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Central line

*** Shopping-Tip: Central line
:''See also Central Line (Tanzania) for the Tanzanian railway, and central venous catheter for the medical concept''. {{Infobox TfL line| Line=Central Line| ColourName=Red| TextColour=White| YearOpened=1900| DeepOrSurface=Deep Tube| RollingStock=London Underground 1992 Stock 1992 Tube Stock| StationsServed=49| LengthKm=74| LengthMiles=46| AnnualPassengers=183,512,000| Depots=Ruislip
Hainault
White City| }} The '''Central Line''' is a line of the London Underground and coloured Red on the tube map. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running East-West across London, and is the longest line (by length of track) on the Underground. Until the closure of the Epping-Ongar section, the far terminus at Ongar was the furthest point from London on the network.

History

The beginnings
Although the '''Central London Railway''' was first incorporated in 1891 for a line between Shepherd's Bush tube station (Central Line) Shepherd's Bush and Bank and Monument stations Bank (with an extension to Liverpool Street station Liverpool Street authorised in 1892) the time for completion had to be extended twice (1894, 1899); and it was not until 27 June 1900 that it was formally opened, a month before public traffic began to use the Railway on 30 July, to Bank station. For several years from the outset a uniform fare of two pence was adopted: the railway was popularly known as the "Twopenny Tube". In July 1907 and graduated fare of two- and three pence was adopted: a one penny fare was added in 1909.

Extensions of the line
'''1908''': In the west the line was extended by means of a loop to Wood Lane (Central Line) tube station Wood Lane Exhibition Station in 1908 for the Franco-British Exhibition (1908) Franco-British Exhibition of that year; the extension was thereafter maintained. '''1912''': The line was further extended eastwards to Liverpool Street in 1912. '''1920''': In the west, a short connecting link was made from Wood Lane station to join the Great Western Railway (GWR)-operated line, the ''Ealing and Shepherd’s Bush Railway'', allowing trains to run from Liverpool Street to Ealing Broadway tube station Ealing. '''1935''': As part of the ''New Works Programme 1935-40'', announced in June 1935, London Transport proposed works to extend the Central Line that were announced as follows: * "to construct and electrify two additional GWR tracks from North Acton tube station North Acton to West Ruislip Ruislip, allowing Central Line trains from Wood Lane to use the line; * to construct a tube railway in continuation of the Central London Line from Liverpool Street eastwards to points where it will connect with the Loughton tube station Loughton and Grange Hill tube station Grange Hill lines (probably near Leyton tube station Leyton and Newbury Park tube station Newbury Park so as to permit running through trains to stations in the West End of London and beyond without passing over the congested LNER (London and North Eastern Railway) lines at Stratford, London Stratford and Ilford" ** Although the works of the latter were completed by the outbreak of war the opening was delayed, and the section, safer as it was from bombing, was used as a long, narrow, munitions factory. Following the end of the war, the branch was able to be opened and in 1947 it was. It meant however that the link to Ilford was subsequently terminated. This section of line now forms a loop and there are some through services to Woodford via Hainault. * '''1949''' The Central Line was officially extended to Epping when London Transport took over the line from British Rail. This included the Epping-Ongar section.

Epping to Ongar branch
Although electrification of this section had begun under the 1935/40 New Works Programme (see above), the line remained steam-hauled until 18 November 1957. At that date two-and three-car tube stock were used on the branch. The power supply being limited, it was not possible to work through trains to and from London, and the line remained a branch only. Expected levels of passenger use never materialised, and the line became a heavy loss maker for London Underground and London Transport and so the branch was closed on 30 September 1994 and sold to the Pilot Group. The direct connection to Epping was lifted soon after closure, but the remaining section of the branch stayed intact.

=Heritage Railway
= A Heritage railway heritage passenger service started operation in October 2004. A train runs non-stop between North Weald and Ongar on Sundays, with a possible extension to Epping in the future. At present, a bus service provides connections between trains and Epping Tube station. See Epping Ongar Railway.

2003 derailment and closure
A Central Line train derailed at Chancery Lane tube station Chancery Lane on January 25, 2003, injuring 32 passengers, after a traction motor became detached from the train and fell onto the track. The entire line was closed whilst the cause of the failure was determined and appropriate modifications made to the trains. The line was then re-opened in stages. By late March 2003 a limited service was running on the eastern and western extremities of the line, with the central section still closed. Services resumed over that deeper central section on April 3 and to all stations (albeit at a reduced frequency) on April 12, with a full service by the end of the month. The initial closure also extended to the Waterloo & City Line which uses the same "1992 tube stock" trains, but this line, being far shorter - with only two stops and far fewer trains - reopened quickly. A much more minor derailment occurred on a set of points at the London end of the westbound platform at White City tube station White City on 11 May 2004 but luckily there were no reported injuries.

Trains
Image:1992 Stock Roding Valley.jpg thumb|300px|A train of 1992 tube stock approaching Roding Valley station on the Central Line. In common with virtually all other Underground lines, the Central Line is worked by a single type of rolling stock. The London Underground 1992 Stock 1992 Tube Stock was introduced gradually from April 1993 to 17 February 1995, and was the first in London to introduce automated announcements telling passengers the name of the next station and what connections were available. The 1992 stock is painted in the standard red, white and blue Underground livery. In 1996 the line was fitted with Automatic Train Operation, although this was brought into service in sections over the next few years.

Map
Image:Central Line.svg thumb|center|550px|Geographically accurate map of the Central Line

Stations
''in order from west to east''

West Ruislip branch
* ''Terminus:'' West Ruislip station West Ruislip (for Ickenham), Central Line tracks opened: November 11, 1948. The suffix was later dropped. * Ruislip Gardens tube station Ruislip Gardens, opened: November 11, 1948. * South Ruislip station South Ruislip, opened: November 11, 1948. * Northolt tube station Northolt, opened: November 11, 1948. * Greenford station Greenford, opened: June 30, 1947. * Perivale tube station Perivale, opened: June 30, 1947. * Hanger Lane tube station Hanger Lane, opened: June 30, 1947. ''branch joins at North Acton:''

Ealing Broadway branch
''this was the main line until the post-war extensions'' * ''Terminus:'' Ealing Broadway station Ealing Broadway, Central Line terminus opened: August 3, 1920. * West Acton tube station West Acton, Central Line opened: November 5, 1923. ''branch joins at North Acton using ex GWR tracks:'' * North Acton tube station North Acton, opened: November 5, 1923; from here Central Line tracks are used * East Acton tube station East Acton, opened: August 3, 1920. * White City tube station White City, opened: November 23, 1947 . * Wood Lane (Central Line) tube station Wood Lane, opened: May 14, 1908. Closed: November 22, 1947. * Shepherd's Bush tube station (Central Line) Shepherd's Bush, opened: July 30, 1900. * Holland Park tube station Holland Park, opened: July 30, 1900. * Notting Hill Gate tube station Notting Hill Gate * Queensway tube station Queensway was Queens Road. Closed until May 2006 * Lancaster Gate tube station Lancaster Gate * Marble Arch tube station Marble Arch * Bond Street tube station Bond Street * Oxford Circus tube station Oxford Circus * Tottenham Court Road tube station Tottenham Court Road * British Museum tube station British Museum (closed since 1933) * Holborn tube station Holborn * Chancery Lane tube station Chancery Lane * St. Paul's tube station St. Paul's * Bank and Monument stations Bank * Liverpool Street station Liverpool Street * Bethnal Green tube station Bethnal Green * Mile End tube station Mile End, opened: December 4, 1946. * Stratford station Stratford, First Served: December 4, 1946. * Leyton tube station Leyton, First Served: May 5, 1947. * Leytonstone tube station Leytonstone, First Served: ''Splits into two branches.''

Woodford branch
* Wanstead tube station Wanstead, opened: December 14, 1947. * Redbridge tube station Redbridge, opened: December 14, 1947. * Gants Hill tube station Gants Hill, opened: December 14, 1947. * Newbury Park tube station Newbury Park, First Served: December 14, 1947. * Barkingside tube station Barkingside, First Served: May 31, 1948. * Fairlop tube station Fairlop, First Served: May 31, 1948. * Hainault tube station Hainault, First Served: May 31, 1948. ''The Greater London boundary with Essex is at Grange Hill'' * Grange Hill tube station Grange Hill, First Served: November 21, 1948. * Chigwell tube station Chigwell, First Served: November 21, 1948. * Roding Valley tube station Roding Valley, First Served: November 21, 1948. ''Terminates at Woodford tube station Woodford [see Ongar Branch](except for rush hours)''

Ongar branch
* Snaresbrook tube station Snaresbrook, First Served: December 14, 1947. * South Woodford tube station South Woodford (George Lane),First Served: December 14, 1947. Renamed:(South Woodford): * ''Terminus for Woodford branch:'' Woodford tube station Woodford, First Served: December 14, 1947. ''The Greater London boundary with Essex is between Woodford and Buckhurst Hill'' * Buckhurst Hill tube station Buckhurst Hill, First Served: November 21, 1948. * Loughton tube station Loughton, First Served: November 21, 1948. * Debden tube station Debden, First Served: September 25, 1949. * Theydon Bois tube station Theydon Bois, First Served: September 25, 1949. * ''Terminus:'' Epping tube station Epping First Served: September 25, 1949. ''Note: Under London Underground the remaining stations to Ongar were only ever served by a shuttle service from Epping.'' * North Weald tube station North Weald, First Served: September 25, 1949. Closed: September 30, 1994. * Blake Hall tube station Blake Hall, First Served: September 25, 1949. Closed: October 31, 1981. * Ongar tube station Ongar, First Served: September 25, 1949. Closed: September 30, 1994, shortly after a nearby security bunker once available to government and defence staff in a national emergency was withdrawn from use.

External links

- Central Line - London Underground page with line facts and brief history
- Clive's Underground Line Guide
- Epping Ongar Railway - The company currently owning the Epping and Ongar branch and (in some scale) running trains on it. Category:London Underground Category:Hillingdon Category:Ealing Category:Hammersmith & Fulham Category:Kensington & Chelsea Category:Westminster Category:Camden Category:City of London Category:Tower Hamlets Category:Newham Category:Waltham Forest Category:Redbridge Category:Epping Forest de:Central Line fr:Central Line nl:Central Line no:Central-linjen '''Central line''' may refer to: *For the medical term, see central venous catheter *For the London Underground railway line, see Central Line {{disambig}}

*** Shopping-Tip: Central line