For the medical meaning of "central line", see central line.

The Central Line is a line of the London Underground. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running East-West across London, and is the longest line 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.

The line is presently coloured red on the Tube map.

History

The line was first opened as the Central London Railway between Shepherd's Bush and Bank in 1900. In the west it was extended to Wood Lane Exhibition Station in 1908 for the Franco-British Exhibition of that year, and in the east extended to Liverpool Street by 1923.

As part of the New Works Programme 1935-40, announced in June 1935, London Transport proposed to extend the line over Great Western Railway lines to Denham in the west and LNER lines in the east.

A new section of underground line was required from Leytonstone to Newbury Park to join with the existing line to Hainault from Ilford and although 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. This branch eventually opened in 1947 and the link to Ilford terminated. This section of line forms a loop and there are some through services to Woodford via Hainault.

The trains on the Central Line were the first in London to introduce regular audible interior announcements telling passengers the name of the next expected stop and what onward connections they should expect there. These announcements, in a female voice, are automated.

In 1996, the line was fitted with Automatic Train Operation, although this was brought into service in sections over the next few years.

Epping to Ongar branch

The Epping to Ongar section became part of the Underground network in 1949 but, along with the Loughton to Epping section, was not electrified until 1957. This far-flung section of the tube was usually served by a shuttle service and never had high traffic levels. It was closed in 1994 and sold to the Pilot Group. The direct connection to Epping was decimated soon after closure, but the remaining section of the branch stayed intact.

A heritage passenger service started operation in October 2004. A train runs non-stop between North Weald and Ongar on Sundays around noon, with an additional connection bus service between North Weald and Epping. These services are expected to last for two months before being reviewed.

2003 derailment and closure

A Central Line train derailed at 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 on 11th May 2004. There were no reported injuries.

Map

Geographically accurate map of the Central Line (Large)

Stations

in order from west to east

West Ruislip branch

• Terminus: West Ruislip (for Ickenham), opened: November 11, 1948. The suffix was later dropped.
• Ruislip Gardens, opened: November 11, 1948.
• South Ruislip, opened: November 11, 1948.
• Northolt, opened: November 11, 1948.
• Greenford, opened: June 30, 1947.
• Perivale, opened: June 30, 1947.
• Hanger Lane, opened: June 30, 1947.

branch joins at North Acton:

Ealing Broadway branch

• Terminus: Ealing Broadway, opened: August 3, 1920.
• West Acton, opened: November 5, 1923.

branch joins at North Acton:

• North Acton, opened: November 5, 1923.
• East Acton, opened: August 3, 1920.
• White City, opened: November 23, 1947.
• Wood Lane, opened: May 14, 1908. Closed: November 22, 1947.
• Shepherd's Bush, opened: July 30, 1900.
• Holland Park, opened: July 30, 1900.
• Notting Hill Gate
• Queensway
• Lancaster Gate
• Marble Arch
• Bond Street
• Oxford Circus
• Tottenham Court Road
• British Museum (closed since 1933)
• Holborn
• Chancery Lane
• St. Paul's
• Bank
• Liverpool Street
• Bethnal Green
• Mile End, opened: December 4, 1946.
• Stratford, First Served: December 4, 1946.
• Leyton, First Served: May 5, 1947.
• Leytonstone, First Served:

Splits into two branches

Woodford branch

• Wanstead, opened: December 14, 1947.
• Redbridge, opened: December 14, 1947.
• Gants Hill, opened: December 14, 1947.
• Newbury Park, First Served: December 14, 1947.
• Barkingside, First Served: May 31, 1948.
• Fairlop, First Served: May 31, 1948.
• Hainault, First Served: May 31, 1948.

The Greater London boundary with Essex is at Grange Hill

• Grange Hill, First Served: November 21, 1948.
• Chigwell, First Served: November 21, 1948.
• Roding Valley, First Served: November 21, 1948.

Terminates at Woodford [see Ongar Branch](except for rush hours)

Ongar branch

• Snaresbrook, First Served: December 14, 1947.
• South Woodford (George Lane),First Served: December 14, 1947. Renamed:(South Woodford):
• Terminus for Woodford branch: Woodford, First Served: December 14, 1947.

The Greater London boundary with Essex is between Woodford and Buckhurst Hill

• Buckhurst Hill, First Served: November 21, 1948.
• Loughton, First Served: November 21, 1948.
• Debden, First Served: September 25, 1949.
• Theydon Bois, First Served: September 25, 1949.
• Terminus: 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, First Served: September 25, 1949. Closed: September 30, 1994.
• Blake Hall, First Served: September 25, 1949. Closed: October 31, 1981.
• 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
• Central Line history - London Underground detailed line 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.

Line closure 2003

• "Central Line back by Easter" - London Underground press release dated 20th March, 2003
• "Central Line update" - London Underground page with Q&A about the closure, cause, reopening plans etc.
• "Central Line joins up the West End in time for Easter shoppers" London Underground press release dated 1st April, 2003