Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Piccadilly Line shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Piccadilly Line offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Piccadilly Line at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Piccadilly Line? Wrong! If the Piccadilly Line is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Piccadilly Line then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Piccadilly Line? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Piccadilly Line and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Piccadilly Line wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Piccadilly Line then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Piccadilly Line site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Piccadilly Line, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Piccadilly Line, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
{{Infobox TfL line|Line=Piccadilly|ColourName=Blue|TextColour=White|YearOpened=1906|DeepOrSurface=Deep Tube|RollingStock=
London Underground 1973 Stock|StationsServed=52|LengthKm=71|LengthMiles=44.3|AnnualPassengers=176,177,000|Depots=
CockfostersNorthfields tube station|-->The
Piccadilly Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured
blue on the Tube map. It is the third busiest line on the Underground. It is mainly a deep-level line running from the north to the west of London via Zone 1, with significant surface running sections in its outer parts. Out of the 53 stations served, 25 are underground.
History
The beginnings
The Piccadilly line began as the
Great Northern, Piccadilly & Brompton Railway (GNP&BR), one of several railways controlled by the
Underground Electric Railways Company (UERL), whose chief director was Charles Yerkes, although he died before any of his schemes came to fruition.
In
1902 there had been 26
Bill (proposed law) before Parliament of the United Kingdom to construct tube railways in London, many of them proposing competing routes and it required a
British House of Commons#Committees to decide on the most worthy of them as far as the Piccadilly line was concerned.
The scheme eventually agreed involved the amalgamation of two of the planned tube railways, the Great Northern and Strand Railway (GN&SR) and the Brompton and Piccadilly Circus Railway (B&PCR), and the taking over of a
Metropolitan and Metropolitan District Railways#Metropolitan District Railway scheme for a deep-level tube line between South Kensington tube station and
Earl's Court tube station (approved in
1897 but not built). A connecting section between
Piccadilly Circus tube station and Holborn tube station was also added to link the GN&SR and B&PCR.
When the GNP&BR was formally opened on 15 December
1906, the line ran from the
Northern City Line terminus at Finsbury Park station to the District Railway's station at
Hammersmith tube station (Piccadilly & District Line).
On
30 November 1907 the short branch from Holborn tube station to the Strand (later renamed Aldwych tube station) opened. This had been planned as the last section of the GN&SR before the amalgamation with the B&PR was made; in 1905 (and again in 1965) plans were made to extend it the short distance south under the River Thames to Waterloo Station, but this was never to come about. Although built with twin tunnels, single-line shuttle working became the norm from 1918, with the eastern tunnel closed to traffic.
Later changes
On
1 July 1910 the GNP&BR and the other UERL owned railways (the Bakerloo line, the Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway and the District Railway) were merged by private Act of Parliament to become the
"London Electric Railway Company".
On 10 December
1928 a new
Piccadilly Circus tube station, which included a sub-surface booking hall and 11 escalators, was opened. This was the start of a considerable development over the whole of the Railway, which included a comprehensive programme of station enlargement on the same basis as at Piccadilly Circus.
Cockfosters extension
From the 1920s onwards there had been severe congestion at the line's northern terminus, Finsbury Park station, where travellers had to change on to trams and buses for destinations in North London and North East London. There had been deputations made to Parliament, asking for an early extension of the line either towards
Tottenham and
Edmonton, London or towards Wood Green and
Palmers Green. The early 1930s was a time of recession, and in order to relieve unemployment Government capital was made available. The chief features of the scheme were an
Piccadilly line Cockfosters extension northwards from Finsbury Park to
Cockfosters tube station. It was also planned to build a station between Manor House and Turnpike Lane at the junction of
Green Lanes and St Ann's Rd in Harringay, but this was stopped by
Frank Pick who felt that the bus & tram service at this point was adequate. However, a 'Ventilation Station', in similar architectural style to tube stations of the time was provided at the site, and is visible today. There was also some opposition from the London and North Eastern Railway to the line. The extension is in tube from Finsbury Park to a point a little south of
Arnos Grove tube station. The total length of the extension is 12 km (7.7 miles): it cost £4 million to build and was opened in sections as follows:
- 19 September 1932: to Arnos Grove
- 13 March 1933: to Oakwood tube station
- 19 July 1933: completion to Cockfosters
Westward extensions
- to Uxbridge: the District Railway had operated services to Uxbridge since 1910. The District services were taken over by the Piccadilly line:
- 4 July 1932: extended from Hammersmith tube station to South Harrow tube station
- 23 October 1933 (after formation of the London's transport history from 1933): to Uxbridge
- to Hounslow: the line from Acton Town tube station was quadrupled to Northfields tube station on 18 December 1932 and the Piccadilly line was extended:
- 9 January 1933: to Northfields
- 13 March 1933: to Hounslow West tube station
These extensions are notable for the Art Deco architecture of many of their stations, often designed by
Charles Holden.
At one time there was an intention to run Piccadilly line trains over the branch towards Richmond. The subways which were to carry these tracks are still visible from the eastbound lines on the approach to Turnham Green. This is why the existing westbound Piccadilly line track is carried above the level of the District line, though this is not necessary for the eastbound District lines trains from Richmond to reach the District main line.
Victoria line
During the planning stages of the Victoria line, a proposal was put forward to transfer Manor House station to the Victoria line, and also to build new "direct" tunnels from Finsbury Park to Turnpike Lane station, thereby cutting the journey time in and out of Central London. This idea was eventually shelved due to the inconvenience to passengers that would have been caused during re-building, as well as the costs of the new tunnels. Even so, the Piccadilly line was still affected at Finsbury Park by the construction of the Victoria line. The westbound service was re-directed through new tunnels, to give cross-platform interchange with the Victoria line on the platforms previously used by the
Northern City Line. This work was completed in 1965, and the diversion came into use on 3 October 1965, three years before the opening of the first stage of the Victoria line.
Heathrow extension
In 1975 a new tunnel section was opened to Hatton Cross tube station from Hounslow West. Hounslow West tube station became a tunnel section station. In 1977, the branch was extended to
Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 tube station. This station was renamed Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 in
1984, with the opening of a one-way loop serving Heathrow Terminal 4 tube station, to the south of the central terminal area.
From
7 January 2005 to
17 September 2006, the loop via Heathrow Terminal 4 was closed to allow the connection of a spur line to the future Heathrow Terminal 5 station. All underground services reverted to two-way working into Terminals 1, 2 and 3, which again became the temporary terminus; shuttle buses served Terminal 4 from the Hatton Cross bus station. For a brief period in the summer of 2006, the line terminated at Hatton Cross and shuttle buses also ran to Terminals 1,2,3 while the track configuration and tunnels were altered for the Terminal 5 link from that station. The extension to Terminal 5 is currently dubbed "PiccEx", an abbreviation of "Piccadilly line Extension". The station at Terminal 5 is due to open in March 2008. {{cite web | title = Tube one step closer for Heathrow Terminal 5
| publisher = [Transport for London
| date = 14 September 2006
| url = http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/press-centre/press-releases/press-releases-content.asp?prID=895
| accessdate = 2006-10-29 -->
The Heathrow Loop Confusion
During normal operation, one of the most confusing aspects of the Heathrow loop for visitors to the capital is that the two stations are served by the Piccadilly line in reverse order. This means that trains call first at Heathrow Terminal 4, before terminating at Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3.
In addition to this, because the Heathrow loop only operates in one direction there is no direct link via the Piccadilly line that enables passengers to travel from Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 to Heathrow Terminal 4 without first having to change trains at Hatton Cross. In more recent years, this situation has been alleviated by the introduction of the Heathrow Express service (not part of the Piccadilly Line), which operates a free shuttle between Terminals 1,2,3 and Terminal 4 without having to change trains.
To add to the confusion, the Heathrow Express serves Heathrow from London Paddington by first calling at Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3, before terminating at Heathrow Terminal 4.
2005 terrorist attack
On July 7 2005, a Piccadilly line train was attacked by suicide bomber Germaine Lindsay. The blast occurred at 08:50
British Summer Time while the train was travelling between King's Cross St. Pancras tube station and Russell Square tube station. It was part of a co-ordinated attack on London's transport network, and was synchronised with three other attacks — two on the Circle Line and one on a bus at
Tavistock Square. A relatively small high-explosive device, concealed in a rucksack, was used; the bomber died in the explosion.
The Piccadilly line bomb resulted in the largest number of fatalities, with 26 people reported killed. Evacuation proved to be more difficult as it is a deep level line, difficult for the emergency services to reach. The entire line remained closed for the rest of the day. Parts of the line re-opened on July 8, with no service between Hyde Park Corner tube station and Arnos Grove tube station, and full service was restored on August 4, exactly four weeks after the bomb.
Infrastructure
Rolling stock
Like virtually all Underground lines, the Piccadilly line is operated by a single type of rolling stock, in this case the
1973 tube stock, in the standard London Underground livery of blue, white and red. Seventy-six trains out of a fleet of 88 are needed to run the line's peak service, and one unit was severely damaged by the terrorist attack of 7 July
2005. While the stock was recently refurbished, it is due for replacement by 2014.
The line was previously worked by
1959 tube stock, 1956 tube stock, 1938 tube stock, standard tube stock and
London Underground 1906 Stock.
The line has two depots, at Northfields and Cockfosters. There are sidings at Oakwood, South Harrow, Arnos Grove, Rayners Lane, Down Street, Wood Green, Acton Town, Ruislip and Uxbridge. Oakwood and Arnos Grove are considered more dominant to the other sidings as trains run to and from them, especially the latter.
Signalling
The line is controlled from the control centre at Earl's Court, which it shares with the
District line. It is in need of resignalling, and this work is planned to be carried out by 2014.
Service pattern
The current service pattern is:
12tph Cockfosters - Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3
3tph Cockfosters - Uxbridge
3tph Cockfosters - Rayners Lane
6tph Arnos Grove - Northfields
(
tph = trains per hour, e.g. 3tph is a train every 20 minutes)
Half of the Uxbridge trains turn back at Rayners Lane - a 10-minute service runs between Acton and Rayners Lane, with a 20-minute service to Uxbridge (this section is supplemented by the
Metropolitan line).
Often late evening services terminate at Oakwood instead of Cockfosters.
Other services operate at times, especially at the start and towards the end of the traffic day.
Map
Stations
(In order from east to west.)
Cockfosters branch
Tunnel section commences
Original Section
- Finsbury Park station, opened December 15, 1906.
- Arsenal tube station, opened December 15, 1906 (as Gillespie Road); renamed Arsenal (Highbury Hill) October 31 1932; the suffix was later dropped.
- Holloway Road tube station, opened December 15, 1906.
- Caledonian Road tube station , opened December 15, 1906.
- King's Cross St. Pancras tube station, opened December 15, 1906 (as King's Cross); renamed King's Cross for St. Pancras 1927; renamed 1933.
- Russell Square tube station, opened December 15, 1906.
- Holborn tube station, opened December 15, 1906; renamed Holborn (Kingsway) May 22, 1933; the suffix was later dropped.
- Covent Garden tube station, opened April 11, 1907.
- Leicester Square tube station, opened December 15, 1906.
- Piccadilly Circus tube station, opened December 15, 1906.
- Green Park tube station, opened December 15, 1906 (as Dover Street); renamed September 18, 1933.
- Hyde Park Corner tube station, opened December 15, 1906.
- Knightsbridge tube station, opened December 15, 1906.
- South Kensington tube station, opened January 8, 1907.
- Gloucester Road tube station, opened December 15, 1906.
- Earl's Court tube station, opened December 15, 1906.
Tunnel section ends
Extension to Hounslow and Uxbridge
The line splits here into two branches — the
London Heathrow Airport branch and the Uxbridge branch.
Heathrow branch
(Continuing from Acton Town.)
Tunnel section recommences
Just beyond Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 tube station, the line will go into a new section to serve Heathrow Terminal 5 tube station, which is currently under construction. It is speculated that there will be an alternating train frequency between Terminal 4 and Terminal 5.
Uxbridge branch
(continued from Acton Town)
- Ealing Common tube station, first served July 4, 1932.
- North Ealing tube station, opened June 23, 1903 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932.
- Park Royal tube station, opened July 6, 1931 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932; renamed Park Royal (Hanger Hill) March 1, 1936; renamed 1947.
- Alperton tube station, opened June 28, 1903 (as Perivale-Alperton) by the District; renamed October 7, 1910; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932.
- Sudbury Town tube station , opened June 28, 1903 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932.
- Sudbury Hill tube station, opened June 28, 1903 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932.
- South Harrow tube station, opened June 28, 1903 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932; closed when re-located July 4, 1935; re-opened July 5, 1935.
- Rayners Lane tube station, opened March 1, 1910 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933 (from here to Uxbridge trains share track with Metropolitan Line, and some trains terminate here).
- Eastcote tube station, opened March 1, 1910 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933.
- Ruislip Manor tube station, opened August 5, 1912 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933.
- Ruislip tube station, opened March 1, 1910 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933 (some trains terminate here in Monday-Friday peak hours).
- Ickenham tube station, opened March 1, 1910 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933.
- Hillingdon tube station , opened December 10, 1923 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933; renamed Hillingdon (Swakeleys) April, 1934; the suffix was later dropped; closed when re-located December 5, 1992; re-opened December 6, 1992.
- Terminus: Uxbridge tube station , opened March 1, 1910 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933; closed when re-located December 3, 1938; re-opened December 4, 1938.
Closed stations
- Aldwych tube station opened on the 30 November 1907 as Strand. It was at the end of a branch line from the main line at Holborn tube station. From 1917 onwards it was served only by a shuttle from Holborn. In the same year it was renamed Aldwych. It was temporarily closed in 1940 during World War II to be used as an air-raid shelter. It re-opened in 1946. The possibility of extending the branch to Waterloo station was discussed but never proceeded.{{cite news
| title = More Tube Lines Discussed
| publisher = [The Times
| date = 27 April 1965 --> It was finally closed on 30 September [; the level of use was said to be too low to justify the £1 million estimated costs of complete lift replacement.
- Brompton Road tube station opened 15 December 1906; closed 30 July 1934, between Knightsbridge and South Kensington.
- Park Royal & Twyford Abbey tube station opened 23 June 1903; closed 5 July 1931. Although on the route of the current Piccadilly line a short distance north of the present Park Royal station, it was never served by Piccadilly line trains. It was opened by the District Line, the original operator of the line between Ealing Common and South Harrow, and was closed and replaced by the present Park Royal station before the Piccadilly line started running trains to South Harrow in 1932.
- York Road tube station opened 15 December 1906; closed 19 September 1932, between King's Cross St Pancras and Caledonian Road. It has been suggested {{cite web
| title = York Way Station
| publisher = alwaystouchout.com
| date = 11 January 2006
| url = http://www.alwaystouchout.com/project/50
| accessdate = 2006-10-29 --> that this station may be reopened to serve new developments on the nearby [King's Cross, London railway lands, although the number of passengers expected to use the station may not be high enough to justify the cost of refitting it to modern standards.
See also
Leslie Green — architect of the Great Northern, Piccadilly & Brompton Railway's early stations
External links
- Piccadilly Line - London Underground website
- Piccadilly Line - History of the Piccadilly Line
References
{{Infobox TfL line|Line=Piccadilly|ColourName=Blue|TextColour=White|YearOpened=1906|DeepOrSurface=Deep Tube|RollingStock=London Underground 1973 Stock|StationsServed=52|LengthKm=71|LengthMiles=44.3|AnnualPassengers=176,177,000|Depots=
CockfostersNorthfields tube station|-->The
Piccadilly Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured blue on the Tube map. It is the third busiest line on the Underground. It is mainly a deep-level line running from the north to the west of London via Zone 1, with significant surface running sections in its outer parts. Out of the 53 stations served, 25 are underground.
History
The beginnings
The Piccadilly line began as the
Great Northern, Piccadilly & Brompton Railway (GNP&BR), one of several railways controlled by the Underground Electric Railways Company (UERL), whose chief director was Charles Yerkes, although he died before any of his schemes came to fruition.
In
1902 there had been 26 Bill (proposed law) before
Parliament of the United Kingdom to construct tube railways in London, many of them proposing competing routes and it required a British House of Commons#Committees to decide on the most worthy of them as far as the Piccadilly line was concerned.
The scheme eventually agreed involved the amalgamation of two of the planned tube railways, the Great Northern and Strand Railway (GN&SR) and the Brompton and Piccadilly Circus Railway (B&PCR), and the taking over of a
Metropolitan and Metropolitan District Railways#Metropolitan District Railway scheme for a deep-level tube line between South Kensington tube station and
Earl's Court tube station (approved in 1897 but not built). A connecting section between
Piccadilly Circus tube station and
Holborn tube station was also added to link the GN&SR and B&PCR.
When the GNP&BR was formally opened on
15 December 1906, the line ran from the Northern City Line terminus at
Finsbury Park station to the District Railway's station at Hammersmith tube station (Piccadilly & District Line).
On
30 November 1907 the short branch from Holborn tube station to the Strand (later renamed Aldwych tube station) opened. This had been planned as the last section of the GN&SR before the amalgamation with the B&PR was made; in 1905 (and again in 1965) plans were made to extend it the short distance south under the River Thames to
Waterloo Station, but this was never to come about. Although built with twin tunnels, single-line shuttle working became the norm from
1918, with the eastern tunnel closed to traffic.
Later changes
On
1 July 1910 the GNP&BR and the other UERL owned railways (the
Bakerloo line, the
Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway and the District Railway) were merged by private Act of Parliament to become the
"London Electric Railway Company".
On
10 December 1928 a new
Piccadilly Circus tube station, which included a sub-surface booking hall and 11 escalators, was opened. This was the start of a considerable development over the whole of the Railway, which included a comprehensive programme of station enlargement on the same basis as at Piccadilly Circus.
Cockfosters extension
From the 1920s onwards there had been severe congestion at the line's northern terminus, Finsbury Park station, where travellers had to change on to trams and buses for destinations in North London and North East London. There had been deputations made to Parliament, asking for an early extension of the line either towards
Tottenham and
Edmonton, London or towards
Wood Green and
Palmers Green. The early
1930s was a time of recession, and in order to relieve unemployment Government capital was made available. The chief features of the scheme were an Piccadilly line Cockfosters extension northwards from Finsbury Park to
Cockfosters tube station. It was also planned to build a station between Manor House and Turnpike Lane at the junction of Green Lanes and St Ann's Rd in
Harringay, but this was stopped by Frank Pick who felt that the bus & tram service at this point was adequate. However, a 'Ventilation Station', in similar architectural style to tube stations of the time was provided at the site, and is visible today. There was also some opposition from the
London and North Eastern Railway to the line. The extension is in tube from Finsbury Park to a point a little south of Arnos Grove tube station. The total length of the extension is 12 km (7.7 miles): it cost £4 million to build and was opened in sections as follows:
- 19 September 1932: to Arnos Grove
- 13 March 1933: to Oakwood tube station
- 19 July 1933: completion to Cockfosters
Westward extensions
- to Uxbridge: the District Railway had operated services to Uxbridge since 1910. The District services were taken over by the Piccadilly line:
- to Hounslow: the line from Acton Town tube station was quadrupled to Northfields tube station on 18 December 1932 and the Piccadilly line was extended:
These extensions are notable for the
Art Deco architecture of many of their stations, often designed by
Charles Holden.
At one time there was an intention to run Piccadilly line trains over the branch towards Richmond. The subways which were to carry these tracks are still visible from the eastbound lines on the approach to Turnham Green. This is why the existing westbound Piccadilly line track is carried above the level of the District line, though this is not necessary for the eastbound District lines trains from Richmond to reach the District main line.
Victoria line
During the planning stages of the Victoria line, a proposal was put forward to transfer Manor House station to the Victoria line, and also to build new "direct" tunnels from Finsbury Park to Turnpike Lane station, thereby cutting the journey time in and out of Central London. This idea was eventually shelved due to the inconvenience to passengers that would have been caused during re-building, as well as the costs of the new tunnels. Even so, the Piccadilly line was still affected at Finsbury Park by the construction of the Victoria line. The westbound service was re-directed through new tunnels, to give cross-platform interchange with the Victoria line on the platforms previously used by the Northern City Line. This work was completed in 1965, and the diversion came into use on
3 October 1965, three years before the opening of the first stage of the Victoria line.
Heathrow extension
In 1975 a new tunnel section was opened to Hatton Cross tube station from Hounslow West.
Hounslow West tube station became a tunnel section station. In
1977, the branch was extended to Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 tube station. This station was renamed Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 in 1984, with the opening of a one-way loop serving Heathrow Terminal 4 tube station, to the south of the central terminal area.
From 7 January 2005 to
17 September 2006, the loop via Heathrow Terminal 4 was closed to allow the connection of a spur line to the future
Heathrow Terminal 5 station. All underground services reverted to two-way working into Terminals 1, 2 and 3, which again became the temporary terminus; shuttle buses served Terminal 4 from the Hatton Cross bus station. For a brief period in the summer of 2006, the line terminated at Hatton Cross and shuttle buses also ran to Terminals 1,2,3 while the track configuration and tunnels were altered for the Terminal 5 link from that station. The extension to Terminal 5 is currently dubbed "PiccEx", an abbreviation of "Piccadilly line Extension". The station at Terminal 5 is due to open in March 2008. {{cite web | title = Tube one step closer for Heathrow Terminal 5
| publisher = [Transport for London
| date = 14 September 2006
| url = http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/press-centre/press-releases/press-releases-content.asp?prID=895
| accessdate = 2006-10-29 -->
The Heathrow Loop Confusion
During normal operation, one of the most confusing aspects of the Heathrow loop for visitors to the capital is that the two stations are served by the Piccadilly line in reverse order. This means that trains call first at Heathrow Terminal 4, before terminating at Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3.
In addition to this, because the Heathrow loop only operates in one direction there is no direct link via the Piccadilly line that enables passengers to travel from Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 to Heathrow Terminal 4 without first having to change trains at Hatton Cross. In more recent years, this situation has been alleviated by the introduction of the Heathrow Express service (not part of the Piccadilly Line), which operates a free shuttle between Terminals 1,2,3 and Terminal 4 without having to change trains.
To add to the confusion, the Heathrow Express serves Heathrow from London Paddington by first calling at Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3, before terminating at Heathrow Terminal 4.
2005 terrorist attack
On
July 7 2005, a Piccadilly line train was attacked by suicide bomber Germaine Lindsay. The blast occurred at 08:50 British Summer Time while the train was travelling between King's Cross St. Pancras tube station and Russell Square tube station. It was part of a co-ordinated attack on London's transport network, and was synchronised with three other attacks — two on the Circle Line and one on a bus at
Tavistock Square. A relatively small high-explosive device, concealed in a rucksack, was used; the bomber died in the explosion.
The Piccadilly line bomb resulted in the largest number of fatalities, with 26 people reported killed. Evacuation proved to be more difficult as it is a deep level line, difficult for the emergency services to reach. The entire line remained closed for the rest of the day. Parts of the line re-opened on
July 8, with no service between Hyde Park Corner tube station and Arnos Grove tube station, and full service was restored on
August 4, exactly four weeks after the bomb.
Infrastructure
Rolling stock
Like virtually all Underground lines, the Piccadilly line is operated by a single type of rolling stock, in this case the 1973 tube stock, in the standard London Underground livery of blue, white and red. Seventy-six trains out of a fleet of 88 are needed to run the line's peak service, and one unit was severely damaged by the terrorist attack of
7 July 2005. While the stock was recently refurbished, it is due for replacement by 2014.
The line was previously worked by 1959 tube stock,
1956 tube stock, 1938 tube stock,
standard tube stock and London Underground 1906 Stock.
The line has two depots, at Northfields and Cockfosters. There are sidings at Oakwood, South Harrow, Arnos Grove, Rayners Lane, Down Street, Wood Green, Acton Town, Ruislip and Uxbridge. Oakwood and Arnos Grove are considered more dominant to the other sidings as trains run to and from them, especially the latter.
Signalling
The line is controlled from the control centre at Earl's Court, which it shares with the
District line. It is in need of resignalling, and this work is planned to be carried out by 2014.
Service pattern
The current service pattern is:
12tph Cockfosters - Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3
3tph Cockfosters - Uxbridge
3tph Cockfosters - Rayners Lane
6tph Arnos Grove - Northfields
(
tph = trains per hour, e.g. 3tph is a train every 20 minutes)
Half of the Uxbridge trains turn back at Rayners Lane - a 10-minute service runs between Acton and Rayners Lane, with a 20-minute service to Uxbridge (this section is supplemented by the
Metropolitan line).
Often late evening services terminate at Oakwood instead of Cockfosters.
Other services operate at times, especially at the start and towards the end of the traffic day.
Map
Stations
(In order from east to west.)
Cockfosters branch
- Cockfosters tube station, opened July 31, 1933.
- Oakwood tube station, opened March 13, 1933 (as Enfield West); renamed Enfield West (Oakwood) May 3 1934; renamed September 1 1946.
- Southgate tube station, opened March 13, 1933 (in deep-level tunnel).
- Arnos Grove tube station, opened September 19, 1932.
Tunnel section commences
Original Section
- Finsbury Park station, opened December 15, 1906.
- Arsenal tube station, opened December 15, 1906 (as Gillespie Road); renamed Arsenal (Highbury Hill) October 31 1932; the suffix was later dropped.
- Holloway Road tube station, opened December 15, 1906.
- Caledonian Road tube station , opened December 15, 1906.
- King's Cross St. Pancras tube station, opened December 15, 1906 (as King's Cross); renamed King's Cross for St. Pancras 1927; renamed 1933.
- Russell Square tube station, opened December 15, 1906.
- Holborn tube station, opened December 15, 1906; renamed Holborn (Kingsway) May 22, 1933; the suffix was later dropped.
- Covent Garden tube station, opened April 11, 1907.
- Leicester Square tube station, opened December 15, 1906.
- Piccadilly Circus tube station, opened December 15, 1906.
- Green Park tube station, opened December 15, 1906 (as Dover Street); renamed September 18, 1933.
- Hyde Park Corner tube station, opened December 15, 1906.
- Knightsbridge tube station, opened December 15, 1906.
- South Kensington tube station, opened January 8, 1907.
- Gloucester Road tube station, opened December 15, 1906.
- Earl's Court tube station, opened December 15, 1906.
Tunnel section ends
Extension to Hounslow and Uxbridge
The line splits here into two branches — the London Heathrow Airport branch and the Uxbridge branch.
Heathrow branch
(Continuing from Acton Town.)
Tunnel section recommences
Just beyond Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 tube station, the line will go into a new section to serve Heathrow Terminal 5 tube station, which is currently under construction. It is speculated that there will be an alternating train frequency between Terminal 4 and Terminal 5.
Uxbridge branch
(continued from Acton Town)
- Ealing Common tube station, first served July 4, 1932.
- North Ealing tube station, opened June 23, 1903 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932.
- Park Royal tube station, opened July 6, 1931 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932; renamed Park Royal (Hanger Hill) March 1, 1936; renamed 1947.
- Alperton tube station, opened June 28, 1903 (as Perivale-Alperton) by the District; renamed October 7, 1910; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932.
- Sudbury Town tube station , opened June 28, 1903 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932.
- Sudbury Hill tube station, opened June 28, 1903 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932.
- South Harrow tube station, opened June 28, 1903 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932; closed when re-located July 4, 1935; re-opened July 5, 1935.
- Rayners Lane tube station, opened March 1, 1910 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933 (from here to Uxbridge trains share track with Metropolitan Line, and some trains terminate here).
- Eastcote tube station, opened March 1, 1910 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933.
- Ruislip Manor tube station, opened August 5, 1912 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933.
- Ruislip tube station, opened March 1, 1910 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933 (some trains terminate here in Monday-Friday peak hours).
- Ickenham tube station, opened March 1, 1910 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933.
- Hillingdon tube station , opened December 10, 1923 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933; renamed Hillingdon (Swakeleys) April, 1934; the suffix was later dropped; closed when re-located December 5, 1992; re-opened December 6, 1992.
- Terminus: Uxbridge tube station , opened March 1, 1910 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933; closed when re-located December 3, 1938; re-opened December 4, 1938.
Closed stations
- Aldwych tube station opened on the 30 November 1907 as Strand. It was at the end of a branch line from the main line at Holborn tube station. From 1917 onwards it was served only by a shuttle from Holborn. In the same year it was renamed Aldwych. It was temporarily closed in 1940 during World War II to be used as an air-raid shelter. It re-opened in 1946. The possibility of extending the branch to Waterloo station was discussed but never proceeded.{{cite news
| title = More Tube Lines Discussed
| publisher = [The Times
| date = 27 April 1965 --> It was finally closed on 30 September [; the level of use was said to be too low to justify the £1 million estimated costs of complete lift replacement.
- Down Street tube station opened 15 December 1906; closed 21 May 1932, between Green Park and Hyde Park Corner.
- Park Royal & Twyford Abbey tube station opened 23 June 1903; closed 5 July 1931. Although on the route of the current Piccadilly line a short distance north of the present Park Royal station, it was never served by Piccadilly line trains. It was opened by the District Line, the original operator of the line between Ealing Common and South Harrow, and was closed and replaced by the present Park Royal station before the Piccadilly line started running trains to South Harrow in 1932.
- York Road tube station opened 15 December 1906; closed 19 September 1932, between King's Cross St Pancras and Caledonian Road. It has been suggested {{cite web
| title = York Way Station
| publisher = alwaystouchout.com
| date = 11 January 2006
| url = http://www.alwaystouchout.com/project/50
| accessdate = 2006-10-29 --> that this station may be reopened to serve new developments on the nearby [King's Cross, London railway lands, although the number of passengers expected to use the station may not be high enough to justify the cost of refitting it to modern standards.
See also
Leslie Green — architect of the Great Northern, Piccadilly & Brompton Railway's early stations
External links
- Piccadilly Line - London Underground website
- Piccadilly Line - History of the Piccadilly Line
References
Live travel news | Transport for London
Current Piccadilly line status Good service in operation. Other planned works taking place
Piccadilly line
Piccadilly line
CULG - Piccadilly Line
Clive's UndergrounD Line Guides "'Then there was an 'issing sound and a voice said "Minador"'" - The Scarlet Capsule The Goon Show. Piccadilly Line
The Northern Heights
The Northern Heights. Wednesday 31st March 2004 a walk up what's now known as the Parkland Walk. This walk is over the old Great Northern line from Kings Cross to High Barnet ...
LONDON UNDERGROUND - PICCADILLY LINE
Colour - Pantone 072 blue (darker than Victoria) Starting in the West. The line has two branches which join at Acton Town: Heathrow Branch; Uxbridge Branch
New Page 1
A Very Good Day to you and Welcome to.... www.piccadilly-line.org.uk! Battery Loco L49 Heading Towards Ruislip from Platform 6 At Harrow on the Hill
Piccadilly line - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, coloured dark blue on the Tube map. It is the third busiest line on the Underground network judged by its passengers per ...
Piccadilly Line (Cockfosters to Heathrow)
Information about rail route Piccadilly Line (Cockfosters to Heathrow)
Amazon.co.uk: The Piccadilly Line: Desmond Croome: Books
Amazon.co.uk: The Piccadilly Line: Desmond Croome: Books ... Price: £5.95 & eligible for Free UK delivery on orders over £15 with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
LONDON UNDERGROUND - PICCADILLY LINE (HEATHROW BRANCH)
Colour - Pantone 072 blue (darker than Victoria) New Routes to Heathrow Airport. Since the opening of Heathrow Terminal 5 on Thursday, 27 March 2008, the Piccadilly Line now ...