NationMaster - Encyclopedia: London Underground

The London Underground is a rapid transit system that serves a large part of Greater London and some neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. It is the world's oldest underground railway system. Services began on 10 January 1863 on the Metropolitan Railway; most of the initial route is now part of the Hammersmith & City line.^[2] Despite its name, about 55% of the network is above ground. Popular local names include the Underground and, more colloquially, the Tube, in reference to the tubular cylindrical shape of the system's deep-bore tunnels. Image File history File links Portal. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. ... For other meanings of Essex, see Essex (disambiguation). ... For the similarly named county in the West Midlands region, see Herefordshire. ... Buckinghamshire (abbreviated Bucks) is one of the home counties in South East England. ... is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Metropolitan Line is a line of the London Underground. ... The Hammersmith and City Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured salmon pink on the Tube map, running between Hammersmith and Aldgate East, extending to Barking in the rush hours. ... A disused railway tunnel now converted to pedestrian and bicycle use, near Houyet, Belgium A tunnel is an underground passage. ...

The Underground has 268 stations and runs over approximately 250 miles (400 km) of line^[1], making it the longest underground railway in the world by route length, and one of the most served in terms of stations. There are also numerous closed stations. In 2005, 971 million passengers used the Underground and in 2007, for the first time ever, over one billion passengers were recorded. As of March 2007, just over 3 million passengers use the Underground each day, with an average of 3.4 million passengers on weekdays.^[3] Exterior open entrance to a metro station (Tribunal station in Madrid) A metro station is a railway station for a rapid transit system, often known by names such as metro and subway. It is often underground or elevated. ... St Marys (Whitechapel Road) tube station shortly after its closure in 1938 There are several dozen permanently closed London Underground stations across the London Underground (tube) network. ... Billion may mean: 1,000,000,000 (one thousand million; ), used by most English-speaking countries (American and usual modern British meaning) 1,000,000,000,000 (one million million; ), used by most other countries outside Asia (older British meaning). ...

Since 2000, the Underground has been part of Transport for London (TfL), which also administers numerous other transport-related functions, including the famous red double-decker buses. Transport For London (TfL) is a local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system throughout Greater London in England. ... A London AEC Routemaster, RML 2473 (JJD 473D), on route 7 approaching Ladbroke Grove tube station in April 2002. ...

History

The first part of the existing network to be built was the Metropolitan Railway, which ran between Paddington (Bishop's Road), now Paddington, and Farringdon Street, now Farringdon. This was the world's first urban underground passenger-carrying railway. It was built as dual gauge – able to accommodate both Brunel's 'broad gauge' (7 ft ¼in / 2.14 m) trains as well as the 4 ft 8½in (1.435 m) 'standard gauge' of the other trains serving London. Following delays for financial and other reasons after the railway was authorised in 1854, public traffic began on 10 January 1863.^[2] 30,000 passengers were carried that day, with trains running every ten minutes; by 1880 the expanded 'Met' was carrying 40 million passengers a year. Most of this original route is now part of the Hammersmith and City Line. The history of the London Underground is one of gradual evolution. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 842 KB) The extra-wide southbound platform at London Undergrounds Angel station. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 842 KB) The extra-wide southbound platform at London Undergrounds Angel station. ... Angel tube station is a London Underground station in The Angel, Islington. ... For other uses, see Northern Line (disambiguation). ... The Metropolitan Line is a line of the London Underground. ... Paddington Station, March 2005 during rush hour Paddington station or London Paddington station is a major National Rail and London Underground station complex in the Paddington area of London. ... Farringdon station platforms Farringdon station is a London Underground and National Rail station in Farringdon, just north of the City of London in the London Borough of Islington. ... Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS (9 April 1806 â€“ 15 September 1859) (IPA: ), was a British engineer. ... For other uses, see Gauge. ... As railways developed and expanded one of the key issues to be decided was that of the rail gauge (the distance between the two rails of the track) which should be used. ... is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Hammersmith and City Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured salmon pink on the Tube map. ...

Other lines swiftly followed, and by 1884 the Inner Circle (today's Circle line) was complete.

The early tunnels were dug using cut-and-cover construction methods. Cut-and-cover construction on the District line necessitated the demolition of a number of houses over the site of the line between Paddington and Bayswater. An underground pedestrian tunnel between buildings at MIT. Note the utility pipes running along the ceiling. ... For other places with the same name, see Paddington (disambiguation). ... Bayswater is an area of London in the City of Westminster. ...

The first trains were steam-hauled, which required effective ventilation to the surface. Ventilation shafts at various points on the route allowed the engines to expel steam and bring fresh air into the tunnels. One such vent is at Leinster Gardens, W2.^[4] In order to preserve the visual characteristics in what is still a well-to-do street, a five-foot-thick (1.5 m) concrete façade was constructed to resemble a genuine house frontage.

Following advances in the use of tunnelling shields, electric traction and deep-level tunnel designs, later railways were built even further underground. This caused far less disruption at ground level than the cut-and-cover construction method did. It was therefore cheaper and preferable. The City & South London Railway (now part of the Northern line ) opened in 1890. It was the first "deep-level", electrically operated, route. A tunnelling shield is a protective structure used in the excavation of tunnels through soil that is too soft or fluid to remain stable during the time it takes to line the tunnel with a support structure of concrete or steel. ... The City & South London Railway (C&SLR), originally known as City of London & Southwark Subway, is considered to be the first real deep-level tube railway in the world. ... For other uses, see Northern Line (disambiguation). ...

By the end of the 19th century, the Metropolitan Railway company had extended its lines far outside of London, creating new suburbs in the process. From the 1870s, right up until the 1930s, the company pursued ambitions to maintain the railway as a main-line operation rather than a rapid transit service. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Into the 20th century

In the early 20th century, the presence of six independent operators running different Underground lines caused passengers substantial inconvenience; in many places passengers had to walk some distance above ground to change between lines. The costs associated with running such a system were also heavy, and as a result many companies looked to financiers who could give them the money they needed to expand into the lucrative suburbs as well as electrify the earlier steam operated lines. The most prominent of these was Charles Yerkes, an American tycoon who between 1900 and 1902 acquired the Metropolitan District Railway and the as yet unbuilt Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway (later to become part of the Northern line). Charles Tyson Yerkes (June 25, 1837 â€“ December 29, 1905) was an American financier, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... A business magnate, sometimes referred to as a mogul, tycoon, or industrialist is a person who controls a large portion of a particular industry and whose wealth derives primarily from this control. ... The Metropolitan Railway (MetR) and the Metropolitan District Railway (District) were the first two underground railways to be constructed in London, starting in the 1860s, and the first of the worlds metro systems. ... The Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway (CCE&HR), was a deep-level tube railway constructed in London by the Underground Electric Railways Company of London Limited. ... For other uses, see Northern Line (disambiguation). ...

Yerkes also acquired the Brompton & Piccadilly Circus Railway (jointly to become the Great Northern, Piccadilly & Brompton Railway, the core of the Piccadilly line) and the Baker Street & Waterloo Railway (to become the Bakerloo line) to form Underground Electric Railways of London Company Ltd (UERL) on 9 April 1902. That company also owned three tramway companies and went on to buy the London General Omnibus Company, creating an organisation colloquially known as the Combine. The Piccadilly Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured dark blue on the Tube map. ... London Transport Portal The Piccadilly Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured blue on the Tube map. ... The Bakerloo Line is a line of the London Underground and coloured brown on the Tube map. ... The Underground Electric Railways Company of London Limited (UERL) was the holding company, for three of the new deep-level tube underground railway lines constructed in London in the first decade of the 20th century. ... is the 99th day of the year (100th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... London General is both a modern bus operating company and, as the London General Omnibus Company or LGOC, a very significant name in the history of transport of London, England. ...

In early 1908 the underground railway operators agreed to promote their services jointly as "the Underground", creating a free publicity map of the network in the process. New station signs and ticketing arrangements were also put into place.

On 1 January 1913 the UERL absorbed two other independent tube lines, the C&SLR and the Central London Railway, the latter having opened an important east-west cross-city line from Bank to Shepherd's Bush on 30 July 1900. The Central London Railway was nicknamed the "Twopenny Tube" for its flat fare and cylindrical tunnels; the "tube" nickname was eventually transferred to the Underground system as a whole. is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1913 (MCMXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 211th day of the year (212th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Äž: For the film, see: 1900 (film). ...

As the monopoly of the Combine asserted itself, only the Metropolitan Railway stayed away from this process of integration, retaining pretensions of being considered to be a main-line service. Proposals were put forward for a merger between the two companies in 1913 but the plan was rejected by the Metropolitan. The only remaining independent railway, the Great Northern and City, was acquired by the Metropolitan in the same year.

The 1930s and 1940s

In 1933 the Combine, the Metropolitan Railway and all the municipal and independent bus and tram undertakings were merged into the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB), a public corporation that approximated in scope to the present-day TfL. This entity soon became more commonly referred to as "London Transport". The transport of London has, since 1933, been under a single control with various names. ... Transport For London (TfL) is a local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system throughout Greater London in England. ...

London Transport set in motion a scheme for the expansion of the network, the 1935–1940 New Works programme. This consisted of plans to extend some lines, to take over the operation of others from the main-line railway companies, and to electrify the entire network. During the 1930s and 1940s, several sections of main-line railway were converted into (surface) lines of the Underground. The oldest part of today's Underground network is the Central line between Leyton and Loughton, which opened as a railway seven years before the Underground itself. London Transport Portal The Central Line is a line of the London Underground and coloured red on the tube map. ... , Leyton is an area of East London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest. ... For other places with the same name, see Loughton (disambiguation). ...

The outbreak of World War II delayed all these schemes. From mid-1940, the Blitz led to the use of many underground stations as shelters during air raids and overnight. The authorities initially tried to prevent this, but later supplied bunks, latrines, and catering facilities. Later in the war, eight London deep-level shelters were constructed under stations, ostensibly to be used as shelters (each deep-level shelter could hold 8,000 people) though plans were in place to convert them for a new express line parallel to the Northern Line after the war. Some stations (now mostly disused) were converted into government offices: for example, Down Street was used for the headquarters of the Railway Executive Committee and was also used for meetings of the War Cabinet before the Cabinet War Rooms were completed;^[5] Brompton Road was used as a control room for anti-aircraft guns and the remains of the surface building are still used by London's University Royal Naval Unit (URNU) and University London Air Squadron (ULAS). Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... For other uses, see Blitz. ... For the general article about fortified structures, see Bunker. ... Strategic bombing is a military strategem used in a total war style campaign that attempts to destroy the economic ability of a nation-state to wage war. ... Bunk in the ship Seawahanka A bunk is a bed or other place for sleeping, particularly a narrow bed built like a shelf into or against a wall, as in a ships cabin, or several like beds stacked over one another known as a bunkbed. ... Male Latrine. ... A professionally catered event Catering is the business of providing food service at a remote site. ... The London deep-level shelters are eight deep level air-raid shelters that were built under London Underground stations during World War II. Each consists of a pair of parallel tunnels 16 feet 16 inches (5. ... Down Street, also known as Down Street (Mayfair), was a station of the London Undergrounds Piccadilly Line which closed in 1932. ... A War Cabinet is committee formed by a government in time of war. ... The public entrance to the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms is a small hole on the corner of a very grand building. ... Brompton Road tube station is a disused station on the Piccadilly Line of the London Underground. ... â€œFlakâ€ redirects here. ...

Post-war developments

On 1st January 1948 London Transport was nationalised and incorporated into the operations of the British Transport Commission (BTC). London Transport was renamed the "London Transport Executive". Image File history File links A train enters the Mornington Crescent London Underground station. ... Image File history File links A train enters the Mornington Crescent London Underground station. ... 1995 stock interior Diagram of a 1995 stock driving car Diagram of a 1995 stock trailer car Diagram of the front of a 1995 stock train The 1995 Stock used on London Undergrounds Northern Line is currently the newest fleet of trains on the network. ... Mornington Crescent is a station in Camden Town in north London, named after the road it is on. ... For other uses, see Northern Line (disambiguation). ... Nationalization is the act of taking assets into state ownership. ... The British Transport Commission (BTC) was created by Clement Attlees post-war Labour government as a part of its nationalisation programme, to oversee railways, canals and road freight transport in Great Britain (Northern Ireland had the separate Ulster Transport Authority). ...

The BTC prioritised the reconstruction of its main-line railways over the maintenance of the Underground. Although it committed itself to the completion of the New Works programme, many of the original plans were shelved. However the BTC did authorise the completion of the electrification of the network, seeking to replace steam locomotives on the parts of the system where they still operated. This phase of the programme was completed when the Metropolitan Line was electrified to Chesham in 1960. Steam locomotives were fully withdrawn from London Underground passenger services on 9th September 1961 - when British Railways took over the operations of the Metropolitan Line between Amersham and Aylesbury. British Railways (BR), later rebranded as British Rail, ran the British railway system, from the nationalisation of the Big Four British railway companies in 1948 until its privatisation in stages between 1994 and 1997. ... Amersham (previously Agmondesham) is a market town 27 miles north west of London, in the Chiltern Hills, England. ... This page is about Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England. ...

In 1963 the London Transport Executive was replaced by the London Transport Board, directly accountable to the Ministry of Transport. On 1st January 1970, the Greater London Council (GLC) took over responsibility for London Transport. Arms of the Greater London Council The Greater London Council (GLC) was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. ...

The first real post-war investment in the network came with the carefully planned Victoria line on a diagonal northeast-southwest alignment beneath central London, incorporating centralised signalling control and automatically driven trains which opened in stages between 1968 and 1971. The Piccadilly line was extended to Heathrow Airport in 1977, and the Jubilee line was opened in 1979, taking over part of the Bakerloo line, with new tunnels between Baker Street and Charing Cross. London Transport Portal The Victoria Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured light blue on the Tube map. ... London Heathrow Airport (IATA airport code: LHR, ICAO airport code: EGLL, and often simply Heathrow) is the United Kingdoms busiest and best-connected airport. ... London Transport Portal The Jubilee Line is a line on the London Underground (the Tube), in England. ...

In 1984, Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government removed London Transport from the GLC's control, replacing it with London Regional Transport (LRT) - a statutory corporation for which the Secretary of State for Transport was directly responsible. The government planned to modernise the system whilst slashing its subsidy from tax and ratepayers at the same time. As part of this strategy London Underground Limited was set up in 1985, as a wholly owned subsidiary of LRT, to run the network on LRT's behalf. This period saw the introduction of automatic ticketing machines and network-wide Travelcards. In 1994, with the privatization of British Rail, LRT took control of the Waterloo and City Line, incorporating it fully into the Underground network for the first time. In 1999 the Jubilee Line extension to Stratford in London's East End was begun. This plan included the opening of a completely refurbished interchange station at Westminster. The Jubilee's old terminal platforms at Charing Cross were abandoned but maintained operable for emergencies. Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (nÃ©e Roberts; born 13 October 1925) served as British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 until 1990, being the first and only woman to hold either post. ... Conservative may refer to: Conservatism, political philosophy A member of a Conservative Party Conservative extension, premise of deductive logic Conservativity theorem, mathematical proof of conservative extension Conservative Judaism britney spears Category: ... Some buses lost their iconic red colour when privatised in 1993. ... The Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the defunct entity British Railways, which later traded as British Rail. The History of rail transport in Great Britain is covered in its own article. ... The Waterloo & City Line is a short underground metro line in London, formally opened on 11 July 1898. ...

Into the 21st century

Transport for London (TfL) replaced LRT in 2000, a development that coincided with the creation of a Mayor of London and the Greater London Assembly. Since January 2003 the Underground has been operated as a Public–Private Partnership (PPP), where the infrastructure and rolling stock are maintained by two private companies (Metronet and Tube Lines) under 30-year contracts, but it remains publicly owned and operated, by TfL. The London Assembly is an elected body that supervises the Greater London Authority and the Mayor of London. ... Public-private partnership (PPP) is a system in which a government service or private business venture is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies. ... Metronet is one of the three private operators of the London Underground under a public-private partnership arrangement. ... Under the 30-year PPP, Tube Lines is responsible for the maintenance, renewal and upgrade of the Underground infrastructure on the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines, including track, trains, signals, civil work and stations. ... Transport For London (TfL) is a local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system throughout Greater London in England. ...

There was much controversy over the implementation of the PPP. Supporters of the change claimed that the private sector would eliminate the inefficiencies of public sector enterprises, while opponents said that the need to make profits would reduce the investment and public service aspects of the Underground. There has since been criticism of the performance of the private companies; for example the January 2007 edition of The Londoner,^[6] a newsletter published periodically by the Greater London Authority, listed Metronet's mistakes of 2006 under the headline Metronet guilty of 'inexcusable failures'. Metronet was placed into administration on 18 July 2007.^[7] The UK government has made concerted attempts to find another private firm to fill the vacuum. However only TfL has expressed a viable interest in taking over Metronet's responsibilities so far. The Londoner is a newsletter in the style of a newspaper published by the Mayor of London and delivered free to all households in Greater London. ... The Greater London Authority (GLA) administers the 1579 kmÂ² (610 sq. ... Administration is a procedure under the insolvency laws of a number of common law jurisdictions which functions as a rescue mechanism for insolvent companies and allows them to carry on running their business. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... The United Kingdom is a unitary state and a democratic constitutional monarchy. ...

Infrastructure

Stations and lines

The London Underground's 11 lines are the Bakerloo line, Central line, Circle line, District line, Hammersmith & City line, Jubilee line, Metropolitan line, Northern line, Piccadilly line, Victoria line, and Waterloo & City line. Until 2007 there was a twelfth line, the East London line, but this has closed for conversion work and will have been transferred to the London Overground when it reopens in 2010. The Underground serves 268 stations by rail; an additional six stations that were on the East London line are currently served by Underground replacement buses. Fourteen Underground stations are outside Greater London, of which five (Amersham, Chalfont & Latimer, Chesham, Chorleywood, Epping) are beyond the M25 London Orbital motorway. Of the 32 London boroughs, six (Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Kingston, Sutton and Hackney) are not served by the Underground. The Bakerloo Line is a line of the London Underground and coloured brown on the Tube map. ... London Transport Portal The Central Line is a line of the London Underground and coloured red on the tube map. ... The District Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. ... The Hammersmith and City Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured salmon pink on the Tube map, running between Hammersmith and Aldgate East, extending to Barking in the rush hours. ... London Transport Portal The Jubilee Line is a line on the London Underground (the Tube), in England. ... London Transport Portal The Metropolitan Line is part of the London Underground, coloured maroon on the Tube map. ... For other uses, see Northern Line (disambiguation). ... London Transport Portal The Piccadilly Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured blue on the Tube map. ... London Transport Portal The Victoria Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured light blue on the Tube map. ... The Waterloo & City Line is a short underground metro line in London, formally opened on 11 July 1898. ... London Transport Portal The East London Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured orange on the Tube map. ... London Transport Portal London Overground[2] is a train operating company that provides railway services concentrated in north London. ... A metro station is a train station for a metro. ... Amersham station is a London Underground station in Travelcard Zone D on the Metropolitan line. ... Chalfont and Latimer station is a station in Travelcard Zone C on the Metropolitan line. ... Chesham lies at the end of the Chesham branch of the Metropolitan line, and opened 8 July 1889 as the original northern terminus of the Metropolitan Railway from Baker Street. ... Chorleywood station is a London Underground station in Travelcard Zone B on the Metropolitan line. ... Eppingâ€“Ongar branch of the Central Line Epping tube station on the London Underground is the northern terminus of the Central Line. ... The M25 motorway looking south between junctions 14 and 15, near Heathrow Airport. ... The administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. ... The London Borough of Bexley is a London borough in south east Greater London which forms, with other boroughs, part of Outer London. ... The London Borough of Bromley is a London Borough of outer southeast London, England. ... For other places called Croydon see Croydon (disambiguation) For details of the town of Croydon on which this borough is centred see Croydon The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in South London, England and part of Outer London. ... The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames is a London borough in south-west London. ... The London Borough of Sutton is a London borough in outer southwest London. ... The London Borough of Hackney is a London Borough in the east end of London and part of inner London. ...

Lines on the Underground can be classified into two types: subsurface and deep-level. The subsurface lines were dug by the cut-and-cover method, with the tracks running about 5 m below the surface. The deep-level or tube lines, bored using a tunnelling shield, run about 20 m below the surface (although this varies considerably), with each track in a separate tunnel. These tunnels can have a diameter as small as 3.56 m (11 ft 8.25 in) and the loading gauge is thus considerably smaller than on the subsurface lines. Lines of both types usually emerge onto the surface outside the central area. Image File history File links London_Underground_Zone_1. ... Image File history File links London_Underground_Zone_1. ... London Transport Portal The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is a light rail system serving the redeveloped Docklands area of East London, England. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 850 KB) A Metropolitan Line A stock sub-surface gague train passes a smaller Piccadilly Line 1973 tube stock train. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 850 KB) A Metropolitan Line A stock sub-surface gague train passes a smaller Piccadilly Line 1973 tube stock train. ... London Transport Portal The Metropolitan Line is part of the London Underground, coloured maroon on the Tube map. ... The interior of a Metropolitan Line A60 Stock train at Baker Street station in 2005 The A60 Stock is a class of sub-surface train run on the London Underground, which was built in 1960 by Cravens of Sheffield for the extension of the electrification to Amersham. ... London Transport Portal The Piccadilly Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured blue on the Tube map. ... The 1973 Tube Stock operates on the Piccadilly Line of the London Underground, and was introduced in 1975 for the opening of the extension to Heathrow Central (now Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3). ... Rayners Lane is a London Underground station, adjacent to Harrow Garden Village in north west London. ... An underground pedestrian tunnel between buildings at MIT. Note the utility pipes running along the ceiling. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... A tunnelling shield is a protective structure used in the excavation of tunnels through soil that is too soft or fluid to remain stable during the time it takes to line the tunnel with a support structure of concrete or steel. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, â€³ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ...

While the tube lines are for the most part self-contained, the subsurface lines are part of an interconnected network: Each shares track with at least two other lines. The subsurface arrangement is somewhat similar to the New York City Subway, which also runs separate "lines" over shared tracks. Times Squareâ€“42nd Street station entrance The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority , an affiliate of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit. ...

Rolling stock and electrification

The Underground uses rolling stock built between 1960 and 2005. Stock on subsurface lines is identified by a letter (such as A Stock, used on the Metropolitan line), while tube stock is identified by the year in which it was designed (for example, 1996 Stock, used on the Jubilee line). All lines are worked by a single type of stock except the District line, which uses both C and D Stock. Two types of stock are currently being developed — 2009 Stock for the Victoria line and S stock for the subsurface lines, with the Metropolitan line A Stock being replaced first. Rollout of both is expected to begin about 2009. In addition to the Electric-Multiple units described above, there are Engineering Stock, such as ballast trains and brake vans. They are identified by a 1-3 letter prefix, then a number. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (900x600, 173 KB) Description: 1996 tube stock units stable at Stratford Market Depot. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (900x600, 173 KB) Description: 1996 tube stock units stable at Stratford Market Depot. ... A 1996 tube stock train at Willesden Green tube station 1996 Stock interior 1996 tube stock units stabled at Stratford Market Depot The fleet of 1996 Stock running on the London Undergrounds Jubilee Line is currently the second-most modern on the network (confusingly, the 1995 Stock on the... Underground trains come in two sizes, larger sub-surface trains and smaller tube trains. ... An A60 stock stands at Surrey Quays on the East London Line The interior of a Metropolitan Line A60 Stock train at Baker Street station in 2005 The A60 Stock is a class of sub-surface train run on the London Underground, which was built in 1960 by Cravens of... London Transport Portal The Metropolitan Line is part of the London Underground, coloured maroon on the Tube map. ... A 1996 tube stock train at Willesden Green tube station 1996 Stock interior 1996 tube stock units stabled at Stratford Market Depot The fleet of 1996 Stock running on the London Undergrounds Jubilee Line is currently the second-most modern on the network (confusingly, the 1995 Stock on the... London Transport Portal The Jubilee Line is a line on the London Underground (the Tube), in England. ... The District Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. ... C Stock is the name given to the trains currently running on London Undergrounds Circle and Hammersmith and City lines as well as on the District Line between Edgware Road and Wimbledon. ... â€œD Stockâ€ redirects here. ... Completed Prototype for Static Testing. ... This article is about upcoming London Underground rolling stock. ... Over the years, London Underground has acquired various types of engineering stock to help with the construction of new lines and maintenance of existing lines. ...

The Underground is one of the few networks in the world that uses a four-rail system. The additional rail carries the electrical return that on third-rail and overhead networks is provided by the running rails. On the Underground a top-contact third rail is beside the track, energised at +420 V DC, and a top-contact fourth rail is centrally between the running rails, at -210 V DC, which combine to provide a traction voltage of 630 V DC.

Cooling

Planned improvements

There are many planned improvements to the London Underground. A new station opened on the Piccadilly line at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 on 27 March 2008 and is the first extension of the London Underground since 1999.^[8]^[9] Each line is being upgraded to improve capacity and reliability, with new computerised signalling, automatic train operation (ATO), track replacement and station refurbishment, and, where needed, new rolling stock. A trial program for a groundwater cooling system in Victoria station took place in 2006 and 2007; it aimed to determine whether such a system would be feasible and effective if in widespread use.^[10] A trial of mobile phone coverage on the Waterloo & City line^[11] aims to determine whether coverage can be extended across the rest of the Underground network. Although not part of London Underground, the Crossrail scheme will provide a new route across central London integrated with the tube network. Image File history File linksMetadata Piccadilly_T5_Extension. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Piccadilly_T5_Extension. ... Ealing Common is a station on the Uxbridge branch of the Piccadilly Line, and on the Ealing Broadway branch of the District Line, in Zone 3. ... London Transport Portal The Piccadilly Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured blue on the Tube map. ... Heathrow redirects here. ... London Transport Portal The Piccadilly Line is a line of the London Underground, coloured blue on the Tube map. ... Heathrow redirects here. ... Heathrow Terminal 5 station is a shared railway station currently under construction to serve Terminal 5, which is under construction at London Heathrow Airport. ... is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... Automatic train operation (ATO) insure partial or complete automatic train piloting and driverless functionalities. ... Victoria station in London is a London Underground and National Rail station in the City of Westminster. ... The Waterloo & City Line is a short underground metro line in London, formally opened on 11 July 1898. ... For other uses, see Crossrail (disambiguation). ...

Travelling on the London Underground

Ticketing

The Underground uses TfL's Travelcard zones to calculate fares. Travelcard Zone 1 is the most central, with a boundary just beyond the Circle line, and Zone 6 is the outermost and includes London Heathrow Airport. Stations on the Metropolitan line outside Greater London are in special Zones 7-9, since January 2008.^[12] // Fare zones London Underground Day Travelcard London Underground uses Transport for Londons Travelcard zones to calculate fares, including fares for use on the Underground only. ... London Underground Travelcard. ... London Underground Travelcard. ... Front of an Oyster Card - optimized small version. ... Front of an Oyster Card - optimized small version. ... For other uses, see Travel card. ... Travelcard Zone 1 is the central zone of Transport for Londons zonal system used for calculating co-ordinated inter-modal Travelcard fares within London. ... Travelcard Zone 6 is the sixth outward concentric zone of the Transport for London zonal system used for calculating co-ordinated inter-modal Travelcard fares within Greater London. ... Heathrow redirects here. ...

The new zones 7-9 also apply on the Euston-Watford Junction line (part of the London Overground). With Watford High Street being within the zones, but rather bizzarely at present (Feb 13th 2008), Watford Junction is outside of these zones and therefore a special train fare applies.

There are staffed ticket offices, some open for limited periods only, and ticket machines usable at any time. Some machines that sell a limited range of tickets accept coins only, other touch-screen machines accept coins and English (but not Northern Irish or Scottish) bank notes, and usually give change. These machines also accept major credit and debit cards: some newer machines accept cards only. In 2005 the Underground started to accept American Express. Northern Ireland (Irish: , Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a constituent country of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 kmÂ², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... This article is about the country. ... British banknotes are the banknotes of the United Kingdom and British Islands, denominated in pounds sterling (GBP). ...

More recently, TfL has introduced the Oyster card, a smartcard with an embedded contactless RFID chip, that travellers can obtain, charge with credit, and use to pay for travel. Like Travelcards they can be used on the Underground, buses, trams and the Docklands Light Railway. The Oyster card is cheaper to operate than cash ticketing or the older-style magnetic-strip-based Travelcards^[specify], and the Underground is encouraging passengers to use Oyster cards instead of Travelcards and cash (on buses) by implementing significant price differences. Oyster-based Travelcards can be used on National Rail throughout London. Pay as you go is available on a restricted, but increasing, number of routes.^[13]^[14] Front and back of an early Oyster card. ... A smart card, or integrated circuit(s) card (ICC), is defined as any integrated circuitry embedded into a flat, plastic body. ... An EPC RFID tag used for Wal-Mart Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders. ... The acceptance of Oyster Card (pay as you go) on National Rail in London, England has been limited to a restricted number of National Rail services[1] since the introduction of the stored-value product on London Underground in January 2004. ...

Penalty fares and fare evasion

In addition to automatic and staffed ticket gates, the Underground is patrolled by both uniformed and plain-clothes ticket inspectors with hand-held Oyster card readers. Passengers travelling without a ticket valid for their entire journey are required to pay at least a £20 penalty fare and can be prosecuted for fare evasion under the Regulation of Railways Act 1889 under which they are subject to a fine of up to £1,000, or three months' imprisonment. Oyster pre-pay users who have failed to 'touch in' at the start of their journey are charged the 'maximum cash fare' (£4, or £5 at some National Rail stations) upon 'touching out'. In addition, an Oyster card user who has failed to touch in at the start of their journey and who is detected mid-journey (i.e. on a train) by an Inspector is now liable to a penalty fare of £20. No £4 maximum charge will be applied at their destination as the inspector will apply an 'exit token' to their card. Front and back of an early Oyster card. ... On the United Kingdoms public transport systems, a penalty fare is a special fare charged at a higher than normal price because the purchaser did not comply with the normal ticket purchasing rules. ... As a result of the Armagh rail disaster, the UK Parliament passed a law, the Regulation of Railways Act 1889, which made continuous automatic brakes mandatory on British passenger railways, along with the block system of signaling and the interlocking of all main line points and signals. ... Front and back of an early Oyster card. ... National Rail uses the BR double-arrow logo A typical National Rail station sign showing the double-arrow logo National Rail is a brand name of the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC). ...

It should be noted that whilst the Conditions of Carriage require period Travelcard holders to touch-in and touch-out at the start and end of their journey, any Oystercard user who has a valid period Travelcard covering their entire journey is not liable to pay a Penalty fare where they have not touched-in. Neither the Conditions of Carriage or Schedule 17 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999, which shows how and when Penalty fares can be issued, would allow the issuing of a Penalty fare to a traveller who had already paid the correct fare for their journey. The Greater London Authority Act 1999 (1999 c. ...

Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 Ã— 1200 pixel, file size: 371 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The Jubilee Line platforms at London Bridge station. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 Ã— 1200 pixel, file size: 371 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The Jubilee Line platforms at London Bridge station. ...

Delays

According to statistics obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, the average commuter on the Metropolitan line wasted three days, 10 hours and 25 minutes in 2006 due to delays (not including missed connections).^[15] Between September 17, 2006 and October 14, 2006, figures show that 211 train services were delayed by more than 15 minutes.^[16] Passengers are entitled to a refund if their journey is delayed by 15 minutes or more due to circumstances within the control of TfL.^[17] Nearly sixty countries around the world have implemented some form of freedom of information legislation, which sets rules on governmental secrecy. ... is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Hours of operation

The Underground does not run 24 hours a day, (except for at New Year and on major public events - such as the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002) because the majority of lines have only two tracks (one in each direction) and therefore need to close at night for planned maintenance work. First trains on the network start operating around 04:30, running until around 01:30. Unlike systems such as the New York City Subway, few parts of the Underground have express tracks that would allow trains to be routed around maintenance sites. Recently, greater use has been made of weekend closures of parts of the system for scheduled engineering work. Times Squareâ€“42nd Street station entrance The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority , an affiliate of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit. ...

Accessibility

Accessibility by people with mobility issues was not considered when most of the system was built, and most older stations are inaccessible to disabled people. More recent stations were designed for accessibility, but retrofitting accessibility features to old stations is at best prohibitively expensive and technically extremely difficult, and often impossible. Even when there are already escalators or lifts, there are often steps between the lift or escalator landings and the platforms. It has been suggested that Easy Access be merged into this article or section. ... Look up retrofit in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Escalators at Westminster tube station, London An escalator is a conveyor transport device to transport people, consisting of a staircase whose steps move up or down on tracks which keep the surfaces of the individual steps horizontal. ... For other uses, see Elevator (disambiguation). ...

Most stations on the surface have at least a short flight of stairs to gain access from street level, and the great majority of below-ground stations require use of stairs or some of the system's 410 escalators (each going at a speed of 145 ft (44 m) per minute, approximately 1.65 miles per hour). There are also some lengthy walks and further flights of steps required to gain access to platforms. The station at Covent Garden has the equivalent of 15 storeys of steps to reach the exit, so an announcement is made for passengers to queue for a lift, as walking the steps can be dangerous. Escalators at Canary Wharf, London. ... Miles per hour is a unit of speed, expressing the number of international miles covered per hour. ... Signage on the platforms Covent Garden is a London Underground station in Covent Garden. ... Look up exit in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

The escalators in Underground stations include some of the longest in Europe, and all are custom-built. The longest escalator is at Angel station, 60 m (197 ft) long, with a vertical rise of 27.5 m (90 ft).^[1] They run 20 hours a day, 364 days a year, with 95% of them operational at any one time, and can cope with 13,000 people per hour. Convention and signage stipulate that people using escalators on the Underground stand on the right-hand side so as not to obstruct those who walk past them on the left. Angel tube station is a London Underground station in The Angel, Islington. ...

TfL produces a map indicating which stations are accessible, and since 2004 line maps indicate with a wheelchair symbol those stations that provide step-free access from street level. Step height from platform to train is up to 300 mm, and there can be a large gap between the train and curved platforms. Only the Jubilee Line Extension is completely accessible. Wheelchair seating in a theater. ... A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ... A Mind the gap sign in the tube station at Charing Cross, London. ... Canary Wharf tube station The Jubilee Line Extension is the extension of the London Underground Jubilee Line into southern and eastern London. ...

TfL plans that by 2020 there should be a network of over 100 fully accessible stations, consists of those recently built or rebuilt, and a handful of suburban stations that happen to have level access, along with selected 'key stations', which will be rebuilt. These key stations have been chosen due to high usage, interchange potential, and geographic spread, so that up to 75% of journeys will be achievable step-free.^[18] Interchange terminal between railway and regional buses An interchange station in British English, also known as a transfer station in American English, is a train station for more than one railway route in a passenger transport system. ...

Overcrowding

Overcrowding on the Underground has been of concern. Camden Town station is exit-only on Sunday afternoons (13:00–17:30) for this reason, and Covent Garden has access restrictions at times. Restrictions are introduced at other stations when necessary. Several stations have been rebuilt to deal with overcrowding issues, with Clapham Common and Clapham North on the Northern Line being the last remaining stations with a single narrow platform with tracks on both sides. At particularly busy occasions, such as football matches, British Transport Police may be present to help with overcrowding. On 24 September 2007, King's Cross underground station was totally closed due to "overcrowding". According to a 2003 House of Commons report,^[19] commuters face a "daily trauma" and are forced to travel in "intolerable conditions". Camden Town tube station is a major crossover point for the two branches of the Northern Line and the busiest station on the entire London Underground. ... Signage on the platforms Covent Garden is a London Underground station in Covent Garden. ... Soccer redirects here. ... The British Transport Police (BTP) is a non-Home Office national police service responsible for policing the railway system throughout Great Britain. ... is the 267th day of the year (268th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

Safety

Accidents on the Underground network, which carries around a billion passengers a year, are rare. There is just one fatal accident for every 300 million journeys.^[20] There are several safety warnings given to passengers, such as the traditional 'mind the gap' announcement and the regular announcements for passengers to keep behind the yellow line. Relatively few accidents are caused by overcrowding on the platforms, and staff monitor platforms and passageways at busy times prevent people entering the system if they become overcrowded. Download high resolution version (1536x2048, 698 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (1536x2048, 698 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For other items relating to Westminster, see Westminster (disambiguation) Westminster tube station on the London Underground serves the Circle, District and Jubilee lines. ... Portcullis House is a building in Westminster, London, used as offices for members of Parliament. ... The London Underground network carries almost a billion passengers a year. ... For other uses, see Safety (disambiguation). ... A tradition is a story or a custom that is memorized and passed down from generation to generation, originally without the need for a writing system. ... A Mind the gap sign in the tube station at Charing Cross, London. ...

Most fatalities on the network are suicides. Most platforms at deep tube stations have pits beneath the track, originally constructed to aid drainage of water from the platforms, but they also help prevent death or serious injury when a passenger falls or jumps in front of a train and aid access to the unfortunate person.^[21] These pits are officially called "anti-suicide pits", colloquially "suicide pits" or "dead man's trenches". Delays resulting from a person jumping or falling in front of a train as it pulls into a station are announced as an "unfortunate delay", "passenger action", "customer incident" or "a person under a train", and are referred to by staff as a "one under". London Underground has a specialist "Therapy Unit" to deal with drivers' post-traumatic stress, resulting from someone jumping under their train. The Jubilee line extension is the first line to have platform edge doors. These prevent people from falling or jumping onto the tracks, but the main financial justification for their provision was to control station ventilation by restricting the 'piston-effect' of the moving air caused by the trains. For other uses, see Suicide (disambiguation). ... Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of surface and sub-surface water from a given area. ... Platform Screen Doors full-height, Paris - Line 14 - St. ...

Terrorism in the London Underground has been a major concern because the Underground's importance makes it a prime target for attacks. Many warnings and several attacks, some successful, have been made on the Underground, the most recent on the 21 July 2005, although in that case only the detonators exploded. The most recent attack causing damage was on 7 July 2005, when three suicide bombers blew themselves up on three trains. The earliest attack on the London Underground was in 1885, when a bomb exploded on a Metropolitan line train at Euston Square station. The Provisional IRA (and its predecessors) carried out over ten separate attacks between 1939 and 1993. London Underground is an important part of everyday life of hundreds of thousands of Londoners. ... Wikinews has news related to: Four small explosions strike Londons transport system On 21 July 2005, four attempted bomb attacks disrupted part of Londons public transport system two weeks after the 7 July 2005 London bombings. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The 7 July 2005 London bombings (also called the 7/7 bombings) were a series of coordinated terrorist bomb blasts that hit Londons public transport system during the morning rush hour. ... is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Provisional Irish Republican Army (Irish: Ã“glaigh na hÃ‰ireann) (IRA; also referred to as the PIRA, the Provos, or by some of its supporters as the Army or the RA.[2]) is an Irish Republican, left wing[3] paramilitary organisation that, until the Belfast Agreement, sought to end Northern...

Air pollution in the London underground has been the subject of concern. According to the Discovery Channel documentary, Underground Cities: London, inhaling fumes while travelling on London's Tube for 40 minutes is "the equivalent to smoking two cigarettes", however, the accuracy this information is disputed (see the main article for more information). This statement compares the weight of particulate matter that is breathed and not the health effects. Cigarette smoke consists of products of combustion containing oxides of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur; various alkaloids, aromatic hydrocarbons and tar. Dust in the Underground tunnels is mainly iron (from the wheel–rail interface), skin cells, hair cells and clothing fibres (from passengers), and quartz silica (from brakes). Weight for weight, tunnel dust has far less impact on human health than cigarette smoke.^{[citation needed]} This article or section needs a complete rewrite for the reasons listed on the talk page. ... This article or section needs a complete rewrite for the reasons listed on the talk page. ...

Various regulations aim to improve safety on the Tube. Smoking was allowed in certain carriages in trains until July 1984. In the middle of 1987 smoking was banned for a six-month trial period in all parts of the Underground, and the ban was made permanent after the major King's Cross fire in November 1987.^[22] Photography for personal use is permitted in public areas of the Underground,^[23] but the use of tripods and other supports is forbidden as it poses a danger in the often cramped spaces and crowds found underground. Flash photography is also forbidden as it may distract drivers and disrupt fire-detection equipment. For the same reason bright auto-focus assist lights should be switched off or covered when photographing in the Underground. The cigarette is the most common method of smoking tobacco. ... The Kings Cross fire was a fatal underground fire in London which broke out at approximately 19:30 on 18 November 1987, and which killed 31 people. ... A tripod, in the context of photography, is a three-legged stand for a camera, used to stabilize and elevate the camera. ... Running water frozen by flash. ...

The Underground's staff safety regimen has drawn criticism. In January 2002 it was fined £225,000 for breaching safety standards for workers. In court, the judge reprimanded the company for "sacrificing safety" to keep trains running "at all costs." Workers had been instructed to work in the dark with the power rails live, even during rainstorms. Several workers had received electric shocks as a result.^[24] The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), reporting to the Health and Safety Commission, is the British government body responsible for the regulation of risks to health and safety in the UK. It was created as a result of the Health and Safety at Work, etc, Act 1974, and has since...

Image

TfL's Tube map and "roundel" logo are instantly recognisable by any Londoner, almost any Briton, and many people around the world. The original maps were often street maps with the lines superimposed, and the stylised Tube map evolved from a design by electrical engineer Harry Beck in 1931.^[25] Virtually every major urban rail system in the world now has a map in a similar stylised layout and many bus companies have also adopted the concept. TfL licences the sale of clothing and other accessories featuring its graphic elements and it takes legal action against unauthorised use of its trademarks and of the Tube map. Nevertheless, unauthorised copies of the logo continue to crop up worldwide. The phrase "mind the gap," played when trains stop at certain platforms, has also become a well known catchphrase. The tube map is the schematic diagram that represents the lines, stations, and zones of Londons rapid transit rail system, the London Underground. ... The modern proportion RAF roundel A roundel in heraldry is any circular shape; in military use it is an emblem of nationality employed on military aircraft and air force flags, generally round and consisting of concentric rings of different colors. ... For other uses, see Logo (disambiguation). ... A Mind the gap sign in the tube station at Charing Cross, London. ...

The roundel

The origins of the roundel, in earlier years known as the 'bulls-eye' or 'target', are obscure. While the first use of a roundel in a London transport context was the 19th-century symbol of the London General Omnibus Company — a wheel with a bar across the centre bearing the word GENERAL — its usage on the Underground stems from the decision in 1908 to find a more obvious way of highlighting station names on platforms. The red circle with blue name bar was quickly adopted, with the word "UNDERGROUND" across the bar, as an early corporate identity.^[26] The logo was modified by Edward Johnston in 1919. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 935 KB) This enamel sation sign at Leytonstone is typical of most outdoor stations on the network. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 935 KB) This enamel sation sign at Leytonstone is typical of most outdoor stations on the network. ... Leytonstone tube station is on the Central Line of the London Underground, on the boundary of Zones 3 and 4. ... The modern proportion RAF roundel A roundel in heraldry is any circular shape; in military use it is an emblem of nationality employed on military aircraft and air force flags, generally round and consisting of concentric rings of different colors. ... London General is both a modern bus operating company and, as the London General Omnibus Company or LGOC, a very significant name in the history of transport of London, England. ... For other uses, see Edward Johnston (disambiguation). ...

Each station displays the Underground roundel, often containing the station's name in the central bar, at entrances and repeatedly along the platform, so that the name can easily be seen by passengers on arriving trains.

The roundel has been used for buses and the tube for many years, and since TfL took control it has been applied to other transport types (taxi, tram, DLR, etc.) in different colour pairs. The roundel has to some extent become a symbol for London itself. Transport For London (TfL) is a local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system throughout Greater London in England. ... Tramlink (initially known as Croydon Tramlink) is a public transport tramway in south London, operated by FirstGroup on behalf of Transport for London. ... London Transport Portal The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is a light rail system serving the redeveloped Docklands area of East London, England. ...

Typography

Edward Johnston designed TfL's distinctive sans-serif typeface, in 1916. "New Johnston", modified to include lower case, is still in use. It is noted for the curl at the bottom of the minuscule l, which other sans-serif typefaces have discarded, and for the diamond-shaped tittle on the minuscule i and j, whose shape also appears in the full stop, and is the origin of other punctuation marks in the face. TfL owns the copyright to and exercises control over the New Johnston typeface, but a close approximation of the face exists in the TrueType computer font Paddington, and the Gill Sans typeface also takes inspiration from Johnston. In typography, serifs are the small features at the end of strokes within letters. ... â€œFontâ€ redirects here. ... Sample Johnston printing blocks A London Underground map with text in the New Johnston typeface. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Letter case. ... i j A tittle is a small distinguishing mark, such as a diacritic or the dot over an i or a j. ... A full stop or period (sometimes stop, full point, decimal point, or dot), is the punctuation mark commonly placed at the end of several different types of sentences in English and many other languages. ... TrueType is an outline font standard originally developed by Apple Computer in the late 1980s as a competitor to Adobes Type 1 fonts used in PostScript. ... Gill Sans is a humanist sans-serif typeface designed by Eric Gill in 1927-30. ...

Contribution to arts

The Underground sponsors and contributes to the arts via its Platform for Art and Poems on the Underground projects. Poster and billboard space (and in the case of Gloucester Road tube station, an entire disused platform) is given over to artwork and poetry to "create an environment for positive impact and to enhance and enrich the journeys of…passengers".^[27] In addition, some stations' walls are decorated in tile motifs unique to that station, such as profiles of Sherlock Holmes's head at Baker Street, and a cross containing a crown at King's Cross St Pancras. Oval tube station has cricket-themed decorations, with murals, statues and banners all celebrating the game. Unique Edwardian tile patterns, designed by Leslie Green and installed in the 1900s, were also used on the platforms of many of the Yerkes-designed stations on the Bakerloo, Northern and Piccadilly lines. Many of these tile patterns survive, though a significant number of these are now replicas.^[28] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Russell Square is a London Underground station on Bernard Street, Bloomsbury, not far from the British Museum and Russell Square Gardens. ... Platform for Art is a visual arts showcase sponsored by London Underground, the metropolitan railway for London, England. ... Poems on the Underground is a project to bring poetry to a wider audience by displaying various poems or stanzas on advertising boards across the London Underground metropolitan railway network. ... District line building Piccadilly line building Gloucester Road is a London Underground station in Kensington, near the intersection of Gloucester Road and Cromwell Road. ... Mission, or barrel, roof tiles A tile is a manufactured piece of hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, porcelain, metal or even glass. ... A portrait of Sherlock Holmes by Sidney Paget from the Strand Magazine, 1891 Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who first appeared in publication in 1887. ... This article is about the London Underground station on Baker Street. ... Kings Cross St. ... Oval tube station Interior of Oval tube station Oval tube station in Kennington is a station on the Northern Line of the London Underground between Stockwell and Kennington stations. ... Baker Street & Waterloo Railway station building at Oxford Circus showing typical glazed terra cotta faÃ§ade and commercial development above Leslie Green was an English architect known for his design of iconic stations constructed on the London Underground railway system in central London during the first decade of the 20th... Charles Tyson Yerkes (June 25, 1837 â€“ December 29, 1905) was an American financier, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ...

In popular culture

The Underground has been featured in many movies and television shows, including Sliding Doors, Tube Tales and Neverwhere. The London Underground Film Office handles over 100 requests per month. The Underground has also featured in music such as The Jam's "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight" and in literature such as the graphic novel V for Vendetta. Popular legends about the Underground being haunted persist to this day.^[29] The London Underground has long provided inspiration in various areas of popular culture. ... Sliding Doors is a 1998 film written and directed by former actor Peter Howitt. ... Tube Tales is a 1999 collection of short films with the common setting of the London Underground. ... Heavy Metal It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... The Jam were an English punk rock/mod revival band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. ... Down In The Tube Station At Midnight was the second single released from the album All Mod Cons by The Jam. ... This article is about the comic book series. ...

After placing a number of spoof announcements on her web page, London Underground voice over artiste Emma Clarke had any further contracts cancelled in 2007. ^[30]^[31]

Contents

History

Into the 20th century

The 1930s and 1940s

Post-war developments

Into the 21st century

Infrastructure

Stations and lines

Rolling stock and electrification

Cooling

Planned improvements

Travelling on the London Underground

Ticketing

Penalty fares and fare evasion

Delays

Hours of operation

Accessibility

Overcrowding

Safety

Image

The roundel

Typography

Contribution to arts

In popular culture

See also

References

Further reading

External links

Contents

History GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Into the 20th century

The 1930s and 1940s

Post-war developments

Into the 21st century

Infrastructure

Stations and lines

Rolling stock and electrification

Cooling

Planned improvements

Travelling on the London Underground

Ticketing

Penalty fares and fare evasion

Delays

Hours of operation

Accessibility

Overcrowding

Safety

Image

The roundel

Typography

Contribution to arts

In popular culture

See also

References

Further reading

External links

History