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Metropolitan line

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{{Infobox TfL line| Line=Metropolitan Line| ColourName=Purple| TextColour=White| YearOpened=1863| DeepOrSurface=Sub-Surface| RollingStock=London Underground A62 Stock A Stock| StationsServed=34| LengthKm=66.7| LengthMiles=41.5| AnnualPassengers=53,697,000| Depots=Neasden
Wembley Park| }} The '''Metropolitan Line''' is part of the London Underground, coloured purple on the Tube map. It was the first rapid transit underground railway (or subway) in the world, opening on January 10, 1863 (however, parts of that initial section are no longer served by the Metropolitan Line, but by the Hammersmith & City Line Hammersmith & City, District Line District and Circle Line Circle lines). The main line runs from Aldgate tube station Aldgate in the City of London to Amersham tube station Amersham, with branch lines to Uxbridge tube station Uxbridge, Watford tube station Watford and Chesham tube station Chesham. For the initial section of the Line the rails are in tunnel for much of the way; beyond Baker Street, at Finchley Road the Line runs in the open. The four-track layout for part of the distance — between Baker Street and Moor Park tube station Moor Park — allows for the running of express or "fast" services to the outer suburbs. Baker Street is the terminus for many trains, but others complete their journeys into the City to either Moorgate tube station Moorgate (where there are terminal platforms) or Aldgate.

History
{{main|Metropolitan and Metropolitan District Railways}} The origins of the Metropolitan Line lie with the incorporation, in 1853, of the ''North Metropolitan Railway'', the original name of the Metropolitan Railway, which railway had been empowered, with the ''Metropolitan District Railway'' to complete an ''Inner Circle'' of railways in London. The first section was opened from near Paddington railway station Paddington to Farringdon Street (now Farringdon tube station Farringdon station) in January 1863; work on the railway had begun in February 1860 using the "cut-and-cover" method of construction. This caused massive traffic disruption in north London: during the work the River Fleet Fleet Sewer bursting into the diggings, flooding the partly-built tunnel. Another major change took place in 1988, when the Hammersmith & City Line and East London Line – which already had well-defined individual identities – were split off from the Metropolitan Line to be run separately. The Metropolitan Line is now confined to its northern extension from Baker Street plus its original track to Aldgate, running through the tunnels opened by the Metropolitan Railway back in 1868. The Metropolitan and East London Lines use the same trains and are still physically linked, although there is no longer a passenger interchange. In 1998, the Metropolitan Line was partly privatised in a controversial Public-Private Partnership. It is now part of the "Sub-Surface Railways" group, managed along with the Circle, Hammersmith & City and District lines by the Metronet consortium. The Metropolitan Line's influence on underground railways world-wide has been immense. The Paris Metro took its name, in full ''Chemin de fer métropolitain'', from the Metropolitan Line. This is the origin of the term metro.

Trains
Image:London Underground subsurface and tube trains.jpg London Underground 1973 Stock thumb|right|225px|The train on the left is a Metropolitan Line A Stock unit, the smaller train is a Piccadilly Line [[London Underground 1973 Stock|1973 tube stock train.html" title="Meaning of 1973 tube stock.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|225px|The train on the left is a Metropolitan Line A Stock unit, the smaller train is a Piccadilly Line [[London Underground 1973 Stock|1973 tube stock">thumb|right|225px|The train on the left is a Metropolitan Line A Stock unit, the smaller train is a Piccadilly Line [[London Underground 1973 Stock|1973 tube stock train">1973 tube stock.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|225px|The train on the left is a Metropolitan Line A Stock unit, the smaller train is a Piccadilly Line [[London Underground 1973 Stock|1973 tube stock">thumb|right|225px|The train on the left is a Metropolitan Line A Stock unit, the smaller train is a Piccadilly Line [[London Underground 1973 Stock|1973 tube stock train The current rolling stock in use on the Metropolitan Line is the sub-surface gauge London Underground A62 Stock A Stock built by Cravens in Sheffield, which is shared between the Metropolitan and East London Line East London lines. While it ran in service with unpainted aluminium bodywork for many years, since refurbishment the stock has received the now standard white and blue Underground livery, with red ends. Metropolitan Line services are usually formed of two four-car units coupled together for a total of eight cars, although the Chesham tube station Chesham shuttle service and the East London Line are both served by four-car trains.

Map
Image:Metropolitan Line.svg thumb|700px|center|Geographically accurate path of the Metropolitan Line

Stations
''in order from east to west''

Shared Circle Line track and main branch
* ''Terminus:'' Aldgate tube station Aldgate * Liverpool Street station Liverpool Street * Moorgate station Moorgate * Barbican tube station Barbican * Farringdon station Farringdon * King's Cross St. Pancras tube station King's Cross St. Pancras * Euston Square tube station Euston Square * Great Portland Street tube station Great Portland Street (after this station no longer shares track with Circle Line) * Baker Street tube station Baker Street * Finchley Road tube station Finchley Road * Wembley Park tube station Wembley Park * Preston Road tube station Preston Road * Northwick Park tube station Northwick Park * Harrow-on-the-Hill station Harrow-on-the-Hill The line splits here into two branches — the Uxbridge branch and the Northwood branch.

Uxbridge Branch
(continuing from Harrow on the Hill) * West Harrow tube station West Harrow * Rayners Lane tube station Rayners Lane * Eastcote tube station Eastcote * Ruislip Manor tube station Ruislip Manor * Ruislip tube station Ruislip * Ickenham tube station Ickenham * Hillingdon tube station Hillingdon * ''Terminus:'' Uxbridge tube station Uxbridge

Northwood Branch
(continuing from Harrow on the Hill) * North Harrow tube station North Harrow * Pinner tube station Pinner * Northwood Hills tube station Northwood Hills * Northwood tube station Northwood (the last station within Greater London) * Moor Park tube station Moor Park The line splits here into two branches — the main line towards Amersham and the Watford branch.

Watford Branch
(continuing from Moor Park) * Croxley tube station Croxley * Watford tube station Watford

Towards Amersham
(continuing from Moor Park) * Rickmansworth station Rickmansworth * Chorleywood station Chorleywood * Chalfont & Latimer station Chalfont & Latimer * Chesham tube station Chesham * Amersham station Amersham From Chalfont and Latimer station trains can go to Amersham station Amersham (as the majority do) or to Chesham tube station Chesham. Only in peak hours do trains run through to Chesham; at all other times passengers must change onto the shuttle service running between Chalfont & Latimer and Chesham.

Current service pattern
*Off-peak service pattern: The current off-peak service pattern is as follows: ** 6tph Uxbridge — Aldgate (all stations) ** 6tph Watford — Baker Street (all stations) ** 4tph Amersham — Baker Street (all stations to Moor Park, then Harrow-on-the-Hill, Wembley Park and Finchley Road only. This section is also run by 2tph Chiltern Railways trains to and from Aylesbury, providing a 6tph service between Amersham and London. ** 2tph Chesham — Chalfont & Latimer :(tph=trains per hour) *Peak hours* The Metropolitan line, unlike other London Underground lines, operates fast train services during peak hours. (The Piccadilly Line runs a fast service between Hammersmith and Turnham Green/Acton Town, but this operates round the clock, the intermediate stations are served by the District Line). There are also through trains to Aldgate from Watford/Amersham; semi-fasts to Watford/Uxbridge not stopping at Northwick Park or Preston Road; and through trains to Chesham. There are also a few early-morning/late-evening trains from Rickmansworth to Watford.

Future plans
Transport for London and Hertfordshire County Council are developing plans to divert the line from the current Watford station and re-route it over the disused Croxley Green branch line to Watford Junction. The current station is located in a housing estate by Cassiobury Park, rather than serving the centre of Watford. New stations would be provided at Ascot Road and Watford West. See [http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tube/company/projects/croxley-rail-link/ for details].

External links

- Metropolitan Line — London Underground website
- Clive's Underground Line Guide — Metropolitan Line
- The Metropolitan Line Category:Brent Category:Camden Category:City of London Category:Harrow Category:Hillingdon Category:Islington Category:London Underground Category:Westminster de:Metropolitan Line nl:Metropolitan Line no:Metropolitan-linjen it:Metropolitan Line see Metropolitan Line

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