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Railfanning London‘s Railways

Visitors to London who are also transport enthusiasts (‘railfans’) sometimes ask for advice as to the ‘best’ things to see on London’s railway network. Typically they mean the London Transport railways, or in other words the underground (subway, metro) and whilst the information below is primarily about that it also briefly looks at the wider railway scene within London. This is especially important as there are many instances of interworking and shared services with London's other railway systems - the mainline railway (National Rail), the Docklands Light Railway and Croydon / London Tramlink.

This guide is primarily about present day services, so historical information is only included where it helps explain aspects of the transport network as it is today.

The UndergrounD railway uses trains of two distinctive sizes, these being the small profile ‘tube’ trains and the larger profile trains which are in fact very similar in size to trains used on the rest of the British railway system. The latter would be because when they first opened most of the routes served by the larger profile trains were originally served by steam locomotives hauling unpowered passenger carriages, so (apart from the extensive operations in tunnels) they were little different from the many other British railways.

London's underground trains come in two different sizes. A small profile 1973 'tube' stock Piccadilly line train passes a large profile subsurface S stock District line train at Stamford Brook station.		The nickname "Tube" comes from the almost circular tube-like tunnels through which the small profile trains travel. A 1995 'tube' stock Northern line train exits a tunnel mouth near Hendon Central station.		The large profile 'subsurface' trains are the same size as mainline trains. C2C Electrostar Class 357 and District line S stock trains pass at West Ham station.

This is the single page version of this guide, and therefore this is a very BIG page!
Click here for a multi page version of this guide with much smaller pages.

Page Index

The Docklands Light Railway and Tramlink both use modern light rail vehicles. DLR trains are computerised / self-driving whilst the trams are driven by ordinary mortal humans.

Although not defined in the listing above DLR trains could also be seen as 'tube trains'. This is because there are several places where DLR trains travel deep underground in circular tunnels, as per the more well-known tube trains.

The East London and Northern City lines were ‘London Transport’ railway services but nowadays are operated as part of the mainline (National Rail) ‘London Overground’ and ‘Great Northern’ networks. For many years both lines were included on Underground maps, but nowadays the Northern City line has been removed.

Fares and Tickets

London's railway fares are based on a zonal system, most of the information in this guide is about sights in zones 1-4 which covers the centre of London and much of the suburbs.

There are several ways to pay transport fares in London. Especially on the Underground, Docklands Light Railway and Tramlink buying paper tickets from the station at the start of the journey is the most expensive way to pay fares. But if you will only be travelling a little and just want to sample London's transports in the simplest way possible without worrying about ticket types or something going wrong which leaves you being charged more than expected, then this might be the easiest solution.

Since 2003 it has also been possible to pay transport fares using smart cards. London's smart card is marketed as the Oyster card. These can store a maximum of three prepaid season tickets plus some cash value in what is called an electronic purse (e-purse). Nowadays using the e-purse is known as Pay As You Go (PAYG) although sometimes you may see an old sign which refers to PrePay^§. Although Oyster cards have to be purchased the fares charged are usually cheaper than the cost of paper tickets.

^§The name PrePay is very accurate for smart cards which have an e-purse because the act of adding monetary value to the e-purse effectively means that the funds are given to the transport company in advance of travelling. This is in contrast with Contactless bank card (or other device) system whereby a bank or credit card account is charged after the journey (at the end of the same day).

Both Londoners and visitors from elsewhere in the UK can also pay their fares using EMV (EuroPay, MasterCard, Visa)^¤ Contactless RFID credit and debit cards and some smartphone apps. The fares are normally the same as with Oyster cards, although on days when many journeys are made the total fare charged sometimes works out as being slightly cheaper than Oyster cards! The fares are charged to the credit / debit card accounts as a single transaction, overnight. Some people from outside London may also have ITSO specification smart cards on which it might also be possible to load prepaid Travelcard season tickets that can be used within London, eg: The Key which is a ticketing solution from one of the major British transport operators. ITSO card holders need to investigate compatibility and acceptability before travelling - especially as whilst the ITSO specification includes electronic purses (for PAYG travel) these may be restricted to local geographic areas outside of London.

^¤This includes Visa payWave, Mastercard PayPass, Barclays PayTag, Barclays bPay, American Express, ApplePay, Android Pay, Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay, Garmin Pay, Google Pay plus other EMV compatible payment systems which use NFC (near field) chips that are (or soon will be) integral parts of devices such as: mobile (cell) telephones / smart phones / watches / jewellery / keyfobs / self-adhesive tags / wristbands / gloves etc., - or subdermally, ie: inside the human body (typically one of the hands). Although not officially supported some of the other types of electronic payment systems might also work (eg: PayPal).

Each passenger must have their own payment card!
When using cards from bank / credit card accounts which are shared between several people (eg: a married couple) it is important the long numbers (typically with 16 digits) and / or expiry dates are different. Otherwise only one passenger can use a card linked to that card account and the other passenger must use a card from a different account.

Visitors from overseas will probably also be able to use Contactless bank cards and smart phone apps but should expect their bank to treat the transport fares as an overseas payment and charge currency conversion and overseas transaction fees.

In London the anonymous type of Oyster card is easy to buy. There is a deposit of just £5.00. An anonymous Oyster card can be shared with anyone - although only one person can use it at a time. Being anonymous means that your name and address is not recorded. Before it can be used you have to add either a travel product (weekly bus pass? Travelcard season ticket?) and or some e-purse (money) value. Anonymous Oyster cards do not allow annual Travelcard season tickets.

When your visit is over the Oyster card can either be kept for a future visit to London or returned for a refund ^‡. If all your transactions are in cash and the e-purse value is very small then the refund will probably be in cash. Otherwise the refund will be by cheque which is posted to you later. Usually the deposit is also refunded but if the card has a negative ( - ) value then this will be deducted from the refund.

Extra money can be added to the e-purse at almost all railway stations in London (at some stations only at the self-service ticket machines) as well as at over 3700 local shops throughout the London area. This is known as a top-up. No matter whether you are using cash or a plastic card there are no additional or handling fees for a top-up - so if a shop wants extra money then you should refuse to pay and complain to the Oyster helpline. Unlike Hong Kong, Singapore and other Asian cities, the London Oyster card is only for paying public transport fares.

If you wish an Oyster card can be registered with the user's name. An Oyster card which has been registered can accept the full range of tickets, including monthly and annual tickets but can only be used by the registered card holder. If lost or stolen the card can be cancelled and the tickets plus e-purse transferred to a replacement.

It is also possible to buy a Visitor Oyster card before arriving in London, either from the Transport For London (TfL) online shop or at other locations such as on Eurostar trains / airports / aircraft travelling towards London. With these the purchase price includes some e-purse value so that the Oyster card is ready to use. This is especially useful when arriving at airports / St Pancras Eurostar as it means that you can avoid the ticket office queues and walk straight to the Underground / DLR platforms. Note that Visitor Oyster cards do not accept weekly or longer season tickets. Visitor Oyster cards have decorative designs which make for a nice souvenir of your visit. Plus you can probably use them again on your next visit to London! If returned for a refund only the e-purse value is refunded. Not the £5.00 card fee.

In London many visitor destinations and some restaurants offer discounts to passengers who have Visitor Oyster cards. It is always good to ask!
More information: https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/experience-london/special-offers

When first introduced Visitor Oyster cards were advertised as never expiring, so that they could be used again and again on future visits to London. However, it is possible that some older types of Visitor Oyster cards will expire when the computer technology used by the PAYG ticketing system is changed. Only be the Visitor Oyster cards which use older and less secure transaction protocols, such as MIFARE Classic, are expected to expire. However the e-purse value can be transferred to a replacement card. Visitors Oyster cards with a white letter D in a blue square on their backs will still work for years to come - these use a newer and more secure transaction technology called MIFARE Desfire.

If anonymous Oyster cards (and Visitor Oyster cards) are bought using cash and always have financial value added using cash then they are suitable for passengers who do not want their every movement tracked 24/7. However it is also worth remembering that in London CCTV cameras are everywhere, and that some of these are connected to computers which detect people's activity and use facial recognition softwares.

^‡There was a time when it was possible to return an Oyster card and receive the refund without any other formalities, however nowadays you need to complete an application form and show proof of both identity and where you live. I am not sure if different arrangements are available for visitors from overseas.

The introduction of the Oyster system has led to a revolutionary change in fares and ticketing within London, significantly reducing the time it takes passengers boarding buses to pay their fares / have passes 'read' and reducing queues at station ticket offices. PAYG means that many of the advantages of period tickets are now available to everyone - even infrequent visitors - who on arrival at stations just walk straight past the ticket sales area to the ticket barriers, where they touch in and then continue directly to the platforms.

There is much more information on ticketing in London on the Fares & Ticketing Systems page of the citytransport.info website .
These links to other websites may also be of interest.
http://www.londontoolkit.com/briefing/travelcard_oyster.htm
http://www.oyster-rail.org.uk
https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/ (this is the TfL website which includes all ticketing types) .

There is a long term desire to encourage as many travellers as possible to use Contactless payment systems (especially EMV bank cards) instead of Oyster cards. The reason is that Tf L wants to reduce the costs of the ticketing system and leave the finances to the banks, who it sees as being financial experts. However not everyone has credit / debit cards, nor even bank accounts (eg: children, the bankrupt) and some people feel much safer paying their fares in advance of travel. Therefore Oyster is expected to remain for many years to come. As anonymous bank cards do not exist so it is easy for every person's travels to be traced and recorded, in the process creating a massive database for commercial companies to exploit.

Smart Card Ticketing When Travelling To / From The Airports

(Of course paper tickets can also be used on these services)

Heathrow Airport: Oyster cards and other Contactless ticketing systems can be used on the Piccadilly line underground trains plus TfL Rail (former Heathrow Connect) and Heathrow Express trains into London Paddington station.

TFL Rail passengers paying single PAYG fares will be charged a special levy for travelling on tracks owned by Heathrow Airport between Hayes and Harlington station and the Airport but fares capping will also be accepted - without the levy.

Heathrow Express passengers paying PAYG fares using Oyster or Contactless are charged Peak or Off-Peak Express Single fares. Peak fares are charged 06.30am - 09.30am and 4pm - 7pm (16:00 - 19:00) Monday - Friday excluding UK Bank Holidays. Off-Peak fares are charged at other times. Passengers who wish to travel in Business First carriages will be asked to pay the upgrade fare once on the train. Business First offers a more private, spacious environment with wider seating and tables where passengers can work, plus a selection of complimentary magazines and newspapers.
Note that Heathrow Express PAYG fares are excluded from fares capping and that it can often be significantly cheaper to buy tickets (especially for return and other multiple journeys) before travelling from either the internet or their app. Also, Travelcard season tickets are not accepted.

Gatwick Airport: Although it is possible to use Oyster cards and Contactless ticketing to pay fares when travelling between London and Gatwick Airport, this is often the most expensive way to pay fares. Paper tickets and pre-paid tickets (bought from the Internet) are sometimes cheaper!

Stansted, Luton Airports: Not accepted, but you might be able to buy a Visitor Oyster card at these airports. This will make life easier when you arrive in London.

City Airport: This airport is inside London and Oyster cards / Contactless are accepted on the DLR.

St Pancras Eurostar: This too is inside London and Oyster cards / Contactless are accepted. The last time I travelled on a Eurostar train it was possible to buy a Visitor Oyster card at the buffet counter on a Eurostar train travelling towards the UK.

The Best Ticket For Railfanning

If you are going to spend a whole day railfanning then although they are more expensive I recommend using paper One Day Travelcard (ODTC) tickets. These can be used on almost ALL of London's trains (except Heathrow Express or the SouthEastern High Speed service between St Pancras and Stratford International) as well as most of London's buses and trams and once you have your paper ticket you are completely free to travel wherever you wish (within the zones in which it is valid) safe in the knowledge that you will not be forced into paying anything extra. The advantage of using paper tickets is that there are no time limits on how long your journey takes - so you can stop at stations and watch trains without also watching the time.

For some fares zones ODTC tickets cost the same no matter what time of day you travel. These are called 'Day Anytime'. Other fares zones have two different prices with Day Anytime being more expensive and 'Day Off-Peak' being cheaper. Passengers with Day Off-Peak ODTC tickets are not allowed to travel in the rush hour on Monday - Friday mornings. For most stations this means not before 09:30 am but at some stations outside of London the rules are different.

At weekends and bank / public holidays Day Off-Peak ODTC tickets can be used all day.

One Day Travelcard (ODTC) tickets are only available as paper tickets. These can be bought at most railway station ticket offices / ticket machines etc., and Visitor centres. Ticket machines only sell them for travel 'today' or 'tomorrow' but at stations with proper ticket offices they can be bought a few days in advance of travel. They can NOT be bought at Oyster Ticket Stops (local shops). Note that in London tickets expire at 4:29 am the next morning - this allows you to use night buses as well.

DANGER! Beware Electronic Ticketing Journey Time Limits

Be VERY careful with the ‘pay as you go’ (PAYG) ticketing system. PAYG is advertised as being ideal for all passengers with the promise that providing you always 'touch-in/out' correctly when starting or ending your journey the total fares charged for that day will be 'capped' below the cost of a paper ticket (known as 'fares capping'). However, for railfanning there is a problem; PAYG enforces time limits on journeys, so if you keep stopping to watch trains the system may think that you have forgotten to 'touch in' at the start of a journey or 'touch out' at the end of the journey, and you risk being charged a 'maximum fare' which could be over £8.00 - even if you have already reached the 'fares cap' for that day. Because of this people on a limited budget without any spare cash may find themselves stranded somewhere in suburban London and unable to afford to get back to their hotel. This nearly happened to me (once!) so I am speaking from the voice of experience.

With PAYG the cost of individual single fares also depends on the time (and sometimes the direction) of your journey. Fares are higher on Monday - Friday during the morning and evening busy periods. 'Rush hour' (also known as 'peak') fares are charged if you 'touch-in' at the start of a journey between 06:30 am and 09:30 am (even if the train leaves the station after this time) and between 4pm - 7pm (16:00 - 19:00). However, if you make enough journeys during on that day to reach the fares cap then this will not matter. Also important to know is that off-peak fares are charged in the evenings on journeys which start at a station in zones 2 - 9 and end at a station in Central London zone 1.

Only off-peak fares and fare caps are charged at weekends and on bank / public holidays.

Fares Capping

In London daily fares capping is based upon a 'touch-in' to start a journey after 04:30 am and a 'touch-in' to start a journey before 04:29 am the next day. This makes it possible for people who have been travelling on public transport during the day to stay up late at night and still benefit from fares capping when they return home (or to their hotel).

The cost of capped fares depends on the zones travelled in and sometimes also the time of day the card is used. For journeys wholly within fares zones 1 - 6 passengers are only charged Daily Anytime caps. Journeys which involve zones 7 - 9 have two daily caps - Daily Anytime and Daily Off-peak. Daily Anytime caps are more expensive but they are only charged if you touch-in at a railway station in the morning rush hour - between 06:30am and 09:30am, Monday - Friday. Daily Off-peak caps are charged if you touch-in at any other time, and all day at weekends and bank holidays. (

In addition to weekly Travelcard fares there is also an automatic Monday to Sunday weekly fares cap. But this is not much use if (for instance) you arrive in London on a Thursday and leave London on the next Wednesday. The weekly fares cap system is still new.

Note that whilst Oyster and other Contactless cards are accepted for travel on the SouthEastern High Speed service between London St Pancras and Stratford International stations, special fares are charged and these are NOT included in the fares capping system.

For passengers who are only travelling by buses and trams the fare system is different - see below.

Pink 'Route Validators'

If a passenger is not travelling via Zone 1 then sometimes the ticketing system will think that you travelled that way even when you did not. Using the pink 'route validator' at interchange stations will usually avoid this issue, although for some journeys the system automatically assumes that you travelled via a specific route no matter the reality.

Smart Card Reality

The RFID electronic cards used by London's Oyster / Contactless electronic ticketing system plus the ITSO compatible cards used outside of London may often be called smart cards, but in reality they are very dumb. This is because they rely on error-prone humans to let the fares calculation system know where the passengers are at the start and end of each journey, plus at interchange locations if they are eligible for cheaper fares.

Maybe one-day there will be no need to have card 'read' at each end of the journey (plus at interchange stations) as the fares system will simply scan people as they walk about... But do people really want to live in a society with a level of electronic surveillance which would mean that their movements are tracked 24/7, no matter where they are?

No Single Day Oyster Pay Once Ride-At-Will Tickets

Even though this option is available in many overseas cities the people who decide London's fares do not want London's railway passengers to buy electronic ticketing variants of the Day Off-Peak Travelcard. They prefer PAYG with fares capping, citing the ability to change one's journey at a whim without having to buy a new ticket as representing some kind of 'holy grail' that makes everything good.

No Problems With Weekly / Other Period Oyster Tickets

There are some people here in London who refuse to use PAYG electronic ticketing. This is because they feel that there are too many problems with failed 'touchings' that result in the system invoking maximum fares - which they see as being charged a penalty fare - even though they have done nothing wrong. These issues do not usually cause problems to passengers with weekly or longer 'Travelcard' period tickets that are loaded on Oyster cards - and who are only travelling within the correct fares zones for their ticket.

Staying For Several (Or More) Days?

If staying in London for several days and planning on doing a lot of railfanning it might work out more cost-effective to buy a weekly Travelcard season ticket (Also called a '7 Day Anytime' ticket). Providing you stay within the zones of the ticket's validity then there are no journey time limits - especially if you have a paper weekly ticket. If the weekly ticket has been loaded on an Oyster card then providing you load some PAYG value and 'touch-in / out' at both ends of your journey then you are also allowed to travel outside the zones of the ticket's validity. Any extra charges are automatically collected when touching out at the end of that specific journey - but beware of journey time limits. Note that at the present time (2020) these season tickets can only be loaded on ordinary Oyster cards and some types of ITSO smartcards. They can NOT be loaded on to Visitor Oyster cards or used with any type of Contactless payment system.

If you need to travel in Central London Zone 1 then you need to reach the Day Anytime fares cap for five (5) days before it becomes cheaper to buy a 7 Day Anytime ticket. For instance: (2020 prices) ...
a Daily Anytime fares cap for Zones 1-3 is £8.50 whilst a 7 Day Anytime ticket is £42.40
a Daily Anytime fares cap for Zones 1-4 is £10.40 whilst a 7 Day Anytime ticket is £51.90
a Daily Anytime fares cap for Zones 1-5 is £12.30 whilst a 7 Day Anytime ticket is £61.70
a Daily Anytime fares cap for Zones 1-6 is £13.20 whilst a 7 Day Anytime ticket is £66.00

Fares Capping always includes Central London Zone 1 so if you do not need to travel in Zone 1 it will work out cheaper to buy a weekly ticket if you are travelling for (depending on zone combinations) either three (3) or four (4) days within a week. For instance: (2020 prices) ...
a Daily Anytime fares cap for Zones 2-3 is £8.50 whilst a 7 Day Anytime ticket is £27.00
a Daily Anytime fares cap for Zones 2-4 is £10.40 whilst a 7 Day Anytime ticket is £29.90
a Daily Anytime fares cap for Zones 2-5 is £12.30 whilst a 7 Day Anytime ticket is £35.90
a Daily Anytime fares cap for Zones 2-6 is £13.20 whilst a 7 Day Anytime ticket is £45.10

Yes the Daily Anytime fares caps are the same whether you trave in Zone 1 or not.

Beware London Overground (East London line) Shoreditch station - this is in Zone 1. Many passengers do not realise this and find themselves having to pay more than they had expected.

Fares information (requires an Adobe Acrobat or compatible file viewer): http://content.tfl.gov.uk/adult-fares-2018.pdf

Oyster Card Season Tickets And Pink 'Route Validators'

If a Day Anytime season ticket does not include Zone 1 then sometimes the ticketing system will think that you travelled that way even when you did not. Using the pink 'route validator' at interchange stations will usually avoid this issue, although for some journeys the system automatically assumes that you travelled via a specific route no matter the reality.

Note that most 'National Rail' train operators require that passengers with season tickets (even if only for one week) also have a photocard. These are free to obtain and just require a passport type photograph.

BritRail / Eurail Pass? National Rail Railcard? 2FOR1 Discounts

Overseas visitors with BritRail / Eurail passes should check their documentation as it is likely that they will need to buy additional tickets for travelling on the London Underground / DLR / Tramlink. However these passes are accepted on London's suburban trains - including the London Overground, which is also a 'mainline' train service. There could be a grey area where Underground and mainline trains provide shared services - it may be best to only travel on the mainline train, so that even if the Underground train comes first (and is travelling on the same tracks) you stay on the platform / wait for the mainline train.

Holders of National Rail / mainline railway railcards may find that they can benefit from cheaper tickets - a lot depends on the type of card they have. Sometimes the discount can be 'loaded' on to an Oyster card that is registered it in your name, as then the discount is automatically applied. Sometimes it is also possible to buy discounted one day Travelcards - although often on weekdays there is a minimum charge which negates the benefit. The documentation will explain more.

Many London visitor destinations offer discounts (such as 2for1 ie: 2 entry tickets for the price of 1) to passengers who travelled to London by train. Virtually all National Rail / mainline tickets for travel to London are accepted, plus smart cards from National Rail railway companies. This offer also applies to people who have paper One Day Travelcards BUT these MUST be bought at a National Rail / mainline railway station and NOT at an Underground / DLR / Tramlink station or ticket machine. Eurostar tickets, BritRail / Eurail passes, Heathrow Express, Oyster / other Contactless are NOT accepted for this offer. BEWARE: Some transport staff do not understand the significance of where the ticket is bought - you want a ticket which is orange and cream with the National Rail logo (the two half arrows pointing in opposite directions). See the photograph below. NB: the 2FOR1 offer can also be used by people who live in London, but again they must have the 'right' type of ticket!

This link explains more, and you can also download the special vouchers you will need from here:
http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/faqs

Note that although 2for1 offers are not available to people with Oyster cards a similar scheme especially for passengers with Visitor Oyster cards is also available.
https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/experience-london/special-offers

All Line Rover?

All Line Rovers are effectively National Rail season tickets which can be used on almost any train on the mainline railway system. This includes London Overground, TFL Rail and virtually all of London's suburban railway network. However, they are NOT accepted on the Underground / DLR / Tramlink, as these are urban railway networks / not part of the mainline / National rail network. They are also not accepted on the privately funded Heathrow Express.

All Line Rovers can be bought by anyone, whether a British resident or otherwise. They are available in 7 and 14 days versions. However, the various private companies which operate the national railway network do not like this ticket because they say that they do not receive enough money from it. Therefore it is hardly ever promoted and can sometimes be difficult to purchase. In addition, in 2011 four longer-distance railway operators (CrossCountry, Virgin Trains East Coast, East Midlands Trains, Virgin Trains West Coast) introduced new rules prohibiting their use to board or alight from trains at 10 railway stations - including several in or near London - before 10:00 in the morning on weekdays (Monday - Friday). However this new rule does not apply at weekends or on bank / public holidays.

More information can be found at this link which leads to information on all the British regional rover tickets
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/rangers_and_rovers.aspx

Only Travelling By Bus?

London’s buses charge a flat fare irrespective of distance travelled and time of day travelled. Bus passengers only need to 'touch-in' when boarding at the start of the journey.

In London it is NOT possible to pay bus fares in cash.

For people who will only be travelling on buses - and not trains - then using Oyster / Contactless in PAYG mode represents the cheapest way to pay fares.

Hopper Fares

What is called a Hopper fare means that passengers can benefit from an unlimited number of bus journeys within 70 minutes of the 'touch-in' at the start of the first journey. You must still use the card reader when boarding the bus, but you will not be charged anything!

Hopper Fares do not apply to the railways, river buses or Emirates Air line cable cars but the 70 minute rule still applies - even if you travel on any of these between your bus journeys.

Important: The official Hopper fares promotional information quotes a time period of 60 minutes but to allow for clocks to be a few minutes inaccurate and to reduce the chances of an arguement with passengers who feel the bus they were waiting for was late in arriving the system is set for 70 minutes.

Fares Capping

In addition to Hopper Fares bus passengers benefit from fares capping, which means that you will only be charged a maximum of three (3) times per day. In London daily fares capping is based upon a 'touch-in' to start a journey after 04:30 am and a 'touch-in' to start a journey before 04:29 am the next day. For bus passengers the same fare cap applies at all times. There is no 'peak' or 'off-peak'.

Note 1: Because an Oyster card which has a negative PAYG balance is then blocked it must be topped-up and the negative balance cleared before it will allow any free Hopper journeys.

Note 2: Free travel and fares capping only work when you use the same Oyster or other Contactless payment card (or device) at all times.

If staying for five days (or more) then a weekly bus pass might be worthwhile. Typically these are loaded on an ordinary Oyster card (but NOT Visitor Oyster card, Contactless card or smartphone app).

One Day Bus & Tram Pass

Bus passengers who do not have Oyster cards and do not want to use other types of Contactless ticketing can also buy one-day Bus & Tram passes. Although slightly more expensive than the daily fares cap these are ideal for passengers who are only in London for a day or two, who do not wish to use the railways and who want a physical souvenir of their visit. One Day Bus & Tram Passes can only be bought on the day of travel and are valid from 00:01 am on that day and for any journey that starts before 04:30 am the next day.

There are two versions of the One Day Bus & Tram pass, both cost the same.

1. Printed paper versions are sold by ticket machines at Underground and DLR stations. London Overground and most other National railway stations also sell the paper version although sometimes they have to be bought from staffed ticket offices and not ticket machines.
2. Oyster smart card One Day Bus & Tram passes are sold at local retail shops (newsagents, etc.,) which are Oyster Ticket Stops and at Visitor Centres. These are special single use smart cards which cannot be used for anything else.

Because London's buses only have one fares zone Day Anytime, Day Off-peak and 7 Day Anytime Travelcard season tickets can be used anywhere in London - even if the ticket is only for railway Zones 1-2, on the buses this ticket can be used to travel in all the zones - and on most of the red London buses which travel outside of London.

Also note that there are a few private bus services in London which do not accept any type of 'London' ticket.

There is also a website where it is possible to find the location of any bus is London http://londonvf.co.uk/.

Tram Fares

Tram passengers generally pay the same flat fare as bus passengers, and passengers with smartphone apps, Contactless and Oyster cards should use the card readers on the tram stop platforms before boarding the tram. This includes at Elmers End and Wimbledon stations where the trams stop inside the railway stations' fares paid areas. ALL Passengers travelling TO Wimbledon who are using electronic ticketing, no matter what type - ie: even if it is a Travelcard season ticket - are supposed to 'touch-in' before boarding the tram.

It is also possible for passengers interchanging between a tram and a bus (or between two trams) to benefit from the 70 minute Hopper fare for free journeys, as detailed above.

Although the two main railway stations in Croydon are in zone 5 the entire tramway system is a special fares zone and any Day / 7 Day Anytime Travelcard season ticket which is valid in railway zones 3, 4, 5 or 6 can be used on the trams. Note that the need for Travelcards to be valid in at least one of the zones served by the trams is one of the few differences between tram and bus fares.

Tramlink stops used to have ticket machines where passengers could buy tickets using cash. However these were withdrawn in July 2018.

There is more tram ticketing information in the Tramlink section below.

There are many different river bus operators and they all seem to charge different fare scales. Some of them accept Oyster Cards and even offer discounts for passengers who are using Oyster PAYG or have a Travelcard. River bus fares are not included in fares capping.

London's river bus services vary between tourist-themed leisure cruises and public transport-type services aimed at local people. This page at the TfL (Transport for London) website offers more detailed information.
https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/find-fares/river-fares .

The Emirates Air line cable car in east London charges special (higher!) fares. Passengers who pay using Oyster / Contactless in PAYG mode should remember to 'touch-in' at the start of their 'flight' and touch-out on arrival at the other end. Note that the cost of Air line 'flights' is excluded from fares capping. Passengers with Oyster cards may receive discounts which are not available to passengers who pay their fares in a different way.

Passengers with paper tickets and Travelcard season tickets (of whatever type) will also need to pay an extra fare but should let the ticket staff know about their other tickets as these too may entitle the holder to a discount / cheaper fare. Passengers who wish to travel on a 360° 'out and back' ride should visit the ticket office to buy a special two-way pass.

Between 10:00 and 15:00 (10am and 3pm) flights normally take about 10 minutes. Note that for the benefit of regular passengers who commute on the cable car earlier and later flights will usually take about 5 minutes, and that at very busy times daytime flights may be speeded up as well, so as to reduce queueing / waiting times.

Realistically, as long as passengers with prepaid Travelcard Season Tickets have to pay a surcharge to travel on the cable car and the fare charged to PAYG passengers is not included in daily and weekly price capping, the cable car will remain a niche tourist ride that is of little use for the people who live in the local area.

Cryptocurrency

In London cryptocurrencies (eg: Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, etc.,) are NOT accepted for fares payments.

The railways say that their trains and stations are private property to which the public are only admitted for the purpose of travelling - and not ‘railfanning’ or filming. That said, as a general theme the 15 different organisations which operate local railway services within London tolerate amateur photography anywhere where passengers are admitted and whilst the passenger is passing through the station as part of a journey from A to B. A few train operators only permit photography in bad grace and mainly because so many people / tourists have mobile phones with cameras nowadays that it is virtually impossible (and represents bad ‘public relations’) to even try and stop them taking photographs - especially of family groups (for instance: standing next to a station name sign).

Railfans should note that if intending to stay at one station for longer than the next train they are supposed to visit the station master’s office and let them know who you are and why you are there. Some station staff might ask what you are doing or even tell you photography is not allowed. This is NOT correct but alas, some station staff like to make their own rules. (This can also happen because they were not trained properly when they started their job). It is important to understand that there is a high state of alert about a possible terrorist attack so you may be questioned by the police if taking photos. This has happened to me, several times. Of course answering truthfully about who you are, what you are doing and why is the only way to keep the authorities happy - and it saves you having to remember your previous answers. Sometimes it is useful to have a few ‘railfan’ style magazines (etc) which can be shown to anyone who questions your interest in transport. Whilst we here in Britain do not need to always carry identity cards / internal passports with us, it can be useful to have something with your name and address just in case the police decide to verify that you are of no interest to them.

If you are stopped by any official (especially a security guard) for using your camera try to put it away (a zipped pocket is ideal) as quickly as possible. By law only a judge in a court of law has the right to demand that you delete your photographs from your camera. So it is actually a criminal offence for any police officer or member of station / railway staff to force you to do this. If in the unlikely event you are asked to do this its best to try to avoid confrontation by suggesting that you will leave the station on the next train (and of course you must then do this). If the official is really intent on you deleting your images then refuse and demand to see a superior officer. Whilst it is unlikely that events will reach this stage you should note that a police officer can confiscate your memory cards to use in a court of law at a later date.

There is a known issue (that is, known amongst ordinary people - officialdom seem to be blind to this) where some people who wear official uniforms (especially PCSO's - Police Constable Support Officers and private security guards) do not seem to understand that photography is permitted and even within the general street scene harass otherwise innocent people who are using cameras. There was one extreme example where someone believed to be a PCSO told some Austrian tourists that it was illegal to photograph buses and that they must delete their images. Tragically the tourists did not know better and complied with this request - just because someone may be an overseas visitor does not give people in authority the right act illegally.

At some stations the station master interprets the photography rule as being that whilst still image cameras are acceptable, video cameras are not.

As a general guide tripods should not be used, as they create a tripping hazard. Tripods are prohibited at London Underground stations. Also railfans should be sensitive in their subject material and try to avoid photographing people - especially ‘close-up’. Even though this is sometimes done with the CCTV surveillance cameras (albeit without the person being filmed realising it) few passengers like camera-wielding railfans being intrusive with their photography.

It is strictly forbidden to use flash or other artificial lighting on station platforms. Especially not when filming trains entering stations as it can induce short-term blindness for train drivers whose eyes have become accustomed to the dark tunnels. You may be asked to leave the station if you break this rule.

Another issue is that the press officers / media centres of some of London's rail operators are so concerned about their public image that they want to maintain 100% control of anything that shows or visually represents the transport services they provide. It is if anything an understatement to say that their attitude is one of a   paranoid fear   that people with cameras (even tourists) have the sole desire to use whatever they photograph in ways which damage the reputation of the organisation. This attitude is of course quite normal for large commercial companies, with it even having happened that they threaten transport enthusiasts who create personal websites (such as this) with prosecution (slander / libel etc) for saying things about them which they do not like. Not me, thankfully, but it has happened... of course no names will be revealed here!

The topic of harrassment of people using cameras is also raised on one of the Nostalgia, Heritage & Leisure pages on the citytransport.info web site .

Advice If Asked To Pay An 'On The Spot' Fine

British police do not ask for money so you should NEVER be asked to pay a fine to someone who claims to be a police officer. If in doubt ask to see a superior police officer.

Why Taking Photographs Is Important And Good

Photography is a creative activity which expands upon an historic meme of recording events which in later years will be of interest to historians and the wider population, helping future generations discover and understand how people lived in times past and how that era contributed towards creating the society in which we live today. In 'olden times' this data recording might have included paintings, mosaics, rock / cave wall art, statues, busts, miniature models, etc.

Photography also conforms with the important ethical motto of doing no harm unto others and the moral code which requires that people
take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time.

Further Reading / Second Opinion

For further reading about railway photography this page at the District Dave London Underground themed discussion forum may be of interest. Although the page is titled "Photography on the Underground: Rules and Advice" it also looks at the Docklands Light Railway, Tramlink and the mainline railways (including Network Rail).
http://districtdave.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=selfhelp&action=display&thread=6610

Links to web pages published on the websites of local governments, transport operators and the police which include information that may be of interest to transport enthusiasts. Some of these links also require the use of a portable document pdf reader, such as Adobe Acrobat.

Question to the Mayor of London on the topic of permitting photographs on TfL property at a meeting of the London Assembly.
https://london.gov.uk/questions/2017/1791

Transport for London Conditions of Carriage.
http://content.tfl.gov.uk/tfl-conditions-of-carriage.pdf

Filming & photography on TfL - the information here is mostly for professional film crews, not amateurs filming on their own or people taking family snapshots with small hand-held cameras.
https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/filming-and-photography/filming-and-photography-on-tfl?intcmp=1594

Network Rail guidelines for taking photos at stations (mostly applies to large city centre stations).
https://networkrail.co.uk/communities/railway-enthusiasts/guidelines-for-taking-photos-at-stations/

Advice for Rail Enthusiasts visiting stations on the National Rail network.
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/51952.aspx

British Transport Police information for rail enthusiasts.
http://btp.police.uk/advice_and_information/safety_on_and_near_the_railway/rail_enthusiasts.aspx

Photography advice from the Metropolitan Police.
https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/ph/photography-advice/

So, What To See????

As a general guide all services in the Central London area are below ground, whilst the services which reach the suburbs travel in the open air. People who just wish to sample a 'tube' train can do so by travelling on any of the 'small profile' lines as listed near the top of this page. Just expect to be in a deep level subterranean section of railway.

If you would like to see detailed diagrams showing track layouts and on which side of the track station platforms are located, then the London maps at this website may be of interest.
http://cartometro.com/metro-tram-london/
More links to websites of interest can be found on the further information resources section of this page.

To make planning easier this guide lists services line by line, detailing what part of the line is below ground, what part is in 'open air' and some other information which may be of interest. Because of the extensive interworking of some services some sections of line are also detailed in a separate section further down the page.

In tunnel from Elephant & Castle to just outside Queens Park.

Above ground between Queens Park and Harrow & Wealdstone. There is also a short tunnel just to the north of Kensal Green station.

Many Bakerloo line trains terminate at Queens Park; those which travel further north terminate at either Stonebridge Park or Harrow & Wealdstone. Some older UndergrounD maps will show the Bakerloo line as also extending to Watford Junction, however these services operated between 1917 and 1982; nowadays only London Overground trains travel between Harrow & Wealdstone and Watford Junction. Some older UndergrounD maps will also show a section of Bakerloo line between Baker Street and Stanmore. However this was only between 1939 and 1979; nowadays Jubilee line trains provide services to Stanmore.

Central London:

Some older UndergrounD maps will include a Bakerloo line station called Trafalgar Square. The building of the Jubilee line saw this station being merged with the Northern line station that used to be called Strand and the combined station is now called Charing Cross.

Changing trains at this station is not recommended because there is a very long walk through a narrow passageway between the Bakerloo and Northern line platforms.

At Oxford Circus station there is an easy 'same level' interchange with Victoria line trains travelling in the same direction (ie: northbound with northbound and southbound with southbound). Interchange between northbound and southbound trains or with the Central line is via steps and passageways.

The Bakerloo line platforms at Piccadilly Circus are unusual in that the two platform tunnels are arranged 'back to back' with outside platforms - at most subterranean stations the platforms face each other and share the same platform accesses. In addition, at the north end of the station there is a crossover track which allows passengers to see both platforms at once.

At Baker Street station there is an easy 'same level' interchange with Jubilee line trains travelling in the same direction (ie: northbound with northbound and southbound with southbound). Interchange between northbound and southbound trains or with the Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City and Circle lines is via steps / escalators and passageways.

Baker Street is famous for its association with a fictional detective (Sherlock Holmes) and the Bakerloo line platforms (plus some other areas) use a silhouette of the famous man as a motif.

Stations At Different Locations With The Same Names: For historic reasons two stations served by Bakerloo line trains are ‘duplicates’. At both Edgware Road and Paddington different Underground trains call at identically named stations which are at separate locations a short walk from each other.

The Bakerloo line station named Edgware Road is located on the Edgware Road just north of its junction with the Marylebone Road. The other station with the same name is served by the District, Circle and Hammersmith & City lines and is located a short walk away on the southern side of the very busy Marylebone Road.

The Bakerloo line station named Paddington is also used by District and Circle line trains (which travel via High Street Kensington station) and is located near the main concourse of the mainline / National Rail station, whilst the Hammersmith & City and Circle line trains (which travel via Royal Oak) use the suburban platforms (numbers 15 & 16) which are part of the mainline railway station and totally separate from the other underground lines.

North London: The route between Queens Park and Harrow & Wealdstone is mostly located alongside the London - Glasgow West Coast Main Line (WCML). The entire route has six tracks - or more!

At Queens Park station there is an easy 'same level' interchange with London Overground trains travelling in the same direction (ie: northbound with northbound and southbound with southbound). Interchange between northbound and southbound trains is via the station ticket hall.

Travelling on a Bakerloo line train north of Queens Park is very much recommended. Immediately to the north of this station the trains travel inside the depot trainshed (IMPORTANT: you *must* be on a Bakerloo line train, and not an Overground train) then the tracks merge and the Underground and Overground trains provide a shared service.

There is more information about this section of the Bakerloo line in the Shared Service Routes section below

Central line trains use a GoA 2 (Grade of Automation level 2) semi-automatic train control system (STO) whereby the trains travel automatically from station to station but a human train driver is always present at the front of the train, with duties that include door closing and initiating station departure. To ensure that train drivers retain their train driving licences they sometimes still have to drive the trains manually (especially on Sundays).

In twin single bore tunnels through Central London (just outside White City - just outside Leyton) and to the east of London between (just outside) Leytonstone and (just outside) Newbury Park via Redbridge. There is also a short twin-track tunnel between Chigwell and Grange Hill stations.

In open air at Stratford (only for the station), Leyton - Epping / Newbury Park via Woodford and White City to Ealing Broadway / West Ruislip.

Click map to see larger version in a new window!

Photographic viewpoints which I've used include:
* Depot Road which is just a little to the north of White City station,
* Victoria Road (and Chase Road) which are either side of North Acton station,
* a footbridge over the tracks near to Park Royal Piccadilly line station,
* a footbridge over the tracks close to the Sainsbury's supermarket car park near to Newbury Park station,
* the footpath outside Newbury Park station,
* and Station Way road bridge over the tracks near to Roding Valley station.

West London: White City station is one of several on the Underground which has 3 tracks and 4 platforms - normally the centre track is used for trains which terminate here. White City is also one of the few stations on the London Underground where trains pass on the right. One of the crossovers between right and left hand running is underground, so is not visible, but the other one is in open air and located partway between White City and East Acton stations.

Much of the route from where the line passes below the elevated urban motorway a little to the north of White City to North Acton is alongside a former Great Western Railway (GWR) goods line which closed in 1964. Some of the closed line has become overgrown (with trees), other sections have been built over, but where the line crosses over roads the disused railway bridges still exist.

Additional information: This section of Central line was built by the Ealing & Shepherd's Bush Railway (E&SBR) for the GWR as a branch which linked Ealing Broadway station to what nowadays is known as the West London Line. The E&SBR line opened in 1917 and in 1920 the electric tube trains were extended along it as far Ealing Broadway. In 1938 the goods trains were given brand new dedicated tracks as far as North Acton station, this made it possible for them to stop 'track sharing' with the tube trains. As this was a GWR railway line it built the new stations - East Acton and West Acton, plus platforms at Ealing Broadway. North Acton station already existed but it was resited.

In both views above the buildings which are located alongside the railway occupy the former trackbed of a British Railways goods (freight) line.

The Central line splits after North Acton, with one branch going towards Ealing Broadway. The approach to Ealing Broadway station is alongside the Great Western Main Line and often longer distance trains from Paddington station can often be seen. This includes Great Western Railway InterCity Express trains heading towards Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea and Penzance, other Great Western trains heading to outer suburban / regional destinations plus TFL Rail and Heathrow Express trains travelling to Heathrow Airport.

The section of the Central line between North Acton and West Ruislip was built by the GWR and when it opened (in the late 1940's) the electric tube trains replaced the GWR's steam trains. West Ruislip was built as a through station, because the original plans were for the Central line to extend a few stations further - to Denham. Alongside the Central line is the New North Main Line (NNML), which was once a busy mainline railway route with trains to Birmingham, Birkenhead (near Liverpool / Merseyside) and other destinations. Nowadays only the section between South Ruislip and West Ruislip is regularly used by passenger trains (Chiltern Railways, from London Marylebone station) and some of these trains still go to Birmingham. [Plus there is a special non-stop passenger train from South Ruislip to West Ealing southbound and then West Ealing - High Wycombe northbound].

Some Chiltern Railways trains from Marylebone also call at South or West Ruislip stations (not usually them both!) and One-day Travelcards / Oyster / Contactless PAYG can be used on these trains too. (If using a Travelcard remember to ensure that it is valid in Zone 5 for South Ruislip or Zone 6 for West Ruislip). The Chiltern trains are not frequent - check the timetable if you wish to use them. Between Ruislip Gardens and West Ruislip there is a large Central line depot which also has a non-passenger link with the Metropolitan / Piccadilly line Uxbridge branch. (This link is not visible from passenger trains).

Especially between Hanger Lane and Greenford the railway is also close to the A40 Western Avenue, and by looking out the window to the left it is possible to see the traffic. Because of the distance between stations (and the low road speed limit which is enforced by speed cameras) the trains often travel faster than the road traffic! The railway is elevated here and you will also see many houses and other buildings.

At Greenford the (half hourly, not Sundays) shuttle train from the bay platform at West Ealing terminates in a third track between the Underground trains. Note that although there are platforms on both sides the shuttle trains only use one of them. This is the last station in Zone 4.

Trains at Greenford station feature in one of my 'youtube' videos - using footage from the 1980's, 1990's, 2009 and 2010 the film shows a wide variety of rolling stock, including some older types of train which have now been replaced.
This can be seen by clicking either the projector icon or this link:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gr8aoyMBAw

Alas, the film does not show the inclined lift - this is because it was made several years before the lift was installed.

Central London: Several stations show evidence of the platform lengthening works from 1938/9. Look for a widening of the station tunnel diameter partway along the platform. Holland Park (eastbound) is a good example of this. Because the section of line in Central London was originally built to follow the streets above them some stations (eg: St Pauls, Chancery Lane) have platforms separated vertically (one above the other) rather located side-by-side. In addition, the St Pauls - Bank - Liverpool Street section includes many sharp curves, as the line mirrors the historic street pattern of that very old part of London. This explains the sharply curved station platforms at Bank, as seen below.

East London: The east London section (east of Liverpool Street station) includes both 'new build' tube tunnels that were built prior to WW2 but only started being used by trains after the war and sections of railway which were built many years earlier in the steam locomotive era.

This combination of new and old represents a wealth of architectural styles spanning over 100 years of railway operations. stan with hainailt mixture

The section from Leyton to Epping and round the northern side of the loop to Newbury Park is a former steam railway which only became part of the Underground in the 1940's. Many of these stations had goods yards which closed in the 1960's and have now become car parks. The last British Railways diesel train to Epping ran in 1970 and the connection (by Leyton station) has been removed. The line between Leytonstone and Newbury Park is underground, it was built in the 1930’s and during the 1939-1945 war was used as a munitions factory with a narrow gauge railway in the tunnels. Leytonstone station has three platforms, westbound trains use an island platform and it is possible for two westbound trains to arrive simultaneously (one each from Snaresbrook and Wanstead stations).

Many stations on the Epping route are a distance apart and the trains travel more quickly than in central London. Plus there are nice views of suburban London and the countryside. Between South Woodford and Woodford the railway crosses over a busy roadway which is 5 lanes wide in each direction. This is where the M11 motorway meets the A406 North Circular Road. When it opened the road had a 70mph / 120km/h speed limit, but since the anti-car politicians came to power the speed limit was reduced by 30% (to 50mph / 80km/h) and nowadays there are digital speed cameras as well :-(

The section of railway between Buckhurst Hill and Epping is outside of London - in the adjacent county of Essex. Buckhurst Hill, Theydon Bois and Epping are traditional 'older' stations - Buckhurst Hill opened in 1856, although the present buildings date from 1892. A few photographs showing some heritage features at Buckhurst Hill station in the 1990's can be found at this link... http://citytransport.info/BuckhurstHill.htm Unfortunately since I took these photographs the lovely frosted windows with the writing have been replaced with plain glass. Epping is a small town some miles outside of London - it is even outside the M25 orbital motorway. The journey here is through open countryside. The railway used to continue beyond Epping to Ongar, however that section closed in the 1980's. More recently however it was reopened as a private museum railway which uses steam and diesel trains. Timetable and fares information for the Epping Ongar Railway can be found at this link: http://eorailway.co.uk/

Loughton was rebuilt in the late 1930's and is pehaps the most significant Art Deco station at the eastern end of the Central line. It has 3 tracks and 4 platforms. For many years after the Central line had taken over the normal passenger services special British Railways excursion trains (powered by steam or diesel locomotives) would travel from Loughton taking passengers to seaside destinations - often travelling via the East London line and on to the south coast.

There is a large depot between Hainault and Grange Hill. Part of this can be seen from the platforms at Hainault station - or by travelling between these two stations.

A scene from No.17.

Alfred Hitchcock with Marlene Dietrich and a scene from Rear Window. The building in the Rear Window is the Green Man pub which is located at the north end of Leytonstone High Road.

A scene from Psycho.

Leytonstone station was significantly rebuilt in the 1930s. It has two entrances (one each side of the tracks) which lead to a ticket hall directly below the tracks at the western end of the station. There are three platforms - a side platform for eastbound trains and an island platform for westbound trains. Especially at busy times it is usual to see two westbound trains arriving at the same time - one each from Snaresbrook and Wanstead stations.

Also at Leytonstone are two bus interchange stations - one on each side of the tracks.

A distinctive feature at this station are the 17 mosaic murals which adorn the entrace passageways. These murals depict scenes from films made by the famous film director Alfred Hitchcock, who was born in Leytonstone.

More information about and photographs of these murals can be found at this link: http://www.thejoyofshards.co.uk/london/hitch/

The entire Hainault loop is in zone 4. Barkingside and Fairlop are good examples of Victorian / Edwardian era stations and have a frequent train service. Near to Fairlop station is a low bridge under the railway which tall road vehicles often hit. If you want to see how a station that has had its platform canopies cut in half (as a cheaper alternative to costly repairs) then Chigwell may be an excellent example, but note that trains between Hainault and Woodford operate at 20 minutes intervals and the service ends early in the evenings. Between Roding Valley and Chigwell a farm can be seen out the window (look to the north, away from London). This is easiest to see in the winter, when the trees do not have any leaves. Nearby the railway crosses over the M11 Motorway.

A short walk from Roding Valley station along Station Way is a bridge over the railway which I've often used. The bridge is actually over the main Epping line but in the distance (looking south) it is possible to see where the Hainault loop joins the Epping route. A link to a Google map showing this location can be found below
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll=51.616504,0.042325&spn=0.002905,0.006899&t=m&z=17

For many years the section of track between Hainault and Woodford was used to test the automation system which was later used on the Victoria line. Every one of the Victoria line's 1967 Tube Stock trains was tested here, alongside the small fleet of 1960 Tube Stock trains which provided the main service. The only through trains to central London were the rush-hour journeys from the Hainault depot which ran in passenger service from Grange Hill. When returning to the depot at the end of the rush hours they showed a destination of Grange Hill via Woodford.

Gants Hill is famed for having a large arched waiting area between the platforms which is similar to some stations on the Moscow metro. The station is in the middle of a large roundabout and the entrance is part of the pedestrian walkway system under the roads. Newbury Park is famed for the large arched bus shelter just outside the station which was designed by Oliver Hill in 1937 and built after WW2, opening in 1949. This shelter features a copper-covered barrel-vaulted roof. It is a Grade ll listed building and in 1951 won a Festival Of Britain architectural award. A plaque celebrating this award can be seen on the left side of the arch - and is also shown in the image below right. Note however that just because a structure is award-winning for being visually significant does not mean that it is also practical. Whilst this shelter helps keep a person dry in inclement weather, personal experience is that is of minimal benefit on cold windy winter days. It is possible to look down upon Newbury Park station from the A12 Eastern Avenue outside the station.

Eastbound Loop Destination Routing

For many years most trains serving stations between Hainault and Woodford (via Chigwell) ran as a shuttle, with some additional rush hour trains between central London and Grange Hill via Woodford. This changed when the present 1992 tube stock trains were introduced, with through services running all day between Woodford and central London via Hainault and Newbury Park.

To reduce the number of trains in service - so that the entire fleet can be modified to comply with new laws to create space for passengers who use wheelchairs (and other works) most through trains were withdrawn in January 2020. The service frequency remains the same (every 20 minutes) but for most of the time passengers must change trains at either Hainault or Woodford.

Passengers who want to go to Grange Hill, Chigwell and Roding Valley will usually find that it is better to catch a train to Epping / Debden / Loughton and change trains at Woodford.

Trains Terminating at Leytonstone

Sometimes trains also end their journeys at Leytonstone. Usually this is in a platform that is normally used by westbound trains, so to avoid having to walk to one end of the platform and then using two stairways to reach the eastbound platform, passengers will usually find it more convenient to wait for the next eastbound train at Leyton.

S Stock Variations: Although they all look the same there are two different types of S Stock trains.
The S7 variant have 7 cars with only longitudinal seating. These are used on the Circle, District and Hammersmith & City lines.
The S7+1 variant have 8 cars with only longitudinal seating. There are very few of these trains - which are used on the Metropolitan line.
The S8 variant have 8 cars, a mix of longitudinal and facing seats and are used on the Metropolitan line.

Map modified by me, original source & license: Ed g2s / DavidCane / Wikipedia encyclopædia CC BY-SA 3.0 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Circle_Line.svg

Click map to see larger version in a new window!

The main part of the Circle Line is almost entirely below ground, although many stations are partly or wholly in open air. The tunnels include many short open air sections which date from the days of steam trains when ventilation openings were needed to allow the smoke to clear. Only a few of these ventilation openings are shown on the map.

The west London section between Hammersmith & Paddington is in open air, except for the flyunder below the Great Western Main Line between Westbourne Park and Royal Oak stations.

For more information see the Hammersmith & City Line and District Line sections.

Information for people who are happy to travel on trains which are above ground but experience claustrophobia when in tunnels.

Most of the tunnels used by Circle Line trains are wide enough for two tracks (ie: a train in each direction), however there are a few locations with narrow single track tunnels. Almost all of these are very short...

* Just outside Tower Hill and Mansion House stations,
* Kings Cross St Pancras station platforms plus station approaches / exits.

There are also two tunnels the whole way between South Kensington and Gloucester Road stations plus a very short distance west of Gloucester Road station (about the length of a train - as seen on the District Line page). These tunnels were built for two tracks each but when the track layout in the area was changed in the 1950's the tunnels used by eastbound trains were reduced to single track. However the tunnels used by westbound trains still have two tracks - one track is dedicated to Circle Line trains whilst the other track is dedicated to District Line trains.

Almost the entire Circle line uses tracks shared with other trains - only the sections Aldgate - Tower Hill (including the outer two platforms at Aldgate station), Gloucester Road - High Street Kensington (including platform 2 at Gloucester Road station) and platform 3 at Edgware Road station are dedicated to Circle Line trains.

Despite its name Circle Line trains no longer go 'round and round' in a circle all day.

Instead they travel from Hammersmith (former Metropolitan Railway station) in a loop around the Circle via Royal Oak, Baker Street, Kings Cross, Aldgate, Victoria and High Street Kensington stations before ending their journeys at Edgware Road station. They then retrace their route back to Hammersmith.

This means that passengers wanting to travel on trains routed between Baker Street and Bayswater must change trains at Edgware Road! However, because of the way that the various subsurface lines share tracks it will be possible travel on Hammersmith & City or District line trains for part of the journey.

It is not that trains never make through journeys, however nowadays this only happens when it is convenient for the railway operators, such as because of unplanned disruption / delays or because of weekend engineering works closing some sections of the railway.

Stations At Different Locations With The Same Names:
For various reasons three stations served by Circle Line trains are ‘duplicates’. At Edgware Road, Paddington and Hammersmith different Underground trains call at identically named stations which are at separate locations a short walk from each other.

At Edgware Road the Circle Line (and District Line and Hammersmith & City Line) trains use an open air station that was originally built by the Metropolitan Railway. The totally separate Bakerloo Line station with the same name is a short walk away across busy roads.

At Hammersmith the Circle (and Hammersmith & City) Line trains use the former Metropolitan Railway station which remains largely as built in 1868. The other station called Hammersmith is a short distance away across some busy roads. It is used by District & Piccadilly Line trains and has been modernised with its main entrance inside a shopping centre.

At Paddington the Circle (and Hammersmith & City) Line trains which travel through Royal Oak station use the suburban platforms numbered 15 and 16 which are alongside the mainline railway station. By way of contrast Circle (and District) Line trains which travel through High Street Kensington call at the Underground station that is located near the main concourse of the mainline / National Rail station and (at a deeper level) is also used by Bakerloo Line trains.

Edgware Road (subsurface) station showing which trains usually call at which platform .

Edgware Road subsurface station has four platforms, is in the open air and was built by the Metropolitan Railway. The Circle (and District) Line trains which travel via High Street Kensington usually end their journeys at the centre two platforms whilst the Circle (and Hammersmith & City) Line trains which are travelling between Royal Oak and Baker Street use the outer two platforms. The other station called Edgware Road is a short distance away across some busy roads and is used by Bakerloo Line trains.

Northbound trains approaching Edgware Road often have to queue to enter the station and sometimes the resulting tailback even delays trains before they reach Paddington station.

Some History: The Genesis Of The Circle Line

The creation of what was known as the Inner Circle came from a July 1863 report by a House of Lords (British Parliament, Upper House) select committee which had been asked to consider the best proposals for railways in London. This report recommended the building of an "inner circuit of railway that should abut, if not actually join, nearly all of the principal railway termini in the Metropolis."   The new line almost succeeded in serving all of the termini stations, missing out only Marylebone (which did not exist in the 1860's), Fenchurch Street and Waterloo - the latter most likely because it is in south London and there was little appetite to include river crossings in the Inner Circle.

The project was so large and expected to be so expensive that in 1864 the Metropolitan Railway (MR) created a second railway company - the Metropolitan District Railway (MDR) - to help raise the required funds. It was intended that the two railway companies would merge when the works had been completed, but because the MDR was significantly less profitable (and there was a personality clash between the two Chairmen) this did not happen and instead they started to argue, eventually becoming bitter enemies.

To build the new sections of railway it was decided that the MR would build the western and eastern portions from Edgware Road station to South Kensington and from Moorgate Street station to Tower Hill, whilst the MDR would build the southern portion linking these two locations. Some historical accounts claim that the MDR considered building Tower Hill station with four platforms and for most (if not all) trains to end their journeys here.

Because both companies had their eyes on the lucrative museums and exhibitions traffic in the South Kensington area some of the tunnels around the south-western corner of the circle were built with four tracks. In addition, three stations had separate platforms for the trains operated by the MR and MDR. There were High Street Kensington, South Kensington and Gloucester Road.

Unfortunately the MDR ran out of money and construction could not proceed further east than an unplanned four platform terminus station at Mansion House.

In 1871 construction works had become far enough advanced to allow for Inner Circle trains to be travelling between Moorgate Street and Mansion House via High Street Kensington.

The MR was slow to build east of Moorgate Street, two of the reasons for this being the expense of building through the City area and the realisation that the planned circular railway would see its income and profits being shared with the MDR (ie: going down!). It did not help that by now funding the works that had been completed had left both railways in parlous financial conditions and therefore their main focuses had turned away from completing the Inner Circle to starting new services in other parts of London where there were prosperous suburbs that could be served much more profitably.

In 1871 construction works had become far enough advanced to allow for Inner Circle trains to be travelling between Moorgate Street and Mansion House via High Street Kensington.

Building the new section of railway in west London using the cut and cover system required the demolition of the two houses located at 23 and 24 Leinster Gardens, which is near to Bayswater station.

The plan was that the area where these properties had stood would be left open, so that it could act as a short ventilation portal for the tunnels. This meant that it was not possible to rebuild these two dwellings after the tunnels had been built.

Rather than use a plain brick wall to fill-in the gap between the remaining houses it was decided that a facade which resembles the two missing properties should be erected. This fake frontage is five feet (about 1.5 metres) thick. This was done to help maintain the ambiance of a street lined with upper class fashionable terraced houses.

In the 1930's a fraudster took advantage of these fake houses by quoting one of them as the location of an evening dinner and ball.

The hapless guests only realised that they had been duped when they arrived at the scene and discovered the reality of the address on the tickets. With them having paid an expensive 20 guineas for each ticket the fraudster must have made a lot of money!

The UK only stopped using the guinea as a unit of currency after decimalisation in 1971, which is when we converted from £sd (Pounds, shillings and pence) to just £p (Pounds and pence). A guinea was worth £1 1s [shilling] (or 21s or 21/-). Since £1 comprised 20 shillings so therefore 20gns would equate to £21. At decimalisation a guinea became £1.05.

The MR was slow to build east of Moorgate Street, two of the reasons for this being the expense of building through the City area and the realisation that the planned circular railway would see its income and profits being shared with the MDR (ie: going down!). It did not help that by now funding the works that had been completed had left both railways in parlous financial conditions and therefore their main focuses had turned away from completing the Inner Circle to starting new services in other parts of London where there were prosperous suburbs that could be served much more profitably.

The lack of progress annoyed many city financiers and in 1874 they created the Metropolitan Inner Circle Completion Railway Company (MICCRC) to build the missing link.

Even though the MICCRC was unable to raise sufficient finance the mere thought of competition from it encouraged the MR to quickly build the section between Moorgate Street and Aldgate. By now the MR wanted to extend its services to join the East London Railway (ELR) [this is the route which included the Brunel tunnel below the River Thames] and the South Eastern Railway (SER) which operated to the south of London*, so in conjunction with the MDR it bought out the MICCRC. In an effort to ensure that (this time) the circular service was actually realised the Houses of Parliament added a clause to the enabling legislation for the revised plans and new line to the ELR [the 1879 Metropolitan and District Railway (City Lines and Extensions) Act] which required the operation of a fully circular service and gave both the MR and MDR the legal right to run their trains on sections of railway owned by the other company. The Parliamentarians were not taking chances with possible future arguments! To help the two railways complete the project extra finance was made available from the City and the Metropolitan Board of Works.

^*The Chairman of the MR, Sir Edwin Watkin, was also a director of about a dozen other railway companies, including the ELR, the SER plus the French Chemin de Fer du Nord and was instrumental of the creation of the Great Central Railway Main Line which ran services between London and Manchester via Sheffield, Nottingham and Leicester. Watkin had ambitious plans for through trains between Manchester in northern England and France via a Chunnel Tunnel. He actually started building this tunnel but Parliament, citing fears of a possible French invasion of the British Isles, forbade its construction and forced him to stop.

Construction of the Inner Circle restarted in 1881. Building from Aldgate, and using its unexpired legal powers from many years previously, the MR reached Tower Hill first - in 1882. At Tower Hill the MR hurriedly built a temporary station [in just three nights and two days!] and named it Tower Of London. The MDR's extension from Mansion House to a different Tower Hill station was completed in 1884, and within just a few weeks the long awaited fully circular services finally began. (It could be said that the speed in which things were built and opened in those days puts to shame how slowly things are done in the present era). However the arguments between the two railway companies still continued. The MDR pretended that the Tower of London station did not exist and refused to sell tickets to it. So within a week it ended up closing.

At first all stations served by the new service were equipped with a booking (ticket) office from each of the two railway companies. The aim behind this was because the fares income was apportioned between them on the basis of the number of passengers who travelled over each section of railway, and the two companies always wanted to ensure that passengers bought tickets which gave them the greater share of the income - even if it meant that the passengers were sold tickets for the longer and slower route around the Circle. This situation was possible because (especially at first) one railway company operated the clockwise trains and the other company the anti-clockwise trains.

In 1933 Parliament merged most of London's public transports into a new organisation called the London Passenger Transport Board. This ended the enmity between the MR and what by now was known as the District Railway. The new owners did not like being subjected to the legal requirement to operate an Inner Circle service which travelled round and round in circles and within 16 months ensured that it was repealed. This suggests that even then there was a desire to change this service so that it served two terminal stations. Perhaps if the Parliamentarians had realised the future possibilities they would have refused to repeal the statutory obligation for the full circular service.

Although many years later, the Circle was broken in 2009, with Circle Line trains now travelling from Hammersmith via Shepherds Bush around the loop as far as Edgware Road and then retracing their journeys. This change has significantly inconvenienced passengers whose journeys between north and west London now require an enforced change of trains at Edgware Road station. However, since the break in the Circle is to the north-west of the line it does mean that the City financiers retain their through services in and around the City area - thereby meaning that (for them) the spirit of the 1879 requirement to operate a fully circular service has been retained.

London's Other Circle Lines

Over the years London has had other 'Circle' railway services, however these all only form(ed) partial circles - so that trains did/do not fully encircle London. These were the Super Outer Circle, the Outer Circle, the Middle Circle and a service which is not named or marketed as a Circle.

The Super Outer Circle was a short lived service from St Pancras station via a circuitous route via north and west London to the District Railway's Earls Court station.

The Outer Circle started in 1867 at Broad Street station and followed what nowadays is known as the North London Line and West London Line to Kensington Olympia, from where the destinations varied over the years and at different times included Victoria station, Mansion House and Earls Court. In later years this service only ran between Willesden Junction and Earls Court and in the 1920 was electrified (using the same system as the Underground) as part of the London and North Western Railway's extensive suburban electric services to the north and west of London. This service closed as a result of WW2 but a very similar service is now running again as part of the London Overground network.

The Middle Circle began in 1872 as a Great Western Railway service between Moorgate Street and Mansion House which in west London travelled via what nowadays is the West London Line and Kensington Olympia station. This service ended in 1905 and was replaced by an electric Metropolitan Railway service between Kensington Olympia and Aldgate or Whitechapel (different trains served different destinations). The railway electrification was done by the GWR as part of the project to electrify the Hammersmith & City Railway which it jointly owned with the Metropolitan Railway. Later the service was cut back again to become a shuttle between Edgware Road and Kensington Olympia, and it ended completely in 1940 as a result of WW2 bomb damage.

A map showing the above Circle services plus the Inner Circle can be found at this link:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Circle_Routes_of_Victorian_London.png

In 2012 London Overground starting running what amounts to a new outer circle service that travels via the East London Line, South London Line, West London Line and North London Line. However, instead of through trains this is operated in several segments with passengers who want to make a complete circuit needing to change trains - at Clapham Junction, or at Highbury & Islington / Canonbury plus any station between Dalston Junction and Surrey Quays. Note that travelling complete circles using these services should not be attempted if paying fares using an Oyster card in PAYG mode or a Contactless payment device. The PAYG payment system is not designed for such a journey and it is likely that the result will be a penalty fare. Instead paper One Day Travelcards are required (or weekly Travelcards which include travel in zones 1 and 2), or since the London Overground Network is part of the mainline railway (National Rail) the All Line Rover, BritRail and Eurail passes can also be used on these trains.

S Stock Variations: Although they all look the same there are two different types of S Stock trains.
The S7 variant have 7 cars with only longitudinal seating. These are used on the Circle, District and Hammersmith & City lines.
The S7+1 variant have 8 cars with only longitudinal seating. There are very few of these trains - which are used on the Metropolitan line.
The S8 variant have 8 cars, a mix of longitudinal and facing seats and are used on the Metropolitan line.

Map modified by me, original source & license: Ed g2s / Wikipedia encyclopædia CC BY-SA 3.0 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:District_Line.png

Click map to see larger version in a new window!

Almost entirely below ground in central London. On the main east-west section in open air at Whitechapel, Blackfriars (a little), Sloane Square, South Kensington and Earls Court stations. Because the line was built for steam trains there are many small ventilation portals which allow in daylight and fresh air. Only a few of these are shown on the map.

In east London in open air from Upminster all the way to Bow Road, which is partially open air and partly in tunnel.

In west London in open air from West Kensington to Richmond / Ealing Broadway, West Brompton to Wimbledon (although there is a short tunnel which does not have a station) and on the Olympia branch.

The Edgware Road - Earls Court section is almost entirely below ground from 'near to' Edgware Road to High Street Kensington. The stations on this route - and the sections of tunnel between them - also include many short open air sections; this dates from the days of steam trains when ventilation openings were needed to allow the smoke to clear.

Information for people who are happy to travel on trains which are above ground but experience claustrophobia when in tunnels.

Most of the tunnels used by District Line trains are wide enough for two tracks (ie: a train in each direction), however there are a few locations with narrow single track tunnels. Almost all of these are very short...

* Westbound trains from Upney approaching Barking (flyunder - to pass below other tracks),
* Just outside Tower Hill and Mansion House stations,
* Northbound trains West Brompton - Earls Court (flyunder - to pass below other tracks),
* Southbound trains High Street Kensington - Earls Court (flyunder - to pass below other tracks).

There are also two tunnels the whole way between South Kensington and Gloucester Road stations plus a very short distance west of Gloucester Road station (about the length of a train - as seen below). These tunnels were built for two tracks each but when the track layout in the area was changed in the 1950's the tunnels used by eastbound trains were reduced to single track. However the tunnels used by westbound trains still have two tracks - one track is dedicated to Circle Line trains whilst the other track is dedicated to District Line trains.

If you have a very old map it might show a branch between Acton Town and South Acton, however this closed on 28th February 1959.

Stations At Different Locations With The Same Names: For historic reasons three stations served by District Line trains are ‘duplicates’. At Edgware Road, Paddington and Hammersmith different Underground trains call at identically named stations which are at separate locations a short walk from each other.

At Edgware Road the District Line (and Circle Line and Hammersmith & City Line) trains use an open air station that was originally built by the Metropolitan Railway. The totally separate Bakerloo Line station with the same name is a short walk away across busy roads.

At Paddington the District Line trains use the Underground station which is also used by Bakerloo Line trains and is located near the main concourse of the mainline / National Rail station whilst the Hammersmith & City Line trains use the suburban platforms (numbers 15 & 16) which are part of the mainline railway station and totally separate from the other underground lines.

At Hammersmith the District line trains use the modernised former Metropolitan District Railway station which is shared with Piccadilly line trains. The main entrance to this station is inside a shopping centre and close to Hammersmith bus station. Hammersmith & City (and Circle) line trains use the former Metropolitan Railway station which is a short walk away across some busy roads.

The route to Upminster: The surface section of this route has four tracks with two used by Underground trains and two used by C2C trains from Fenchurch Street station. The section between Aldgate East and Barking is also used by Hammersmith & City Line trains - see the Shared Service Routes section below.

What nowadays are known as C2C trains stopped calling at all stations along the joint route (except Barking and Upminster) in 1962 when services between London Fenchurch Street station and Grays / Shoeburyness were converted to overhead wire electric traction and some of the platforms at Barking station were reconfigured for cross-platform interchange.

Central London: Mansion House is best avoided as the station staff especially dislike people using cameras. Although below ground Embankment is well lit and the station platforms are partially staggered, making it easier to see the whole of the trains on the opposite platform (albeit from the back). Westminster station was rebuilt in the 1990's and has won many awards for its modern architecture. The metal flooring and grey concrete walls gives the interchange to the Jubilee Line a distinctive 'space station' ambiance. However this is another station where passengers using their cameras are unwelcome. Victoria is an extremely busy station where the platforms are frequently very crowded.

Between Blackfriars and Westminster stations the line runs below the Victoria Embankment. This was built by the Metropolitan Board Of Works and forms the northern bank of the River Thames. The original impetus was the need to provide London with a modern sewerage system. Another major consideration was the relief of traffic congestion on The Strand and Fleet Street.

Temple station in 1990 and 2014/5 features in one of my ‘YouTube’ videos. Also seen (in 2015) is the local area, including a nearby park with a ventilation portal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94dKoxjl300

Olympia service: When the service is operating District Line trains to Kensington Olympia trains only normally travel there from High Street Kensington station (usually bay platform No. 3) via Earls Court station. This service only normally operates at the weekends and for special events, and even then with long waits between trains (typically 20 or 30 minutes). Instead passengers are expected to either travel by bus (which might cost an extra fare) or travel a much longer route changing to London Overground (West London Line) or Southern trains at West Brompton. Many freight trains also pass through Kensington Olympia station, as the West London Line links railways to the north and the south of London.

Until 1946 this station was known as Addison Road.

Kensington Olympia station features in one of my ‘YouTube’ videos. Most footage comes from 2011 but there are additional scenes from 1968 and the 1980's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOnovv49zaE

The route to Ealing Broadway: This is mostly shared with Piccadilly Line trains and is looked at on the Shared Service Routes section below.

The route to Richmond: This is shared (at different locations) with Piccadilly Line and London Overground [North London Line] services and is looked at on the Shared Service Routes section below.

The route to Wimbledon: This is the only District Line branch which is served by trains which use both the east-west route via Victoria and the north-south route via High Street Kensington. It is looked at below the next photographs.

Ealing Broadway, Wimbledon & Richmond are busy suburban stations in zones 3 or 4 where there is a wider variety of trains to see. More information about them can be found further down this page.

Edgware Road - Wimbledon: In addition to the main east - west service through central London there is also a north - south District Line service which travels Edgware Road - High Street Kensington - Earls Court - Putney Bridge - Wimbledon. Between Edgware Road and High Street Kensington stations this route is also served by Circle Line trains.

Nowadays both District and Circle Line trains end their journeys at Edgware Road station, Circle Line trains normally use platform No.2 and District Line trains platform No. 3.

Northbound trains approaching Edgware Road often have to queue to enter the station and sometimes the resulting tailback even delays trains before they reach Paddington station.

Originally the Edgware Road - Wimbledon service only ran between High Street Kensington and Putney Bridge. These trains were extended to Edgware Road in 1926 and for a while in the 1950's - 1970's sometimes travelled as far as Aldgate via Kings Cross.

The Edgware Road - High Street Kensington (- South Kensington) route was originally built by the Metropolitan Railway for the Inner Circle service and most of the stations are partially or wholly in open air. Paddington, Bayswater and Notting Hill Gate stations still retain their distinctive arched trainshed roofs. Of the three Notting Hill Gate is the best for seeing the roof (as seen in the photograph at the top of this District Line section). High Street Kensington station has been rebuilt and the station entrance is now at the end of a shopping arcade.

The route to Wimbledon: Inside the trainshed at the Victorian-era West Brompton station is an unusual series of walkways which cross the Underground tracks at different levels. This station is also served by trains which use the West London Line (WLL) - namely the London Overground Clapham Junction - Willesden Junction (- Stratford) service and the Southern Milton Keynes - South Croydon service. Interchanging between the southbound WLL and northbound District line platforms is at grade, however in the opposite direction requires using the steps and elevated walkways. This station has Pink Oyster card readers which passengers interchanging between Underground and Overground / Southern trains who are paying fares via Oyster PAYG should use for cheaper fares if their journey does not include Zone 1.

Fulham Broadway station has been modernised and the new station entrance is through a shopping mall. The old station entrance is no longer used by railway passengers and has been converted into a retail shop, which is now closed. The historic trainshed has a glass roof which lets in daylight, however the newer parts of the station are fully enclosed.

Putney Bridge station used to have three platforms, one of which was dedicated to trains which terminated here. However because the S Stock trains were too long to fit this platform it was rebuilt as a through track (for trains travelling towards Wimbledon) and the former Wimbledon platform was closed. The railway crosses the River Thames just south of Putney Bridge station and a pedestrian path on the western side of the bridge makes it possible to walk alongside the trains as they cross the river. (See photograph below). Note that the Putney Bridge is for road traffic - the bridge used by the trains is called Fulham Railway Bridge.

Parsons Green - East Putney is elevated, offering interesting views of mostly traditional British terraced housing in a very expensive part of London.

At East Putney the District line merges with the mainline railway. The route from here to Wimbledon was built by the London & South Western Railway and the architecture of the two intermediate stations (Southfields, Wimbledon Park) reflects this. At first all trains were hauled by steam locomotives, but in 1905 they were converted to electric traction using a hybrid 3rd and 4th rail power supply system which was compatible with the trains operated by both railway companies..Since 1941 only District line trains have provided the local 'all stations' passenger services along this line, but even today some South Western Railway (SWR) passenger trains pass through here (non-stop) - typically they travel late at night / very early in the morning. In addition SWR passenger trains sometimes also use this route when other lines are closed for track maintenance. This route is also used by empty trains (ie: not carrying passengers) when travelling to / from Wimbledon depot.

This section of railway only became part of London Underground in 1994, when the former British Railways was being privatised and split-up into many smaller businesses. Even now much of the signalling on this route is controlled by Network Rail, as part of the national railway network. Between Wimbledon Park and Wimbledon the trains pass a SWR depot. At Wimbledon the District line has four platforms, these are located on the opposite side of the station to the Croydon trams and even seeing the two at the same time is 'a challenge'. Photographs showing trams and Underground trains can be seen on the Busier Suburban Stations section below

Exploring On Foot

Photographic viewpoints in south-west London which I've used include:
* The walkway alongside the trains on Fulham Railway Bridge,
* The Thames Path on the bank of the River Thames near to Fulham Railway Bridge,
* A footbridge over the railway from Keswick Road,
* Looking both ways (north and south) from where Cromer Villas Road crosses over the railway,
* Passing trains on the railway bridge over Granville Road,
* Looking both ways from the road bridge outside Wimbledon Park station.

Below are some links to Google maps showing some of these locations:

Putney Bridge station, Putney Bridge, Fulham Railway Bridge, East Putney station.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=51.465264,-0.211401&spn=0.007392,0.013797&t=m&z=16

Between East Putney and Southfields stations.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4520817,-0.2147479,15z

A closer view of Kewsick Road showing the location of the footbridge over the railway.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll=51.455498,-0.212034&spn=0.002895,0.006899&t=m&z=17

The junction of Cromer Villas Road / Sutherland Grove and the East Putney Tunnel exit (a satellite photograph).
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4525841,-0.2092284,252m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

Wimbledon Park station and an entrance to the park.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=51.435792,-0.202367&spn=0.003699,0.006899&t=m&z=17

The entrance to the Fulham Railway Bridge is very near to Putney Bridge station and crossing this bridge on foot offers a very different way to experience the District line. There are also excellent views of the trains crossing the bridge from the river bank (Thames Path) and from Putney Bridge - although from here the noise of the road traffic will prevent you from hearing the passing trains. If filming from the Thames Path or Putney Bridge the sun is in the best direction in the afternoon.

District Line trains crossing the River Thames on Fulham Railway Bridge, a river bus and the WW2 pillbox next to Putney Bridge station feature in one of my ‘YouTube’ videos:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5XEYBTap7s

On the south side of the river Thames there is a choice of walking routes towards the next photo-spots; either along Putney High Street (the Exchange shopping centre has places to buy food and free toilets) or along Oxford Road which is a quiet residential street. Just to the east of East Putney station is Keswick Road, walking along this road will lead to a foot bridge over the railway where it is possible to look down on the passing trains and (if looking to the south) an entrance to the East Putney Tunnel.

Keswick Road ends at a road named East Hill. On the other side of this road (slightly offset) is Sutherland Grove. This leads to Southfields station and passes the Cromer Villas Road and Granville Road photo-spots.

More ‘YouTube’ video - most of these also show some older types of train which have now been replaced.


Lineside and bridge views (look up or look down) at Keswick Road, Cromer Villas Road and Granville Road in 1990, 2014 and 2015,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-V-1Bz2gTA

District Line and SWR trains at Southfields station, filmed in 2014.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp9J-F0thYY

Trains at (and nearby) Wimbledon Park station in 1990, 2011, 2014 and 2015,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmPNb3mUCTA

Lineside views of trains passing Wimbledon Park (not the station) in 1990, 2014 and 2015,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vmh6R8e2GQ .

In open air from New Cross / New Cross Gate to just north of Surrey Quays, at Whitechapel plus a little to the north of the station and much of the route to Shoreditch.

Click map to see larger version in a new window!

Strictly speaking this line no longer exists, but of course it can still be seen on many older and historic maps.

Nowadays the line is part of the London Overground network, under whose heading more information can be found.

The Hammersmith & City Line uses S Stock ‘subsurface’ trains: which feature air-conditioning and internally are of a walk-through design.

S Stock Variations: Although they all look the same there are two different types of S Stock trains.
The S7 variant have 7 cars with only longitudinal seating. These are used on the Circle, District and Hammersmith & City lines.
The S7+1 variant have 8 cars with only longitudinal seating. There are very few of these trains - which are used on the Metropolitan line.
The S8 variant have 8 cars, a mix of longitudinal and facing seats and are used on the Metropolitan line.

Map modified by me, original source & license: Ed g2s / Karldupart / Perhelion / Wikipedia encyclopædia CC BY-SA 3.0 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hammersmith_%26_City_Line.svg

Click map to see larger version in a new window!

Almost entirely below ground in central London, Edgware Road, Farringdon and Barbican stations are in open air. At Liverpool Street one end of the platform is in open air. The tunnels between Kings Cross and Barbican stations include some short open air sections which date from the days of steam trains when ventilation openings were needed to allow the smoke to clear.

In west London open air between Hammersmith & Paddington, except for the short flyunder below the Great Western Main Line between Westbourne Park and Royal Oak stations.

In east London open air at Whitechapel and then from Bow Road to Barking.

Information for people who are happy to travel on trains which are above ground but experience claustrophobia when in tunnels.

Most of the tunnels used by Hammersmith & City Line trains are wide enough for two tracks (ie: a train in each direction), however there are one location which has narrow single track tunnels.

* This is at Kings Cross St Pancras station - the platforms plus station approaches / exits.

Until 1988 this service was officially part of the Metropolitan Line (albeit a separately operated branch) and at some locations might still be advertised as such. The name 'Hammersmith and City' is taken from the Hammersmith and City Railway (H&CR) which was jointly owned by the Metropolitan and Great Western Railways.

Central London: The Hammersmith & City Line operates along the entire length of the first section of the Metropolitan Railway which opened in January 1863 and extended from Paddington to Farringdon Street (nowadays just known as Farringdon) via Baker Street station. Over the years several of the stations on this section of railway have changed their names, these include Moorgate Street / Moorgate, Aldersgate / Barbican and Gower Street / Euston Square.

Baker Street is of course one of London‘s most famous stations. Hammersmith & City (and Circle) Line trains use the original 1863 platforms which are located just below the Marylebone Road and numbered 5 & 6.They have been restored to as near their original condition as possible. However since the original fresh air portals which allowed daylight to enter the station (and steam engine smoke to escape) have been covered over they have been fitted with electric lighting so as to help recreate this effect. The platform walls feature many plaques showing old plans and photographs of the station as it was many years ago. Baker Street has the most platforms that are served by London Underground trains in all London. Four platforms are used by Metropolitan Line trains, two platforms by Hammersmith & City and Circle Lines trains plus four deep level tube train platforms - 10 in total! Just outside the front of the station there is a large statue of Sherlock Holmes which commemorates the fictional detective's association with 221B Baker Street.

The platforms at Great Portland Street also comprise much historic brickwork and heritage style lighting. There is also a daylight / ventilation portal at one end of the station.

Although Edgware Road (subsurface) was an original 1863 Metropolitan Railway station, in the 1920's it was rebuilt to have four platforms. This was part of a plan to reduce congestion on the two track section of railway between Baker Street and Finchley Road stations by building new deep level tube tunnels from just to the west of Edgware Road station to just north of the present-day Kilburn station. However the planned new route was abandoned after new safety rules prohibited the compartment type of train that the Metropolitan Railway used on its main line services from travelling through deep level tube tunnels. Instead a solution was found which included building new tunnels between Finchley Road and Baker Street stations as an extension to an existing tube line.

The subsurface platforms at Kings Cross St Pancras date from 1941. For most of their length they comprise twin circular shaped tunnels with a side platform, thereby creating the ambiance of a deep level ‘tube’ train station. There is a photograph showing this on the Circle Line section.

The route from here to Moorgate has four tracks, the other tracks are known variously as the Widened Lines or the City Widened Lines. Nowadays some of this route is used by mainline trains as part of the Thameslink service, these can sometimes be seen whilst travelling between Kings Cross and Farringdon stations. Also visible is the remains of the westbound platform at the Kings Cross station which Underground trains stopped using in 1941. A wall prevents sight of the former eastbound platform and the platforms which Thameslink trains stopped using in 2007.

The route between Barbican and Moorgate dates from 1965 when the tracks were realigned and placed in tunnels as part of an urban regeneration scheme which included the building of the Barbican complex. Moorgate station also used to be open air but is now under an office block. This station also has 10 platforms. Four of these are used by Metropolitan / Hammersmith & City / Circle Lines trains (two for through trains and two bay platforms), two platforms are for Widened Lines trains (no longer used) and four platforms are used by deep level tube trains (two as part of the mainline railway system).

Widened Lines: (This section includes some history as this helps explain some features of the present-day route).

Because of the large number of trains from other railway companies^§ which wanted to access London's Financial District the 1865 extension of the original Metropolitan Railway from Farringdon to Moorgate was built with four tracks, and a pair of extra tracks were added between Farringdon and Kings Cross St Pancras stations.

^§The railway companies included the Midland Railway, the Great Northern Railway and the London, Chatham & Dover Railway.

Some of the trains which used the Widened Lines travelled the whole way from Kings Cross or St. Pancras to Moorgate, others only travelled between Kings Cross / St. Pancras and Farringdon - many of these trains were on services to / from various destinations in south London and crossed the River Thames on Blackfriars bridge. For a while there were also services from south London which went to Moorgate, only using the Widened Lines between Farringdon and Moorgate. In addition many goods (freight) trains used the Widened Lines, some of these served the various goods yards which were near Farringdon station, others were on longer journeys between north and south London.

In the days of electric traction some Metropolitan Railway services that terminated at Moorgate also used the Widened Lines. But only when travelling eastbound, ie: towards Moorgate.

Nowadays only the Thameslink service which links destinations to the north and south of London still uses the Widened Lines. However since 2009 they have only used the section between St Pancras and Farringdon stations.

Prior to 2009 some Thameslink trains from the north of London travelled all the way from St Pancras to Moorgate. The reason why the section between Farringdon and Moorgate closed is that when Thameslink trains were lengthened from 8 to 12 carriages it was decided that the only way that the northbound platform at Farringdon could be extended to accept the longer trains was to build over the trackbed of the route to Moorgate. Extending the other end of the platform at Farringdon was not done because of a downhill gradient that was thought to be too steep for a station platform. This explains why Moorgate and Barbican stations have two disused platforms.

Longer term plans are to re-connect the closed section of the Widened Lines to the Underground's tracks and use it as additional sidings, so it is unlikely that passengers will be able to travel along this section of track again.

When looking at the historic information about the Metropolitan Railway it is important to remember that in those days it was just one of the many British railway companies. The MR saw itself as being a mainline railway that in every way was equal in status to its contemporaries. Therefore it would be wrong to think in terms of 'present-day' terminologies such as 'rapid transit', 'urban metro', 'subway', etc.

Stations At Different Locations With The Same Names: For historic reasons three stations served by Hammersmith & City Line trains are ‘duplicates’. At Edgware Road, Paddington and Hammersmith different Underground trains call at identically named stations which are at separate locations a short walk from each other.

At Edgware Road the Hammersmith & City Line, Circle Line and District Line trains use the former Metropolitan Railway station. The totally separate Bakerloo Line station with the same name is a short walk away across busy road junctions.

At Paddington the Hammersmith & City Line trains (and Circle Line trains travelling to / from Hammersmith) use the suburban platforms (numbers 15 & 16) which are part of the mainline railway station and totally separate from the other underground lines. These platforms are partly in open air and the mainline trains operated by Great Western Railway / Heathrow Express / TFL Rail can be seen from them.

At Hammersmith the Hammersmith & City (and Circle) Line trains use the former Metropolitan Railway station which remains largely as built in 1868. A short walk away across some busy roads is the former District Railway station which nowadays is used by District & Piccadilly Line trains and has been modernised with its main entrance now inside a shopping centre.

West London: Between Paddington and Royal Oak the line runs alongside the northern side of the mainline railway, and between Royal Oak and Westbourne Park the Underground trains use a dive-under to swap between the northern and southern side of the mainline trains. Royal Oak is a good location for watching passing mainline trains, including InterCity Express Trains to Bristol, South Wales, Devon, Cornwall etc., outer suburban / regional diesel and electric trains, TFL Rail and Heathrow Express trains. However, because you will be looking south it will often be easier to photograph the trains when the weather is cloudy.

The section Westbourne Park - Hammersmith is on a brick arch viaduct which in 1864 was built by the Great Western Railway's (GWR) and served by its broad-gauge trains - these had tracks which were 7 ft 0¼ in [2140 mm] apart). Originally there were only a few stations, with more opening over a number of years.

The present-day Wood Lane station dates from 2008. Over the years this station has been opened and closed several times, its 2008 reopening was because it is very near the large ‘Westfield’ shopping centre that opened in the same year. Also nearby is the Central line‘s White City station.

Just outside Hammersmith station the trains pass a small depôt.

Closed Link At Latimer Road: This link was built as part of the original Hammersmith & City Railway. It went to the nearby West London Line and originally was used by GWR services which went to Addison Road station (now known as Kensington Olympia). Over the years it was used by both GWR and Metropolitan Railway services to various destinations, including the Middle Circle service which ran between Moorgate and Mansion House via Addison Road. Eventually however only Metropolitan Railway trains on the short Edgware Road - Addison Road shuttle used this link and it was completely closed in 1940 as a result of air raid bomb damage.

The route from midway between Bow Road and Bromley-by-Bow stations to Upminster has four (or more) tracks, the other pair of tracks are used by C2C services between Fenchurch Street and the coastal town of Southend-On-Sea. Further information can be found in the Shared Service Routes section below.

Jubilee line trains use a GoA 2 (Grade of Automation level 2) semi-automatic train control system (STO) whereby the trains travel automatically from station to station but a human train driver is always present at the front of the train, with duties that include door closing and initiating station departure.

Each tube car has eight priority seats. These are located very near the passenger doors and next to floor-ceiling grab rails which some passengers will find useful when they try to stand up when arriving at their destination station.

Jubilee line trains feature several different designs of priority seat upholstery. Some are plain, some include a pictogram of the various groups of passengers for whom these seats are intended and some include a few words encouraging other passengers to give up that seat / sit elsewhere if they see a passenger who would benefit from a priority seat. There are six different messages:-

Please offer this seat
Be prepared to offer this seat
Please give up this seat

Someone may need this seat more
Not all disabilities are visible
This is a priority seat

The seating bays (in the middle of the tube cars) with the multi-user spaces do not have any priority seats, however on some tube cars the bum rests also feature the priority seat fabric.

Sometimes different priority seat styles can be seen in different tube cars within the same train.

Open air Stanmore - Finchley Road and Canning Town - Stratford.
The rest is underground.

Click map to see larger version in a new window!

Jubilee Line Part 1: The section from Stanmore to Wembley Park opened in 1932, originally as part of the Metropolitan Railway.

Between Wembley Park and Finchley Road the route is shared with the Metropolitan Line and Chiltern Railways services from Marylebone station; there is more information about this in the 'shared service' section below.

Jubilee Line Part 2: The section between Finchley Road and Baker Street opened in 1939. This was built because the existing Metropolitan Railway route between these two stations could not cope with the number of trains using it and a solution was found in building a new route for small-profile tube trains from Finchley Road to reach the Bakerloo Line at Baker Street, and then use the Bakerloo Line to replace Metropolitan Line trains to Stanmore.

St Johns Wood station is especially feted for its architecture and the distinctive 1930's 'uplighter' lights in the escalator shaft. A short walk from this station is Abbey Road, where there is a famous (music) recording studio and zebra crossing as used by the Beatles pop group on the cover of one of their records.

Jubilee Line Part 3: As part of a plan to build a new Underground Line to south-east London and improve the service on the Bakerloo line a new section of railway was built on a new alignment from Baker Street to Charing Cross via Bond Street and Green Park stations. This opened in 1979 and became known as the Jubilee Line. At the same time the new service took over the Bakerloo Line route between Baker Street and Stanmore. The tunnels actually extend from Charing Cross towards Aldwych, which was planned to be the next station.

Jubilee Line Part 4: The Jubilee Line route between Green Park and Stratford opened in 1999 and is known as the Jubilee Line Extension (JLE). Because it was decided that this extension should follow a route via Waterloo station and the south of the River Thames (instead of the previously planned route via Charing Cross and Aldwych stations) the Jubilee Line platforms at Charing Cross are no longer used. However trains still travel to Charing Cross station, albeit only to reverse direction of travel when there is disruption to the service. Passengers are not allowed to travel on these trains. The closed platforms are also often used as 'London' locations by the film (movie) industry, eg: James Bond.

The subterranean JLE stations (Westminster - North Greenwich) have full-height platform edge doors so photographing trains is 'not easy'. However many of these stations have been feted for their architectural merit, especially Westminster, Southwark, Bermondsey and North Greenwich.

Westminster station has won many awards for its architecture and therefore is also of interest to many people who have no interest in trains. However in many ways it probably would have been better had this station not won these awards, because whilst the station staff will happily use their extensive CCTV surveillance cameras to watch over every part of the station (from their control room) they very much dislike passengers using their cameras to take photographs at this station.

The Jubilee Line part of Westminster station includes a large box-shaped hole that was dug out of the ground in which there are many sets of escalators between the different levels. The Jubilee Line platforms are stacked one on top of the other, plus there are different escalators for people entering / leaving the station and people changing trains between the Jubilee and District / Circle Lines. The flying buttresses, grey concrete walls and tap-tap sounds echoing off the walls as people walk on the metal footplate flooring creates the impression of what being in a space station could be like.

The main exit at Canary Wharf station has a bank of five escalators (which lead to an open-air piazza) plus several side exits which lead into an underground shopping and restaurant city. Built in reclaimed docklands the Canary Wharf area has become London's second financial district and everything is very modern. The shopping centre is open every day, and there are free toilets / washrooms / restrooms. The area above the station has been transformed into a very pleasant small city park with seats and water features.

The station nearest to the Millennium Dome (which nowadays is known as the O2) is North Greenwich. This is also a very busy interchange station with many bus routes that extend to many destinations in south-east London. When the Elizabeth Line (Crossrail Line 1) stations at Woolwich and Abbey Wood open some bus passengers are expected to use the new service instead.

North Greenwich station has three platforms. This is because it was meant to be a junction from where a new section of railway would be built to a remote part of south-east London that does not have any railway stations (Thamesmead). However it is now unlikely that this extension will be built. This is mainly because the route to Stratford is now so busy that to divert trains away from Stratford station (to Thamesmead) would leave the Stratford route severely overcrowded. Instead the Elizabeth line (Crossrail line 1) station at Abbey Wood will serve Thamesmead.

Between Canning Town and Stratford the route is shared with Docklands Light Railway trains. The DLR is on the eastern side of the Jubilee Line. On the western side there is a large depot (between West Ham and Stratford). There is more information about this in the 'shared service' section below.

At busy times trains often queue to enter Stratford. This could be because at busy times the train service is so frequent that it needs more platforms.

The Jubilee line is also looked at in the Stratford station section further down this page which looks at busier stations in zones 1-4.

The Metropolitan Line uses S stock trains, the first of which to enter passenger service is seen here (above left) at Watford station.
These trains have 3 sets of opening doors per car, air-conditioning and internally are of a walk-through design.

S Stock Variations: Although they all look the same there are two different types of S Stock trains.
The S7 variant have 7 cars with only longitudinal seating. These are used on the Circle, District and Hammersmith & City lines.
The S7+1 variant have 8 cars with only longitudinal seating. There are very few of these trains - which are used on the Metropolitan line.
The S8 variant have 8 cars, a mix of longitudinal and facing seats and are used on the Metropolitan line.

Map modified by me, original source & license: Ed g2s / Wikipedia encyclopædia CC BY-SA 3.0 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Metropolitan_Line.svg

Click map to see larger version in a new window!

In tunnel from Aldgate to Baker Street, except for Aldgate, Liverpool Street (part only), Farringdon and Barbican stations. The tunnels between Kings Cross and Barbican stations include some short open air sections which date from the days of steam trains when ventilation openings were needed to allow the smoke to clear.

At Baker Street Metropolitan Line trains use platforms 1-4 which are partly in the open. Baker Street - Finchley Road is mostly in tunnel but with some short open air sections. Finchley Road station is above ground and the rest of the line all the way to Amersham, Watford and Uxbridge is above ground - except for a short tunnel on what is known as the North Curve, which is the direct route between Croxley and Rickmansworth. However this section of track is not normally used by passenger trains.

Information for people who are happy to travel on trains which are above ground but experience claustrophobia when in tunnels.

The Metropolitan Line has a mix of single track and twin track tunnels:

* Between Baker Street and Aldgate stations most of the tunnels are wide enough for two tracks - one train in each direction.
However, at Kings Cross St Pancras station and for short distances either side of the station the tunnels are single track.

*Between Baker Street and Finchley Road stations the route mostly comprises single track tunnels although there are a few places which have either twin track tunnels or are in open air.

Outside the rush hours many trains terminate at Baker Street - despite being part of the 'Underground' the Metropolitan Line is more like an outer-suburban railway than an inner-city urban railway.

Do look at the 'next train' describers before boarding a train, as some journeys can take you a long way without stopping! After Baker Street all trains stop at Finchley Road and Wembley Park (the latter northbound only), but after that some trains may stop next at Harrow-on-the-Hill, which is in zone 5 and then Moor Park, which is a zones 6 & 7 boundary station.

The route has either 4 or 6 tracks all the way from Central London to north of Moor Park, where the line to Watford diverges.

Between Baker Street and Finchley Road you may spot the remains of several stations which stopped being used in 1939 when a new deep level tube line along the same route was opened. These stations were intended to be retained for 'special occasions' (such as cricket at Lords) but in the event because of wartime economies they ended up being permanently closed.

Metropolitan Line trains also used to call at stations between Finchley Road and Wembley Park, this too stopped (on a full-time daily basis) in 1939 when the tube trains took over the Stanmore service. However early morning / late evening Metropolitan Line trains continued to call at all these intermediate stations until the Jubilee Line was resignalled with new computerised signalling system in circa 2010. Nowadays when Jubilee Line services are disrupted Metropolitan Line trains sometimes also call at Neasden and Willesden Green, this is possible because these two stations also have dedicated Metropolitan Line platforms.

Until summer 2012 the Metropolitan Main Line had trains which dated from the early 1960's. Known as the A stock they were the largest trains on the Underground and the widest trains anywhere in Britain. When first introduced they replaced trains with hand operated 'slam' doors, and on the Amersham / Chesham route also replaced locomotive-hauled trains which changed between electric and steam traction at Rickmansworth. At one time A stock trains travelled at speeds of up to 70mph (about 120 km/h) but because of their age they were later restricted to just 50mph (80 km/h).

This page looks at some surviving historic Metropolitan Railway trains, including the preserved Vintage (1898 and 1900) passenger carriages which were used on the Chesham shuttle service until replaced by A stock trains in the early 1960's.
http://citytransport.info/Vintage.htm

The S stock trains are of a walk-through design and have significantly fewer seats than A stock trains - the plan is to operate trains more frequently but sceptics question whether this will work as planned and point to a similar attempt on the mainline railway (Virgin CrossCountry) which failed catastrophically, leaving some stations with less frequent and overcrowded trains. S stock trains have faster acceleration than A stock trains but a lower top speed of 62mph (100 km/h)

If travelling to stations beyond Harrow-On-The-Hill you can also travel on the diesel Chiltern Railways trains from London Marylebone station, changing en route if required. Make sure to catch a train travelling to Aylesbury via Amersham! Travelcard and PAYG tickets can be used on these trains - but only as far as Amersham.

If going all the way to Amersham, Watford and Chesham note that these places are outside zone 6 so you need Travelcards valid for zones 7, 8, 9. Because the cost of paper Travelcards for these zones is ‘very expensive’ so it is much cheaper to use ‘Oyster or contactless PAYG’, although journey time limits mean that you should not spend too long at stations watching trains. Alternatively, use PAYG in one direction and buy a 'paper' single ticket in the other direction. Paper tickets do not have journey time limits so as long as you only travel in the correct direction (ie: no backtracking) and do not leave the station you should be OK. Alternatively, if you have a BritRail pass, Eurail pass or an All Line Rover then these can be used at any station that is served by Chiltern Railways trains. With these tickets it is best to only travel on Chiltern Railways diesel trains, as they may not be valid on Underground trains.

Also, be aware that these stations are a long way - even with 'fast' trains Amersham and Chesham are about an hour (60 minutes) from Central London (Aldgate). Getting to Chesham used to require a change of train at Chalfont & Latimer, but since 2010 almost all trains travel through to Baker Street (although it is usually faster to catch a Chiltern Railways train from Marylebone and change at Chalfont & Latimer). Chesham is a nice small town with a pedestrianised shopping street a few minutes walk from the station and the scenery out the window of the countryside is very pleasant.

Between Harrow-On-The-Hill and Amersham the Chiltern and (some) Metropolitan trains use the same tracks and operate a joint service. Chiltern Railway trains typically include toilets, seats with tables and even laptop power sockets.

Places where I sometimes go to watch trains on this route include the car park next to the northbound platform at Chorleywood and the road bridges near this station. If using Oyster PAYG as a ticketing solution then remember to 'touch-out' on the card reader before leaving the station - the exit to the car park has a card reader for this very purpose. If it does not register your exit then visit the ticket office and seek help.

I also like to go to Rickmansworth, the shopping street is near the station (turn right out of the station and walk though the road / pedestrian underpass below the railway) and I sometimes watch trains from the top floor of the car park at the Waitrose food store (keep walking past the underpass). The photograph (below) was taken from a footbridge to the south of the station - although there are railings I found a small gap which made this view possible.

The route to Uxbridge has a mix of stations, Ruislip is an older Victorian-era station whilst Hillingdon is modern with lots of glass - and peeling paint. Rayners Lane and Uxbridge are 1930’s ‘Art Deco’. Services are shared with the Piccadilly Line.

Most of the Metropolitan line north of Baker Street is jointly operated with other services and this is looked at in the shared service section below.

Northern Line

Northern line trains use a GoA 2 (Grade of Automation level 2) semi-automatic train control system (STO) whereby the trains travel automatically from station to station but a human train driver is always present at the front of the train, with duties that include door closing and initiating station departure. To ensure that train drivers retain their train driving licences they sometimes still drive the trains manually.

The central area seating of one car per train includes two fixed sides - these are for the benefit of passengers who use wheelchairs.

Entirely underground from just outside Morden to just before Golders Green / East Finchley.

The sections from East Finchley to Mill Hill East / High Barnet and Golders Green to Edgware are in the open air. There is a short tunnel between Hendon Central and Colindale.

Click map to see larger version in a new window!

The Northern Line was given this name in 1937 when expansion plans included its trains taking over three Northern Heights railway routes in north London. Before this renaming it was known as the Morden - Edgware line.

At 17 miles 528 yards (27.841km) in length, for many years the section from East Finchley to Morden via Bank formed the longest continuous passenger railway tunnel anywhere on Earth.

Central London:

Charing Cross Branch: Most trains which travel on the Charing Cross branch terminate at Kennington, where passengers have a ‘same level’ interchange with trains from the Bank branch. Mornington Crescent station has been nicely refurbished, especially the platforms. The platforms at Charing Cross have a very distinctive wall mural based on the construction of the nearby Eleanor Cross 1000 years ago.

Bank Branch: For part of the route the trains travel on the right but because the line is deep underground this is only seen at stations (Bank, London Bridge, Borough). The Northern Line‘s platforms at Bank are very congested and should be avoided in the rush hours. This is partly a result of significant growth in passenger numbers but also because passengers use these platforms as part of the main interchange route between the Central Line and Monument station and that the platforms were partially narrowed to facilitate the installation of interchange passageway access stairways when the Docklands Light Railway was extended to this station. The planned solution to alleviate the overcrowding includes building a new station platform for trains travelling in one direction and converting its present-day platform tunnel into a passageway. Also note that the interchange with the Central Line includes two spiral staircases (one for passengers walking in each direction).

When built the stations at Angel and Euston (Bank branch) also featured very narrow island platforms serving both tracks but nowadays the trains have separate platforms and it is possible to tell which is the original platform because it is extra wide.

South London:

The route between Stockwell and the now closed station at King William Street was London's first deep-level tube railway. Built by the City and South London Railway (C&SLR) it opened in 1890. Although it has now has more platforms much of Kennington station is still as it was built by the C&SLR. The old route to King William Street branched off the existing route between Borough and London Bridge stations.

Clapham North and Clapham Common stations still retain their very narrow island platforms between the tracks.

The stations Clapham South - Morden date from the 1920's and are of architectural merit. The street-level structures are of white Portland stone with tall double-height ticket halls, with the London Underground roundel made up in coloured glass panels in large glazed screens.

Battersea branch:

This short branch opened in September 2021 and comprises just two stations, both of which are underground.

It was built as an extension from the reversing loop used by Charing Cross branch trains which end their journeys at Kennington and therefore it can only be served by trains that travel through central London via Charing Cross.

North London:

Camden Town station (which opened in 1907) is very close to the famous Camden Market and on Sunday afternoons the station is so busy that to avoid overcrowding both escalators are used in the ‘up’ direction. Therefore it is restricted to interchange and exit only; passengers wanting to enter must use a different station nearby. This is also a junction station and trains from either of the two central London branches can travel to / from either of the two north London branches.

About 7 - 10 minutes walk from Camden Town Underground station is Camden Road London Overground (North London Line) station. Passengers paying fares using PAYG are allowed to leave one of these stations and walk to the other one and then continue their journey at no extra cost. I often interchange between trains here! There is a generous time limit for the walk between the two stations to be completed, so people who walk slowly should not worry, but this time limit does not allow for going shopping in the market.

Edgware branch: Hampstead station is the deepest on the Underground and has high speed lifts. Golders Green has 3 tracks and 5 platforms (although one is no longer used). The centre track is used by trains which terminate here. There is also a large depot here. Directly in front of the Underground station is a busy bus station which is served by many buses from the local area as well as National Express coaches from many towns and cities around the British Isles.

The Edgware branch was built in the 1920's when the area was green fields. Whilst there is nothing ‘bad’ about it, it could be said that the High Barnet branch is more interesting.

High Barnet branch: Some of the oldest stations on the London Underground are on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line. Many date from 1867/72 - Underground trains only started using this line in 1940. This was as part of a wide area railway electrification scheme involving several railway routes in north London which went disastrously wrong and has left a lot of people without any railway service at all.

Some stations on this branch have platforms which are longer than usual; this is because until WW2 there were experiments (on the Edgware and Charing Cross branches) with 9 car (carriage / coach) trains and the platforms at new and rebuilt stations were designed for the longer trains. Highgate is the best station to see this. Nowadays all trains have just 7 cars.

Highgate station is in a deep cutting and there is an extra up escalator which takes arriving passengers higher up the hill. Nowadays trains only use the low level platforms - the high level platforms are in the open air above the ticket hall. It is sometimes possible to glimpse them from the street, although vegetation makes this quite difficult.

Further reading (with many photographs):-
http://underground-history.co.uk/northernh.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anHLOwH2HWU
http://www.abandonedstations.org.uk/Northern_Heights_1.html

A station noted for its distinctive 1930‘s architecture is East Finchley. Despite having 4 platforms most trains only use the outer two. The middle tracks lead to a depot and the now disused above-ground route to Finsbury Park via Highgate (high level) station. The main station building includes a glass wall which at one time featured two railway logos - the lower logo (for the UndergrounD) is still extant whilst the former LNER [London & North Eastern Railway] ‘fisheye’ symbol above that has now been replaced with plain glass. LNER steam trains were withdrawn in 1941, as part of the wartime effort to save coal. Whilst here also look out for the ‘archer’ statue at the London end of the platforms towards Highgate.

Further north Finchley Central station dates from 1867, making it one of the oldest stations on the Underground. It was built by the Edgware, Highgate and London Railway (EH&LR), although by the time it opened the EH&LR had been taken over by the the Great Northern Railway (GNR). The station was on a line that ran from Finsbury Park to Edgware via Highgate and Mill Hill. The Northern Heights plan for electric tube trains to take over this route in the early 1940's included the building of a modern Art Deco station with four platforms, but in the event this did not happen.

From Finchley Central the single track railway crosses the multi-arched Dollis Brook Viaduct which offers pleasant views over north London. Mill Hill East only has one platform and also dates from 1867. Tube trains started travelling here in 1941 to serve a nearby military barracks and the plan to convert the line to twin tracks was delayed until after the war. Because (nowadays) this line only consists of one station the train service is not very frequent. Sometimes trains only travel between here and Finchley Central, where passengers travelling to / from Central London must change to / from High Barnet trains.

The branch line from Finchley Central to High Barnet opened in 1872 and the stations^§ still retain much of their original Victorian architectural character. Woodside Park is at the centre of a residential area and in accordance with the desires of local residents there are no retail stores around it. High Barnet is in zone 5; because of local geography access to the town of Barnet is via a steep pathway up Barnet Hill.

^§(The LNER opened West Finchley in 1933 using various fixtures and fittings taken from other stations around Eastern England. This remains one of London's quieter stations).

Below ground just south of Drayton Park - Moorgate.
Above ground the rest of the route.

Click map to see larger version in a new window!

This is London‘s first deep level ‘tube’ line to be built for large profile trains. The southern terminus is at Moorgate (platforms 9 & 10) from where trains travel deep underground as far as Drayton Park, which is in an open air cutting and where the remains of a former depôt can be seen next to the northbound track.

Between Moorgate and Drayton Park the trains are powered via an electrified third rail; at Drayton Park they switch between third rail and overhead wire power supply systems and north of here they operate as ordinary surface suburban trains providing ‘all stations’ services along the East Coast Main Line - which is the route used by trains from London‘s Kings Cross station heading to faraway cities such as York, Leeds, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

Between 1939 and 1975 this route used London Transport's small profile tube trains. Nowadays this line is not usually shown on UndergrounD maps but being an underground railway in London it simply had to be included in this guide.

Present-day services are provided by Seimens Desiro City Class 717 trains as part of the ‘Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern’ (TSGN) mainline railway franchise. These trains are six carriage variants of the fully walk-through air-conditioned Seimens Desiro City Class 700 trains used on the Thameslink service.

However there are a few small differences; these include the 717's having power sockets under the seats and the train ends also including some folding steps. This is to make it is possible for an emergency evacuation of the train via the train ends when travelling through the single track tube tunnels. Also the 717's do not have toilets.

Extra Information

The reason why the Northern City line has larger tunnels than London's other tube lines is because when it was built (in 1904 by The Great Northern & City Railway [GN&CR]) the aim was to allow trains from the Great Northern Railway (GNR) to reach the City area of London (ie: the Financial District). However the GNR did not favour this so the GN&CR remained physically isolated.

Over the years there were many proposals to extend this line, both to the north and the south, however whilst this was achieved in 1941 for trains which did not carry passengers it was the 1970's before this was achieved for passenger trains. Known as the Great Northern Electrics this is the present-day service.

Whilst an extension south (perhaps to create a north-south cross London service via London Bridge or another major south London station) would seem logical this is not possible. The reason is that to the south of Moorgate station the route is blocked by a Crossrail line 1 (Elizabeth line) station tunnel and foundations from buildings in the Bank area.

Even if it was possible to extend this line further south another issue would be the very high cost of having to lengthen all the subterranean stations, so that the much longer trains used in south London could call at them.

Old maps will probably show a branch between Holborn and Aldwych, however this closed on 30th September 1994.

Many central London Piccadilly line stations are amongst the over 40 stations which were designed by the architect Henry Green and built in the first decade of the 20th century by the Underground Electric Railways Group (UERG).

The platform and passageway wall tiling at each of these stations followed a different colour scheme, so as to aid identification by regular passengers travelling in passing trains. This is demonstrated in the two images below which show Hyde Park Corner and Gloucester Road stations.

At some Henry Green stations the platforms (or even the entire station) have been refurbished in ways that give them a completely different identity.

The Piccadilly line also includes many stations that were brand new (or date from the steam train era but were significantly rebuilt) in the 1930's which are of architectural interest. Mostly these are in the suburbs, in zones 3 - 6. Typically these have Art Deco styled buildings and follow a core theme of tall block-like ticket halls that rise above low horizontal structures which contain offices and retail shops. The brick walls of the ticket halls are often punctuated with panels of clerestory windows and capped with a flat concrete slab roof.

Sights in north London: The stations Manor House - Cockfosters date from the 1930's. Manor House and Cockfosters have street buildings which are modest in scale, being primarily more like bus shelters. The rest of the stations feature Art Deco station buildings which are either square, octagonal or circular and also (sometimes) have ventilation towers. Manor House and Turnpike Lane stations were built with extra passageways that linked with tram platforms located in the middle of the road, however as with the trams these no longer exist.

Northbound trains approaching Arnos Grove are sometimes delayed a short whilst queueing to enter the station, which features 3 tracks and 4 platforms.

Southgate station is famed for its circular shape and distinctive Tesla Coil on its roof. Because of the way the station‘s Art Deco features are illuminated during the hours of darkness this is said to be one of the most photogenic buildings on the London Transport network.

Born in 1856, Nikola Tesla was an electrical genius who invented many things including fluorescent lighting and the alternating current electrical system we use today. He designed his machines in his ‘minds eye’ in 3D and was even able to test them for weaknesses, zoom in on individual parts, and more - all without needing pens, paper, computers / 3D modelling softwares, etc. He was known to be developing a wireless energy transmission system which would have allowed everyone to source all the energy they need from a small box placed in an outhouse. It is assumed that this would have been similar (in theme) to a radio. However his main financier (J.P Morgan) had financial interests in copper mining and seeing the potential threat to his wealth posed by Tesla‘s wireless energy transmission system vowed to do all he could to stop Tesla. In addition, the electrical supply industry was alarmed by the inability of Tesla‘s planned system to levy charges for the energy used. In other words, the electricity would have been free! Tesla died in 1943 and everything he left behind was secreted away from the public domain by the US military. Information source: Prodigal Genius by John J. O'Neill;. Publishers include Granada and Neville Spearman Ltd. The 1980 Granada paperback edition has an ISBN number of 0 586 05000 0.

The rest of the route is in zones 5 & 6. There is a depot between Oakwood and Cockfosters.

Despite having very modest bus-shelter street buildings Cockfosters is a grand and very distinctive station with glass trainshed roofs and platform canopies that are supported by portal frames of narrow blade-like concrete columns and beams rising from the platforms and spanning across the tracks. There are three tracks, one of which has platforms on both sides - although the trains only open their doors on one side. The term concrete cathedral may sound unkind but it is not meant that way. Cockfosters is located at the outer edge of north London.

At the opposite end of the Piccadilly line (and at the outer edge of north-west London) is Uxbridge station. This features a near identical trainshed and platform arrangement but its main entrance is a pedestrian piazza and there is a proper bus station alongside it. These terminus stations are both located in zone 6.

Sights in west London: Piccadilly Line trains started travelling west of Hammersmith in the early 1930's and eventually took over what had been District Line services on the branches to Hounslow West and Rayners Lane / Uxbridge.

The section between Barons Court and Acton Town has four tracks and is shared with District Line trains; this is looked at on the Shared Service Routes page.

The four track section extends beyond Acton Town station as far as Northfields, but the track on the north (former eastbound District line track) is mostly used as a test track and therefore rarely carries passenger trains. However both westbound tracks are used by trains carrying passengers. There is a large depot just after Northfields, and since this is a surface route it can also be accessed by the subsurface / large profile Underground trains.

The station building at Boston Manor features a narrow fin-like tower with a leading edge that used to be illuminated at night and roundel which rises high above the low structure and helps identify the station‘s location from a distance. Opposite the station it is possible to enjoy an excellent view of Northfields depot.

From Acton Town the route towards Rayners Lane and Uxbridge is shared with District Line trains through Ealing Common station to where the District Line diverges towards Ealing Broadway. Between Acton Town and Ealing Common the trains pass a large District Line depot. Many of the stations on this route are also famed for their 1930‘s architecture, especially Sudbury Town. Between Sudbury Hill and Uxbridge the line is in zones 5 & 6. Trains sometimes queue to enter Rayners Lane, which is shared with the Metropolitan Line - despite being where two routes join and some Piccadilly line trains terminate this station only has two platforms and trains which reverse here sometimes delay other trains whilst station staff ensure that all passengers have alighted before the empty train enters a siding.

Alperton used to have an up escalator from the ticket hall to the eastbound platform (ie: the platform used by trains travelling towards Central London) but to save money when this needed replacing it was switched off and a wall was built around it instead. This way passengers do not see it - and do not complain that it cannot be used!

Park Royal station first opened as a temporary timber structure in 1931 - this Art Deco/Streamline Moderne style Grade ll listed building dates from 1936. It was designed by Welch & Lander in a style influenced by the Underground's principal architect Charles Holden. At street level the station building is attached to several curved three-floor retail and office buildings which were built in the same style. The platform used by London-bound trains still retains its original 1931 wooden pagoda waiting shelter.

Victoria line trains use a GoA 2 (Grade of Automation level 2) semi-automatic train control system (STO) whereby the trains travel automatically from station to station but a human train driver is always present at the front of the train, with duties that include door closing and initiating station departure.

Apart from the depot - where the public are not permitted - this line is entirely below ground.

Click map to see larger version in a new window!

This was London's first automated underground line and is now the first automated line ('urban metro') ever to be upgraded with a new fleet of trains and a new (different) automation system - whilst still in full passenger service.

The original automated train control system permitted the next train to be slowly entering a station whilst the train in front was still leaving. However, despite being perfectly safe, it was found that this design feature often upset passengers who thought otherwise, and therefore the train control system was modified to prevent it from happening.

All of the line's original 1967 tube stock trains - plus the 1972 Mk1 trains which were added to the fleet in the 1990's - have now been withdrawn and replaced by the 2009 tube stock trains. One unusual feature about the new trains is that they do not have heaters - anyone who has ever travelled on the Victoria Line will know that these are only needed during winter months on trains entering service (at Seven Sisters station) from the depot; at all other times this line needs its trains cooling, not heating.

The platform at Finsbury Park (above - left) is taller than usual because it was originally built for what nowadays is known as the Northern City line (Finsbury Park - Moorgate) which uses large profile trains. In 1964 the Northern City line service was cut back to Drayton Park as part of the Victoria line project with the platform seen here being reserved for Victoria line trains and the adjacent platform being reassigned to the Piccadilly line (which had its platforms next to these). This was done so that there could be an easy same level interchange between the Victoria and Piccadilly line trains with one pair of side-by-side platforms being dedicated to northbound trains and the other pair of platforms to southbound trains.

At the same time a new pair of deep level tube train platforms were built at Highbury & Islington so that the Victoria and Northern City line trains could benefit from the same type of same-level cross passage interchange based upon direction of travel. In an unusual act of forward thinking (for transport planning in London) the new Northern City line tunnels and platform were built for large profile trains.

In those days the Northern City line service was part of London Transport and used small profile tube trains. It was reassigned to British Rail in the 1970s so that their Great Northern Electrics trains could use this route instead of going to three other London terminus stations - Kings Cross, Broad Street and Moorgate subsurface via the City Widened lines which are alongside the Metropolitan & Circle lines between Farringdon and Moorgate.

Entirely underground.

Click map to see larger version in a new window!

This line closed completely during the 2020 virus pandemic. Although it has now reopened the service is only Mondays - Friday rush hours.

At Bank the platforms are housed in individual tunnels which are linked by small cross-passages and join up to form a circulating area at the northern end. At Waterloo there are separate arrival and departure platforms which have independent platform accesses, and between journeys the trains go into the depot - which can be seen from both platforms.

Until railway privatisation in 1994 this line was part of British Railways - Network SouthEast - and on some station platforms you will still see some Network SouthEast logos.

Services on this line are provided by trains which were built at the same time as the Central Line 1992 Tube Stock. At the time British Railways called them Class 482, but nowadays they are known as 1992 Tube Stock. The Waterloo & City Line variants of the fleet have internal CCTV cameras and different train control systems, so therefore are electrically incompatible with the Central Line's trains.

The Waterloo and City Line is unique in London in that it is not directly connected to any other railway tracks. The only way for trains to 'get in' (or out) is by crane through an access hatch in Spur Road, which is near the exit from the mainline station next to platform 1 - cross the taxi road at the pedestrian traffic signals; pass through the opening in the wall; turn left and descend the steps / ramp along Spur Road and the crane & hatch will be on your left.

A link to a Google map showing this location can be found below
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=spur+road+waterloo+london&hl=en&ll=51.502332,-0.109756&spn=0.00561,0

Extra Information

The Waterloo & City Line has a different history than most of London's tube lines in that it was built by an existing mainline steam railway - the London and South Western Railway (L&SWR). The reason was that the L&SWR wanted to link its large terminus station at Waterloo with London's Financial District.

Over the years there have been suggestions that the line should be extended so that it becomes more than a simple two station shuttle. However this is unlikely to happen. The line is so busy in the rush hours that there is a very good case for leaving it exactly as it is.

Two changes which could yet come to pass are:

1) A small platform extension at Bank station to make it possible to use longer five carriage trains. This would be to help ease severe rush hour overcrowding. The platforms at Waterloo can already accept longer trains.

2) Conversion of the line to have London's first fully automated driverless passenger trains - such systems already operate in many overseas cities very successfully and as this line only has two stations it could act as a present-era demonstration system for similar train operations elsewhere on the London Underground.
For those who have heard of the terminologies, what is being proposed here conform to the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) classification grade of automation 4 (GoA 4) and unattended train operation (UTO).

The use of unstaffed trains in London has historical precedents. The former Post Office railway used unstaffed trains but these only carried mail - and not passengers. In the 1970's unattended train operation was tested on the Hainault - Woodford section of the Central Line, albeit not in public service. This project was called FACT - Fully Automatic Control of Trains. It is understood to have concluded in 1978, due to a lack of finance.

Local Light Railways

London also has two rail networks which provide local transport within relatively small parts of the greater London area. In virtually any other British town these networks would be large enough to form excellent cores serving large parts of the entire conurbation; its only because London is so big that they seem so 'small'.

Many people who live in regional towns outside of London look upon London's transports with envy, wishing that similar investments could be made in their home areas as well. For lower capacity routes trolleybuses (which share the same clean air attributes) would also provide a discernable 'step change' improvement on diesel buses. The core issue here is that the Treasury wants people driving cars so that it can receive high levels of income from the taxes imposed on motoring fuels.

Click map to see larger version in a new window!

At present all DLR services are formed of two or three 'two section' trainsets which when coupled together leave some wasted space at the internal train ends. However this situation is set to change - because in circa 2024 a new fleet of fully walkthrough DLR trains will begin replacing the oldest trains which date from the 1990s. The new trains will be approximately the same length as present-day triple unit / six section trains.

Whilst most of the DLR system is elevated on modern or historic viaducts, some sections are at ground level and there are also some tunnels - in both single track 'tube train' and twin track configurations.

Information for people who are happy to travel on trains which are above ground but experience claustrophobia when in tunnels.

Not all sections of tunnel on the DLR are actually underground. Some of the tunnels are surface routes which have been been built over, for instance: just north of Stratford station.

* Stratford - Stratford International
* Bow Church - Devons Road
* Cyprus - Gallions Reach - Beckton (two short tunnels)
* The entrance to Woolwich Arsenal station

* King George V - Woolwich Arsenal (passes below the River Thames)
* Mudchute - Greenwich (passes below the River Thames)
* The entrance to Lewisham station
* Bank - Junction with the route to Tower Gateway station

The DLR uses GoA 3 Driverless train operation (DTO), which includes there always being a human member of staff (a passenger service agent / PSA) on every train. In addition to closing train doors at stations and initiating station departure the duties of the PSA include checking that passengers have valid tickets and offering travel advice.

DLR stations are mostly modern with glass shelters, although exact architecture will vary depending in when they were built or rebuilt. One of the most modern stations is Langdon Park which is on the route served by Stratford - Canary Wharf trains. This is on a north-south alignment and if you wish to photograph the station name this is best attempted in the morning.

When it first opened the DLR comprised three main branches. These included newly built track on viaducts in the former docks area which was now being repurposed as London's second financial district (Crossharbour - Delta Junction near Poplar) and converted ‘heavy’ railway lines, (Stratford - Poplar, Tower Gateway - Poplar and Crossharbour - Island Gardens). Mostly the converted railway lines were routes which opened over 100 years ago but for various reasons had later closed. Some of the route between Tower Gateway and Shadwell was still being used by passenger trains operated by British Railways who were forced to give up this section of railway so that the new railway could use it.

The section between Stratford and 'near to' Bow Church (via Pudding Mill Lane station) is located alongside the mainline railway out of Liverpool Street station and especially at busier times you will see many types of train, including Greater Anglia Stadler Flirt InterCity trains and Crossrail line 1 / Elizabeth line trains. The section between Limehouse and where trains for Bank go underground / Tower Gateway stations is alongside the route used by C2C electric multiple-unit trains from Fenchurch Street station.

The routes to Bank, Lewisham, Beckton, Woolwich Arsenal and Stratford International - Stratford - Canning Town were built as extensions to the system. The Bank route is wholly underground. The Lewisham extension required the elevated Island Gardens station to be replaced with a new underground station so as to access the new tunnels under the River Thames. Also wholly underground is Cutty Sark station.

The Beckton and Woolwich Arsenal extensions are largely on viaducts and serve semi-derelict industrial areas which are slowly being regenerated. Although serving different parts of the Docklands area for part of the way these two branches are within eyesight of each other so that it is possible to see and photograph trains ‘in the distance’. One very unusual feature of the Beckton branch is that part of it was built as a combined road and rail project. This is because it was built by a Government-sponsored development agency which had been made exempt from the Governments' usual financial criteria for railway investment. These financial criteria are so onerous (in other words biased against rail-bourne public transport investment) that it is usually impossible to build road and rail - especially not light rail / tramway - as one package. The Woolwich Arsenal route passes below the Emirates Airline Cable car, includes a station for London City Airport and a tunnel below the River Thames.

The most recent part of the DLR to have been opened is the route between Canning Town and Stratford International stations. This former heavy railway route is located on a four track section of railway alongside the Jubilee Line.

Abbey Road Station One of the album cover photographs of the famous music pop group called The Beatles shows them on a zebra (pedestrian) crossing close to the Abbey Road studios where they recorded some of their songs. Tourists wanting to visit this location should go to St John's Wood Jubilee Line underground station - and NOT the DLR station called Abbey Road.

The DLR is unique amongst London's railways in that it uses an under-running third rail power supply system. The advantages of this system are twofold. It is much safer, as the sides and top can be covered - reducing the danger to railway staff who work in close proximity to the tracks. In snowy weather the underside is protected from the snowfall and therefore considerably less likely to be covered / blocked by snow or ice. This helps keep the service running in weather conditions which sometimes defeats London's other railways. London's other railways which use powered rails collect their power from the top surface, which is easily blocked by snow / ice, preventing the train collecting electrical power.

Photographic advice

Transport enthusiasts need to be aware that the DLR has photography rules which differ from London's other railways (of all types). To the DLR anyone using cameras (still image / video) at the same station for more than 10 minutes is seen as "working" there. Even tourists taking a few photographs!

Normally when people are working on a railway they need to comply with a range of safety requirements which includes completing a risk assessment, having public liability insurance, signing in and out at the start and end of the work duties and possibly even undergoing safety-related training. Sometimes the railway operator would also wish to supply a member of staff to oversee the filming and help ensure safety. All these cost money!

The best advice which can be given here is to explore the system filming one train and catching the next (even if only to the next station)... which for some routes will be very easy as even on Sundays trains come every 10 minutes (or more frequently) whilst at stations served by multiple routes trains are even more frequent.

The DLR also prohibits filming during the Monday - Friday rush hours, when many stations are very busy. But they welcome visitors at quieter times - which means all day weekends plus Monday - Friday 10am - 4pm (10:00 - 16:00) and after 7.30pm (19:30).

Unfortunately, as on all railway systems there are some staff who make up their own rules and simply say "no".

Suggested sample rides

Many tourists like to take the DLR out of Bank station, sitting at the front and watching where they are going. At an absolute minimum you should travel at least as far as Canary Wharf. This station has 3 tracks, but 6 platforms. Every train opens its doors on both sides! Whilst Canary Wharf is at the heart of London's Docklands financial district there is also an indoor shopping mall which includes food courts and free toilets / restrooms. If you go to Crossharbour and walk alongside the railway northbound towards South Quay then you will pass a road junction (Marsh Wall South Quay and Limeharbour) where the elevated railway turns a sharp corner, and from near to the bus stop on the opposite side of the road it is possible to see (and photograph) both sides of the train simultaneously! Plus for added benefit you will see the train’s reflection in the glass wall building. This is easiest with triple-unit trains and at times of the year when the trees are not in leaf.

To increase system capacity and avoid travelling over a flat crossing, Monday - Friday daytime trains from Bank going to Lewisham use a specially built by-pass track which misses out West India Quay station; the ride is the nearest to a (low-speed) rollercoaster that public transport could ever offer, with the by-pass track threading its way over and then under existing lines.

Another popular destination is the historic Greenwich area; for the ‘touristy’ sights you want Cutty Sark station (which is deep underground) and because many trains are now longer than when the station was built (in other words - the platforms are shorter than some of the trains) you should avoid being at the front or back of the train if travelling to here. However, railfans may prefer to travel to Greenwich station, which is a Victorian-era station with 4 platforms that is also served by SouthEastern trains (from Cannon Street and London Bridge mainline stations) and was rebuilt to create space for the DLR trains. South of Greenwich the line is elevated and twists and turns as it follows a river valley. Especially when looking out of the window on the left (travelling south) many historic wharfs and other light industrial sites can be seen, although some of these may be disused. Elverson Road station probably represents the nearest the DLR gets to being a street tramway. The DLR station at Lewisham is next to the mainline railway station; interchanging passengers will need to go through ticket gates - but obviously since you should have a valid ticket so this should not be a problem.

Having arrived here, if you then take a train (destination: Hayes) from Lewisham to Elmers End you can then also sample the Tramlink system. See the Tramlink page for further information. Although I have always been happy to pass through the Lewisham stations, this is a high crime area where I would NOT be happy walking about the streets, especially not with cameras visible.

The Thames Barrier Park is free to enter. Its facilities include: the unique sunken garden seen in the image above-right, pleasant lawned areas to sit on, a childrens' playground, a small café and free toilets - which are very cramped and perhaps more suited to smaller people! NB: because of vandalism the toilets are only open when the café is open.

More information about the Thames Barrier Park can be found at these links: (the first link also includes a second foot tunnel in Woowich)
http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/thames_barrier_park .
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186338-d1826194-Reviews-Thames_Barrier_Park-London_England.html .

Note that on the other (south) side of the River Thames there is also a Thames Barrier visitor centre, however this is only open 4 days a week, charges an entry fee and is in an industrial area that is a walk or bus ride from a railway station.
http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/thames-barrier-information-centre .

Present-day DLR services

Over the years train services have varied slightly as the system has expanded; nowadays there are five primary routes, some of which overlap to provide multiple destinations from each station:-

1. Bank - Lewisham
2. Bank - Woolwich Arsenal (via London City Airport)
3. Tower Gateway - Beckton
4. Stratford - Bow Church - Canary Wharf (extended Monday - Friday rush hour mornings to Lewisham)
5. Stratford International - Canning Town (via West Ham) - and then either to Woolwich Arsenal (via London City Airport) or Beckton.*

*Mostly these trains go to Woolwich Arsenal, passengers for the Beckton branch are best advised to take the first train and change at Canning Town, if need be.

Tower Gateway station is a (short) walk from Tower Hill Underground and Fenchurch Street C2C railway stations. The station is distinctive because it has 2 platforms but just 1 track. To make life easier one platform is for arriving passengers and the other platform is for departing passengers. This is the only station in London which uses this system. The arrival platform is also a good photo-spot to watch trains on the nearby C2C service travelling to / from Fenchurch Street station.

At Stratford the two different DLR services use different sets of platforms - trains to Canary Wharf via Pudding Mill Lane use platforms 4a and 4b which are at the upper level at the western end of the station whilst trains to Beckton and Woolwich Arsenal use platform 17 which is at the lower level and next to the main station entrance. In the opposite direction these trains use platform 16 and travel to Stratford International station; this platform is next to the Jubilee Line platforms.

At Canning Town the two different DLR services use different sets of platforms - trains to or from Bank / Tower Gateway / Canary Wharf use platforms located directly above the Jubilee Line whilst trains to or from Stratford International use a totally separate island platform between the Jubilee Line and the bus station. This means that passengers travelling to stations on the Beckton and Woolwich Arsenal branches have a choice of two different platforms from which to catch their trains.

The Greenwich foot tunnel is near to Island Gardens and Cutty Sark DLR stations. This marvel of Victorian engineering was built so that people who live in this part of south London could reach jobs in the docklands area without having to use the expensive and unreliable ferry boat. It opened in 1902 and is free to use. The southern entrance is very close to the Cutty Sark historic visitor attraction, and nearby are also the centre of Greenwich, the Greenwich Observatory and more. On hot summer days the 10 minute walk through the tunnel offers a cool refuge from the ferocious summer sun.

More information about the Greenwich Foot Tunnel can be found at these links:
http://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/directory_record/2013/greenwich_foot_tunnel .
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186338-d1821177-Reviews-Greenwich_Foot_Tunnel-London_England.html .

Close to the ExCel Exhibition Centre which is near Custom House DLR station (Beckton branch) is a 2009 sculpture by Les Johnson / Bronze Age Foundry in tribute to the history of the communities of the Royal Docks and the men who worked there between 1885 and 1983. It was funded by a charitable appeal supported by the Royal Docks (London) Trust who have a webpage at this link http://www.royaldockstrust.org.uk/ . The sculpture can be a challenge to photograph, especially on sunny days when shadows and the direction of the sun can get in the way.

Even on Sundays the DLR operates frequent services - typically every 10 minutes, or less. But before travelling it is always wise to check whether weekend engineering works mean that some of the system is closed.

The DLR also looked at - twice! - in the shared service routes section of this page and in the Stratford station portion of the busier stations in zones 1-4 section of this page which looks at stations where there is a wider variety of trains to see.

Centred on the large suburban town of Croydon, London's first Tramlink system travels through the streets in the town centre and then splits into several branches - all of which are 'off street' / on private rights of way and include sections of new-build tramway and former railway line. In Croydon town centre much of the track is in the form of a uni-directional loop which trams follow in a clockwise direction.

Click map to see larger version in a new window!

Getting To Croydon:
The fastest trains from Central London to Croydon travel to East Croydon station from (depending on route) London Victoria station (via Clapham Junction) or Farringdon station (via London Bridge / Blackfriars stations). Typically southbound trains will be heading for the south coast (Brighton, Eastbourne, Southampton, etc) or Horsham and also calling at Gatwick Airport. Slower ('all stations') trains also exist, although some of these go to West Croydon station - this category includes the East London line Overground trains that travel via Whitechapel and New Cross Gate.

Other routes to Croydon are via the tram / train interchange stations in south London. Mitcham Junction can be reached on (some) Thameslink trains from Farringdon; Beckenham Junction can be reached by (some) trains from London Victoria station, Elmers End can be reached by (some) trains from Charing Cross and Cannon Street stations, or by travelling on the Docklands Light Railway to Lewisham station and catching a train going to Hayes. Wimbledon can be reached by trains from London Waterloo and Clapham Junction stations plus the London Underground District line.

For tourists a route which allows combining many different types of train in one day would be to take the DLR to Lewisham, a SouthEastern train (destination: Hayes) as far as Elmers End and then the tram. (If you are paying fares using in 'PAYG' mode remember to 'touch-in' at the tram card reader on the tram platform; this will automatically end your railway journey and charge you a tram fare. It is important that you use the correct Oyster card reader - as otherwise you will be travelling on the tram without having paid a fare).

To return to Central London travel on the tram to Wimbledon, where there is a wide choice of frequent trains back to Central London. (When changing from tram to train remember to 'touch-in' on a train Oyster card reader on platforms 1 - 4 or 9 before boarding the train; this applies to all trains from all railway operators).

Despite what the transport officials may say, life really is simpler with a paper 'One Day' Travelcard, as then you do not need to worry about touching in / out, failed card reads and the risk of being overcharged.

Travel costs / fares and other ticketing options are also explored further down this page.

The street tramway part of the system starts on the Croydon side of Sandilands tram stop and extends over the full town centre loop plus a small distance on the Wimbledon route as far as the bridge (called Wandle Flyover) over the railway.

Lebanon Road tram stop is on a local transport only corridor used by trams, buses and other local traffic. The town centre loop is single track and mostly restricted to either to 'trams only' or trams and vehicles which need to deliver goods to local shops. Some of the loop is also pedestrianised. At some tram stops (eg: Wellesley Road) the passenger waiting area is also the public footpath which is used by pedestrians who are not travelling on the trams.

To avoid confusing other road users Tramlink uses the British standard 'white dot' signals.

At some locations only four lamps illuminate for the 'stop' function. The central lamp is used to advise the tram driver that the traffic signal control unit has noted the presence of the tram and has (or is about to) initiate a sequence for it.

Away from Croydon Town centre there are three branches (one of which splits into two) which are almost fully segregated from road traffic. These operate as light railways which offer passengers all the benefits that come with having exclusive use of their own private rights of way, including freedom from delays caused by traffic congestion and hence, more reliable journey durations.

The light railway portions of Tramlink are almost fully unsignaled - instead the trams are driven on the 'line of sight' principle. However, for safety there are signals at road crossings, to control access to the few bi-directional single track sections of light railway, where routes diverge / merge and a few other places.

Elmers End:
Most of the route from Sandilands to Elmers End is a former railway, although it has been heavily rebuilt with a former one-stop mainline railway branch line (to Addiscombe) being closed and the former railway stations now being barely recognisable as such. Apart from road crossings the best place for lineside views are in the area around Arena tram stop, which includes the South Norwood Country Park.

Signals controlling trams leaving Arena tram stop and travelling towards either Elmers End or Beckenham Junction.

The upper signal advises tram drivers whether to 'stop' or 'go' whilst the lower signal tells them which route has been set, ie: left towards Beckenham Junction or continue ahead towards Elmers End.

The animation is of course 'speeded-up' - what are seen here as 10 second periods of apparent inactivity represents 5 - 10 minutes.

This image (along with another Tramlink signal animation) can be found on the citytransport.info website at this link:
Road Junctions, Level Crossings And Traffic Signal Priority .

Beckenham Junction:
On the Beckenham Junction route much of the section beyond Birkbeck is alongside a little used 3rd rail electric railway branch, both railway and tramway are single track and the trams have some passing loops as well. One of the passing loops is at Avenue Road tram stop, which is next to a bridge over the tracks where - if you are fortunate - you will be able to film a tram and a train in the same view (alas, my attempt was not successful, hence the composite photographic view).

Important: Because of mainline trains and their third rail electric power supply system there is a very strict prohibition against walking anywhere near the track. This is for safety reasons. Anyone who is foolish enough to contravene this regulation and manages to avoid being killed by either electrocution or being hit by a passing train, and is caught by the police, can expect to be prosecuted for trespassing on the railway.

Just outside Beckenham Junction station the single track tramway passes very close to the railway station and sometimes it is possible to see a tram and a train at the same time. It is also 'just about' possible to see and photograph a tram and a train at the same time when there are trams at the tram stop.

New Addington:
Apart from the tunnels midway between Sandilands and Lloyd Park tram stops, the New Addington route is entirely brand new and includes some very pleasant rides through woodland. It is often possible to observe / photograph passing trams from a parallel road and from the many road and foot crossings across the track. One of several good places to watch passing trams from the trackside is the area around Coombe Lane tram stop. I've done this several times, and also walked deep into the woodland areas and enjoyed what is more akin to a remote countryside walk than being in a big city.

Beyond Addington Village tram stop & bus interchange the trams travel alongside Lodge Lane. Attempts at photography here are best made in the morning as the trams are to the west of the road and in the afternoon the sun's position may inhibit photography. Near King Henry's Walk tram stop the light railway passes through the middle of a roundabout and there is also a small single track section where the line pass around a building which was there before the light railway was built.

In some European countries at least part the New Addington route would have featured 'lawn' track which blends in harmoniously with the local area; as I understand it this was not done on Tramlink because the people who built Tramlink had no previous experience of building light railway tracks which included lawn track. However what this also means is that it is relatively easy to follow the route of the tracks if using online satellite imagery services - such as Google or Bing maps.

Wimbledon:
The Wimbledon route is another former mainline railway route. In British Railways days it was served a train that ran every 44 minutes, which for a heavily populated suburban area was not at all an attractive service infrequency for passengers.

It includes both single and double track sections, plus (just west of Mitcham tram stop) some interlaced / gauntlet track.

When planning the Tramlink network it was decided that it would be best if the conversion of the Wimbledon - West Croydon railway route included fully segregating the trams from the trains. This was achieved by means of bi-directional single track flyovers at two locations (sse photographs below.

Perhaps the best places to watch / photograph trams are between Ampere Way and Wandle Park. Being a former railway many sections of the route are not accessible, and its also worth remembering that with trams travelling at speeds of up to 50mph (80km/h) yt is often not safe for people to be too near the tracks.

Ampere Way serves a retail park, including a large IKEA home furnishings (etc.,) shop.

Although the two main railway stations in Croydon are in zone 5 the entire tramway system is a special fares zone and any prepaid Travelcard season ticket which is valid in zones 3, 4, 5 or 6 can be used on the trams. Travelcards for just zones 1 and 2 are NOT accepted on trams.

If you only wish to travel on the trams (and perhaps buses as well - but NOT trains) then using Oyster / Contactless bank cards / other compatible electronic payment devices in 'pay as you go' (PAYG) mode represents the cheapest way to pay fares.

Tram passengers who do not have Oyster cards and do not want to use other types of Contactless ticketing can also buy one-day Bus & Tram passes which cost £5.00. Although slightly more expensive than the daily fares cap (which is £4.50) these are ideal for passengers who are only in London for a day or two, who do not wish to use the railways and who want a physical souvenir of their visit. One Day Bus & Tram Passes can only be bought on the day of travel and are valid from 00:01 am and for any journey that starts before 04:30 am the next day.

There are two versions of the One Day Bus & Tram pass:

1. Printed paper versions are sold by ticket machines at Underground and DLR stations. London Overground and most other National railway stations also sell the paper version although sometimes they have to be bought from staffed ticket offices and not ticket machines.
2. Oyster smart card One Day Bus & Tram passes are sold at local retail shops (newsagents, etc.,) which are Oyster Ticket Stops and at Visitor Centres. These are special single use smart cards which cannot be used for anything else.

Tram passengers generally pay the same £1.50 flat fare as bus passengers, and passengers with smartphone apps, Contactless and Oyster cards should use the card readers on the tram stop platforms before boarding the tram. However, you must NOT use a card reader to 'touch-out' at the end of the journey.

Special rules apply at Elmers End and Wimbledon stations where the trams stop inside the railway stations' fares paid areas. See below.

To ensure that the correct fares are charged by the ticketing system ALL Passengers travelling TO Wimbledon station who are using smart card / Contactless device ticketing, no matter what type - ie: even if it is a Travelcard season ticket on an Oyster card or an Oyster card version of the Bus And Tram Pass - are supposed to 'touch-in' before boarding the tram.

Hopper Fares:
Passengers interchanging between two trams (or a tram and a bus) benefit from the 70 minute Hopper system which allows additional tram (or bus) journeys to be started within 70 minutes of touching-in for the first journey. You must still 'touch-in' at the start of the free journey(s), but you will not be charged anything!

Important: The official Hopper fares promotional information quotes a time period of 60 minutes but to allow for clocks to be a few minutes inaccurate the system is set for 70 minutes.

Hopper Fares do not apply to the railways but the 70 minute rule still applies - even if you travel by train between your tram (or tram and bus) journeys.

Fares Capping:
In addition to Hopper Fares tram passengers benefit from 'fares capping', which means that you will only be charged for any combination of tram and bus travel a maximum of three (3) times per day. In London daily fares capping is based upon a 'touch-in' to start a journey after 04:30 am and a 'touch-in' to start a journey before 04:29 am the next day.

Note 1: Because an Oyster card which has a negative PAYG balance is then blocked it must be topped-up and the negative balance cleared before it will allow any free Hopper journeys.

Note 2: Free travel and fares capping only work when you use the same Oyster or other Contactless payment card (or device) at all times.

If you are staying for five days (or more) then a weekly / longer season ticket might be worthwhile - note however that these can only be used with ordinary Oyster cards - not Visitor Oystercards or any type of Contactless device. Paper versions of weekly season tickets are available at Tramlink ticket machines.

Tramlink stops used to have ticket machines where passengers could buy tickets using cash. However these were withdrawn in July 2018.

There is a Tramlink information shop in George Street (near East Croydon railway station / on the other side of the road) which sells tickets and offers travel advice.

The Cheapest Fares From Central London Zone 1:
The cheapest way to travel to Croydon from London Zone 1 is to travel via Wimbledon. This is because Wimbledon station is in Zone 3 and the maximum daily fare using pay-as-you-go (PAYG) ticketing on Oyster cards and Contactless cards and devices (in 2020) is £8.50. The cheapest single fares are on the District line, but if you are going to reach the daily fares cap it does not matter which railway service you use! It is also possible to pay Zone 3 fares by travelling to Wimbledon by South Western Railway from London Waterloo station (and Southern from Victoria - but you must change to a South Western train at Clapham Junction). Be careful with the Thameslink trains that serve Wimbledon station as some of them travel via zones 4 and 5.

If you travel to Croydon via the train / tram interchanges at Mitcham Junction, Birkbeck, Beckenham Junction or Elmers End which are in Zone 4 then the maximum daily fare using PAYG ticketing (in 2020) is £10.40.

If you travel to either East Croydon or West Croydon stations then because these are in Zone 5 the maximum daily fare using PAYG ticketing (in 2020) is £12.30.

These fares apply all day - with daily price capping there is no extra charge if you travel in the rush hours.

If you buy one-day ride-at-will Zones 1-6 paper Travelcard tickets then you can travel via any route. Whilst these are the simplest tickets to use and afterwards make for nice souvenirs they are also the most expensive. Where available, Monday - Friday off-peak one-day Travelcards can be used after 9.30. For some zone combinations only the more expensive Daily Anytime one-day Travelcards are available (not off-peak). At weekends and bank / public holidays off-peak one-day Travelcards can be used all day.

BritRail / Eurail Passes:
Visitors who have BritRail / Eurail Passes can also use these to travel between central London and Croydon - they are valid on all National Rail routes in London - including the London Overground to West Croydon (but NOT to Wimbledon via the District line). For travelling on Tramlink either use PAYG or buy a Bus And Tram Pass.

Special Information For Using Smart Card Ticketing (Oyster / Contactless / Other Device) In PAYG Mode At Wimbledon Station
* To reduce the risk of complications these rules should also be followed if you are using any type of smart card or other contactless device with a Day Anytime, Day Off-peak or 7 Day Anytime Travelcard
* If you arrive here by any of the train services and are planning to depart on the tram you must 'touch-in' using a TRAM card reader on tram platform No.10, as otherwise you will end up being financially penalised for not 'touching-out' at the end of your train journey AND be travelling on the tram without having paid your fare.
* If you arrive here by tram and are continuing your journey by either the Underground or any National Rail (mainline) service then you must 'touch-in' on one of the railway card readers - ideally on Thameslink platform 9 which is next to the trams but you can also use a yellow card reader on District line platforms 1 - 4. Important: Only yellow card readers should be used at platforms 1-4, NOT pink card readers. Otherwise you will be travelling on the train without a valid ticket and when you 'touch-out' at your ultimate destination station you will be financially penalised.
* Passengers who enter Wimbledon station from the street and are intending to travel on the tram must also 'touch-in' again on one of the tram card readers located on tram platform No.10. Otherwise the system will treat you as if you are travelling by one of the other railways and you will be financially penalised.
* Whilst it is usually possible to reclaim the excess charges from the Oyster helpline the process is a hassle.
* If you are using paper One Day Travelcards or One Day Bus and Tram pass then you can ignore all these ticketing complications and just travel in the normal way!
* If you are using a One Day Bus and Tram pass then you must not travel on the trains - and if you are using a smart card or other contactless device remember to 'touch-in' again on one of the tram card readers located on tram platform No.10.

Special Information For Using Smart Card Ticketing (Oyster / Contactless / Other Device) In PAYG Mode At Elmers End Station
* To reduce the risk of complications these rules should also be followed if you are using any type of smartcard or other contactless device with a Day Anytime, Day Off-peak or 7 Day Anytime Travelcard
* Elmers End does not have electronic gates so life is a little easier.
* If you arrive here by tram and are leaving the station then do not use any card readers, do NOT 'touch-out'.
* If you arrive here by tram and are continuing your journey by train then you must 'touch-in' on one of the train card readers. Otherwise you will be travelling on the train without a valid ticket and when you 'touch-out' at your ultimate destination station you will be financially penalised.
* Passengers who enter Elmers End station from the street and are intending to travel on the tram must 'touch-in' on a TRAM card reader located on the tram platform
* Passengers who enter Elmers End station from the street and are intending to travel on a train must 'touch-in' on a train card reader. as otherwise when you 'touch-out' at your destination station you will also be financially penalised
* If you use the wrong card readers you will be travelling without a valid ticket and will end up being financially penalised / charged a railway maximum fare. This will be expensive!
* If you are using paper One Day Travelcards then you can ignore all these ticketing complications and just travel in the normal way!
* If you are using a One Day Bus and Tram pass you must not travel on the trains.

Additional reading:
https://www.oyster-rail.org.uk/trams-and-buses/
https://www.oyster-rail.org.uk/wimbledon/
https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/trams/

Lawn / grassed trackage is a visually attractive feature which helps the tramway visually blend into the landscape - especially when the tracks are alongside existing parkland.

Where required privet hedges act as a safety barrier discouraging people from walking over the tracks.

In Europe many tramways include lawn trackage - especially on new-build systems and network extensions.

Lawn trackage was included in Tramlink's design brief, but because the British Government's regulations give the company which builds tramways much control over how the construction project is achieved so it was possible for this to be omitted from the final design.

More information about Tramlink can be found in the Wimbledon station section further down this page which looks at busier stations in zones 1-4.

Apart from the Underground, London has an extensive network of urban and suburban railway services provided by many of the mainline railway ‘train operating companies’ which provide railway services throughout Great Britain. Most of these feed into terminal stations on the fringes of ‘Central London’, however a few travel through London linking towns to the north of London with towns to the south of London.

The main central London stations and areas they serve are:-

• Paddington; west London.
• Marylebone; north-west London (some services interline with Metropolitan Line trains out of Baker Street station).
• Euston; north-west London (the Overground local services interline with Bakerloo Line trains).
• St Pancras; north London (also high-ish speed Javelin trains to south-east England).
• Kings Cross; north London.
• Moorgate (Northern City / Great Northern Electrics); north London.
• Liverpool Street; east and north-east London.
• Fenchurch Street; east London. (During evenings and at weekends trains sometimes use Liverpool Street instead).
• London Bridge, Cannon Street, Charing Cross; south and south east London, plus (London Bridge only) some Thameslink services.
  (some south /south east London trains terminate at London Bridge, others pass through and continue on to Cannon Street or Charing Cross.)
• Blackfriars; south, south-east London plus some Thameslink services.
• Waterloo; south-west London.
• Waterloo (East); through station served by trains to / from Charing Cross.
• Victoria; south and south-east London.

With the exception of Fenchurch Street all of these stations are also served by Underground trains. Fenchurch Street is within walking distance of much of London‘s main financial centre, passengers needing onward transport tend to use the nearby Tower Hill Underground station.

Almost all of the trains which serve these stations are electrically powered, except Marylebone, which has only diesel trains.

Just two of the magnificent mini dioramas in the plinth below the The Meeting Place statue at St Pancras station.
These are best seen in the larger format which opens in new windows when the images are clicked.

Even visitors who are not railway fans enthuse over the 20-tonne bronze sculpture of a couple in a loving embrace which is directly below the main clock and next to the Eurostar terminus at St Pancras International station - upstairs / on the floor above the retail shops.

Built by artist Paul Day this bronze statue is an imposing 30ft (9m) in height and cost £1 million. Called The Meeting Place it aims to reflect the romantic nature of train travel, and may remind travellers of a scene from a film named Brief Encounter.

Fast Regional Trains

Some trains which travel to destinations away from London also serve major outer London stations, making just a few (if any) stops in the inner suburbs. Depending on the route served these journeys may take 15 - 30 minutes and the trains often include 1st class seating and free toilets. In the list below the London terminal station and name of the train operator are in brackets.

• East Croydon; (Victoria [Southern], London Bridge [Thameslink], West London Line [Southern]).
• Bromley South; (Victoria [SouthEastern]).
• Harrow & Wealdstone; (Euston [London Northwestern Railway], West London Line [Southern]).
• Harrow-on-The-Hill; (Marylebone [Chiltern Railways], Baker Street [Metropolitan Line]).
• West Ruislip; (Marylebone [Chiltern Railways]).
• Wimbledon; (Waterloo [South Western Railway]).
• Richmond; (Waterloo [South Western Railway]).
• Romford; (Liverpool Street [Greater Anglia]) Note: TFL Rail trains normally call at ALL stations.
• Upminster; (Fenchurch Street [C2C]).
• Clapham Junction; (Victoria - only some trains - [Southern]; West London Line [Southern]; Waterloo - only some trains - [South Western Railway]).
• Also do not forget the Thameslink trains which often provide faster journeys (than the Underground) on north-south services through London - and have free toilets.

There are also two stations just outside of the London local government area (but still part of London as defined by 'built up area') which are also served by longer distance trains that often travel ‘fast’ within London.

• Dartford; (Victoria, Charing Cross / Waterloo East / London Bridge [SouthEastern]).
• Watford Junction; (Euston [London Northwestern Railway]) Note: London Overground trains normally call at ALL stations.

Note that special fares apply at Watford Junction - the situation is very confusing. Passengers can travel to / from this station using Oyster / Contactless PAYG but the fares charged might be different than expected. Travelcards are also accepted but they must include Watford Junction as a fares zone - these are more expensive!

If you want some luxury without going on a long journey then use the Heathrow Express (HeX) between Heathrow Airport and Paddington station. 1st class is especially nice, with comfortable chairs, folding tables, coat rails and more. Note that the HeX charges special fares, so make sure you know what you are paying before travelling. Being a premium service that is aimed at airline passengers they do not want to have their trains swamped by commuters and therefore do NOT accept any ordinary London tickets - no Travelcards, no Oyster cards. If you have a BritRail, Eurail Pass or All Line Rover then you should also check before travelling.

Trains which use both 25Kv AC overhead wire & 750v DC third rail

London has some trains which use both 25,000v AC overhead wire and 750v DC third rail. They all operate as part of National Rail services and include Classes 377, 378 700 and 717 on various routes around London.

Farringdon (which is served by both Underground and Thameslink trains) used to be a good station to see trains change between the two systems, however northbound trains now change from third rail to overhead wire (which includes the trains raising their pantographs) at City Thameslink station, which is underground.

Other stations where this can be seen are Acton Central on the western side of the North London Line (London Overground) and Drayton Park on the Moorgate - Finsbury Park Northern City Line. A different way to experience this changeover is to travel in the part of the train that is under the pantograph and to listen to the sound of the changeover.

Trains on the West London Line (WLL) between Harrow & Wealdstone / Willesden Junction and Clapham Junction also change their power supply during the journey. At present they do this whilst between stations but one day this will be relocated to Shepherds Bush (WLL) station. Before this can come to pass the nearby Underground route between Hammersmith and Paddington stations (via Shepherds Bush Market) needs to be resignalled, as otherwise the electric overhead wires will cause electrical interference for the existing signalling system.

Also worth knowing... the Javelin trains which travel on the High Speed Line between St Pancras station and Ashford and then use normal tracks to serve various locations is south-east England also use both overhead wire and third rail power supply systems, switching between the two at Ashford station.

Trains changing their power supply system can be seen on one of my 'youtube' videos which was filmed in the early 1990's. Note however that the type of train seen in this video no longer operates on this route and the location (Dalston Kingsland station) is now fully 'overhead wire' only.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPg0sZPl28s .

The initial London Overground network comprised seven* urban railway routes which for reasons that included a lack of investment and lack of passenger awareness were (mostly) seen as transport backwaters. They were joined under one high-profile name and after much investment (and new trains) achieved a level of public awareness - and patronage - similar to that of the Underground system.
(* Although there were seven routes one of them was shortened and merged with another route, losing its separate identity at the same time).

Part of the Overground ethos has been to provide a turn up and go service so that passengers do not need to consult the timetable - they will know that (on most routes) the trains come at least every 15 minutes. Such has been the success of the Overground Network that to cope with passenger numbers most of the original routes needed to have their trains extended from four to five carriages in length.

In May 2015 some more routes were added to the London Overground network. Some of these are busy urban services whilst one is a short rural branch line. These are detailed further down this page.

Information for people who are happy to travel on trains which are above ground but experience claustrophobia when in tunnels.

A few locations on the Overground Network have single track tunnels:

* Where trains use the historic Brunel tunnels to pass below the River Thames on the East London Line section between Wapping and Rotherhithe stations. Note that this route also includes many twin track tunnels.

* On the Euston - Watford service between Euston and South Hampstead stations plus between Kensal Green and Willesden Junction stations. On days when this service is diverted to Stratford (instead of Euston) then the trains pass through single track tunnels when travelling between South Hampstead and Camden Road stations.

Click maps to see larger versions in new windows!

The 2015 map includes information on the routes which joined the London Overground network in May 2015 and lists the services as route A - route G, as per the information below.

• A: Euston - Watford Junction.
• B: Richmond - Stratford (via the North London Line).
• C: Clapham Junction - Willesden Junction (via the West London Line) - most of these services are extended to Stratford via the North London Line.
• D: Gospel Oak - Barking (this route is nicknamed Goblin).
• E: A group of four interworked services which travel via the East London Line and the historic Brunel Thames Tunnel. The core part of the route is: (Highbury & Islington - some trains only) - Dalston Junction - Surrey Quays. From here trains fan out to reach New Cross / West Croydon / Crystal Palace / Clapham Junction.
• F: A group of three north London services which radiate from London's Liverpool Street station to Cheshunt (via Seven Sisters) / Enfield / Chingford (This group of lines is also known as West Anglia).
• G: A short branch line shuttle service between Romford and Upminster at the eastern edge of London.

Although not marketed as such the combination of several London Overground services forms a Circle line around London.

However, this operates in several segments, so for some journeys passengers will need to change trains at Clapham Junction [in south London] or Canonbury / Highbury & Islington plus any station between Dalston Junction and Surrey Quays [in north and east London].

Passengers paying fares using electronic smart card ticketing in PAYG (pay as you go) mode (Oyster, contactless, etc.,) are advised NOT to try and travel around the entire circle in one journey. The PAYG system is not designed for such journeys and passengers who try to do this will find themselves being charged an expensive maximum fare. NB: this advice also applies to passengers who have reached the fares cap for that day and passengers with Oyster Travelcard Season Tickets which do not include both Zones 1 and 2.

However passengers with paper One Day Travelcards which are valid in zones 1 and 2, All Line Rover, BritRail and Eurail passes (etc.,) can make such journeys without ticketing complications.

London Overground Class 378 Capitalstar trains are used on routes A, B, C and E. These trains are air-conditioned.

These are powerful trains which were designed for 75mph (121 km/h) operation, although because much of the Overground network has a top speed of just 45mph (72 km/h) they rarely demonstrate their true capabilities. Indeed, it is a characteristic of the Overground that its trains travel calmly and sedately, with slow station approaches and gentle braking of the type which makes for very smooth journeys - and longer overall journey times.

A short film showing Overground and other trains taken a New Cross Gate in May 2013 can be seen on 'youtube' at this link: http://youtu.be/9EpfgK8Z34g

London Overground Class 710 Aventra trains in four carriage format are used on routes A, D, F and G. These trains are air-conditioned.

In the future there will also be some five carriage Class 710 trains, these will be used on routes B and C.

These trains include a few USB power sockets .... but they are only located at the cariage ends (as seen above) and next to the wheelchair spaces!

• The Euston - Watford Junction (all stations) service (route A).is powered at 750V DC via a third rail.
  The tracks between Queens Park and Harrow & Wealdstone are shared with Bakerloo Line Underground trains.
  
  Very occasionally the Euston - Watford trains are diverted away from Euston station and instead travel to Stratford via the former (ie: now closed) Primrose Hill station.

• The North London Line (route B) links Stratford in the east of London with Richmond in south-west London.
  Between Stratford and Acton Central the trains are powered at 25kV AC from overhead wires, whilst between Acton Central and Richmond they are powered at 750V DC via an electrified third rail.
  The tracks between Gunnersbury and Richmond are shared with District Line Underground trains.
  Note that for 'end to end' journeys between east and west London it might be quicker to travel via Central London.
  
  The North London Line is also a very busy freight route, especially the sections between Stratford and Camden Road plus Gospel Oak and Willesden Junction.
  

The North London Line is almost entirely above ground and represents a good way for those who do not feel adventurous to see suburban parts of London without wandering the streets and risking becoming lost. At Stratford there are good views of the Olympic Park where the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games were held. In the Hackney area the line is on a brick arch viaduct which offers many views of East London. Dating from the 1980's, when passenger services through east London were reintroduced after WW2, the stations Hackney Wick - Dalston Kingsland are all simple and low cost in design (except Hackney Central, which was rebuilt in 2018.) This is an area which some people may prefer to avoid, although it should be perfectly safe to view from passing trains. The Dalston - Camden Road section is mostly multi-tracked with part of the route shared with East London Line trains and part where there are extra tracks for freight trains. Between Camden Road and Kentish Town West the line passes near to the famous Camden Market. Near to Gospel Oak look out for the childrens' play ground and the allotments (an area of urban ground split up into small patches so that people who do not have gardens attached to their houses can grow fresh vegetables and flowers). There is a twin track tunnel near to Hampstead Heath station. The line crosses the River Thames on a bridge between Gunnersbury and Kew Gardens stations.

• The West London Line (route C) links Clapham Junction with Willesden Junction, changing between 25kV AC overhead wires and 750V DC third rail part way between Shepherds Bush and Willesden Junction stations.
  Most trains travel all the way from Clapham Junction to Stratford, enhancing the North London Line service frequency.

• The East London Line (route E) is a group of four services. They are all powered at 750V DC via a third rail. Note that one of the intermediate stations (Shoreditch High Street) is in Zone 1, which makes journeys through this station more expensive to travel on (higher fares).
  ‣ Highbury & Islington - West Croydon
  ‣ Dalston Junction - New Cross
  ‣ Highbury & Islington - Crystal Palace
  ‣ Dalston Junction - Clapham Junction via the part of the route of the former South London Line (SLL).
  
  Extending London Overground trains from Surrey Quays to Clapham Junction resulted in the closure of the former SLL service between London Bridge and Victoria mainline stations. This ending of through SLL trains caused severe inconvenience to some former SLL passengers who must now travel longer, slower routes and change trains (at least once) and / or catch buses to complete journeys which could previously be accomplished on just the one train. To maintain the legal status (as still being a functioning railway) of the part of the SLL route which is not used by any other trains a few London Overground trains travel to Battersea Park instead of Clapham Junction - but at times of day when few passengers wish to travel!

The section of East London Line between Highbury & Islington and 'near to' Shoreditch High Street was originally part of the North London Line, but for many years it had been closed. Between Dalston Junction and near to Whitechapel this line is on a viaduct which gives interesting views of the local buildings and the stations are all brand new.

The present-day Shoreditch High Street station is also new; it replaces the older Shoreditch station which was closed to allow for the extension of the route.

The section of East London Line between the old Shoreditch station and New Cross / New Cross Gate was operated by Metropolitan Railway / Line trains for over 100 years! This route includes the first tunnel ever to be built under the River Thames. The text below is copied from one of the Nostalgia, Heritage & Leisure pages on the citytransport.info website .

35ft [11m] wide, 20ft [6m] high and 1,300ft (¼ mile / 396m) long, this tunnel runs between Rotherhithe and Wapping at a depth of 75ft [23m] below London's River Thames. It was built between 1825 and 1843 using Marc Isambard Brunel's newly invented tunnelling shield technology, by him and his son Isambard Kingdom Brunel. This long time period included a seven year abandonment which was caused by financial problems. Originally the intention was that the tunnel should be used by horse-drawn carriages but ongoing financial problems meant that the access ramps could not be afforded and it remained for pedestrians only. In 1865 the tunnel was purchased by the East London Railway Company, this being a consortium of six railway companies who wanted to use the tunnel to provide a rail link for goods and passengers between Wapping (and later, Liverpool Street) and the South London Line. The tunnel opened for trains in 1869 and in 1884 the disused entrance shafts in Wapping and Rotherhithe were converted into Wapping and Rotherhithe stations respectively.

The six railway companies which owned the East London Railway Company included the Metropolitan Railway and the Metropolitan District Railway which eventually became part of London Transport and the Metropolitan Line / District Line. The other four railway companies eventually became part of British Railways. The Metropolitan Railway electrified the line in 1913 and ended up providing the 'local' passenger services - which included many through trains over the northern part of the Circle line to destinations such as Uxbridge and Hammersmith (both via Baker Street). The steam railways operated longer distance services (eg: to the south coast) and freight trains. Nowadays only Overground trains use this line, especially as the new link past the former Shoreditch station which joins the subterranean and elevated sections of line is quite steep and restricts access to only trains which are powerful enough to negotiate this incline.

Platform murals at Wapping station depicting how it would have been shortly after opening and what would have been a typical early 1960's scene when it was used by London Transport electric passenger trains as well as British Railways steam (later diesel) powered freight trains.

Left: Rotherhithe station and Railway Avenue.
Centre: A plaque on the brickwork above the stairs to the platforms at Rotherhithe station .
Right: The Brunel Museum, as seen from Railway Avenue.

A short walk along Railway Avenue from Rotherhithe station is the Brunel Museum. This includes the Brunel Engine House which was designed by Sir Marc Isambard Brunel as part of the infrastructure of the Thames Tunnel. The museum has a website at this link:
http://www.brunel-museum.org.uk/ .

To the south of Surrey Quays trains travelling to / from Clapham Junction travel on a section of railway which had been closed for many years but was re-opened for this service. At some stage in the future a new station will be built here.

Queens Road Peckham - Wandsworth Road is part of the former South London Line. Much of this route is elevated on brick arch viaducts.

The view from the train window between Denmark Hill and Clapham High Street will interest people who wish to see 'real' London away from the tourist areas but at the same time feel safer not walking the streets. Especially not with cameras visible for everyone to see.

Local people will perhaps disagree, but Peckham and Wandsworth are two more of the 'inner city South London' areas which some people may prefer to avoid.

At New Cross Gate trains travelling to / from West Croydon and Crystal Palace merge with an existing four track section of railway which extends all the way to Norwood Junction.

This part of south London is also served by many trains from terminus stations such as London Bridge and Victoria; passengers paying their fares in PAYG mode should note that these other trains charge higher fares.

• The Gospel Oak - Barking 'Goblin' Service (route D) links the busy Barking station in east London with Gospel Oak station in north London.

For many years this was a neglected branch line which had an infrequent train service but since the formation of the London Overground network it has been completely transformed. Nowadays it is served by Class 710 electric trains on a 15 minute / quarter hourly frequency. Although the line is electrified using the 25Kv AC overhead wire system it uses twin-system trains which can also operate via a 750v DC third rail. This is because the same fleet of trains is also used by the Euston - Watford Junction service (route A) which is powered via electric rails.

The Goblin Line is also a very busy freight route

There is a plan to extend this line from Barking to a new residential area near to the River Thames.

At Barking station the trains will use different platforms (probably Nos. 7 & 8) and the existing platform will be closed.

The new terminus station will be a station named Barking Riverside.

• The West Anglia (route F) services comprise a group of three services. They are all powered at 25kV AC via overhead wires and all services are operated by brand new Class 710 trains.
  ‣ Liverpool Street station - Enfield Town
  ‣ Liverpool Street station - Chingford
  ‣ Liverpool Street station - Cheshunt via Seven Sisters (NOT the service via Tottenham Hale)

The desire is that all services from Liverpool Street will operate at least every 15 minutes but because these are busy routes which are also used by other trains and there is not always enough track capacity so sometimes trains are less frequent.

The core section of the West Anglia services is between London Liverpool Street and Hackney Downs stations, and in addition to trains operated by London Overground this route is also used by trains operated by Abellio Greater Anglia. The types of train typically seen here includes Classes 317 and 745 - the latter on the Stansted Express airport service.

• The Romford - Upminster via Emerson Park service (route G) is a single track quiet country branch line which uses just one train that provides a 30 minute service. There is no service in the evening after 8pm (20:00) or on Sundays.

This service uses a Class 710 train.

In January 2016 it was announced that when the franchises for all other mainline railway routes in London are renewed control of the urban / suburban services will be transferred to Transport For London, (TfL) who it is expected will add them to the London Overground network.

It remains to be seen of this comes to pass, as not all passengers will welcome this - especially as experience with the London Underground Metropolitan Line suggests that TfL will change service patterns in ways which disadvantage passengers travelling from outside of London's political boundaries. (ie: make the trains call at more stations so that journeys from outside of London become slower and take longer). The issue is that many of these services are integrated into the mainline / national railway network whilst TfL's primary interest is serving people who live inside its political boundaries. In many areas there are towns which whilst just outside of London's political boundaries are still part of its socio-economic zone.

Crossrail Line 1 (Elizabeth Line)

Crossrail as a name in the London context refers to two (or three) new subterranean railway lines which will travel across central London and in the suburbs extend over existing heavy rail routes. The primary aims are to increase passenger capacity to attract more people to travel by train and reduce overcrowding on London's existing railways. The concept of introducing trains to the many areas which are remote from any railway service is seen as a secondary (less important) side effect. The plan is that all the Crossrail deep level 'tube train' tunnels will be large enough for full size mainline trains and operated as part of the mainline / 'National Rail' network - not London Underground trains. Map modified by me, original source & license: David Arthur / Wikipedia encyclopædia CC-BY-SA-2.0-CA https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CrossrailLine1Map.svg The map includes two stations which are not yet open, more about these stations is explained elsewhere on this page. Click map to see larger version in a new window! General Information To make life easier for passengers Crossrail line 1 has been given a name, in the same way that London's underground lines also have individual line names - The Elizabeth line The Elizabeth line comprises three sections of railway: The Great Western Main Line: To the west of London from Reading / Heathrow Airport to new underground platforms deep under Paddington station. Three of the busier stations along this route are also served by trains operated by Great Western Railway (West Drayton, Hayes & Harlington and Ealing Broadway) - at Paddington these trains use the existing surface station. Other trains operated by GWR travel far beyond London to Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, South Wales / Penzance - West Country. A short branch off this route leads to Heathrow Airport, this is served by Elizabeth line and the non-stop Heathrow Express trains. A (mostly) new-build section of railway: This section of railway is between Paddington station in west London and Abbey Wood which is on the southern side of the river Thames in south-east London. It passes below the centre of London and then extends via Liverpool Street station, Whitechapel, London's second financial district on the Isle of Dogs (Canary Wharf), the Excel exhibition centre (Custom House), the historic refurbished 1878 Connaught Tunnel and the historic dockyard area of Woolwich. The Great Eastern Main Line: To the east of London this route starts at Liverpool Street station although most Elizabeth line trains join it via a link between Whitechapel and Stratford stations. Elizabeth line trains travel as far as Shenfield. Because of the very high numbers of passengers using this section of railway some Monday - Friday rush hour trains continue to travel to / from the surface Liverpool Street station. This route is also served by Greater Anglia whose trains then travel far beyond London to Southend On Sea / Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich and beyond. Most Greater Anglia trains call at Stratford, a few also call at Romford and Shenfield and passengers for these stations benefit from significantly shorter journey times than when travelling on Elizabeth line trains. The new-build section opened to passengers on 24th May 2022, and on the same day the historic western and eastern sections were renamed from TFL Rail to Elizabeth line.
Two Elizabeth line Class 345 trains pass each other - whilst passing some sidings with more of these trains which are not in service. Filmed from a footbridge over the railway and depot between Ilford and Seven Kings stations.		On their sides the trains carry the Transport For London Roundel symbol with the words 'Elizabeth line'. This eastbound train had stopped just outside the west London tunnel mouth, this location is an easy walk from Royal Oak Underground station.
Below / Above Ground Entirely below ground in central London (just to the west of Paddington station - just to the west of Stratford station). But above ground on the pre-existing sections of railway to Reading via west London and to Shenfield via east London. The Abbey Wood route rises to the surface a little to the west of Custom House station but includes two more underground sections in Docklands and when passing below the River Thames. The Heathrow Airport route is above ground where it diverges from the route to Reading but is wholly underground in the airport area. Claustrophobia Information for people who are happy to travel on trains which are above ground but experience claustrophobia when in tunnels. West London passengers can avoid the tunnels to Paddington station by travelling on Great Western trains between Ealing Broadway and Paddington stations. East London passengers can avoid the tunnels to Liverpool Street (via Whitechapel) by travelling on Greater Anglia trains between Stratford and Liverpool Street. But note that part of Liverpool Street station has been built over so is not fully in daylight and some of the approach route has also been built over - but is many tracks wide, so it feels more travelling below a wide bridge than in a tunnel. These comments also apply to the 'rush hours only' Elizabeth line trains which travel direct between Stratford and Liverpool Street stations.
Impressive Station Architecture The new-build Elizabeth line stations include much impressive architecture which in many ways totally redefine the 'beingness' of an underground railway station. There is far too much to show everything but this offers a selection of views. Most of the new station buildings feature works of art, only some of these are detailed on this page, more information can be found here: https://www.crossrail.co.uk/ Most underground Elizabeth line platforms are very deep and many of them require passengers to use two flights of escalators between the street and the platforms.
Also included in the Crossrail / Elizabeth line project is a distinctive style of multi-coloured footpath paving slabs, these are being installed in many (if not all) of the localities that will be served by the new service with the idea being to create a sense of connectedness / being part of a larger family no matter where you are along the Elizabeth line route.
Five Elizabeth line stations have adopted a near-identical design cue which includes sound-absorbing white tunnel linings, finger-post wayfinding signage with integral uplighters for passageway lighting and smooth inside curves where tunnels and passageways meet. The two outer views come from Tottenham Court Road station. The middle view comes from Whitechapel station. Central Core Stations A brief look at each of the stations Paddington - Whitechapel. All of these stations already existed and have been upgraded for the new service. Paddington At Paddington the departures taxi rank was relocated so that a brand-new 20 metre deep cut'n'cover box-style station could be dug out of the ground alongside the existing Network Rail mainline railway station. The new Elizabeth line station is close to platform 1. A 120 metre long steel and glass canopy provides weather protection over the 'hole in the ground' whilst also allowing daylight to filter down into the ticket hall. Located 10 metres above ground this canopy is decorated with every known type of cloud formation. Called Cloud Index and created by Spencer Finch this artwork is intended to mimic the ever-changing sky. The Elizabeth line platforms include a fully accessible walking interchange passageway with the deep-level Bakerloo line platforms. However passengers wishing to interchange with the two subsurface Underground railway stations (for Hammersmith & City, Circle and District line trains) will need to exit the Elizabeth line station and walk through the mainline railway station.
One of the two sets of escalators between street level and the ticket hall. This facilty has two escalators, the other one has three escalators.		Descending the escalators from street level to the brand new ticket hall. Also seen are the glass-walled fully accessible lifts.
Platform view, Paddington Elizabeth line.		image to come.
Bond Street At Bond Street two brand new station buildings with ticket halls have been built at opposite ends of the station platforms. The Western ticket hall is in Davies Street close to the West One Shopping Centre and the existing London Underground station. The Eastern ticket hall is in Hanover Square and is so close to Oxford Circus station that passengers are allowed to use the Oyster PAYG / smartcard ticketing system 'out of station' interchange facility to change between the trains at these two stations and (providing they do not take too long) they will be charged for one seamless through journey. This will especially benefit Victoria line passengers as this line does not have any other interchange stations with the Elizabeth line.
The two new station buildings are very similar in core design with entrances at one end and part-way along the side and high ceilings with semi-recessed lighting. Davies Street is on the left and Hanover Square on the right. The Davies Street entrance includes three artworks by Darren Almond: Horizon Line: This is located above the escalators down from the ticket hall and comprises a large grid of fragmented numbers cast in aluminium made up of 144 individual hand-polished tiles. Time Line (From Under The Glacier) is seen by passengers ascending the escalators from the intermediate landing which includes the interchange passageway to the Jubilee and Central lines. Shadow Line (Reflect From Your Shadow) is located above the escalators down to the Elizabeth line platforms from the intermediate landing which includes the interchange passageway to the Jubilee and Central lines. Time Line and Shadow Line draw upon the tradition of naming early British locomotives with cast bronze nameplates, although here the aim is to offer (quote:) poetic phrases that offer a philosophical proposition to each passerby. Elizabeth line artworks located above both flights of escalators at the Davies Street station entrance.
Tottenham Court Road At Tottenham Court Road station the Elizabeth line also has two ticket halls located at each end of the station platforms. The western ticket hall is brand new and located partway along Oxford Street - with its location officially described as being in Dean Street, Soho. This ticket hall only serves Elizabeth line trains. The eastern ticket hall is not brand new as it has served the Central and Northern lines for many years. However it was very cramped and at busy times became very crowded. So it was completely rebuilt and enlarged at the same time as the construction of the Elizabeth line. This ticket hall is fully underground - reached via several brand new and much older street accesses. Its location is known as St Giles Circus but many people will know this as being the busy road junction where Oxford Street / New Oxford Street / Tottenham Court Road / Charing Cross Road meet. The rebuilding of this station ticket hall caused much controversy because it entailed closing the much-loved Astoria theatre and removing distinctive mosaic tiling (by Edward Paolozzi) from the Central line escalator shafts and both Central and Northern line platforms. In 2022 a new theatre (called @SohoPlace) opened to replace the Astoria theatre. Some of the mosaic tiling still exists at older parts of the station but whilst the Central line escalators are still where they were before the rebuilding the mosaic tiling was not reinstated. The eastern ticket hall includes a direct interchange link between Elizabeth and Northern line platforms. But not between Elizabeth and Central line platforms. This is because this facility already exists at Liverpool Street and Bond Street stations.
The now spacious (underground) eastern ticket hall at Tottenham Court Road which serves the Central, Northern line and Elizabeth lines includes two of these 'glass wall' entrance / exit enclosures in the foreground of the Centerpoint Tower.		The brightly decorated ticket hall wall at the same location - the entrance on the left only has fixed stairs whilst the one on the right offers powered travel. Also note the skylight bringing daylight to the ticket hall.
Circulating area at Tottenham Court Road station - note that the signposted interchange to the Central line is via the ticket hall and requires passing through two sets of ticket gates. Instead there are direct interchange passages between these two lines at Bond Street and Liverpool Street stations.		The new Dean Street station building which serves the western end of the Elizabeth line platforms, as photographed from Oxford Street on the day it opened. Note the black colour, apparently a design idiom - this colour was chosen to match the late night nature of many businesses in this area.
Farringdon Farringdon is another Elizabeth line station that has two ticket halls located at each end of the station platforms. The western ticket hall also serves Thameslink trains and is opposite the historic Metropolitan Railway station building. The eastern ticket hall is brand new and located next to the historic Smithfield Market. The walking route between the Elizabeth line platforms and this ticket hall includes a direct lift access from the westbound London Underground platform at Barbican station. Passengers who use this link to walk (rather than travel by train) between the stations will still be charged a Zone 1 train fare!
The new western station entrance at Farringdon is especially noted for its artwork which was created as a homage to the goldsmiths, jewellers and ironsmiths who work at nearby Hatton Garden, which is the centre of the UK jewellery trade. The roof is formed of a 350-tonne precast concrete structure that is suspended in mid-air from a steel frame without the need for column supports. The geometry of the ceiling reflects the alignment of the Thameslink service and the Elizabeth line. The back-lit etched glass artwork in the side wall glazing is named Avalanche. Created by British artist Simon Periton this comprises a frieze sequence of large diamonds, with the intricate features of each gem having been digitally printed in ceramic ink.		The side wall decorative glazing by Simon Periton named Avalanche. As described left.
Views of the western ticket hall which serves both the Thameslink service and the Elizabeth line. Left: This view also includes a Class 700 Thameslink train. Right: This view also shows the roof over the top of the Elizabeth line escalator shaft.
The eastern ticket hall at Farringdon station. The exterior glazing artwork was also created by Simon Periton. The design features an intricate pattern that reflects the Victorian-era metalwork of the historic Smithfield market directly opposite the station building. The transparent artwork allows passengers to see through to the coffered ceiling - which is based on the Brutalist architecture on the nearby Barbican Centre.
Liverpool Street The Elizabeth line Liverpool Street station has platform exits at both ends, one of these is actually part of a different station - this being Moorgate. Whilst it is possible to use Elizabeth line passageways to walk between Liverpool Street and Mooorgate stations, passengers who walk (rather than travel by train) between the stations will still be charged a Zone 1 train fare. The construction of the station entrance and passageways also included allowing a period of time for an archaeological dig, during which time some ancient artifacts going back as far as the Roman era over 2000 years ago were discovered and recovered.
Several Elizabeth line stations in central London require passengers to use two flights of escalators when travelling between the street and the platforms. These views come from Liverpool Street, the escalator shaft on the left also has a glass wall inclined lift (see below for more information).
Whitechapel This very old station was extensively rebuilt and modernised as part of the Elizabeth line project. However the original 1876 entrance has been retained, renovated and cleaned so as to better match the heritage-style buildings in Whitechapel Road. The rebuilding project included installing the new Elizabeth line platforms, a new (and much larger) ticket hall and gateline, improved interchange between the very busy Underground and Overground platforms and completely re-jigging the Underground station so that instead of four platforms for District / Hammersmith & City line trains there is now a very wide island platform with just two platforms. A new cripple siding (for a failed train) was built near West Ham station to replace facilities removed from this station. There was going to be a second ticket hall and station exit at the other end of the Elizabeth line platforms but this was cancelled so as to reduce the overall cost of the Elizabeth line project.
Whilst the Elizabeth line platforms at Whitechapel are brand new the rest of the station has been extensively rebuilt for the new service.
To better fit into its local urban streetscene the historic station building frontage has been preserved with 'Women Of TfL' posters replacing the upper floor windows. Abbey Wood Branch The branch to Abbey Wood is a brand new service which partially re-uses older railway infrastructure in the London Docklands area. Canary Wharf and Woolwich are brand new station buildings, although other nearby stations with similar names already existed. Custom House and Abbey Wood stations already existed and have been extensively rebuilt. Bus services from Abbey Wood serve Thamesmead, which is a large residential area in south-east London that does not have any railways at all. Canary Wharf This box-shaped station sits on an artificial island that was created by draining the West India Quay north dock. 18 metres below water level it is part of a multi-floor structure that on upper levels includes retail and leisure space plus a roof garden The ticket hall has multiple accesses, including some at each end of the building. However, as already exists with the Jubilee line and several DLR stations in this area, the Elizabeth line station does not include direct interchange passageways with any other railway services. Instead the other stations are easily reached by exiting from this station and walking through the various indoor shopping centres and / or outdoor footpaths. The 'out of station interchange' (OSI) facility on the PAYG smart card ticketing system means that interchanging passengers will be charged a simple through fare for their entire journey - but only if they do not take too long to walk between exit and entrance card readers - in most cases the time limit is 20 minutes.
Elizabeth line Canary Wharf station platform.		Canary yellow glazing on the vertical travel modes of transport helps differentiate the lifts & escalators which serve the railway station from those which only serve the other parts of this multi-floor structure.
Part of the Crossrail Place shopping centre plus a flood defence channel filled with water-loving planting. The water level will vary as needed to protect the station.		The Crossrail Place Roof Garden - a 300 metre enclosed garden above Canary Wharf Crossrail / Elizabeth line station. More information: https://canarywharf.com/arts-events/crossrail-place-roof-garden/
The Crossrail Place roof garden features plants from many of the countries once visited by ships that unloaded goods in the dock that has now been repurposed into this Elizabeth line station plus retail complex. The West India Quay north dock sits almost exactly on the Meridian line and the roof garden planting has been arranged according to which hemisphere the plants come from, with Asian plants such as bamboos to the east, and plants such as ferns from the Americas to the west. Custom House Custom House is next to the Excel exhibition centre and was already served by the Docklands Light Railway (Beckton branch). At this station the two railway services have one double-sided island platform each, centrally located between each pair of tracks. It would have been much better for the passengers had this station been designed to have cross-platform interchange between the two railway services. This would also have reduced the numbers of passengers walking around the station. However, the railway industry did not want this. Apparently it is seen as 'inconvenient' when trains operated by different railway companies share the same platforms plus because the DLR was already running the safety people said that it was too dangerous to have construction workers close to a live railway. Perhaps another reason for not wanting cross-platform interchange between the two railway services at Custom House is that the DLR and Elizabeth line have very different ticketing regimes. The DLR is an open system whereas the Elizabeth line is largely a closed system - which means that to enter or leave the stations passengers must pass through ticket gates which check that they have a valid method of fares payment.
The rebuilt Custom House station Left: The eastbound platform, the main entrance to the Elizabeth line platforms is above the tracks and this view also shows some ticket barriers. Middle: Elizabeth line and DLR Roundels on a lift shaft wall - filmed at twilight to also show some nocturnal lighting Right: A Class 345 train at the westbound platform (for trains towards Central London) and an eastbound DLR train which has just left its platform and is continuing its journey to Beckton. Silvertown   City Airport? The route between Custom House and where the Elizabeth line passes below the river Thames at North Woolwich reuses part of a very old section of passenger and goods railway through London's docklands. This section of railway used to have a station at Silvertown, close to the footbridge from where these photographs were taken, but in 2006 this section of railway was closed for rebuilding as part of the Elizabeth line - with the works included demolishing the station. This area is now served by the nearby DLR (Docklands Light Railway) station for London City Airport (LCY). DLR trains from here travel on two routes; Bank - North Woolwich and Stratford International - North Woolwich. In addition, as can be seen there are local buses too, although this being London passengers who travel on both trains and buses are charged two sets of travel fares.
The site of the former Silvertown station - looking east towards North Woolwich where there are portals for the tunnels below the River Thames which are aptly known as Thames Tunnel. The portals on the southern side of the Thames are at Plumstead.		The view from the footbridge looking west. The tracks lead down to the 1878 Connaught Tunnel (also known as the Silvertown Tunnel and the Albert Dock Tunnel). Refurbishing this tunnel for the Elizabeth line was a challenging task not helped by the risk of encountering unexploded WW2 bombs and the proximity of the site to the London City Airport runway.
Also seen in the image above - right are some DLR trains and the Grade II listed St Mark’s Church, Silvertown which features Victorian gothic architecture and was designed by Samuel Teulon. Nowadays this is known as the Brick Lane Music Hall - more information here: https://www.bricklanemusichall.co.uk/about/. A Future Station Here? The owners of City Airport would very much like for there to be an Elizabeth line station serving their airport. It is understood that they even offered £50m to pay for a new station to be built to serve their airport. But the offer was refused. However it might yet happen... if it does there will be a 300 metre walk along residential streets between the airport and the railway station. The Elizabeth line Wikipedia route map (above) includes this station as 'proposed'.
Woolwich Woolwich is a simple low-rise minimalist brick-built box-shaped station with a single entrance. The ticket hall has skylights so that it is bathed in natural daylight. The facade above the station entrance comprises a 30 metre wide bronze-clad portal which features a rifling pattern reminiscent of the cannons which were cast on the Arsenal site. The area in front of the station entrance is known as 'Dial Arch Square' and it includes a lawned area plus seating.		Woolwich station platform.
Woolwich station - instead of a building a warren of connecting interchange tunnels the nearby Woolwich Arsenal railway station (SouthEastern and DLR) and Woolwich Arsenal Pier (river bus) are easily reached by exiting from this station and walking along the street footpath.
Abbey Wood The ticket hall at Abbey Wood was rebuilt as part of the (then) Crossrail scheme and opened in March 2018. Internally it makes extensive use of wood with the inside of the ceiling using larch, plus the waiting area and platform seats also using wood. In many ways this mirrors the extensive use of wood for the rebuilding of London Bridge mainline station, which is one of the main London stations served by the SouthEastern and Thameslink services that call at this station. The promotional material for this station includes a mention of the snazzy modern glass and metal platform shelters as if they are significant. Of course weather protection for station platforms is a welcome feature - especially when it is functional too. The view (below - right) showing the wet platform surface suggests that for at least part of the station these glazed platform canopies are actually about as useful as the proverbial chocolate teapot - they may have eye candy but they totally fail to protect passengers from heavy rain!
At present this station is an Elizabeth line terminus, although extensions to Gravesend (and even further?) have been proposed.		The waiting area with views of all four platforms. Other facilities here include a retail shop, café and toilets.
Somewhat modest cycle parking area opposite Abbey Wood station.		The 'chocolate teapot' platform shelters which may look snazzy but are largely functionally useless.
Other Information Old Oak Common Station? This proposed station is very likely to be built and become the western terminus of Elizabeth line trains which at present terminate at Paddington station. The reason for this is that a major High Speed Two (HS2) station is being built here and the Elizabeth line will offer an excellent speedy connection with other parts of London. It is expected that the wider Old Oak Common regeneration zone will also include stations on the Central and Bakerloo Underground lines as well as London Overground North London line, West London line and Euston - Watford line. Whether all these will be brand new stations or existing stations scattered around the wider regeneration zone remains to be seen. The Elizabeth line Wikipedia route map (above) includes this station as opening in 2026. Kensal Town? Also in west London this station is desired because at present trains pass through this area without stopping and this significantly restricts travel opportunities. Previously this area was served by British Rail trains on the London - Reading route at Westbourne Park station but these were closed in 1992 and whilst Underground Hammersmith & City / Circle line trains still call here journeys to destinations such as Ealing Broadway or Heathrow Airport require travelling via Paddington station - the opposite direction of travel! Kensal Town is a proposed station name, it might also be called Ladbroke Grove, Kensal or Portobello Central. Accessibility All of the brand-new Elizabeth line stations are fully accessible from the street to the trains. Stations on older sections of railway are only accessible between the street and the platform. Because of the physical differences in shape and size between different types of passenger and freight / goods trains it is not always possible to offer full accessibility on routes used by so many different types of rolling stock.
Some stations use inclined accessibility lifts located in escalator shafts.
The platform doors closest to the wheelchair spaces on the train are clearly identified.		Wheelchair ramps at an older station - these are deployed by station staff, but need to be requested in advance.
Platform Doors - Next Train Information The platforms at all underground stations feature platform screen doors. Because of the length of the platforms it was decided to locate the 'next train' information above each set of platform doors.
Platform doors - above them the information displays show the 'train departing' message.		A close-up of the stickers on the platform screen doors.
A montage showing some of the other platform door passenger information display (PID) messages - the top two date from the Paddington - Abbey Wood preview service which began in May 2022 when Bond Street station was yet to open and crossed out in a way that is barely visible (it should have been with a red line, not white). The scrolling message on this day was Welcome to the Elizabeth line. Enjoy your journey today! The lower image shows signage for passenger doors which are not working.		A close-up of the scrolling message showing interchange possibilities - in this case at Farringdon station.
Two short films showing the passenger information displays in action have been placed on the ‘YouTube’ film / video website and can either be watched via the embeded displays or on the YouTube website in new windows by clicking the links below the films. 1) An Elizabeth line train going to Paddington departing from Whitechapel station http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msPAGDy-Ok0 2) An Elizabeth line train going to to Maidenhead arriving at Whitechapel station http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HYrwYX_4O4 Long Walks For various reasons - including needing to avoid sewers and pre-existing tunnels - passengers interchanging with other lines at some central London stations have long or even very long walks. This situation already exists at some London Underground stations, especially those which are served by London's newer Tube lines - the Victoria & Jubilee lines - (eg: Green Park, Oxford Circus and the merged Trafalgar Square & Strand which is now called Charing Cross). What is new for the Elizabeth line is that some of the interchange passageways include seats so that weary passengers can rest for awhile.
The very long interchange walking route between the Elizabeth line at Liverpool Street and the Northern line (Bank branch) at Moorgate includes several 'bum rest' perches and proper seats.
The long interchange walking route between the Elizabeth line and the Bakerloo line platforms at Paddington station.		The long interchange walking route between the Elizabeth line and the platforms for the Central and Jubilee lines at Bond Street station.
Ownership and Ticketing It is important to know that the Elizabeth line is a National Rail (mainline railway) service and NOT a London Underground service. This means that its status is the same as the London Overground in that in addition to all the usual London tickets and passes (Oystercards, etc) passengers with discounted fares railcards that are valid nationwide can use them on Elizabeth line trains, as can prepaid passes such as the All Line Rover, BritRail and Eurail passes.		At Custom House Elizabeth line passengers must still pass through ticket gates - even if they are interchanging with the DLR.
Historic Portions Refurbished The railway routes Paddington - Reading and Liverpool Street - Shenfield are both long-established, having existed for over 100 years and have at least four tracks, with one pair of tracks (per route) dedicated to fast (longer distance) trains and the other pair of tracks for slow (local) trains. Mostly Elizabeth line trains will use the slow (local) tracks. As part of the Crossrail project these two existing railway routes have been upgraded. The first stage towards this occurred at the end of May 2015 when control of the London Liverpool Street - Shenfield suburban service was taken over by Transport for London and started using the temporary brand name of TFL Rail.
Chadwell Heath is one of the existing stations that was refurbished and re-branded - these images date from when this service was known as TFL Rail.
The platforms normally used by Elizabeth line trains have received a variant of traditional London Transport style station name signs whilst the other platforms have plain / unbranded signs.		Just beyond the ticket gates at Chadwell Heath showing the different style of way-finding sign branding for platforms that will (and will not) be served by Elizabeth line trains - and more.
To make this route suitable for the much longer new trains many (but not all) station platforms have been lengthened and to the east of London the overhead wire power supply system which dates from the late 1940's has been renewed. Many (but not all) of the portals from which the wires hang have been replaced and brand new registration arms (of a very different design) have been installed - even on the older portals. The line to the west of London has also benefited from much investment, both as part of the Crossrail project and as part of an electrification project that extends to faraway destinations not served by the Elizabeth line.
Eastbound Class 345 train arrives at Seven Kings station. This route was electrified in the 1940s and in some places the older overhead wire support portals still remain. Filmed from Aldborough Road.		Class 345 train in the bay platform and GWR branded Class 387 train at Hayes & Harlington station.
The brand new station building at Hayes and Harlington.		Brand new platform seat complete with the London Transport Bulleye symbol / Tf L Roundel logo and some Elizabeth line purple arm rests.
The main station building at Ilford is also being rebuilt. This view is from January 2022 - construction only began in 2019 and was then significantly delayed by the virus pandemic.		Ilford station is so busy that it also has two additional entrances (one each side of the tracks) at the opposite end of the station. This floor mat comes from the platform 1 Ilford Hill entrance which also serves the East London Transit bus stops.
Short Platforms For various reasons it was decided that some stations would not have their platforms lengthened to accept 9 coach trains. This means that when calling at these platforms the doors in some carriages at the back of the train remain closed and passengers must walk through the inside of the train until they find a doorway that is allowed to be opened. Exact details of which doors open / remain closed varies according to the individual stations. Ideally regular passengers will quickly learn where they need to be to always be near a door that opens at their destination station. The reasons for not lengthening every station platform include the cost of the works, lower expected passenger numbers (at that station), physical constraints and sheer impracticality. At some stations it was felt that the cost of the works would be unjustifiably high. For example, Maryland has road bridges at each end of the platforms and at least one of these would have needed completely replacing. Maryland is not an especially busy station and experience at stations where longer trains call at short platforms on the Underground and DLR has shown that the 'walk-through trains' solution can be a viable alternative solution. Another station where platforms are not being lengthened is Hanwell. This too is not an especially busy station. A sign (at Ilford station) informing passengers about the trains being longer than some station platforms. At some stations the trains are longer than the platforms and as a result some (or all) of the doors in some carriages remain closed. This is Seven Kings. to come.
Long Platforms The brand new subterranean stations have been built with platforms long enough for 12 coach trains, should passenger numbers rise very significantly. But, just about every surface station would also need their platforms lengthening before such even longer trains could be brought in to service.
At underground stations the platforms were built long enough for a future possibility of even longer trains. In this view the section of platform screen wall behind the back of the train does not have doors as trains do not stop alongside it. At Farringdon the platforms are 244 metres in length.		Most new-build stations have straight platforms but Tottenham Court Road eastbound features a gentle curve.
Elizabeth Line Trains The Elizabeth line uses 70 air-conditioned trains which feature a fully walk-through internal design, electronic (visual and audible) real-time information, CCTV, Wi-Fi and 4g. However there are no USB power sockets. Each carriage is 24 metres long and to help minimise station stop dwell times they have three pairs of plug doors on each side. Each train has four wheelchair spaces with tip-up / folding seats for other passengers plus ten groups of folding / tip-up longitudinal seating (spread out throughout the train) which create multi-user spaces for luggage (eg: on airport journeys) and parents with children in pushchairs / buggies / strollers. The first of the new trains arrived in London in December 2016 and the final new train arrived in December 2021. The train type is the Bombardier Aventra. In the British train naming scheme these trains are known as Class 345.
Some coaches feature a mix of longitudinal and transverse seating. Longitudinal seats have fixed armrests whilst transverse seats have folding armrests.		Some coaches only offer longitudinal seating. This includes the coaches with the wheelchair spaces.
There are four wheelchair places per train. These have glass screens on one side plus tip-up / folding seats for use by other passengers when the space is not needed by wheelchair users.		Class 345 trains have the same seat fabric pattern as the London Overground trains and Tramlink trams but use a different colour palette. On the left is a 'priority seat' - these are for infirm people who can walk and these use yet another colour palette.
Some of the messages seen on the electronic real-time information displays. The trains also have traditional paper route maps!		An internal view inside looking towards a driver's cab.
When first introduced in to service these trains had just 7 coaches and were about 160 metres long. This was much longer than the 5 coach Class 360 trains they displaced on the former Heathrow Connect service between Paddington and Heathrow Airport and about the same length as the 8 coach Class 315 trains they displaced on the London - Shenfield route. However their 7 coach format was only a temporary stop-gap until many station platforms could be lengthened. By May 2022 all but three trains had been lengthened to be 200 metres long with 9 coaches, 450 seats and an estimated total passenger capacity of 1,500 people. The remaining three shorter trains are used on west London services from Paddington station. By way of comparison, when the line between Liverpool Street and Shenfield was electrified in 1949 it used 9 coach trains that were 163 metres long and had 528 seats in their original format and 504 seats (in 2 + 2 format) after rebuilding when the electric power supply system was changed from 1500v DC to 6.25kv AC and 25Kv AC. Part of the reduction in seating capacity was because there were more longitudinal seats as this facilitated an increase standing space. Although a similar length, the 8 carriage Class 315 trains had 632 seats - mostly in 3 + 2 format - but far less space for crush loaded standing passengers in the rush hours. Signalling The brand new deep level tube train tunnels and the Abbey Wood branch use radio Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) moving block signalling with Automatic Train Operation (ATO) and Automatic Train Protection (ATP). To allow train frequencies to increase the signalling is designed for up to 30 trains per hour. The historic sections of railway on either side of London are equipped with the legacy Train Protection Warning System (TPWS) and all trains are driven in the traditional way - by a human train driver. The section of railway Hayes & Harlington - Heathrow Airport is equipped with the European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2.
Sign at platform 8, Stratford station telling eastbound Elizabeth line train drivers that they are leaving a section of track which has been equipped for Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling.		345 061 going to Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 at Ealing Broadway station, in the background can be seen a Central line 1992ts train.
Class 345 trains at Heathrow Airport - the station for terminals 2 and 3 left and the station for terminal 5 right. Two Overlapping Services It is always expected that the Elizabeth line will usually operate as two overlapping services: 1) Shenfield - Paddington / Heathrow Airport and 2) Abbey Wood - Paddington / Heathrow Airport / Reading. All trains will travel as far west as Paddington station plus some trains from both Shenfield and Abbey Wood will continue on to Heathrow Airport, but only trains from Abbey Wood will also serve stations between West Drayton and Maidenhead / Reading. The reason for this is to reduce the likelihood of delays in one part of London from causing delays in another part of London Passengers wanting a destination not served by their train will be able to change train by waiting on the same platform. In the rush hours there are also additional trains on the Great Eastern Main Line that serve the existing mainline (above ground) Liverpool Street station instead of travelling via the tunnels. This is because this extremely busy route needs more trains than those which travel through the tunnels and the platforms at the existing Liverpool Street station are more convenient for the many people who work in the local area. Part of the funding for the construction of the Elizabeth line has come from London's second financial centre at Canary Wharf. One of the conditions of their investment is that at least 50% of trains on the Abbey Wood branch serve Heathrow Airport. Heathrow Express To Remain Although the 'all stations' Heathrow Connect (HeC) no longer exists as a specialist named train service the Heathrow Express (HeX) will continue as a dedicated non-stop premium service which links Paddington station with Heathrow Airport. Being a premium service it also charges much higher / premium fares. The HeX trains also include a First Class seating area and one of the perks offered to passengers is priority access (avoiding the queues) to security / passport control at Heathrow Airport. Sampling The New Class 345 TFL Rail / Crossrail / Elizabeth Line Trains Three films showing the Class 345 trains when first introduced have been placed on the ‘YouTube’ film / video website and can either be watched via the embeded displays or on the YouTube website in new windows by clicking the links below the films. 1) The first train arrives in London - seen passing through Stratford station http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsIDjCImUBs 2) The first day of service - and looking at some of the trains they replaced http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NblaJ2hMd78 3) Exploring the new trains http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhn_7VLkPRk These links lead to interesting sources of information about the introduction of these trains in to passenger service: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=120221&page=70 https://districtdavesforum.co.uk/thread/29937/crossrail-elizabeth-line-opening-24th

Crossrail Line 2

Crossrail as a name in the London context refers to two (or three) new subterranean railway lines which will travel across central London and in the suburbs extend over existing heavy rail routes. The primary aim is to reduce overcrowding on London's existing railways. The concept of introducing trains to the many areas which are remote from any railway service is seen as a secondary (less important) side effect.

What is significant about Crossrail is that its deep level 'tube' tunnels will be large enough for full size mainline trains. Until now only the deep level 'tube' tunnels used by Northern City Line were suitable for full size mainline trains.

Crossrail Line two is a future rail service which will link south-west London with north and north east London.

In the 1970s this line was planned to serve two areas which do not have any Underground railway service, these being Chelsea and Hackney. At that time an unofficial line name of Chelney was mooted and the line was expected to take over part of the District Line's Wimbledon branch and then be routed via Clapham Junction, Kings Road (Chelsea), Tottenham Court Road, Angel, somewhere in the Hackney area and then over either the existing railway route to Chingford (nowadays this is now part of the London Overground network) or Epping (replacing Central Line trains).

However more recently the plans have changed and the line is likely to takeover several outer suburban routes in south-west London (this will allow increased services without having to expand London Waterloo Station) and then be routed via an interchange station with the Northern Line in south London, before following the same route as before as far as Hackney where it will split into two branches, one of which is planned to reduce overcrowding on the Piccadilly Line in north London. The other branch will be extended alongside a little used railway in the Lea Valley which is seen as needing a better rail service to act as catalyst for redevelopment. As yet the exact route and stations served is still being planned.

Using Crossrail 2 as a congestion buster for the southern section of the Northern Line is seen as being better than completing the express tube line which was planned in the late 1930s and partly built (so that the tunnels could be used during the war) in the 1940s.

Using Crossrail 2 as a congestion buster for the northern section of the Piccadilly Line would not have been necessary had two railway routes which used to serve the area not closed in the 1950s (Finsbury Park - Alexandra Palace via Highgate & Muswell Hill and Stratford - Palace Gates).

The imbalance in fares is also a reason why the Northern and Piccadilly Line trains are experiencing severe overcrowding, even though there are other existing railway services in the same areas. Despite London having one zonal fares system for many journeys Underground fares are cheaper than the other railways.

If built the Chelney Line is expected to open circa 2030 - 2040.

Busier Suburban Stations Of Interest

In addition to terminal stations in Central London, there are some busier suburban stations where a variety of trains can often be seen. This list only looks at those in zones in zones 1-4. These include: Clapham Junction, Richmond, Ealing Broadway, Wimbledon, West Ham and Stratford.

• Clapham Junction: (south London). With 18 platforms (numbered 1-17 plus 0, which is not used) this is one of the busiest stations in all of Great Britain. You will see many trains from Waterloo [SouthWestern Railway] and Victoria [Southern] passing through, including the Gatwick Express and the Southern trains which use the West London Line to link destinations to the north of London with destinations to the south of London. Although not served by Underground trains, this station is on the London Overground network, being served by trains which use the South and West London Lines.
  
  This page in the National Rail website includes much information about Clapham Junction station and a map showing the platforms:
  http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/CLJ/details.html

The London Overground platforms 1 and 2 as seen from the footbridge, with two Class 378 trains. The train in front of me is a West London Line service, the train below me is a South London Line service. To make interchange easy these trains are timed to meet here, every 15 minutes, every day. A SouthWestern Railway Class 450 is at platform 3 and in the distance what is probably a Class 455 train can be seen just outside the station. This photograph is looking east, towards Central London and Waterloo / Victoria railway stations.		The view from the far end of the platform used by the Overground's West London Line trains. On the left can be seen part of a railing which stops passengers from walking along the rest of the platform. Looking across the station we see two SWR Class 455 trains and a Southern train, either a Class 375 or Class 377. This photograph is looking south.
Richmond: (south-west London). This is a South Western Railway station that is also used by Overground and Underground trains. The platform circulating area includes a food outlet with tables where you can watch trains come and go. The glass skylight affords weather protection in inclement weather. Platforms 1 and 2 are through platforms for South Western Railway services - typically nowadays just electric multiple units of various types. Platforms 3 to 7 are terminating platforms, London Overground (North London Line) services normally use platforms 3 and 4 but sometimes also use platforms 5, 6 or 7 whilst Underground District Line trains normally use platforms 5, 6 and 7 but can also use platform 4. District Line trains can not use platform 3, as there is no fourth rail (electric power supply). This page in the National Rail website includes much information about Richmond station and a map showing the platforms: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/RMD/details.html
Richmond station was built by the Southern Railway in 1937.	Richmond station ticket hall. The station entrance is on the left; to the right can be seen the steps down to platforms 2 - 7 and separate walking route to platform 1 which is located on the other side of the through tracks. This picture was stitched together from two images.
The fully weather protected circulating area for platforms 2 -7 which is reached after passing through the ticket hall. In the distance can be seen some tables and chairs where people can eat foods purchased here.		Train departure information display at Richmond station, seen moments after the first train (London Overground to Stratford) had departed. The next District Line departure is the 14:03 from platform 7.
The barriers and electric ticket gates at Richmond station are a fairly new innovation. They split the circulating area in front of the trains into two and mean that passengers changing trains need to effectively leave the fares paid area (ie; break their journey) to access most of the food outlets or use the toilets. For passengers using Oyster PAYG this can result in extra costs (a new fare being charged for the next part of their journey). Ealing Broadway: (west London) is served by Great Western Railway (GWR), TFL Rail, Central and District Line trains. Platforms 1 and 2 are normally used by non-stop trains which typically includes High Speed and Intercity Express Trains travelling towards Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea and Penzance, outer suburban diesel and electric multiple-unit trains travelling to various regional destinations and Heathrow Express trains travelling to Heathrow Airport. Platforms 3 and 4 are used by local stopping and freight trains, including TFL Rail trains to Heathrow Airport and some GWR outer suburban trains which call here. Platforms 5 and 6 are used by Central Line trains. These platforms were built by the Great Western Railway for the Central London Railway in 1920, so therefore always have been part of the GWR (mainline) station. Platforms 7, 8, 9 are used by District Line trains. Platforms 8 and 9 are partially inside a trainshed which features historic signage. This is the original District Railway station although nowadays the street frontage is used by various retail shops and all passengers use the GWR station entrance and ticket hall. Although all passengers use the same ticket office the District Line's platforms are still looked after by different staff, and as a result when using my camera at this station I have sometimes found that even though the GWR staff have said 'OK' the Underground staff (on the District Line platforms) have not been happy and complained that I did not also speak with them about my using my camera. This page in the National Rail website includes much information about Ealing Broadway station and a map showing some of the platforms: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/EAL/details.html
Inside the District Line trainshed. District Line platforms 9 and 7 are empty whilst there is an S stock train at platform 8. On the far side of the trainshed wall is one of the heritage station name signs. In the far distance a Central Line 1992 Tube Stock train can be seen at platform 6.		District Line S Stock trains are at platforms 8 and 7. A Central Line train is at platform 6.
A District Line train at platform 8, platforms 7 and 6 are empty and a Central Line train is at platform 5.		A Central Line train is at platform 5, platform 4 is empty and a westbound TFL Rail Class 345 train is departing from platform 3, blocking the view of platforms 2 and 1.
Wimbledon: (south-west London). This is a South Western Railway station which is also served by trains - and trams - from several other railway operators. Platforms 1 - 4 are terminating platforms and used by London Underground District Line trains. Platforms 5 and 8 are used by South Western Railway inner suburban (local) services. Platforms 6 and 7 are fast tracks used by express and other non-stop trains. Because most trains travel through without stopping platform gates prevent access to these platforms. Platform 9 is bi-directional and used by Thameslink trains which travel through to Elephant & Castle, Farringdon and the north of London. Platform 10 is used by London / Croydon Tramlink. Because of a need to operate more trams than is possible with one platform this platform has been split into two sections, so that there are two tram platforms - Nos. 10a and 10b. Special Information For Using Smart Card Ticketing (Oyster / Contactless / Other Device) In PAYG Mode At Wimbledon Station * To reduce the risk of complications these rules should also be followed if you have an Oystercard with a Day Anytime, Day Off-peak or 7 Day Anytime Travelcard * If you arrive here by any of the train services and are planning to depart on the tram you must 'touch-in' using a TRAM card reader on tram platform No.10, as otherwise you will end up being financially penalised for not 'touching-out' at the end of your train journey AND be travelling on the tram without having paid your fare. * If you arrive here by tram and are continuing your journey by either the Underground or any National Rail (mainline) service then you must 'touch-in' on one of the railway card readers - ideally on Thameslink platform 9 which is next to the trams but you can also use a yellow card reader on District Line platforms 1 - 4. Important: Only yellow card readers should be used at platforms 1-4, NOT pink card readers. Otherwise you will be travelling on the train without a valid ticket and when you 'touch-out' at your ultimate destination station you will be financially penalised. * Passengers who enter Wimbledon station from the street and are intending to travel on the tram must also 'touch-in' again on one of the tram card readers located on tram platform No.10. Otherwise the system will treat you as if you are travelling by one of the other railways and you will be financially penalised. * Whilst it is usually possible to reclaim the excess charges from the Oyster helpline the process is a hassle. * If you are using paper One Day Travelcards then you can ignore all these ticketing complications and just travel in the normal way! * If you are using a One Day Bus and Tram pass then you must not travel on the trains. More detailed Oyster ticketing information for passengers using Wimbledon station can be found here:- https://www.oyster-rail.org.uk/trams-and-buses/ https://www.oyster-rail.org.uk/wimbledon/ Passengers going to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (eg: for the annual Wimbledon Tennis Championships Tournament) should travel to Southfields station, as it is nearer than Wimbledon station. This page in the National Rail website includes much information about Wimbledon station and a map showing the platforms: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/WIM/details.html
Oyster / smartcard readers on platforms 9 / 10 - clearly labelled in both words and different colours to alert passengers to their different functions - any type of train (left) and trams (right). If paying fares using electronic smart card devices (Oyster / contactless / smartphone / keyfob, etc.,) it is very likely that you will need to use a card reader when interchanging between the trams and trains. Be careful, as forgetting to 'touch-in/out' or using the wrong card reader could prove to be very expensive!! For the benefit of interchanging passengers there are also pink (route validator) and yellow card readers the platforms (Nos. 1-4) which are used by the District Line trains - these too are for interchanging passengers - the pink card readers are for passengers making journeys where the fares are lower if the passenger avoids travelling in Zone 1 whilst the yellow card readers are for passengers who are either starting a train (underground or mainline) journey after arriving here by tram or have split their fares over several tickets with paper tickets being used to travel on mainline railway journeys operated by SWR or Thameslink and electronic smart card devices being used to pay their fares on the District Line underground trains.
The main station entrance which was rebuilt by the Southern Railway in the late 1920‘s using Portland stone.		The side entrance to the station - this is more convenient for the shopping centre.
When built there was an access road directly in front of the station, for ‘kiss and ride’ passengers and a taxi rank but this area os now a pedestrian piazza which features floor lighting that cycles through a rainbow of colours.
A London Underground District Line S Stock train at platform 4 and a South Western Railway Class 455 train at platform 5.		Platforms 6 and 7 - these serve tracks used by express and other non-stop trains & have platform gates which prevent access to them.
Unidentified SWR train at platform 8 and a Class 700 Thameslink train arriving at platform 9.		Standing next to the former platform 10 tram stopping point, in the distance can be seen a Bombardier tram at platform 10a. At platform 8 on the far left is one of the Class 455 trains which includes a Class 508 carriage that was retained in London when the Class 508 trains were sent to Merseyrail (Liverpool area).
When Tramlink trams services first started using this station the trams stopped where the white railings can be seen in the photograph (above - right). This was very convenient for passengers because the steps (and lifts) were very near to here - just behind when I was standing when I took this photograph. However so many passengers were using the trams that to reduce overcrowding there was a need for a service that was too frequent for just one platform. The solution was to build staggered platforms, as seen below. It is unfortunate but because there is only enough space for one track at this end of the station it was neccessary to move their stopping point much further along the platform.
Stadler tram 2558 at platform 10b and Bombardier tram 2530 at platform 10a.		Two Bombardier trams at Wimbledon station 2547 at platform 10b (left) and 2550 in a special yellow advertising livery at platform 10a (right).
It is very difficult to take a photograph that includes both a District line underground train and a Tramlink tram. Maybe it is cheating but it is far easier to photograph from inside a tram at platform 10b (above - left) or an underground train - in this instance at platform 3 (above - right). West Ham: (east London) is served by C2C, the DLR, Jubilee, Hammersmith & City and District line trains. Platforms 1 and 2 are used by District and Hammersmith & City line trains, Platforms 3 and 4 are used by Docklands Light Railway trains, Platforms 5 and 6 are used by Jubilee line trains, Platforms 7 and 8.are used by C2C trains (called 'National Rail' on most station way-finding signs). The present-day station was rebuilt in this format during the construction of the Jubilee line and comprises red brick, concrete and glass (clear glass and glass bricks). It was styled upon the Holden stations built in the 1930s. Platforms 1, 2, 7, 8 are on an east - west alignment whilst platforms 3, 4, 5, 6 are on a north - south alignment.
The station entrance and upper level walkway which crosses Manor Road and links platforms 3 - 6 with the station entrance and platforms 1,2,7,8.		Inside the upper level walkway - out of sight to the right are the escalators to the station entrance and platforms 1,2,7,8. Behind me (and also not seen) are some accessibility lifts.
Platforms 3 - 6 are parallel to Manor Road.		Manor Road as seen from the DLR platforms.
An early morning view out of the open doors of a southbound DLR train - many commuters await a southbound Jubilee line train that will take them to the Canary Wharf financial district or Central London.		Two Class 357 C2C trains plus an unidentified S stock District or Hammersmith & City line train calling at east - west aligned platforms 8, 7, 2.
Stratford: (east London). This is probably London's most confusing station as although the highest numbered platform is No. 17 there are actually 21 platforms, including 2 which are not used. To add to the confusion platforms 1 & 2 are next to platform 12 whilst platform 3 is at the opposite end of the station and there are two sets of platforms (at different parts of the station) for the two different routes served by the Docklands Light Railway. The reasons for this are historic, as is explained below. Changing the platform numbers to something more logical would require many changes to the mainline railway's signalling systems which tell the train drivers which platforms they will be passing through, and since this change will be solely cosmetic (ie: will not improve safety and is not needed because of changes to any tracks) it was decided that this could not be justified financially - so will have to wait until another day. Note that to avoid confusion with other British stations this station is also sometimes known as Stratford (London) and Stratford Regional. The other stations are Stratford International and Stratford-upon-Avon.
Near the taxi rank and the station entrance for the Westfield shopping centre. Also seen is part of the footbridge over the station.		The footbridge over the station links the historic town centre shopping area with the Westfield shopping centre. This view was filmed from the Westfield centre; a London Overground Class 378 train can be seen at platform 2. The footbridge is for the general public and outside of the station's fares paid area.
Views from the footbridge over the station - looking east
The trains seen here are: London Overground Class 378 train at platform 2, Greater Anglia Class 317 train on the Cambridge service at platform 12. For many years there were buildings on the triangular shaped platform between what is now platforms 11 and 10a. However they became derelict and were removed. Further right can be seen platforms 10, 9 and the eastern end of platforms 8 and 6. This picture was stitched together from two images. The trains seen here are: London Overground Class 378 train at platform 10a (only its white roof is visible), Greater Anglia Class 755 InterCity train at platform 10, Greater Anglia Class 720 train at platform 9, TfL Rail Class 345 train arriving at platform 5, London Underground Central line 1992ts train arriving at platforms 3 + 3a. Views from the footbridge over the station - looking west A westbound 1992ts (tube stock) Central line train calls at platforms 3a and 3 - note that the doors are open on both sides of the train. A westbound TFL Rail Class 345 train at platform 5 and an eastbound Central Line 1992ts train (with its doors open on one side) at platform 6. Platform 8 (far left - no train), Greater Anglia Class 321 trains at platform 9 and 10, a container train passing by platform 10a. Unfortunately when this part of Stratford station was rebuilt in the 1990s the new platforms 9, 10 and 10a were not given full length platform shelters so they are very unpleasant to use in wet weather.
Platforms 1 and 2 are used by London Overground trains travelling to Richmond or Clapham Junction via Willesden Junction. These are new platforms which opened in 2009. Originally they were going to be called platforms 12a and 12b (as they are next to platform 12), but instead when the trains were relocated to here from the low-level tracks they kept their old platform numbers. Platforms 3, 4, 5 are an island platform used by westbound Central Line trains (platform 3) and mainline trains - mostly TFL Rail (platform 5) travelling towards Liverpool Street station / Central London. Note that westbound Central Line trains open their doors in both sides, with the other platform being No.3a. Platform 4 is no longer used, it was built for local services to Fenchurch Street station but despite all the works having been completed the new service was cancelled. It was later used by the Docklands Light Railway trains which now use platforms 4a and 4b. There are three platforms here because the Central Line trains are much shorter than the mainline trains, making space for platform 4 at the western (London) end of the station. Platforms 4a and 4b are used by the Docklands Light Railway for services to Canary Wharf, Greenwich and Lewisham. Most signage in the station still refers to these trains as using platform 4. Platforms 6, 7, 8 are an island platform used by eastbound Central Line trains (platform 6) and mainline trains (platform 8). The Central Line trains will be travelling towards Epping, Hainault etc. Normally the mainline trains from platform 8 are TFL Rail local trains which call at all stations to Shenfield, but sometimes it is also used by trains to other longer distance destinations, such as Southend-On-Sea, Chelmsford, Colchester, Braintree, Ipswich, Norwich, etc., and usually only at weekends / holidays and the main Christmas shopping season C2C Class 357 trains to Southend Central, Shoeburyness via Barking, Platform 7 has never been used - it was (also) built for local services to Fenchurch Street station but despite all the works having been completed the new service was cancelled. There are three platforms here because the Central Line trains are much shorter than the mainline trains, making space for platform 7 at the western (London) end of the station. Platforms 9, 10, 10a are mostly used by longer distance trains from Liverpool Street station travelling to the part of England known as East Anglia. Some trains stop here, some do not. Many freight trains also pass through these platforms and this helps explain why three platforms are needed. Normally westbound (London) trains call at platform 9 and eastbound trains at platform 10, but all three tracks are bi-directional... for instance; I have been on eastbound trains which use platform 9 one day and platform 10a another day. Platform 10a is also sometimes used by London Overground North London line trains instead of making trains queue to enter platforms 1 /2 when these are both occupied. Platforms 11 and 12 are usually used by trains to Stansted Airport and Cambridge - mostly platform 12, as platform 11 can only be used by through trains and the trains to / from Cambridge terminate here. Platforms 13*, 14, 15 are used by Jubilee Line trains. These are at the opposite end of the station and at a lower level (downstairs). These platforms date from the 1990's and the numbers continued on from the already existing platform number scheme, even though (when first opened) they were next to what at that time were platforms 1 and 2! *Platform 13 is only used on a part-time basis. Platforms 16 and 17 are used by Docklands Light Railway trains travelling from Stratford International station (which is at the other end of the large shopping centre) and Canning Town / Beckton / City Airport / Woolwich Arsenal. Until 2009 these were platforms 1 and 2, this explains why the westbound Central Line became platform 3. Especially on Sundays, when there are trackworks, the local trains which normally use platforms 6 & 8 are diverted to platforms 9 / 10 / 10a instead OR the longer-distance trains which use platforms 9 / 10 / 10a are diverted to platform 6 (westbound) and platform 8 (eastbound). This page in the National Rail website includes much information about Stratford station and a map showing the platforms: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/SRA/details.html
At Stratford westbound Central Line trains open their doors on both sides. This view was taken on platform 3a		Platforms 3 / 5 and 6 / 8 offer cross-platform interchange between Central line and mainline (National Rail) services. Mostly the latter are TFL Rail trains but services operated by Greater Anglia also use these platforms - and sometimes also C2C*.
*C2C trains normally only serve Stratford station at weekends, holidays & Christmas, primarily so that passengers can go to the Westfield shopping centre.
Standing on platform 3a, looking east. To my left is platform 5 with an arriving westbound TFL Rail Class 345 train, in front of me is an arriving westbound Central line train which will open its doors on both side - so that there will be cross-platform interchange with the arriving Class 345 train.		Standing on platform 3a, looking west. In front of me a westbound Central line train departs from platforms 3a and 3. To its right is the former platform 4, above it is the direct walking route from platforms 3 and 5 to DLR platforms 4a and 4b.
DLR platforms 4a and 4b with a train at platform 4a - these trains travel via Pudding Mill Lane. To make life easier most signage at this station refers to this as platform 4. The Oystercard readers on the right are next to the direct walkway to platforms 3 / 5.		Standing on platform 7, looking east with an eastbound Central line train arriving at platform 6. In front of me is the never used track bed for platform 7. Beyond that are platform 5 with a westbound Class 345 train, disused platform 4 (with the direct walking route to DLR platforms 4a and 4b partly over it) and a DLR train at platform 4b.
The low level concourse.
The B90/B92/B2K DLR train is calling at platform 16. Behind it (but not visible in this image) are Jubilee Line platforms 15, 14, 13. In the far distance, about 2/3rds up on the right edge of the image, is the short walkway to the DLR platforms 4a and 4b (as per arrow).		An unidentified DLR train calling at platform 16 and a Jubilee line 1996ts train calls at platform 15.
Located on the far wall between platforms 11 and 10a is an artwork called 'Sporting Statute'. Designed by Jonathan Edwards and sculpted by Ptolemy Elrington using steel and aluminium, it was unveiled in 2012 at Newcastle Central station and brought to Stratford in 2014. Information source: http://www.offbeat.group.shef.ac.uk/statues/STUK_Edwards_Jonathan.htm		The commemorative plaque which celebrates British medal winners during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games at the nearby Queen Elizabeth ll Olympic Park. This plaque is located on Jubilee line platform 13 which is only normally used by trains in early mornings and late evenings.
This will seem amazing, but both these photographs show the same location!
British Railways Class 416 electric multiple units on the Richmond - North Woolwich North London Line service calling at the (then) platforms 1 and 2. The area to the left of the image is now used by the Jubilee Line.		A DLR train on the Stratford International - Canning Town - Beckton / Woolwich Arsenal service arrives at what is now platform 17.
These views were taken outside Stratford Station's main entrance. On the left can be seen Jubilee Line train at platform 15 and a Docklands Light Railway train arriving at platform 16. On the right can be seen the main railway station entrance and the adjacent bus station. The steam locomotive is called Robert.
Station Architecture & Features Being an older system which dates back to the 1860's London Underground station feature a wealth of both historic and contemporary structures and whilst over the years some of the older buildings have been modernised and even rebuilt out of all recognition some partially or even fully survived in their original forms long enough for their historic ambiance to be recognised and even celebrated in the present - day era. This page looks at a few of the more noteworthy stations of historic interest. More such stations can also be found on the relevant pages about the different lines which they serve. Also on these other pages are some of the more noteworthy Docklands Light Railway and 1990's Jubilee line extension stations. Sometimes the older stations are actually more functional than present-era stations for which the designers often seem more interested in what might look good than whether it actually performs well.
Some people - especially those from younger generations - look at historic brick and stone heritage ‘museum piece’ stations from yesteryear somewhat unfavourably, seeing them as being relics of a byegone era. Their thoughts are that a modern railway should have stations that feature a cutting edge glitzy design which uses modern materials such as concrete, metal and glass (or similar). Served by Metropolitan (left) and Piccadilly (right) line trains, Hillingdon station was re-sited in the early 1990's as part of a new road project and the replacement station is of the contemporary design which younger people desire. It is bright and airy, but it has to be asked what they think about the white painted metal joists (with peeling paint) and what look like ‘el cheapo’ residential ‘car porch’ style lights on the platforms?
Historic station name signs in the District line trainsheds at Ealing Broadway (left) and West Brompton (right). The solid disc sign at Ealing Broadway dates from before Edward Johnston designed the familiar roundel in 1919.
Just outside Temple station (District & Circle lines) there is an historic 1932 UndergrounD map. These images only show part of the map. Note that not all the services shown on the map still operate and that the Bakerloo, East London and Piccadilly lines have partially faded. In those days the Moorgate - Finsbury Park Northern City line was owned by the Metropolitan Railway.
On the Underground stations with Victorian and Edwardian-era buildings can be found on all the subsurface lines, as well as 'open air' sections of the Central line east of Leyton and Northern line north of Finchley Central which were built in the 1800's and converted to tube trains in the 1940s. The 1930's saw much expansion of the London Underground with many brand new stations plus older stations rebuilt in an architectural style called Art Deco. These are looked at below. For the rest of London's railways the fate of the station buildings largely depends on whether the routes have always been busy or the stations have been replaced / downsized as economy measures. An example of the latter a general theme stations which were once served by steam trains but became part of London Transport in the 1940‘s have been preserved better than those which remained part of the national railway network. For example, if you travel on North London line (London Overground Stratford - Richmond) you will see some stations where British Railways knocked everything down and nowadays there is nothing much more than ‘bus stop’ shelters on the platforms. eg: Finchley Road and Frognal. Note that although not specified in the image comments below, since 2000 many stations on the Underground have seen much refurbishment and installation of new safety systems and CCTV camera systems. Typically stations were refurbished in a way designed to retain what is now seen as their 'heritage' styling, with (especially) platform walls being retiled on an almost ‘like for like’ basis. Barons Court has what is perhaps one of London's most ornate station buildings. Built in an Edwardian Baroque style and designed by HW Ford this station opened in 1905. The steps to the platforms and the platform canopies date from a 1931 partial rebuild and are less ostentatious.
The insanely ostentatious station building and ticket office area at Barons Court.
Either side of the ornate station entrance are 1920's bronze information panels with swan-neck lamp brackets and globe lamps. The south-east corner has a cartouche with the DR (District Railway) monogram plus bronze information panel and lamp. As the cartouche is in shadow it is also seen in an inset. The retail shop fronts feature three section art nouveau glazing above their picture windows. The ticket hall features distinctive green tiling with a frieze of darker green tiles with sunburst motifs (as seen in the inset). There are two pedimented ticket windows, each with a bronze illuminated box sign above them, which was added later. Barons Court station is now a Grade ll listed building, read more: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1358562 Another Grade ll listed station is Hanwell in west London.		Also at Barons Court station are these original and unique (on the London Underground) back-to-back wooden bench seats.
The historic Hanwell station - these three views were taken on the island platform.
The platform canopies, ironwork, etc (especially on central platform) are thought to include part of the original Brunel station which opened here in circa 1838. The station is seen as important because it represents the least altered example of the stations along this route after they were all rebuilt in the late 1870s. Hanwell station is served by some (not all!) TfL Rail trains from Paddington and will eventually become part of Crossrail line 1 (Elizabeth line). Read more: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1358787		Historic sign with finger pointer (not an arrow) telling passengers to use the steps and pedestrian subway if they wish to cross the tracks.
Typical Edwardian Era Tube Stations
Designed by the architect Henry Green, London‘s Covent Garden station is typical of the over 40 stations built in the first decade of the 20th century by the Underground Electric Railways Group (UERG) for what nowadays are known as the Northern, Piccadilly and Bakerloo lines. The UERG corporate style included distinctive ruby red glazed bricks and - to maximise financial income from the valuable land space - a structure which permits several floors of offices to be built over it. Note the distinctive London Transport roundel symbol located on the side of the building where it can be seen by people elsewhere along the road and act as a ‘homing beacon’ making the station even easier to find. Typically these were illuminated at night In those days not everyone was able to read so to aid regular passengers travelling in passing trains to identify the stations the wall tiles at each of these stations followed different colour schemes and patterns.
Typically these 40 stations were built with lifts (elevators in the North American dialect). Whilst some of them have been rebuilt with escalators, Covent Garden still uses lifts and being at the heart of an area which is very popular with both locals and tourists this station is often so busy that even with four lifts crowding is commonplace. To avoid the crowds some passengers use the emergency spiral stairway instead, although this is discouraged - because the distance between the upper and lower levels is equivalent to that of a 15 floor building!
The Earls Court Road entrance to Earl’s Court station which includes the railway company's names in a frieze near the top of the frontage. This was built in 1915, to a design by Harry Ford. In sunny weather this is best photographed before midday.		The Warwick Road entrance to Earl’s Court station which was rebuilt in the mid 1930’s to serve a new Earls Court Exhibition building. This image also shows the additional glass rotunda which in the 1960’s was added above the 1930’s entrance.
At one time the various different Underground lines each had their own distinctive style of ‘next train’(s) platform information system. Nowadays they all tend to use very similar dot-matrix screens, however at Earl’s Court station the historic District line information displays have been refurbished and still work!
Historic eastbound train describer at Earl’s Court. The blank position might have been used by the through trains (from Ealing Broadway) to the seaside town of Southend-On-Sea which were known as the Southend Corridor Express. These trains ran from 1st June 1910 until 1st October 1939, with (usually) three trains a day, per direction, changing between steam and electric locomotives at East Ham or Barking stations.		Acton Town station is typical of many of the 1930’s Art Deco stations where the ticket hall is capped with a flat concrete slab roof and the brick walls are punctuated with panels of clerestory windows. Designed by Charles Holden this station was rebuilt prior to the District line service to Rayners Lane & Uxbridge being replaced by the Piccadilly line.
1930's Art Deco Stations In the 1930's many new stations were built (and some existing stations rebuilt) in connection with extensions to the Piccadilly, Northern, ‡Bakerloo and Central lines. Typically the stations built by London Transport were designed by Charles Holden (who worked at the Adams, Holden and Pearson architectural practise) and followed a European geometric Art Deco style using brick, reinforced concrete and glass. Although there were individual variations these station buildings often featured tall block-like ticket halls rising above low horizontal structures housing the station offices and retail shops, with the ticket hall's brick walls being punctuated with panels of clerestory windows and the structure being capped with a flat concrete slab roof. ‡In 1979 the Bakerloo line's Stanmore branch became part of the Jubilee line. More information about 1930's and immediate post war London Underground stations (and other buildings) built in Art Deco and Modernism styles can be found at these links. The first link also explores the Metro-Land phenomena designed to create new residential areas where the inhabitants would become passengers of the Metropolitan Railway: http://www.modernism-in-metroland.co.uk/metro-land-and-modernism.html http://www.modernistbritain.co.uk/browse/tag/transport/
Oakwood station on the Piccadilly line is another 1930’s Charles Holden Art Deco station and these views show the ticket hall as illuminated during the hours of darkness.
Variations on a theme (1) - some of the 1930’s Art Deco stations are circular. An example of this is Arnos Grove on the Piccadilly line. The station frontage includes a bus interchange, albeit only for buses travelling in one direction (or terminating here). Buses travelling in the opposite direction call at traditional kerbside bus stops - as seen in the somewhat faded road markings. The single concrete support column in the middle of the station building is another common architectural feature. When this station was refurbished the telephone booths were restored too. At one time these all had twin leaf folding doors, unfortunately the doors were removed to deter people with ill-intent from leaving explosive devices where they could not be seen when the doors were closed.
Variations on a theme (2) - some of the 1930’s Art Deco stations are heptagonal (seven sided). An example of this is Ealing Common station which is served by District and Piccadilly line trains. It was designed by Charles Holden with Stanley Heaps as the on-site supervisor. This station building also includes some design cues from the 1920’s Northern line extension in south London. This includes the use of Portland stone cladding on the tower and Aberdeen granite cladding below the tower. The image above-right shows a recessed seating bay on one of the platforms. Uxbridge is a town on the north-western edge of London. At one time it had three railway stations but nowadays only the Charles Holden Art Deco 'concrete cathedral' station built by London Transport in 1938 still survives. Uniquely on the London Underground network Uxbridge station features some stained glass windows. These are easily seen by arriving passengers when walking towards the main exit from the station (ie: not the exit for this bus station). They were created by the Hungarian artist Ervin Bossányi, who emigrated to the UK in 1934.
Piccadilly line tube train and two Metropolitan line subsurface trains at the concrete cathedral Uxbridge station.		The stained glass windows at Uxbridge station. See below
Left: The coat of arms of Middlesex County Council - which ceased to exist after London's local governments were changed in the mid 1960's. This comprises a Saxon crown and three seax - old English for knife. Nowadays a seax is the small / short curved knives (or daggers) used by the Early Middle Ages settlers of Germanic origin, especially the Saxons. Middle: The coat of arms of the Basset family, esteemed local landowners who in circa 1180 granted the people of Uxbridge permission to hold a market every Thursday. Right: The flag and coat of arms of the historic county of Buckinghamshire include a white swan. This dates back to Anglo-Saxon times when this county was known for breeding swans for the king.
Shared Service Routes London has many railway routes where services are shared between two or more different train operators / underground lines. This takes two forms - either track sharing, which is where the different trains use the same tracks or route sharing, which is where the different services travel together side-by-side, but stay on their own tracks.
A Euston - Watford Junction London Overground train passes a Bakerloo Line train at Willesden Junction. These trains share tracks between Queens Park and Harrow & Wealdstone. Above them is another Overground train on either the North London Line Stratford - Richmond or West London Line Clapham Junction - Willesden Junction (- Stratford, some trains only) service. This photograph was taken on one of the (several) passageways between the platforms.		Piccadilly Line 1973 Tube Stock and Metropolitan Line (subsurface) S stock trains pass at Ruislip station, as seen from the A4180 West End Road bridge over the railway. These trains share tracks between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge stations. This route is entirely within zone 6. Ruislip is a Grade ll listed Victorian-era heritage station. Beyond the lattice iron footbridge there are traditional railway style platform canopies.
Track Sharing Northern side Circle Line [Circle Line / Hammersmith & City Line between Hammersmith (Met) - Aldgate via Kings Cross plus Metropolitan Line just east of Baker Street - near Aldgate]. Southern side Circle Line [Circle Line / District Line (main section)]. Western side Circle Line [Circle Line / District Line (Edgware Road - Wimbledon service)]. ‡Harrow-On-The-Hill - Moor Park - Amersham [Chiltern Railways / Metropolitan Line]. *(Barons Court) - Acton Town - Ealing Common [District Line / Piccadilly Line]. Rayners Lane - Uxbridge [Metropolitan Line / Piccadilly Line]. Queens Park - Harrow & Wealdstone [Bakerloo Line / Euston-Watford London Overground]. §Aldgate East - Barking [District Line / Hammersmith & City Line]. Richmond - Gunnersbury [District Line / North London Line London Overground]. Route Sharing Stratford - Canning Town [Jubilee Line / Docklands Light Railway]. Fenchurch Street / Tower Gateway - Limehouse [C2C / Docklands Light Railway]. §Bromley-By-Bow - Barking - Upminster [C2C / District Line / Hammersmith & City Line (not Upminster)]. Baker Street - Finchley Road - Wembley Park [Metropolitan Line / Jubilee Line]. ‡Marylebone / Baker Street - Harrow-On-The-Hill - Moor Park [Chiltern Railways / Metropolitan Line]. Finchley Road - Wembley Park [Jubilee Line / Chiltern Railways / Metropolitan Line]. Highbury & Islington - Canonbury [North London Line London Overground / East London Line London Overground] West Ruislip - South Ruislip [Central Line / Chiltern Railways]. *South Kensington - Earls Court - Acton Town [District Line / Piccadilly Line]. *Although Piccadilly and District Line trains can use each other's tracks on the 4 track section between Barons Court and Acton Town they rarely do so - a pertinent point here being that some stations only have platforms which serve the District Line's tracks. Whilst both lines also follow the same route between Barons Court and South Kensington, they are grade separated with Piccadilly Line trains being deep underground and District Line trains being at subsurface level. §Hammersmith & City Line trains do not normally travel between Barking and Upminster. ‡South of Harrow-On-The-Hill all Metropolitan Line trains 'route share' with Chiltern Railways trains. Between Harrow-On-The-Hill and Moor Park all Metropolitan Line trains to Watford plus the semi-fast and 'all stations' trains to Amersham and Chesham 'route share' with Chiltern Railways trains whilst the 'fast' Amersham and Chesham trains track share with Chiltern trains. North of Moor Park there are only two tracks and all Metropolitan Line trains track share with the Chiltern Railways trains.
An example of the ability to choose between two very different routes for travel between the same two stations - both the District and Central lines serve Mile End (left) and Ealing Broadway stations (right). But you must take care to choose the correct train, as at Mile End only some trains actually go to Ealing Broadway. From Ealing Broadway most of these trains do usually pass through Mile End. Also, the travel times (durations) are different - in this example the Central line will usually offer a quicker journey but especially in hot weather the airconditioned District line trains will offer a more comfortable journey. A to B via C or D! - By Train Sometimes it is possible to make the same journey - starting and ending at stations with the same name and without changing trains - yet travelling via different routes with different intermediate stations and different journey times. Note that sometimes services on one of the route 'pairs' detailed below are infrequent or only possible on weekdays (ie: NOT Saturdays, Sundays or Bank Holidays). On the Northern line 'CX Branch' refers to trains via Charing Cross. Victoria - Kings Cross St Pancras [Circle line (via Aldgate only as other direction usually requires a change of train) / Victoria line]. Kings Cross St Pancras - Euston [Northern line (Bank branch) / Victoria line]. Warren Street - Euston [Northern line (CX branch) / Victoria line]. Stockwell - Warren Street / Euston / Kings Cross [Victoria line / Northern line (CX or Bank branches as appropriate)]. Farringdon - Kings Cross St Pancras [Metropolitan line / Hammersmith & City line / Circle line (direct trains only) / Thameslink]. Kentish Town - Farringdon - Kings Cross St Pancras - Elephant & Castle [Northern line (High Barnet + Bank branches) / Thameslink]. Kentish Town - Farringdon - Kings Cross St Pancras - London Bridge [Northern line (High Barnet + Bank branches) / Thameslink]. Northern line stations between High Barnet / Edgware and Camden Town - Kennington (Note that CX branch trains only operate a part-time service south of Kennington). Mile End - Ealing Broadway [District line / Central line]. Finsbury Park - Kings Cross St Pancras [Piccadilly line / Victoria line / Great Northern]. Finsbury Park - Highbury & Islington [Victoria line / Great Northern]. Finsbury Park - Kings Cross St Pancras - Green Park [Piccadilly line / Victoria line]. Old Street - Moorgate [Northern line (Bank Branch) / Great Northern]. Baker Street - Paddington [Bakerloo line / Hammersmith & City line / Circle line (only platforms shared with Hammersmith & City line)]. Baker Street - Waterloo [Bakerloo line / Jubilee line]. London Bridge - Waterloo [Jubilee line / SouthEastern]. Charing Cross - Embankment - Waterloo [Bakerloo line / Northern line (CX branch)]. Liverpool Street - Stratford [Elizabeth line / Greater Anglia / Central line]. Stratford - Shepherds Bush [Central line / North + West London lines London Overground (through trains take so long that despite the cheaper fare from avoiding Zone 1 this option is best avoided with Oyster PAYG)]. Stratford - Bond Street [Central line / Jubilee line / Elizabeth line]. Birkbeck - Beckenham Junction [London Tramlink / Southern (infrequent)]. Canary Wharf - Bond Street [Elizabeth line / Jubilee line]. Abbey Wood - Farringdon [Elizabeth line / Thameslink]. Liverpool Street - Tottenham Court Road - Bond Street [Elizabeth line / Central line]. Whitechapel - Ealing Broadway [Elizabeth line / District line] Liverpool Street - Paddington [Elizabeth line / Hammersmith & City line / Circle line / Metropolitan line] Liverpool Street - Farringdon (or Barbican* - westbound only) [Elizabeth line / Hammersmith & City line / Circle line / Metropolitan line] *Note: There is a direct walking link between the westbound platform at Barbican and the Elizabeth line platforms at Farringdon station. Because of the longer walking time between the street entrance and the Elizabeth line platforms, Liverpool Street - Barbican / Farringdon will usually be quicker on the older route using the Hammersmith & City line / Circle line / Metropolitan line. A to B via C or D! - With Walking Options There are three options for each of these journeys, two of the options involve walking: Moorgate - Liverpool Street Barbican (westbound platform) - Farringdon By train (not free) - Hammersmith & City line / Circle line / Metropolitan line. By walking (free) - Moorgate / Liverpool Street and Barbican / Farringdon stations are close to each other so it is easy to walk between them, if you know the route. By walking (not free) - there are direct passageways between the Elizabeth line Liverpool Street station and Moorgate station plus between the Elizabeth line Farringdon station and the westbound platform at Barbican station. Therefore it is perfectly possible to walk between these two sets of stations via the Elizabeth line passageways but you will be charged a train fare! Additional Shared Service Route Information This section looks at some of the shared service routes in greater detail. The routes are: District and Hammersmith & City Lines in east London. Fenchurch Street - Upminster (DLR / Underground + C2C) in east London. Stratford - Canning Town (Jubilee Line / Docklands Light Railway) in east London. Metropolitan / Chiltern / Jubilee in North London. London Overground and Bakerloo Line. Piccadilly and District Lines in west London. District Line and North London Line [London Overground] in south-west London. District and Hammersmith & City Lines In east London the route from Algate East to Barking is used by both District Line trains to Upminster and Hammersmith & City Line trains to Barking. The two routes merge / diverge just to the east of Aldgate East station but whilst the junction can be seen from the station platform it is in tunnel and not easy to photograph.
An eastbound S Stock Hammersmith & City train calls at Mile End where there is cross platform interchange with the Central Line.		An eastbound S7 train arrives at Bow Road station which is partly underground and partly in open air (in a deep cutting).
Between Bow Road and Bromley-By-Bow stations the UndergrounD trains meet the route from Fenchurch Street station, as seen in the next section. Fenchurch Street - Upminster In East London the route from Fenchurch Street to Upminster mostly comprises of four (4) tracks with C2C trains using one pair and Underground or DLR trains using the other pair.
Between Fenchurch Street / Tower Gateway and Limehouse the C2C trains travel alongside the DLR. They operate in this formation... North C2C   >>> C2C   <<< DLR   >>> DLR   <<< South Between Bromley-By-Bow and Upminster the C2C trains travel alongside Underground trains, mostly operating in this formation.		In this cold misty winter morning view looking east from Tower Gateway station we see four trains - two each DLR and C2C.
North UND   >>> UND   <<< C2C   >>> C2C   <<< South This section of four track route-shared railway merges / splits partway between Bromley-By-Bow and Bow Road stations, with Bow Road station being partially in open air / in a shallow cutting. Between East Ham and Barking the route passes a C2C depot. Underground and eastbound C2C trains pass to the north of the depot whilst westbound C2C trains pass to the south of the depot. Between Barking and Upney the route passes some District Line sidings. C2C and westbound District Line trains pass to the south of the sidings whilst eastbound District Line trains pass to the north of the sidings.		Looking east at Plaistow: Left: an S Stock train is at the bay platform. Ahead: an eastbound S Stock train departs. Right: a westbound C2C class 357 Electrostar glides through, these trains no longer stop here and nowadays only sections of platform used by Underground trains remain open.
Until the line into Fenchurch Street was electrified the steam (and diesel) trains sometimes travelled on the same tracks as the Underground trains. Nowadays all trains keep to their own tracks and trains from Fenchurch Street miss out all intermediate stations - except West Ham, Barking and Upminster. Therefore many (but not all) stations on this route have four platforms, but with two of them not being used anymore. Because the Underground trains are shorter than the mainline trains so many station platforms which they serve on this route have also been shortened. Barking Station Barking is a large station with a reputation for railway staff who do not welcome railfans and who often go out of their way to stop them taking photographs. But it is still possible - just watch who is around you! Usually Eastbound District Line trains travelling towards Dagenham East or Upminster open their doors on both sides (platforms 1a and 2) for cross platform interchange with trains to Shoeburyness or Southend-on-Sea via Upminster on one side (platform 4) and London Overground trains for Gospel Oak on the other side (platform 1).		Looking east at Upton Park: A westbound S Stock train calls at one side of an island platform, the other side is the former eastbound C2C platform. On the far right is the disused former westbound C2C platform towards Fenchurch Street station - even the steps between the ticket hall and the platform have been removed. The LTSR logo in the platform canopy ironwork is because this section of railway was built by the London Tilbury and Southend Railway.
Hammersmith & City and District line trains which end their journey at this station only open their doors alongside platform 2 (which is shared with C2C / platform 4) or use the dedicated bay platform 3, which is also shared with C2C platform 4. Most westbound Underground trains use platform 6, which has cross-platform interchange with westbound C2C trains from Upminster going towards London Fenchurch Street (platform 5). The exception is the trains which use bay platform 3. Platform 7 is used by eastbound C2C trains going to Dagenham Dock, Tilbury etc., whilst platform 8 is used by westbound trains from these destinations going to Fenhcurch Street. Sometimes London Overground trains also use these platforms - instead of platform 1. This page in the National Rail website includes much information about Barking station and a map showing the platforms: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/BKG/details.html Between 1910 and WW2 in 1939 the through Southend Corridor Express trains from Ealing Broadway to the seaside resort of Southend-On-Sea would change between steam and electric locomotives at either Barking or East Ham stations.		At one time the island platform at East Ham station had a tea room and seen here on the platform building are painted signs advertising this. The pre-decimal price of 2d is about 1p in present-day money. The disused platform is behind the white wall on the right
The station building at Barking dates from the early 1960s.		A station layout guide which includes tactile braille information.
Looking through an eastbound District line S Stock train at platform 2 with its doors open on both sides, behind it is a London Doverground Class 710 train at platform 1.		Looking out across the platforms at Barking station from a London Overground train at platform 1 - a westbound S stock train towards Aldgate East (and beyond) can be seen arriving at platform 6, behind it is an eastbound C2C train on a service via Dagenham Dock and Tilbury stations at platform 7.
Barking - Upminster The stations with ramps between the street and platform date from the early 1930s and were built to a very similar architectural style. The stations which once had four platforms are older but were rebuilt in the 1930s to a match the new stations.
Dagenham Heathway station (left) and Upney (right) are two of the stations between Barking and Upminster which were built with a single island platform accessed via a ramp. Elm Park was also built like this. Although Upminster Bridge also has an island platform it has steps up to the platform.
Inside the waiting room at Upney station - with radiators to keep waiting passengers warm in the winter. Door brickwork detail at Dagenham East station - this is typical of most stations Upney - Upminster Bridge. Looking down the ramp at Upney. Although not planned, these ramps made these stations fully accessible between the street and the platform.
Partially disused island platform at Becontree station.		Disused portion of station platforms at Becontree station.
Hornchurch station entrance, this building dates from when the station was rebuilt by the LMS (London Midland and Scottish Railway) in the early 1930s. The automatic ticket gates are a newer feature.		Upminster station - C2C trains call at platforms 1 & 2, District line trains call at platforms 3, 4, & 5 and London Overground trains call at platform 6 (not visible here).
Stratford - Canning Town [Jubilee Line / Docklands Light Railway] This section of route sharing in east London is relatively new, as the DLR service along here only started in 2011. Prior to that the route was shared between North London Line and Jubilee Line trains, and even earlier than that this section of railway was a busy route used by passenger and freight trains serving London's Docklands. Along the shared section of railway the Jubilee Line serves just three stations (Canning Town, West Ham, Stratford) whilst the DLR trains serve six stations. One of these is called Abbey Road, if you are a music fan and want to see the zebra crossing made famous by the Beatles pop group then you must go to St Johns Wood station on the Jubilee Line, and NOT this station. An excellent photo location is the Stephenson Road bridge over the railway near to Star Lane DLR station. The link below leads to a Google map showing this location. https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll=51.521789,0.005053&spn=0.002911,0.006899&t=m&z=17 West Jubilee >>> Jubilee <<< DLR >>> DLR <<< East
Jubilee line and DLR (Stratford International branch) trains at platforms 15 and 16 at the low level concourse at Stratford station.		Jubilee line and DLR (Stratford International branch) trains pass between West Ham and Star Lane stations.
Jubilee line train at Canning Town station, note the wayfinding sign.		Some passengers will find Canning Town station somewhat confusing; to help them there is this way-finding sign.
At Canning Town station DLR trains on east-west services to / from Bank or Tower Gateway stations use the platform above the Jubilee Line trains whilst north-south DLR trains travelling to / from Stratford International station use a separate island platform located at ground level between the westbound Jubilee Line tracks and the bus station. The view on the right shows a southbound DLR train using the Stratford International platforms as seen from the inside of a westbound Jubilee Line train. Note that the high level platforms at Canning Town station are very exposed - they are windswept and despite the platform canopy when it rains passengers need to stand well back to avoid becoming soaked. Being so exposed means that in the winter these platforms are also very cold! London Overground and Bakerloo Line Located between Queens Park and Harrow & Wealdstone in north London this is part of route that is mostly located alongside the London - Glasgow West Coast Main Line (WCML). The entire route has six [6] tracks - or more! Travelling on a Bakerloo Line train north of Queens Park is very much recommended. Immediately to the north of this station through trains travel inside the depot trainshed (IMPORTANT: you *must* be on a Bakerloo line train, and not an Overground train) then the tracks merge and the Underground and Overground trains provide a shared service. Since the Bakerloo Line uses small profile ‘tube’ trains and the Overground uses ‘mainline railway’ trains and the two types of train have very different internal floor heights relative to the tracks so there are also large height differences between the train floors and the station platforms - you must step up to board an Overground train, and down to board a Bakerloo line train. At many stations you can also see many types of train passing by, including Avanti West Coast Pendolino tilting trains going to Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow, ‘outer suburban’ London Northwestern Railway trains going to Northampton and Birmingham, Southern trains which travel to south London (Clapham Junction, Croydon) - and of course freight trains.
The location which I've used to see the passing trains that is closest to Central London is near to Kensal Green station. On leaving the station turn left. The view looking down is more 'reasonable' than 'perfect'. Harlesden is not a nice part of London and the few times I’ve used that station for trainspotting I have stood at the end of the platform that is away from the exit to the street. Close to Willesden Junction there are some sidings and depots where a constantly changing selection of mainline rolling stock can often be seen. Also here is a London Overground depot. There is a Bakerloo Line depot just to the north of Stonebridge Park station, part of it can be seen at the northern (Harrow) end of the northbound platform but it is better to travel on a train and look at it whilst passing by, as then you also pass some mainline railway sidings and depots where all sorts of InterCity and other rolling stock can sometimes be seen.		A telephoto view looking down upon Kensal Green station with Bakerloo Line and Virgin Pendolino InterCity trains visible.
Sometimes I have been able to film Overground and Underground trains ‘side by side’ as they pass each other at Stonebridge Park and North Wembley stations. I can not guarantee that you will see this. At North Wembley I normally stand at the southern (London) end of the northbound platform, as it is away from the exit to the street and offers better views of the WCML tracks. If the trains pass in the station platform then photographers will find that the direction of the sun is not a problem. A film which I took in 2010 and have placed on YouTube includes footage from North Wembley station showing an Underground and an Overground train passing each other. Also seen is a 'race' between an Underground train and a container (freight) train, plus a passing Class 390 Virgin Pendolino tilting train. This can be seen by clicking either the projector icon or this link:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-emj8ybZd38
London Overground Class 710 and Bakerloo Line 1972 Mk2 Tube Stock trains pass just south of Willesden Junction station.		London Overground Class 378 and Bakerloo Line 1972 Mk2 Tube Stock trains pass at North Wembley station.
Many people like to watch trains at South Kenton station, as you are right next to the WCML. The best views are at the London (south) end of the platform, but in sunny weather this is also the direction of the sun. Therefore I normally go there before 11am (11:00) or after 2pm (14:00). Metropolitan / Jubilee / Chiltern Located between Finchley Road and Amersham stations this route through north London variously features either two, four or six tracks and therefore is looked at in several sections. Finchley Road - Wembley Park All Metropolitan and Jubilee Line trains stop at Finchley Road. All Jubilee Line trains stop at Wembley Park. Most Metropolitan Line trains also stop at Wembley Park, except some southbound trains in the morning rush hour.
Cross platform between Jubilee and Metropolitan line trains at Finchley Road station - with trains (on both lines) serving a range of destinations it is quite normal for passengers to wait on the platform for a train going to their required station.		Metropolitan Line trains only normally call at Willesden Green station at times of travel disruption or a special service - normally the platforms are closed and passengers are not allowed to be on them.
Between Finchley Road and Wembley Park Jubilee Line trains call at all stations whilst Metropolitan Line trains usually travel non-stop. Neasden and Willesden Green stations also have platforms for Metropolitan Line trains, however nowadays they are only normally used when Jubilee Line services are not working. Chiltern trains have exclusive use of a dedicated pair of tracks which extend all the way from London Marylebone to Harrow-On-The-Hill and do not call at any intermediate stations. West Chiltern >>> Chiltern <<< Metropolitan >>> Jubilee >>> Jubilee <<< Metropolitan <<< East I often stand at the southern end of West Hampstead station, as there is a frequent procession of Jubilee and Metropolitan Line trains to see, plus Chiltern trains travelling to and from Marylebone. This includes the Chiltern trains which at Neasden diverge and head towards Birmingham via West Ruislip and High Wycombe. Two excellent photo locations which are on road bridges over the railway are at Mapesbury Road and Lydford Road between Willesden Green and Kilburn stations. The link below leads to a Google map showing their locations. https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll=51.547403,-0.213118&spn=0.011636,0.027595&t=m&z=15
Looking towards the historic Willesden Green station building from Lydford Road railway bridge.		Looking towards Kilburn station from Mapesbury Road railway bridge.
At Wembley Park the Jubilee Line turns towards Stanmore and the Metropolitan Line splits into four tracks. Wembley Park - Harrow-On-The-Hill Between Wembley Park and Harrow-On-The-Hill the Metropolitan Line consists of four tracks (fast and slow / all stations) with the tracks used by Chiltern's trains located alongside. At Harrow-On-The-Hill Chiltern Railways trains to Aylesbury use platform 1 whilst trains to Marylebone use platform 2. Fast Metropolitan Line trains to Amersham and Chesham usually use either platforms 1 or 3 whilst slow (all stations) trains can only use platform 3. Watford trains usually use platform 3 and Uxbridge trains usually use platform 4. Platforms 5 & 6 are used by Metropolitan Line trains going to Baker Street / Moorgate / Aldgate, typically platform 5 is for slow (all stations) trains and platform 6 for fast (ie: next station Finchley Road) trains. Worth noting is that although the tracks through platform 2 are electrified the power supply rails end just to the south of the station; therefore it is normally only used by the diesel Chiltern Railways services. This page in the National Rail website includes much information about Harrow-On-The-Hill station and a map showing the platforms: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/HOH/details.html West Chiltern >>> Chiltern <<< Met Fast + Semi-Fast >>> Metropolitan Slow >>> Metropolitan Slow <<< Met Fast + Semi-Fast <<< East Harrow-On-The-Hill - Moor Park - Amersham Between Harrow-On-The-Hill and Moor Park there are four tracks - two are used by Chiltern Railways and fast / semi-fast Metropolitan Line services and two are used by all stations Metropolitan Line services. Trains travelling to Watford can only travel on the 'all stations' tracks. North of Moor Park the fast tracks lead to Rickmansworth whilst the all stations / slow tracks split into two pair, one of which merges with the fast tracks and the other diverges towards Watford. Between Rickmansworth and Amersham there are just two tracks which are used by both Metropolitan Line and Chiltern Railways trains. West Met Fast + Chiltern >>> Met Fast + Chiltern <<< Met All Stations >>> Met All Stations <<< East The direct route between Croxley and Rickmansworth is not normally used by trains carrying passengers.
A Chiltern Railways Class 165 diesel train calls at Harrow On The Hill station's platform No.2.		Cupholders on a Chiltern Railways train which travels for part of its route on Metropolitan Line tracks. These trains also have toilets and depending on the type of rolling stock they may have tables as well.
Ticketing Advice Note that going to Moor Park and further north requires a Travelcard which is valid in zones 7, 8, 9. These are very expensive! One alternative solution would be to use PAYG and be careful to not spend too long inside the fares paid area. Some ticket machines also sell platform tickets, which cost £1. If buying a platform ticket remember to touch in/out with your Oyster or contactless card. Passengers with BritRail / Eurail Passes or an All Line Rover can use these at Harrow-On-The-Hill and all stations Moor Park - Amersham. To avoid possible complications it is best to travel on Chiltern Railways trains from Marylebone station, and NOT Metropolitan Line trains. Most of the photographs seen on this website were taken when I had one-day Travelcards for zones 2-9 which did not include zone 1, however these tickets are no longer sold - which is a shame, as the 1-9 version costs more than 3x the price of the former 2-9 one-day ticket. These videos (filmed around 1992-4) on youtube will be of related interest... Trains at Willesden Green - filmed in the 1990's shows Metropolitan Line, Jubilee Line and British Railways trains. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLZ9W_wqhwU South of Wembley Park http://youtube.com/watch?v=sFd_7gewfGE Metroland Racing http://youtube.com/watch?v=Qj5MNlCl2L4 District / Piccadilly Lines Located in west London this route variously features either two or four tracks.
Gloucester Road station.		South Kensington station.
Between South Kensington and Barons Court the small profile Piccadilly Line tube trains are deep underground, whilst the large profile District Line subsurface trains are either on the surface or just below it. On the four track section between Barons Court and Acton Town most Piccadilly Line trains travel between Hammersmith and Acton Town without stopping (usually using the middle tracks), whilst District Line trains call at all stations. North District >>> Piccadilly >>> Piccadilly <<< District <<< South		Part of a former trackbed at South Kensington station has become a small garden.
South Kensington and Gloucester Road stations both opened in 1868, albeit a few months apart. This was in the steam train era. The part of the stations which we nowadays know as the Piccadilly line opened in 1906. The Kensington station entrance which features a small arcade of retail shops and decorative metal scrollwork at each end opened in 1907. A distinctive feature at this station is the subterranean footpath which links it with several of the visitor attractions in the area, including the Natural History, Victoria & Albert and Science museums. Before the building of the Piccadilly line there was a plan by the District Railway to build an express tube line between South Kensington and Mansion House, with just one intermediate station at what nowadays is called Embankment. Whilst this never came to pass an extra deep level platform intended for westbound trains was built - and still exists today, albeit not where passengers can see it - plus with future junctions in mind part of the Piccadilly line tunnels were built to an enlarged diameter - this can be seen, if you know what to look for.
With many visitor attractions nearby the stairway between the ticket hall and the subsurface (District & Circle lines) platforms at South Kensington often becomes very crowded, expecially in the summer when many tourists use this station.		The South Kensington Subway - built in 1885 this safe traffic-free footpath is located below Exhibition Road. Using this footpath is free of charge.
There are two Underground stations at Hammersmith. The District and Piccadilly lines use the station which has been modernised and included as part of a shopping centre whilst the Hammersmith & City and Circle line trains use the former Metropolitan Railway station which is a short walk away and remains largely as built in 1868. The shopping centre now surrounding Hammersmith station (District and Piccadilly) includes a very pleasant all-day pub with plenty of seating for tired railfans and a good choice of beers, with a nice atmosphere. During the day Piccadilly line trains normally also pass through Turnham Green station without stopping, however a few Piccadilly line trains do call here very early in the morning and late in the evening.
The Four Track Section - A Little History - Future Plans The railway between Richmond and Addison Road station (nowadays known as Kensington Olympia) was built by the London & South West Railway (LSWR) and as part of expansion plans the District Railway was allowed to run its trains over this line as far as Richmond, which is a service that still exists today. Further extensions saw District Railway trains reach Acton Town and beyond. The agreement also included the LSWR having the right to run its trains over tracks owned by the District Railway to High Street Kensington, but they never actually got around to doing this. For many years the LSWR route between Addison Road and Richmond was also used by trains operated by the Great Western Railway (GWR) and the Metropolitan Railway (MR). This resulted in the section between Hammersmith and Turnham Green becoming so heavily used that the LSWR built another pair of tracks to the north of the existing tracks. However, the District Railway service followed the most direct route and hence was the most successfull. Eventually the GWR, MR and LSWR services were withdrawn with the newer pair of tracks becoming disused. In the late 1920s advantage was taken of a government guaranteed loan scheme (designed to reduce unemployment) to raise finance to convert the entire 4½ mile section of railway between Hammersmith and Northfields to four tracks, and to extend what nowadays we call Piccadilly line trains to Hounslow and South Harrow. It was also decided to rearrange the tracks to the format we know today and that the Piccadilly like trains would run non-stop between Hammersmith & Acton Town stations. This required a new eastbound platform for District line trains at Stamford Brook station and complete rebuilding of Chiswick Park station with new platforms for District line trains. As a result of these works there are island platforms at Ravenscourt Court Park and Stamford Brook stations which are only used on one side.		The remains of the LSWR viaduct in Hammersmith. Image & license: Chillysnow / Wikipedia encyclopædia. CC BY-SA 3.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Ravenscourt_Park_tube_station_approach_to_Hammersmith.jpg
For the 2020s it is planned to also replace District line services to Ealing Broadway with Piccadilly line trains. This cannot be done at present because the Piccadilly line does not have enough trains and the (present-day) signalling system cannot cope with what would be the required number of trains. So first there will need to be a significant upgrade for the Piccadilly line which will include a new (and larger) fleet of trains plus conversion to automated / computerised train control. It remains to be seen whether only some Piccadilly line trains will serve Chiswick Park station - or all trains. The reason for changing which Underground line serves Ealing Broadway station is desire to better serve increasing passenger numbers by enhancing train frequencies to Richmond and Wimbledon - without increasing the number of District line trains that pass through Earls Court station. In addition, following complaints by local people Piccadilly line trains will start calling at Turnham Green 'at all times'. It is not yet known whether this will apply to only some Piccadilly line trains - or all of them. It is said that despite calling at an extra station the greater performance (acceleration, etc) of the planned new trains will mean that overall journey times will not be any longer.
At Chiswick Park only the outer pair of tracks - which are used by District line trains - have platform faces. Piccadilly line trains travel through non-stop, sometimes (as seen here) passing a District line train.		Looking east from Turnham Green station - towards Stamford Brook station, where we can see an arriving eastbound District line train and a westbound Piccadilly line train that is passing through this station without stopping.
The four track section of railway can be seen on some of my YouTube videos which date from the early 1990's. Chiswick Park station http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2CuicFD63I Stamford Brook Station http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMG2O9I5XSs Between Acton Town and Ealing Common stations the line passes a large District line depot.		Sheltered waiting area on the Art Deco eastbound platform at Stamford Brook station.
Ealing Common station only has two tracks which are used by both Piccadilly and District line trains. Because of the different floor heights above the tracks passengers boarding trains need to step up into the larger trains, and down into the smaller trains. Sometimes you see ‘one of each’ train in the station at the same time - probably the rush hours are best as the trains are more frequent. I normally stand on the platform used by trains going to Ealing Broadway / Rayners Lane - Uxbridge. I prefer the far end (London) end of this platform as it is away from the station exit and opposite a junction where trains can go into the depot. Because of this junction it is often possible to see a some ‘sparking’ of the electric power collection shoe as trains travelling towards Acton Town leave the station. District Line: larger profile subsurface train - a step up from the platform into the train. Piccadilly Line: smaller profile tube train - a step down from the platform into the train - as is also seen in the view looking out through the open doorway. Close observation will show that both types of train can be seen in both platform views. Filmed at Ealing Common station. Trains at Ealing Common station feature in one of my YouTube videos. The film is called Little And Large At Ealing Common. It can be seen by clicking either the projector icon or this link:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp53UlAFOWk . District Line / North London Line [London Overground]
District Line S stock and London Overground Class 378 trains pass at Gunnersbury station, as seen from the road near the station entrance.		District Line D78 stock and London Overground Class 378 trains pass at Kew Gardens station.
Located in south-west London the line between Gunnerbury and Richmond is used by District Line trains to Upminster and London Overground (North London Line - NLL) trains to Stratford. Over the years I have sometimes been able to photograph one of each type of train ‘side by side’ at Kew Gardens and Gunnersbury stations, especially after 16:00 (4pm) in the evening rush hour when the District Line trains are more frequent. There is a road bridge at the southern end of Kew Gardens station which offers excellent views of passing trains. Kew Gardens station includes a public house which is popular with the locals. At one time there was an entrance to one of the station platforms, however now that the station has electronic gates the doorway has been closed. Note that the two platforms have separate sets of ticket gates - both the pedestrian underpass and foot bridge are now 'outside' of the fares paid area. Passengers wishing to reach the 'other' platform must effectively leave the station and then re-enter it. Richmond is a fair-sized station controlled by SouthWestern Railway. The platform circulating area includes a coffee shop with tables where you can watch trains come and go. The glass skylight affords weather protection in inclement weather. Platforms 1 and 2 are through platforms for SouthWestern Railway services - typically nowadays just electric multiple units of various types. Platforms 3 to 7 are terminating platforms, London Overground NLL services can use any of these platforms but the lack of fourth (electric power supply) rail prevents District Line trains from using platform 3 whilst since the introduction of S stock trains District Line services are not allowed to use platform 7. Richmond station is also included in the Busier Suburban Stations section about suburban stations in zones 3 or 4 where there is a wide variety of trains to see. Other Information Train Directions On the London Underground the direction of the trains are generally described with reference to the cardinal point to which they are travelling, which means northbound / southbound / eastbound / westbound. By way of contrast, on the mainline railways (National Rail) trains travel 'up' towards London (the central London terminus station where they end their journeys) and 'down' (away from London). Also worth visiting / information resources The London Transport Museum which is right in the heart of Central London in the historic Covent Garden area and near the Underground station of the same name. Also within easy walking distance are Leicester Square and Charing Cross stations (it is advised to consult a streetmap for exact walking routes). The London Transport Museum features a wide range of mostly historic transports including horse buses, trams, trolleybuses, motor / omnibuses, steam engines, electric locomotives, early tube trains and much, much, more. In addition there is a large well stocked shop which sells books, magazines, DVD's, souvenirs, model railways and a coffee shop. It is possible to enter some of the old trams, buses and trains! Entry to the souvenir shop is free. Whilst the museum does charge an entry fee the tickets are valid for a year, so return visits are free, although a proof of identity is needed for return visits.
The London Transport Museum and retail shop is very easy to find in the historic leisure-themed Covent Garden area. Montage image information: 1) A diagram inside a Metropolitan line train showing the stations served north of Harrow-On-The-Hill. 2) London Tramways Company double deck horse tram, No. 284, built 1882 by Stephenson & Co, New York, USA 3) Inside City & South London Railway 3rd Class trailer No.10. Built in 1890 these passenger coaches were hauled by electric locomotives,		A montage of views showing just some of the many attractions at the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden. Clicking this link Digi2/LTMuseum-Multi-xl.jpg will open a very large version of this image in a new window.
one of which is also at the London Transport Museum. These trains were nicknamed Padded Cells, this was because they were designed to be used in tunnels where there is nothing to see and therefore only had very small windows. 4) London Transport Leyland K2 type trolleybus, No. 1253, registration No. EXV 253, built 1939. West Ham Corporation tramways No.102, a four-wheeled Edwardian era tramcar, built 1910 A model of a 1930s flare-sided subsurface Underground train (O / P / Q38 Stock) - this is a working exhibit that travels to and fro along a short section of track. 5) Inside District Line G Stock Driving Motor No.4248, built in 1923 by the Gloucester Carriage & Wagon Co. - seen here after conversion (in 1938) to become part of the Q Stock (Q23) fleet. 6) Three models showing the evolution of passenger doors on London Transport trains - open vestibule with lattice gates / hand operated inward opening door / powered sliding doors. Online London Railways Maps Transport enthusiasts may find this webpage which leads to some online maps that show most railways within the London area to be of interest. Being geographic makes it easy to work out where different lines pass close to each other, although if intending to walk between suburban stations it is advised to also consult a normal streetmap (online or paper) to decide upon the best walking route. Underground lines are shown in their correct line colours. Also shown are non-passenger lines and even some closed lines. This map is free and comes in two versions - a simple graphic file or a high quality portable document 'pdf' file. With the 'pdf' file it is possible to zoom-in and (in many instances) see the lines in great detail - including full track diagrams at junctions. The link leads to the London page of a much larger website that looks at many urban transport systems: http://cartometro.com/metro-tram-london/ Alternatively, there are other good quality maps that can be bought - many people find that paper documents are more convenient when 'out and about'. Links Which May be Of Interest These links all open in new windows http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ National Rail Enquiries (NRE) - an impartial website for planning rail travel. Note however that individual mainline railway train operating companies (TOC) sometimes have cheap 'special offer' tickets which are only promoted on their own websites. http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/tocs_maps/tocs/ An interactive map showing where each TOC operates and includes links to further information about each of the TOCS. These latter pages include direct links to the TOC's own websites. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ The official Transport For London travel advice website. This also includes a journey planner which sometimes offers different travel options (and different fares!) than the NRE site. http://tubephotos.dannycox.me.uk/stationsbyline.html This website has a page of information for just about every Underground and DLR station. http://www.davros.org/rail/culg/ Clive's UndergrounD Line Guides also explores the London Underground, and includes much historical information as well. http://underground-history.co.uk/front.php Disused Stations On London's Underground   Many pages of information and photographs about closed sections of for Underground railway, stations which have fully or partially closed (ie: Holborn which has two closed platforms), fictitious stations which only existed in films / on the television, the former tram tunnel and more. http://www.abandonedstations.org.uk/ This web site is about closed railway routes and closed stations throughout London, including the Underground, the mainline railways and the DLR. http://150greatthingsabouttheunderground.com/ Conceived in 2013, which was 150 years since the first section of the Metropolitan Line opened, this blog celebrates 150 great things about the London Underground. http://mic-ro.com/metro/ The Metrobits website is a creative resource for the many urban Metro, Subway, MRT, Rapid Transit, U-Bahn, Metrorail etc., networks planetwide. http://londonstransport.proboards.com/thread/454/general-transport-related-links A thread at the londonstransport.proboards discussion forum which contains many links to other websites of interest. Most of these are about railways in London. http://londonstransport.proboards.com/thread/50/various-transport-related-links A thread at the londonstransport.proboards discussion forum which contains many links to blogs with a frequent London transport content, resources for train and bus operations, more... The following discussion / chat forums may also be of interest; note that whilst anyone can read messages you must create an account if you wish to join in any of the discussions. Railforums This chat / discussion forum looks at all of Britain's railways, and more... District Dave This chat / discussion forum that was created by a District Line train driver and has become a true treasure trove of information about London's Underground. londonstransport This chat / discussion forum only started in 2013 but is slowly building up a store of interesting information. Bus Forum Although primarily about London's buses there are sections for London's many railways.
London Underground Small Profile ‘Tube’ Trains Bakerloo Line Central Line Jubilee Line Northern Line Piccadilly Line Victoria Line Waterloo & City Line London Underground Large Profile ‘Subsurface’ Trains Circle Line District Line East London Line Hammersmith & City Line Metropolitan Line National Rail ‘Tube’ Trains Northern City Line Crossrail Line 1 (Elizabeth Line) Crossrail Line 2 Other National Rail Trains London Overground Local Light Railways Docklands Light Railway Croydon / London Tramlink General Information Fares & Tickets / Photography Main National Rail Stations Fast Regional Services Overhead Wire & 3rd Rail Trains Busier Suburban Stations In Zones 1-4 With A Wider Variety Of Trains To See Station Architecture & Features Shared Service Routes Further Information Resources To Visit In Person Or Online Multi Page Version Of This Guide		The background image for these pages: a tiled mural at Kings Cross station (Pentonville Road entrance) which celebrates the merging of London Transport and British Railways services when the north-south Thameslink service was introduced. Note that this station entrance is closed at weekends.