District Line

Geographically correct routing
Route length:	64.0 km
Gauge :	1435 mm ( standard gauge )
Line color:	green
Opening year:	1868
Line type:	Underlay
Stations:	60
Depots:	2 (Upminster, Ealing Common)
Passengers:	208,317,000 (annually)
Ealing Broadway (to the Great Western Main Line , Central Line ) Piccadilly Line Central Line Great Western Main Line Ealing Common Ealing Common Depot Piccadilly Line from Heathrow former branch line from Hounslow Acton Town South Acton (until 1959) Richmond (to the North London Line ) Kew Gardens Thames ( Kew Railway Bridge ) Gunnersbury North London Line Chiswick Park Turnham Green Stamford Brook Ravenscourt Park Hammersmith Barons Court West Kensington Wimbledon (to the South Western Main Line ) Wimbledon Park Southfields East Putney Thames ( Fulham Railway Bridge ) Putney Bridge Parsons Green Fulham Broadway West Brompton (to the West London Line ) West London Line Kensington (Olympia) Earl's Court Circle Line High Street Kensington Notting Hill Gate Bayswater Hammersmith & City Line Paddington Edgware Road Circle Line / Hammersmith & City Line Gloucester Road South Kensington Piccadilly Line Sloane Square Victoria St. James's Park Westminster Embankment Temple Blackfriars Mansion House Cannon Street monument Mark Lane (until 1967) Tower Hill Circle Line / Metropolitan Line Aldgate ( Circle Line / Metropolitan Line ) Aldgate East (old) Aldgate East (old) Hammersmith & City Line Aldgate East St Mary’s (until 1938) Whitechapel Stepney Green Central Line Mile end Central Line to Fenchurch Street Bow Road Bromley-by-Bow West Ham Plaistow Upton Park East Ham Barking Upney Becontree Dagenham Heathway Dagenham East Elm Park Hornchurch Upminster Bridge Upminster Upminster Depot London, Tilbury and Southend Railway

The District Line is a metro -line of the London Underground . It is shown in green on the route network map . It runs from west to east and has 60 stations. The District Line consists of two trunk lines in east-west and north-south directions as well as two branches to Kensington (Olympia) and Richmond . All routes together have a total length of 64 kilometers. The only station on all routes is Earl's Court .

history

Earl's Court Station

Paddington Station

The establishment of the Metropolitan District Railway (short District Railway was named as the District Line earlier) took place on 29 July 1864. Its main task is to complete the inner ring road on the west and south side was. The opening of the first section took place on December 24, 1868 between Westminster and South Kensington . The ring was closed on October 6, 1884. Both the District Railway and the Metropolitan Railway both drove around the ring and fought fierce competition.

In addition, the District Railway expanded into the suburbs, to Whitechapel , New Cross Gate , Richmond , Wimbledon , Ealing Broadway , Hounslow West , Upminster and Uxbridge . This was done in part by sharing routes with other railway companies, mainly the London and South Western Railway .

The District Railway had already considered electrifying the network in the 1880s, but the technology was not yet mature at the time. Together with the Metropolitan Railway, test drives were later carried out between Earl's Court and High Street Kensington , and in 1900 a six-car train rolled for the first time. As a result of these attempts, a joint committee of both companies decided in 1901 to operate with alternating current and overhead lines .

In the same year, however, the financially troubled company was taken over by the Underground Electric Railways Company of London by Charles Tyson Yerkes . Because of his experience in the USA, he preferred direct current from a busbar . After conciliation negotiations, both companies agreed on this system. In 1902 construction began on its own power station , the Lots Road Power Station , which went into operation in 1905.

The electrification took place in several steps: It started on June 23, 1903, with the route between Acton Town and Park Royal & Twyford Abbey . Between June and August 1905, seven sections followed at short intervals. With the exception of the Earl's Court - Kensington (Olympia) route, the entire network was electrified; this route was completed on May 1, 1914.

The Piccadilly Line took over two routes of the District Line; In 1933 the line between Ealing Common and Uxbridge , in 1964 that between Acton Town and Hounslow West . From 1883 to 1885 individual trains ran as far as Windsor . In addition, between 1910 and 1938 individual trains ran on weekends to Southend-on-Sea and Shoeburyness .

On September 15, 2017, there was an explosion in a car on the line.

vehicles

Since April 2017, only S Stock vehicles have been running on the District Line .

Before that, D78 vehicles were mainly used. The trips between Wimbledon and Edgware Road were an exception , as the platforms on parts of the route are too short for the D78 type. C69 and C77 trains were used on this route .

Stations

East-west trunk line

Barking station

Station Monument

Barons Court station

• Upminster - first served June 2, 1902; not served from September 30, 1905 to September 11, 1932
• Upminster Bridge - opened December 17, 1934
• Hornchurch - first served June 2, 1902; not served from September 30, 1905 to September 11, 1932
• Elm Park - opened May 13, 1935
• Dagenham East - first operated June 2, 1902; not served from September 30, 1905 to September 11, 1932
• Dagenham Heathway - opened September 12, 1932
• Becontree - first served September 12, 1932
• Upney - opened September 12, 1932
• Barking - first served June 2, 1902; not served from September 30, 1905 to March 31, 1908
• East Ham - first served June 2, 1902
• Upton Park - first operated on June 2, 1902
• Plaistow - first served on June 2, 1902
• West Ham - first served on June 2, 1902
• Bromley-by-Bow - first operated on June 2, 1902 as Bromley ; renamed Bromley-by-Bow on May 18, 1967
• Bow Road - opened June 11, 1902
• Mile End - opened June 2, 1902
• Stepney Green - opened June 23, 1902
• Whitechapel - opened October 6, 1884; closed from February 1, 1902 to June 1, 1902
• St Mary's (Whitechapel Road) - opened October 1, 1884; closed on April 30, 1938
• Aldgate East - opened October 6, 1884; closed on October 30, 1938 and reopened at the current location one day later
• Tower Hill - opened as Mark Lane on October 6, 1884; renamed Tower Hill on September 1, 1946; closed on February 4, 1967 and reopened at the current location one day later
• Monument - opened October 6, 1884
• Cannon Street - opened October 6, 1884
• Mansion House - opened July 3, 1871; closed on October 29, 1989; reopened on February 11, 1991
• Blackfriars - opened May 30, 1870
• Temple - opened May 30, 1870
• Embankment - opened May 30, 1870 as Charing Cross ; renamed Charing Cross Embankment on August 4, 1974; renamed Embankment on September 12, 1976
• Westminster - opened December 24, 1868
• St. James's Park - opened December 24, 1868
• Victoria - opened December 24, 1868
• Sloane Square - opened December 24, 1868
• South Kensington - first served on December 24, 1868
• Gloucester Road - first operated April 12, 1869
• Earl's Court - opened October 30, 1871; closed on January 31, 1878 and reopened a day later at the current location
• West Kensington - opened September 9, 1874 as the North End (Fulham) ; renamed West Kensington on March 1, 1877
• Barons Court - opened October 9, 1905
• Hammersmith - opened September 9, 1874
• Ravenscourt Park - first operated June 1, 1877 as Shaftesbury Road ; renamed Ravenscourt Park on March 1, 1888
• Stamford Brook - opened February 1, 1912
• Turnham Green - first served June 1, 1877
• Chiswick Park - opened July 1, 1879 as Acton Green ; renamed Chiswick Park & ​​Acton Green in March 1887; renamed Chiswick Park on March 1, 1910
• Acton Town - opened July 1, 1879 as Mill Hill Park ; renamed Acton Town on March 1, 1910
• Ealing Common - opened July 1, 1879
• Ealing Broadway - opened July 1, 1879

North-south trunk line

• Edgware Road - first operated November 1, 1926
• Paddington - first served November 1, 1926 as Paddington (Praed Street) ; renamed Paddington on July 11, 1948
• Bayswater - first operated on November 1, 1926 as Bayswater (Queen's Road) & Westbourne Grove ; renamed Bayswater (Queen's Road) in 1933; renamed Bayswater on September 1, 1946
• Notting Hill Gate - first operated on November 1, 1926
• High Street Kensington - first served as Kensington High Street on July 3, 1871, renamed High Street Kensington in 1880
• Earl's Court
• West Brompton - opened April 12, 1869
• Fulham Broadway - opened March 1, 1880 as Walham Green ; renamed Fulham Broadway on March 2, 1952
• Parsons Green - opened March 1, 1880
• Putney Bridge - opened March 1, 1880 as Putney Bridge & Fulham ; renamed Putney Bridge & Hurlingham on September 1, 1902; renamed Putney Bridge in 1932
• East Putney - opened June 3, 1889
• Southfields - opened June 3, 1889
• Wimbledon Park - opened June 3, 1889
• Wimbledon - opened June 3, 1889

Kensington branch line

• Earl's Court
• Kensington (Olympia) - opened December 20, 1946

Richmond branch line

Kew Gardens Station

• Turnham Green
• Gunnersbury - opened June 1, 1877
• Kew Gardens - opened June 1, 1877
• Richmond - opened June 1, 1877

Gunnersbury and Richmond operate jointly with the North London Line trains from London Overground .

South Acton branch line

The single-track railway line between Acton Town and South Acton opened on June 13, 1905. It remained with a shuttle connection. A one-piece GStock served as a train. On February 28, 1959, the line was shut down and dismantled. Today only the abandoned platform in Acton Town reminds of it.

Hounslow branch line

• Acton Town
• South Ealing - opened May 1, 1883; last served on October 9, 1964
• Northfields - opened April 16, 1908 as Northfields & Little Ealing ; closed May 18, 1932 andreopeneda day later at its present location as Northfields ; last served on October 9, 1964
• Boston Manor - opened May 1, 1883 as Boston Road ; renamed Boston Manor on December 11, 1911; last served on October 9, 1964
• Osterley - opened April 16, 1908 as Osterley & Spring Grove ; closed on March 25, 1934 andreopeneda day later at the current location as Osterley ; last served on October 9, 1964
• Hounslow East - opened July 21, 1884; closed June 12, 1905; reopened May 2, 1909; last served on October 9, 1964
• Hounslow Town - opened May 1, 1883; closed on March 31, 1886; reopened March 1, 1903; closed on May 1, 1909
• Hounslow Central - opened April 1, 1886 as Heston-Hounslow ; renamed Hounslow Central on December 1, 1925; last served on October 9, 1964
• Hounslow West - opened as Hounslow Barracks on July 21, 1884; renamed Hounslow West on December 1, 1925; last served on October 9, 1964

Uxbridge branch line

• Ealing Common
• North Ealing - opened June 23, 1903; Handover to the Piccadilly Line on July 4th 1932
• Park Royal - opened July 6, 1931; Handover to the Piccadilly Line on July 4th 1932
• Park Royal & Twyford Abbey - opened June 23, 1903; closed on July 5, 1931
• Alperton - opened June 28, 1903 as Perivale-Alperton ; renamed Alperton on October 7, 1910; Handover to the Piccadilly Line on July 4th 1932
• Sudbury Town - opened June 28, 1903; Handover to the Piccadilly Line on July 4th 1932
• Sudbury Hill - opened June 28, 1903; Handover to the Piccadilly Line on July 4th 1932
• South Harrow - opened June 28, 1903; Handover to the Piccadilly Line on July 4th 1932
• Rayners Lane - first served March 1, 1910; last served on October 23, 1933
• Eastcote - first served March 1, 1910; last served on October 23, 1933
• Ruislip Manor - opened on August 5, 1912; closed on February 11, 1917; reopened April 1, 1919; last served on October 23, 1933
• Ruislip - first served on March 1, 1910; last served on October 23, 1933
• Ickenham - first served March 1, 1910; last served on October 23, 1933
• Hillingdon - first served December 10, 1923; last served on October 23, 1933
• Uxbridge - first operated March 1, 1910; closed on December 3, 1938 and reopened one day later at the current location; last served on October 23, 1933

service

Relationships traveled
Legend Ealing Broadway Richmond Turnham Green Wimbledon Earl's Court Edgware Road Tower Hill Upminster

District Line trains run on the following sections:

• Ealing Broadway - Upminster: 6 trains / hour
• Richmond - Upminster: 6 trains / hour
• Wimbledon - Tower Hill: 6 trains / hour, including 3 trains / hour further to Barking
• Wimbledon - Edgware Road: 6 trains / hour
• Kensington (Olympia) - High Street Kensington: 3 trains / hour (weekends only)

Web links

Commons : District Line  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Clive's Underground Line Guides - District Line

Individual evidence

1. ^ London Underground - Performance Data . Transport for London website (Performance Data Almanac). Retrieved July 28, 2012.