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in: Tube Lines, London Underground

Piccadilly Line

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TUBE LINE
Piccadilly
Colour on Map Royal Blue
Year Opened 1906
Line Type Deep Tube
Rolling Stock 1973 Tube Stock
Stations Served 53
Length 71km (44.3 mi)
Annual Passengers 176,177,000
Depots Cockfosters
Northfields

The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, coloured dark blue on the Tube Map. It is the third busiest line on the Underground network judged by its passengers per annum. It is mainly a deep-level line running from the north to the west of London via Zone 1, with significant surface running sections in its outer parts. Out of the 53 stations served, 30 are underground.

Infrastructure[]

Rolling stock[]

Like virtually all Underground lines, the Piccadilly line is operated by a single type of rolling stock, in this case the 1973 tube stock, in the standard London Underground livery of blue, white and red. Seventy-six trains out of a fleet of 88 are needed to run the line's peak service, and one unit was severely damaged by the terrorist attack of 7 July 2005. While the stock was recently refurbished, it was due for replacement by 2014.

The line was previously worked by 1959 tube stock, 1956 tube stock, 1938 tube stock, standard tube stock and London Underground 1906 Stock. The line has two depots, at Northfields and Cockfosters. There are sidings at Oakwood, South Harrow, Arnos Grove, Rayners Lane, Down Street, Wood Green, Acton Town, Ruislip and Uxbridge. Oakwood and Arnos Grove are considered more dominant to the other sidings as trains run to and from them, especially the latter.

From 2025, the 1973 Stock trains will be replaced by New Tube for London trains, as the 1973 Stock trains have become too old and increasing expensive to maintain. They will be 50 years old by the time they are replaced.

Signalling[]

The line is controlled from the control centre at Earl's Court, which it shares with the District Line. It is in need of resignalling, and this work is planned to be carried out by 2014.

Service pattern[]

The current service pattern is:

6tph Cockfosters - Heathrow Terminal 5 (via Terminals 1, 2, 3)
6tph Cockfosters - Heathrow Terminal 4 (returning around the loop and serving Terminals 1, 2, 3)
3tph Cockfosters - Uxbridge
3tph Cockfosters - Rayners Lane
6tph Arnos Grove - Northfields

(tph = trains per hour, e.g. 3tph is a train every 20 minutes)

Half of the Uxbridge trains turn back at Rayners Lane - a 10-minute service runs between Acton and Rayners Lane, with a 20-minute service to Uxbridge (this section is supplemented by the Metropolitan Line).

Often late evening services terminate at Oakwood instead of Cockfosters.

Other services operate at times, especially at the start and towards the end of the traffic day.

Map[]

Geographically accurate path of the Piccadilly line


Stations[]

(In order from east to west.)

Cockfosters branch[]

  • Cockfosters, opened July 31, 1933 (One of the two depots is located here).
  • Oakwood, opened March 13, 1933 (as Enfield West); renamed Enfield West (Oakwood) May 3 1934; renamed September 1 1946.
  • Southgate, opened March 13, 1933 (in deep-level tunnel).
  • Arnos Grove, opened September 19, 1932 (Trains may terminate here: there are several sidings for stabling trains).

Tunnel section commences

Original Section[]

Tunnel section ends

  • Barons Court, opened December 15, 1906. (In a Cutting)
  • Hammersmith, opened December 15, 1906. (Situated in a short section of cut and cover tunnel)

Extension to Hounslow and Uxbridge[]

  • Turnham Green, opened January 1, 1869 by the London & South Western Railway; first served by the Piccadilly line June 23, 1963.
  • Acton Town, opened July 1, 1879 by the Metropolitan District Railway, later District Line; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932.

The line splits here into two branches — the Heathrow branch and the Uxbridge branch.

Heathrow branch[]

(Continuing from Acton Town.)

  • South Ealing, opened 1 May 1883 by the Metropolitan District Railway, later District Line; first served by the Piccadilly line 29 April 1935.
  • Northfields, opened [16 April 1908 by the District (one of the two depots is here and some trains terminate here); first served by the Piccadilly line 9 January 1933.
  • Boston Manor, opened 1 May 1883 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line 13 March 1933.
  • Osterley, opened 23 March 1934.
  • Hounslow East: opened 2 May 1909 (as Hounslow Town) by the District renamed 1 December 1925; first served by the Piccadilly line 13 March 1933.
  • Hounslow Central, opened as 1 April 1886 (Heston-Hounslow) by the District, renamed 1 December 1925; first served by the Piccadilly line 13 March 1933.

Tunnel section recommences

  • Hounslow West, opened 21 July 1884 (as Hounslow Barracks) by the District, renamed 1 December 1925; first served by the Piccadilly line 13 March 1933, resited 19 July 1975.
  • Hatton Cross, opened 19 July 1975.
  • Heathrow Terminal 4, opened 12 April 1986.
  • Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3, opened 16 December 1977 (as Heathrow Central); renamed Heathrow Central Terminals 1,2,3 on 3 September 1983; renamed 12 April 1986.
  • Heathrow Terminal 5, opened 27 March 2008.

Just beyond Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 tube station, the line goes into a new section to serve Heathrow Terminal 5 Station, which opened in March 2008. Half of all Heathrow trains use the loop and serve Terminal 4 and the other half omit Terminal 4 and serve Terminal 5.

Uxbridge branch[]

(continued from Acton Town)

  • Ealing Common, first served July 4, 1932.
  • North Ealing, opened June 23, 1903 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932.
  • Park Royal, opened July 6, 1931 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932; renamed Park Royal (Hanger Hill) March 1, 1936; renamed 1947.
  • Alperton, opened June 28, 1903 (as Perivale-Alperton) by the District; renamed October 7, 1910; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932.
  • Sudbury Town, opened June 28, 1903 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932.
  • Sudbury Hill pened June 28, 1903 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932.
  • South Harrow, opened June 28, 1903 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line July 4, 1932; closed when re-located July 4, 1935; re-opened July 5, 1935.
  • Rayners Lane, opened March 1, 1910 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933 (from here to Uxbridge trains share track with Metropolitan Line, and some trains terminate here).
  • Eastcote, opened March 1, 1910 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933.
  • Ruislip Manor, opened August 5, 1912 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933.
  • Ruislip, opened March 1, 1910 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933 (some trains terminate here in Monday-Friday peak hours).
  • Ickenham, opened March 1, 1910 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933.
  • Hillingdon, opened December 10, 1923 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933; renamed Hillingdon (Swakeleys) April, 1934; the suffix was later dropped; closed when re-located December 5, 1992; re-opened December 6, 1992.
  • Terminus: Uxbridge, opened March 1, 1910 by the District; first served by the Piccadilly line October 23, 1933; closed when re-located December 3, 1938; re-opened December 4, 1938.

Closed stations[]

.* Down Street

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