Circle Line

Line History:

A branch from Edgware Road off the original Metropolitan Railway line opened as far as Gloucester Road in October 1868, and on to South Kensington in December that year when simultaneously the District Railway opened its line from South Kensington to Westminster, in the"clockwise" direction, the original 1863 line was extended east from Farringdon Street to Moorgate in 1865, to Liverpool Street in 1875, to Aldgate the following year and finally in 1884 to Tower Hill which the District reached itself in the "anti-clockwise" direction at the same time, creating the present Circle. Today, the Circle Line shares almost all of its 22.5 km (14 mile) route with three other lines, the District, the Hammersmith and City and the Metropolitan. It has the distinction of serving most of London's principal main line railway stations, as well as providing useful connections with other Underground lines. The Circle Line serves 27 stations, has 14 trains operating at peak periods and conveyed some 67 million passengers in 1996.

Stations and Trains:

Circle Line and Hammersmith and City Line trains are known as C stock and were built in two batches in 1969 and 1977. These 6-car trains, made up of three units each consisting of two cars permanently coupled together, were refurbished in a programme starting in 1992. C stock trains also run on the Edgware Road to Wimbledon section of the District Line.

Depots:

The principal depot for the Circle and the Hammersmith and City Lines is at Hammersmith, but there are several minor depots and sidings at other places such as Barking, Triangle Sidings in Kensington and Farringdon. In July 1993 a new train crew depot opened at Edgware Road, providing better staff depoyment control and more up to date staff facilities.

Circle route map:

Click here to return to Sarah's Tube Train page