Hammersmith & City Line
Encyclopedia
The Hammersmith & City line is a subsurface London Underground
line. It connects Hammersmith in the west with Barking
in the east, running through the northern part of central London
. It is coloured salmon pink on the Tube map
. It was formerly part of the Metropolitan line
and incorporates the oldest underground railway in the world, the section between Paddington and Farringdon
, which opened on 10 January 1863.
The original Hammersmith & City line opened on 13 June 1864, although Hammersmith station itself moved to a different location in 1868. With the exception of the two-stop Waterloo & City line
and the East London Line
(which is now a London Overground
service), it has been the least used line on the Underground. It ranks 10th of the 11 lines in passenger numbers. Out of the 29 stations served, 10 have Hammersmith & City line platforms that are wholly or almost wholly below ground, all in cut-and-cover, while those at Paddington, Edgware Road
, Farringdon, Barbican and Whitechapel are in cuttings, or under train-sheds but below street level.
Since December 2009 the route between Hammersmith and Edgware Road has been supplemented by the Circle line. With this change, the Hammersmith & City line no longer has any stations unique to it.
The name Hammersmith & City derives from the Hammersmith and City Railway (H&CR), the 5 km (3.1 mi) section between Hammersmith (Grove Road) railway station and Westbourne Park
that opened in 1864, which was built and operated jointly by the Metropolitan
and Great Western
Railways until 1868. Though now part of the Underground network, this section is an elevated railway, largely built on brick arches and bridges.
Because the name change of the route to the separate identity of the Hammersmith & City line is relatively recent, there are many stations with tiling or enamel maps that still show that they are served by the Metropolitan line, e.g. Bromley-by-Bow
station, shared by the H&C and the District line
. The Metropolitan line no longer has any interchange with the District.
LUL says these 40-year-old trains, part of the same fleet that also operates the Circle line, are "in an increasingly poor state", and they are to be replaced with new seven-car S stock
air-conditioned trains from Bombardier Transportation
, with delivery scheduled to begin in 2012 for completion by the end of 2014. In combination with new signalling (see below), this is expected to produce an eventual overall increase in the capacity of the route of up to 65%.
To accommodate these longer trains (117m long as opposed to 93m for C stock), station platforms are currently being lengthened.
. There are also sidings at Barking, Farringdon and near High Street Kensington (known as Triangle Sidings) for stabling trains overnight. Trains are also stabled at Lillie Bridge Depot.
(ATO), which it is hoped will be fully working by 2018, increasing throughput in the central area from 27 trains per hour to 32 trains per hour.
Map of the line before the new Wood Lane station was added and before Shepherd's Bush (H&C) was renamed Shepherd's Bush Market.
There are intermediate stations on the line that trains can terminate at. These include Edgware Road, Baker Street, King's Cross, Moorgate, Liverpool Street, Aldgate East, Bromley-by-Bow, West Ham, Plaistow and East Ham.
in order from west to east
The Hammersmith & City line continues to run as a separate route, with trains running to Barking and Plaistow in the east. The headway
on the Hammersmith – Edgware Road leg has been reduced from seven to four minutes by this schedule change, and the alternation of Hammersmith & City with Circle trains will now provide 12 trains per hour at peak times on this section, doubling the previous frequency.
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
line. It connects Hammersmith in the west with Barking
Barking station
Barking station is a railway station served by National Rail and London Underground services. It is located in Barking in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham in east London, England. The station is in Zone 4, has nine platforms, and is managed by c2c. It has been proposed that ownership of...
in the east, running through the northern part of central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
. It is coloured salmon pink on the Tube map
Tube map
The Tube map is a schematic transit map representing the lines and stations of London's rapid transit railway systems, namely the London Underground , the Docklands Light Railway and London Overground....
. It was formerly part of the Metropolitan line
Metropolitan Line
The Metropolitan line is part of the London Underground. It is coloured in Transport for London's Corporate Magenta on the Tube map and in other branding. It was the first underground railway in the world, opening as the Metropolitan Railway on 10 January 1863...
and incorporates the oldest underground railway in the world, the section between Paddington and Farringdon
Farringdon station
Farringdon station is a London Underground and National Rail station in Clerkenwell, just north of the City of London in the London Borough of Islington...
, which opened on 10 January 1863.
The original Hammersmith & City line opened on 13 June 1864, although Hammersmith station itself moved to a different location in 1868. With the exception of the two-stop Waterloo & City line
Waterloo & City Line
The Waterloo & City line is a short underground railway line in London, which was formally opened on 11 July 1898. It has only two stations, Waterloo and Bank...
and the East London Line
East London Line
The East London Line is a London Overground line which runs north to south through the East End, Docklands and South areas of London.Built in 1869 by the East London Railway Company, which reused the Thames Tunnel, originally intended for horse-drawn carriages, the line became part of the London...
(which is now a London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
service), it has been the least used line on the Underground. It ranks 10th of the 11 lines in passenger numbers. Out of the 29 stations served, 10 have Hammersmith & City line platforms that are wholly or almost wholly below ground, all in cut-and-cover, while those at Paddington, Edgware Road
Edgware Road tube station
Edgware Road station is a London Underground station on the corner of Chapel Street and Cabbell Street Road in Travelcard Zone 1 serving the Circle, District and Hammersmith & City lines. The separate Edgware Road tube station is about 150 metres away on the opposite side of the Marylebone Road...
, Farringdon, Barbican and Whitechapel are in cuttings, or under train-sheds but below street level.
Since December 2009 the route between Hammersmith and Edgware Road has been supplemented by the Circle line. With this change, the Hammersmith & City line no longer has any stations unique to it.
History
The current Hammersmith & City line was originally a branch of the Metropolitan line until 1990, though in later years it was usually operated as a separate line, with the sections not used by regular Metropolitan line trains (from Hammersmith to and from Liverpool Street to ) not included on the main Metropolitan line maps. This is also reflected in the line's use of C Stock as opposed to the A Stock used on the 'main' Metropolitan line.The name Hammersmith & City derives from the Hammersmith and City Railway (H&CR), the 5 km (3.1 mi) section between Hammersmith (Grove Road) railway station and Westbourne Park
Westbourne Park tube station
Westbourne Park is a London Underground station on the Circle and Hammersmith and City lines, between Ladbroke Grove and Royal Oak stations, and in Travelcard Zone 2 in The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea . Although the Metropolitan Railway had been extended to Notting Hill and Hammersmith...
that opened in 1864, which was built and operated jointly by the Metropolitan
Metropolitan railway
Metropolitan Railway can refer to:* Metropolitan line, part of the London Underground* Metropolitan Railway, the first underground railway to be built in London...
and Great Western
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
Railways until 1868. Though now part of the Underground network, this section is an elevated railway, largely built on brick arches and bridges.
Because the name change of the route to the separate identity of the Hammersmith & City line is relatively recent, there are many stations with tiling or enamel maps that still show that they are served by the Metropolitan line, e.g. Bromley-by-Bow
Bromley-by-Bow tube station
Bromley-by-Bow tube station is a London Underground station on the Blackwall Tunnel Northern Approach Road in the Bromley-by-Bow neighbourhood of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in east London, England. The station is on the District and Hammersmith & City lines, with both services sharing a...
station, shared by the H&C and the District line
District Line
The District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. It is a "sub-surface" line, running through the central area in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels. It is the busiest of the sub-surface lines. Out of the 60 stations served, 25 are underground...
. The Metropolitan line no longer has any interchange with the District.
Trains
All Hammersmith & City line trains are in the distinctive London Underground livery of red, white and blue and are the larger of the two sizes used on the network. These 6-car trains comprise C stock, introduced 1969–70, with a further batch in 1978. The line shares this fleet with the Circle and District (-Edgware Road branch) lines.LUL says these 40-year-old trains, part of the same fleet that also operates the Circle line, are "in an increasingly poor state", and they are to be replaced with new seven-car S stock
London Underground S Stock
The S Stock is a class of sub-surface train currently being delivered by Bombardier Transportation in Derby to the London Underground to replace 177 existing trains on the Metropolitan, District, Hammersmith & City, and Circle lines, with a new fleet of standardised car design, totalling 191 trains...
air-conditioned trains from Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
, with delivery scheduled to begin in 2012 for completion by the end of 2014. In combination with new signalling (see below), this is expected to produce an eventual overall increase in the capacity of the route of up to 65%.
To accommodate these longer trains (117m long as opposed to 93m for C stock), station platforms are currently being lengthened.
Depots
There is one depot, Hammersmith, close to Hammersmith station. However, that depot can do only minor work, and other work is carried out at Neasden DepotNeasden Depot
Neasden Depot or Neasden Works is a London Underground railway depot on the Metropolitan Line, located between Neasden and Wembley Park stations. Historically, when it opened, Neasden was also a manufacturer, producing locomotives and coaching stock for the Metropolitan Railway...
. There are also sidings at Barking, Farringdon and near High Street Kensington (known as Triangle Sidings) for stabling trains overnight. Trains are also stabled at Lillie Bridge Depot.
Signalling
LUL intends to award a contract in 2012 to build a single signal control centre for the whole of the sub-surface network (Circle, Metropolitan, and Hammersmith & City lines). Some of the existing signalling dates from before the Second World War and it has become unreliable, with replacement components often unavailable. A new system will be installed with automatic train operationAutomatic train operation
Automatic train operation ensures partial or complete automatic train piloting and driverless functions.Most systems elect to maintain a driver to mitigate risks associated with failures or emergencies....
(ATO), which it is hoped will be fully working by 2018, increasing throughput in the central area from 27 trains per hour to 32 trains per hour.
Map
There are intermediate stations on the line that trains can terminate at. These include Edgware Road, Baker Street, King's Cross, Moorgate, Liverpool Street, Aldgate East, Bromley-by-Bow, West Ham, Plaistow and East Ham.
Stations
in order from west to east
| Station | Image | Opened | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammersmith | _station_building.jpg) |
1 December 1868 | Original station opened 13 June 1864, change for Circle line |
| Goldhawk Road Goldhawk Road tube station Goldhawk Road station is a London Underground station located in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, on the south side of Goldhawk Road, about 250m west of Shepherd's Bush Green... |
 |
1 April 1914 | |
| Shepherd's Bush Market | 1 April 1914 | Opened as Shepherd's Bush on 13 June 1864 | |
| Wood Lane Wood Lane tube station Wood Lane is a London Underground station, located in the White City area of west London, England, UK. It is on the Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines, between Latimer Road and Shepherd's Bush Market stations. The station lies in Travelcard Zone 2.... |
 |
12 October 2008 | Change for Central line Central Line The Central line is a London Underground line, coloured red on the tube map. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running east-west across London, and, at , has the greatest total length of track of any line on the Underground. Of the 49 stations served, 20 are below ground... at White City White City tube station White City tube station is a London Underground station situated on Wood Lane in White City in west London. The station is on the Central Line, between Shepherds Bush and East Acton stations, in Travelcard Zone 2.-History:... |
| Latimer Road Latimer Road tube station Latimer Road Station is a London Underground station in North Kensington on the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines between Wood Lane and Ladbroke Grove stations... |
16 December 1868 | ||
| Ladbroke Grove Ladbroke Grove tube station Ladbroke Grove is a London Underground station on the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines, between Latimer Road and Westbourne Park stations, and in Travelcard Zone 2 set in The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea .... |
 |
13 June 1864 | Originally called Notting Hill, renamed Notting Hill & Ladbroke Grove in 1880, renamed Ladbroke Grove (North Kensington) on 1 June 1919, current name is from 1938 |
| Westbourne Park Westbourne Park tube station Westbourne Park is a London Underground station on the Circle and Hammersmith and City lines, between Ladbroke Grove and Royal Oak stations, and in Travelcard Zone 2 in The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea . Although the Metropolitan Railway had been extended to Notting Hill and Hammersmith... |
 |
1 February 1866 | |
| Royal Oak Royal Oak tube station Royal Oak tube station is a station of the London Underground, on the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines, between and stations. The station is on Lord Hills Bridge and is in Travelcard Zone 2 for the London Underground. Although not heavily used at other times, the station is extremely busy... |
 |
30 October 1871 | |
| Paddington Paddington station Paddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates... ( Trains to Heathrow) |
1 December 1913 | ||
| Edgware Road Edgware Road tube station Edgware Road station is a London Underground station on the corner of Chapel Street and Cabbell Street Road in Travelcard Zone 1 serving the Circle, District and Hammersmith & City lines. The separate Edgware Road tube station is about 150 metres away on the opposite side of the Marylebone Road... |
 |
1 October 1863 | |
| Baker Street Baker Street tube station Baker Street tube station is a station on the London Underground at the junction of Baker Street and the Marylebone Road. The station lies in Travelcard Zone 1 and is served by five different lines... |
 |
10 January 1863 | |
| Great Portland Street Great Portland Street tube station Great Portland Street is a London Underground station near Regent's Park. It is between and on the Hammersmith & City, Circle and Metropolitan lines... |
 |
10 January 1863 | Originally Portland Road |
| Euston Square Euston Square tube station Euston Square is a London Underground station at the corner of Euston Road and Gower Street, just north of University College London and within walking distance of Euston railway station. It is between Great Portland Street and King's Cross St. Pancras on the Circle, Hammersmith & City and... ( Euston Euston railway station Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line... ) |
 |
1863 | Originally Gower Street |
| King's Cross St Pancras King's Cross St. Pancras tube station King's Cross St. Pancras is a tube station in the London Borough of Camden, on the London Underground network, serving both King's Cross and main line stations. It is in Travelcard Zone 1. It is the fourth busiest station on the system and serves more lines than any other... ( Trains to Gatwick and Luton London Luton Airport London Luton Airport is an international airport located east of the town centre in the Borough of Luton in Bedfordshire, England and is north of Central London. The airport is from Junction 10a of the M1 motorway... ) |
 |
1863 | |
| Farringdon Farringdon station Farringdon station is a London Underground and National Rail station in Clerkenwell, just north of the City of London in the London Borough of Islington... ( Trains to Gatwick and Luton London Luton Airport London Luton Airport is an international airport located east of the town centre in the Borough of Luton in Bedfordshire, England and is north of Central London. The airport is from Junction 10a of the M1 motorway... ) |
 |
10 January 1863 | |
| Barbican |  |
1865 | Opened as Aldersgate Street, renamed to Aldersgate in 1910, renamed Aldersgate and Barbican in 1923, current name is from 1968 |
| Moorgate Moorgate station Moorgate station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground station on Moorgate in the City of London; it provides National Rail services by First Capital Connect for Hertford, Welwyn Garden City and Letchworth and also serves the Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan Lines and... |
 |
1865 | |
| Liverpool Street Liverpool Street station Liverpool Street railway station, also known as London Liverpool Street or simply Liverpool Street, is both a central London railway terminus and a connected London Underground station in the north-eastern corner of the City of London, England... ( Trains to Stansted London Stansted Airport -Cargo:-Statistics:-Infrastructure:-Terminal and satellite buildings:Stansted is the newest passenger airport of all the main London airports. The terminal is an oblong glass building, and is separated in to three areas: Check-in concourse, arrivals and departures... ) |
 |
12 July 1875 | Opened as Bishopsgate, renamed 1 November 1909 |
| Aldgate East Aldgate East tube station Aldgate East is a London Underground station located between Aldgate and Whitechapel in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.The station is in Travelcard Zone 1... |
6 October 1884 | ||
| Whitechapel | 6 October 1884 | ||
| Stepney Green Stepney Green tube station Stepney Green is a London Underground station on the District and Hammersmith and City lines, located on the junction of Globe Road and Mile End Road in the Stepney area of east London, United Kingdom.-History:... |
 |
1902 | |
| Mile End Mile End tube station Mile End is a London Underground station in Tower Hamlets, East London, served by the Hammersmith & City, District and Central Lines. It is in Travelcard Zone 2.-History:... |
 |
1902 | |
| Bow Road Bow Road tube station Bow Road tube station is on the District and Hammersmith & City lines of the London Underground. It is on Bow Road in Bow, east London, about 300 metres from Bow Church DLR station and is in fare zone 2... |
 |
1902 | |
| Bromley-by-Bow Bromley-by-Bow tube station Bromley-by-Bow tube station is a London Underground station on the Blackwall Tunnel Northern Approach Road in the Bromley-by-Bow neighbourhood of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in east London, England. The station is on the District and Hammersmith & City lines, with both services sharing a... |
 |
1858 | Service for the Hammersmith and City line began in 1936 |
| West Ham West Ham station West Ham station is an interchange station located on the corner of Manor Road and Memorial Avenue in the West Ham neighbourhood of the London Borough of Newham in east London, England. The station is served by London Underground, National Rail and Docklands Light Railway services... |
 |
1 February 1901 | New centre siding to be constructed for Hammersmith and City line trains |
| Plaistow Plaistow tube station Plaistow station is a London Underground station on the District and Hammersmith and City lines, located in Plaistow and West Ham, east London. It is in Zone 3.... |
 |
1858 | Service for the Hammersmith and City line began in 1936 |
| Upton Park Upton Park tube station Upton Park station is a London Underground station on the District and Hammersmith and City lines, on Green Street in the Upton Park area of the London Borough of Newham, east London. It is in Zone 3.... |
 |
1877 | Service for the Hammersmith and City line began in 1936 |
| East Ham East Ham tube station East Ham tube station is a London Underground station on the District and Hammersmith and City lines, located in East Ham, east London. It is in both Zone 3 and Zone 4. The station exit is on High Street North.... |
 |
1858 | Service for the Hammersmith and City line began in 1988 |
| Barking Barking station Barking station is a railway station served by National Rail and London Underground services. It is located in Barking in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham in east London, England. The station is in Zone 4, has nine platforms, and is managed by c2c. It has been proposed that ownership of... |
 |
1854 | Service for the Hammersmith and City line began in 1936 |
Changes in December 2009
Between Hammersmith and Edgware Road, the service has been supplemented by Circle line trains since 13 December 2009, when that route changed from its previous orbital route. This is intended to cause fewer delays since, under the previous Circle line arrangements, one delayed train would affect all following trains. Having a terminus at Edgware Road, rather than the continuous orbital route, will avoid this.The Hammersmith & City line continues to run as a separate route, with trains running to Barking and Plaistow in the east. The headway
Headway
Headway is a measurement of the distance/time between vehicles in a transit system. The precise definition varies depending on the application, but it is most commonly measured as the distance from the tip of one vehicle to the tip of the next one behind it, expressed as the time it will take for...
on the Hammersmith – Edgware Road leg has been reduced from seven to four minutes by this schedule change, and the alternation of Hammersmith & City with Circle trains will now provide 12 trains per hour at peak times on this section, doubling the previous frequency.