID=1118413495531|title=Northumberland Park Depot|publisher=Metronet Rail|accessdate=2008-06-30] [cite web|url=http://www.trainweb.org/tubeprune/Statistics.htm|title=Tube Prune LU Statistics|date=2003-04-21|publisher=Tube Prune|accessdate=2008-06-30] in terms of how many passengers it carries per annum. It is the only line on the Underground, except for the two-stop Waterloo & City line, where the entire line is operated underground, with the only section of track to emerge above ground being the route to the depot from Seven Sisters to Northumberland Park.

History

Construction began in 1962 and lasted until 1972, when Pimlico station was opened. A test tunnel from Tottenham to Manor House under Seven Sisters Road had been constructed in 1959 and this was later integrated into the running tunnels.

The name "Victoria line" dates back to 1955; other suggestions were "Walvic line" (Walthamstow - Victoria) and "Viking line" (Victoria - King's Cross). Legend has it that a person in the planning department remarked that "Victoria line" sounded "just right" at which point it was adopted as the working title of the new line.

The Victoria 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 past Walthamstow Central to Wood Street (Walthamstow), where it would surface to terminate next to the British Railways station. However, a late decision in 1961, saw the line cut back to Walthamstow (Hoe Street) station which was later renamed Walthamstow Central in 1968.

Each 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 it. In some cases this was achieved by placing the Victoria line platforms on either side of the existing station, while in others the Victoria line uses one of the older platforms and the existing line was diverted into a new platform.

At Euston, northbound Victoria and Northern line (Bank branch) trains run along adjacent platforms, although they are in fact, travelling in opposite directions. "Same-direction" cross-platform interchanges are available at Stockwell (with the Northern line), Oxford Circus (with the Bakerloo 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 a non-descript cool blue/grey colour fashionable at the time. Each station was decorated with tiled motifs on seating recesses to distinguish them from each other. During the construction of the Jubilee line in the late 1970's, the original motifs on Green Park station were replaced by motifs matching the new design for the Jubilee line platforms.

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 September 1, 1968. The first train left Walthamstow Central for Highbury & Islington at about 6.30am. Later that year, the section between Highbury and Warren Street was opened, again without ceremony.

The official opening ceremony took place at Victoria station on March 7 1969, The Queen unveiled a commemorative plaque on the station concourse. After a short ceremony, she purchased a 5d (five old pence) (2.08p) ticket and travelled to Green Park. Princess Alexandra opened the Brixton extension on July 23 1971, also making a journey from Brixton tube station to Vauxhall.

Service and rolling stock

Trains run every two to two and a half minutes during peak periods. In normal service, all trains run from Brixton to Seven Sisters, roughly two out of three continuing to Walthamstow Central [cite web|url=http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/user/XSLT_SEL_STT_REQUEST?sessionID=0&language=en&mode=line&linePreSel=tfl:25:*&linePreSel=tfl:63:*|title=Journey Planner timetables|publisher=Transport for London|accessdate=2008-06-30] .

The Victoria line is served by a fleet of 43 1967 Tube Stock trains. Each is made up of two four-car units. 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 there. This system has been in place since the line opened in 1968, making the Victoria line the world's first full-scale automatic railway. [Although the system was tested on the Tube on a smaller scale before that, initially on a short section of the District line; then a larger trial was carried out on the Central line between Woodford and Hainault. See:
*
*
*]

The future

The 1967 stock is due for replacement over the next few years as part of Transport for London's 5-year £10 billion redevelopment project. The replacement for the line's 1967 Tube Stock will be the 2009 Tube Stock built by Bombardier Transportation. The first prototypes were built in 2006 and will be tested in service from 2008, with the main fleet entering service between 2009 and 2012. The signalling will also be replaced with a more modern ATO system from Westinghouse Rail Systems during the Victoria line upgrade.

When the Victoria line was constructed, severe budget restrictions were imposed and as a result the station infrastructure standards were lower than on older lines and on later extension projects. Examples of these lower standards include narrower than usual platforms and undecorated ceilings at Walthamstow Central, Blackhorse Road and Tottenham Hale, adversely affecting lighting levels. At most stations between the up and down escalators there is a concrete staircase where an additional escalator could be installed, but hasn't been fitted, which can cause severe congestion at peak times. In addition, there have been station closures for safety reasons, when both escalators have been unserviceable. Over many years, heavy equipment has been installed in unsightly fenced-off sections at the ends of platforms owing to the lack of anywhere else to install them. It is not clear from Transport for London's Five-Year Investment Programme whether these shortcomings are likely to be remedied.

Supporters of Tottenham Hotspur (and the club itself) have campaigned for a surface station to be opened next to Northumberland Park Station, adjacent to the line's depot. This would provide an improvement in transport links, seen as essential if the club's wish to redevelop their ground and increase crowd capacity is to become a reality. The idea was looked into but Network Rail own the necessary land and need it for their own expansion plans. [cite web | url = https://tube-tfl.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/tube_tfl.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=1981&p_created=1123516321&p_sid=JgSx4KXi&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=1981&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MiZwX3Byb2RzPSZwX2NhdHM9JnBfcHY9JnBfY3Y9JnBfc2VhcmNoX3R5cGU9YW5zd2Vycy5zZWFyY2hfZm5sJnBfcGFnZT0xJnBfc2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9bm9ydGh1bWJlcmxhbmQ*&p_li=&p_topview=1 | title = Have/would we consider extending the Victoria line to Northumberland Park? | work = Transport for London | accessdate = 2008-02-07]

If the Chelsea-Hackney line is built then it will relieve a lot of congestion on the Victoria line, offering an alternative route across Central London between Victoria and King's Cross.

Map

The [http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/victoria.pdf TFL line diagram] is available online.

Stations

"With list of Motifs on platforms"
* Walthamstow Central rail-interchange|gb|rail, opened September 1, 1968. "Motif: William Morris pattern by Julia Black."
* Blackhorse Road rail-interchange|london|overground, opened September 1, 1968. "Motif: A Black Horse by Hans Unger."
* Tottenham Hale rail-interchange|gb|rail Access icon opened September 1, 1968. "Motif: A ferry punt by Edward Bawden - referencing the station's location on Ferry Lane and the former ferry crossing."
* Seven Sisters rail-interchange|gb|rail, opened September 1, 1968. "Motif: Seven Elm trees on green background by Hans Unger."
* Finsbury Park rail-interchange|gb|rail, opened September 1, 1968. "Motif: Crossed duelling pistols by Tom Eckersley - referencing the park's use as a duelling venue."
* Highbury & Islington rail-interchange|london|overground rail-interchange|gb|rail, opened September 1, 1968. "Motif: Manor House on Highbury Hill by Edward Bawden."
* King's Cross St. Pancras rail-interchange|gb|rail, opened December 1, 1968. "Motif: Five crowns in a cross on a blue background by Tom Eckersley."
* Euston rail-interchange|london|overground rail-interchange|gb|rail, opened December 1, 1968. "Motif: Doric Arch at Euston station by Tom Eckersley."
* Warren Street, opened December 1, 1968. "Motif: A maze or "Warren" by Alan Fletcher."
* Oxford Circus, opened March 7, 1969. "Original motif: Abstract pattern in a circle with line colours of Bakerloo, Central and Victoria lines by Hans Unger. Second motif from 1984: Snakes and Ladders."
* Green Park, opened March 7, 1969. "Original motif: Green dots representing trees in Green Park by Hans Unger. Second motif from 1986: Leaves by June Fraser."
* Victoria rail-interchange|gb|rail (rail-interchange|air Trains to Gatwick), opened March 7, 1969 "Motif: Blue cameo of Queen Victoria on pink background by Edward Bawden."
* Pimlico, opened September 14, 1972. "Motif: A pattern of varied sized spots by Peter Sedgely - references modern art at the nearby Tate Gallery."
* Vauxhall rail-interchange|gb|rail, opened July 23, 1971. "Motif: Old Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens by George Smith."
* Stockwell, opened July 23, 1971. "Motif: The Swan by Abram Games - references the name of a pub nearby."
* Brixton rail-interchange|gb|rail Access icon opened July 23, 1971. "Motif: A ton of Bricks by Hans Unger."

Gallery

Depot

* Northumberland Park Depot

References

External links

*cite web|url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/corporate/modesoftransport/tube/linefacts/?line=victoria|title=Victoria line facts|publisher=Transport for London|accessdate=2008-07-11
*cite web|url=http://www.davros.org/rail/culg/victoria.html|title=Victoria line|date=2007-12-30|publisher=Clive's UndergrounD Line Guides|accessdate=2008-07-11
*cite web|url=http://www.trainweb.org/tubeprune/Victoria%20Line%20ATO.htm|title= Automatic Train Operation on the Victoria Line|date=2003-03-15|publisher=Tube Prune|accessdate=2008-07-11
*cite web|url=http://www.alwaystouchout.com/project/40|title=BCV (Bakerloo, Central & Victoria) Upgrade|date=2006-09-08|publisher=Alwaystouchout.com|accessdate=2008-07-11
* [http://photos.ltmcollection.org London Transport Museum Poster Archive] - images of the station tiling motifs::*ltmcollection|79/0959-79.jpg|Brixton:*ltmcollection|75/0959-75.jpg|Stockwell:*ltmcollection|82/0959-82.jpg|Vauxhall:*ltmcollection|81/0959-81.jpg|Pimlico:*ltmcollection|80/0959-80.jpg|Victoria:*ltmcollection|77/0959-77.jpg|Green Park (2nd version)
*ltmcollection|83/0959-83.jpg|Oxford Circus (2nd version)
*ltmcollection|84/0959-84.jpg|Warren Street
*ltmcollection|87/0959-87.jpg|Euston
*ltmcollection|88/0959-88.jpg|King's Cross St. Pancras
*ltmcollection|89/0959-89.jpg|Highbury & Islington
*ltmcollection|90/0959-90.jpg|Finsbury Park
*ltmcollection|78/0959-78.jpg|Seven Sisters
*ltmcollection|85/0959-85.jpg|Tottenham Hale
*ltmcollection|86/0959-86.jpg|Blackhorse Road
*ltmcollection|76/0959-76.jpg|Walthamstow Central