Middle Circle
Encyclopedia
The Middle Circle was a railway route in London
which operated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries over tracks which are now mainly part of the London Underground
. Although not actually a circle or even a complete circuit, the route circumnavigated the centre of the Victorian
capital and the name was used to reflect its similarity to the existing Inner Circle route with which it partly shared tracks.
(MDR) over their own tracks and also those of the Metropolitan Railway
(MR) and the West London Railway (WLR). The Middle Circle used existing rail lines and shared operations with the other services provided by the railway companies.
The service commenced operations on 1 August 1872. It initially ran between Moorgate Street (now Moorgate
) and Mansion House
, then the two termini of the unfinished Inner Circle. From Moorgate Street the Middle Circle ran westwards via the MR's tracks on the north side of the Inner Circle to Bishops Road (now Paddington
), then the H&CR's tracks to Latimer Road
and, via a now demolished link, on to the WLR to reach Addison Road (now Kensington (Olympia)
) where it joined the MDR's tracks to Earl's Court
and then eastward along the south side of the Inner Circle from Gloucester Road
to end at Mansion House.
When the MR extended the north side of the Inner Circle eastward from Moorgate, the Middle Circle followed suit. Bishopsgate (now Liverpool Street
) became the terminus on 12 July 1875 and then Aldgate
took the role from 4 December 1876.
From 1 July 1900, Middle Circle services were truncated at Earl's Court and that station became the southern terminus. The route was shortened again from 1 February 1905; terminating at Addison Road. On 4 November 1906, the Middle Circle service effectively ended, although MR and MDR trains on other services continued to serve all parts of the route.
Passenger services on the WLR were ended on 19 October 1940 following bomb damage to other stations on the line. The link between Latimer Road and the WLR was closed at the same time and was demolished in the 1960s to make way for the construction of the West Cross Route
motorway.
As just one of a number of services operated by the H&CR and MDR, the Middle Circle route did not appear separately on rail maps of the period. Although the service had been discontinued by the time the first coordinated tube map
s were produced at the start of the 20th century it is unlikely that the route would have been specifically indicated - the Inner Circle itself was never specifically shown on the map and only began to be shown from 1947 as the Circle Line.
The following stations were served at various times by the Middle Circle route:
With the exception of the closed Uxbridge Road, all stations continue to be served by the Circle, District
or Hammersmith & City
Lines.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
which operated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries over tracks which are now mainly part of the London Underground
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...
. Although not actually a circle or even a complete circuit, the route circumnavigated the centre of the Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
capital and the name was used to reflect its similarity to the existing Inner Circle route with which it partly shared tracks.
Route
The Middle Circle route was operated by the Hammersmith and City Railway (H&CR) and the Metropolitan District RailwayMetropolitan District Railway
The Metropolitan District Railway was the predecessor of the District line of the London Underground. Set up on 29 July 1864, at first to complete the "Inner Circle" railway around central London, it was gradually extended into the suburbs...
(MDR) over their own tracks and also those of the Metropolitan Railway
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...
(MR) and the West London Railway (WLR). The Middle Circle used existing rail lines and shared operations with the other services provided by the railway companies.
The service commenced operations on 1 August 1872. It initially ran between Moorgate Street (now 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...
) and Mansion House
Mansion House tube station
Mansion House is a London Underground station in the City of London, near Mansion House . It is a sub-surface station served by trains on the Circle and District Lines. It is between Blackfriars and Cannon Street stations. The station is located at the junction of Queen Victoria Street and Cannon...
, then the two termini of the unfinished Inner Circle. From Moorgate Street the Middle Circle ran westwards via the MR's tracks on the north side of the Inner Circle to Bishops Road (now 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...
), then the H&CR's tracks to 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...
and, via a now demolished link, on to the WLR to reach Addison Road (now Kensington (Olympia)
Kensington (Olympia) station
Kensington station is a station in West London managed and served by London Overground and also served by Southern and London Underground. It is in Travelcard Zone 2...
) where it joined the MDR's tracks to Earl's Court
Earl's Court tube station
Earl's Court tube station is a London Underground station in Earls Court. The station is located between Earls Court Road and Warwick Road . It is on the boundary of Travelcard Zone 1 and 2 and is in both zones....
and then eastward along the south side of the Inner Circle from Gloucester Road
Gloucester Road tube station
-Deep-level station:By the beginning of the 20th century, the MDR had been extended to Richmond, Ealing Broadway, Hounslow West and Wimbledon in the west and to New Cross Gate in the east...
to end at Mansion House.
When the MR extended the north side of the Inner Circle eastward from Moorgate, the Middle Circle followed suit. Bishopsgate (now 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...
) became the terminus on 12 July 1875 and then Aldgate
Aldgate tube station
Aldgate tube station is a London Underground station located at Aldgate in the City of London.The station is on the Circle Line between Tower Hill and Liverpool Street. It is also the eastern terminus of the Metropolitan Line...
took the role from 4 December 1876.
From 1 July 1900, Middle Circle services were truncated at Earl's Court and that station became the southern terminus. The route was shortened again from 1 February 1905; terminating at Addison Road. On 4 November 1906, the Middle Circle service effectively ended, although MR and MDR trains on other services continued to serve all parts of the route.
Passenger services on the WLR were ended on 19 October 1940 following bomb damage to other stations on the line. The link between Latimer Road and the WLR was closed at the same time and was demolished in the 1960s to make way for the construction of the West Cross Route
West Cross Route
The West Cross Route is a short, dual carriageway section of the A3220 route in central London in The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, with a small part being shared with borderlining borough Hammersmith and Fulham. It runs north-south between the northern elevated roundabout junction...
motorway.
As just one of a number of services operated by the H&CR and MDR, the Middle Circle route did not appear separately on rail maps of the period. Although the service had been discontinued by the time the first coordinated 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....
s were produced at the start of the 20th century it is unlikely that the route would have been specifically indicated - the Inner Circle itself was never specifically shown on the map and only began to be shown from 1947 as the Circle Line.
Stations
- from 4 December 1876 until 4 November 1906
- AldgateAldgate tube stationAldgate tube station is a London Underground station located at Aldgate in the City of London.The station is on the Circle Line between Tower Hill and Liverpool Street. It is also the eastern terminus of the Metropolitan Line...
- Aldgate
- from 12 July 1875 until 4 November 1906
- BishopsgateLiverpool Street stationLiverpool 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...
(now Liverpool Street)
- Bishopsgate
- from 1 August 1872 until 4 November 1906
- Moorgate StreetMoorgate stationMoorgate 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...
(now Moorgate) - Aldersgate StreetBarbican stationBarbican is a London Underground station serving the Barbican Estate and Centre in the City of London. It is on the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines between and , in Travelcard Zone 1. Thameslink trains to and from Moorgate via Barbican ceased in March 2009.-History:The station...
(now Barbican) - Farringdon StreetFarringdon stationFarringdon station is a London Underground and National Rail station in Clerkenwell, just north of the City of London in the London Borough of Islington...
(now Farringdon) - King's CrossKing's Cross St. Pancras tube stationKing'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...
(now King's Cross St Pancras) - Gower StreetEuston Square tube stationEuston 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...
(now Euston Square) - Portland RoadGreat Portland Street tube stationGreat Portland Street is a London Underground station near Regent's Park. It is between and on the Hammersmith & City, Circle and Metropolitan lines...
(now Great Portland Street) - Baker StreetBaker Street tube stationBaker 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...
- Edgware RoadEdgware Road tube stationEdgware 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...
- Bishops RoadPaddington stationPaddington 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...
(now Paddington) - Royal OakRoyal Oak tube stationRoyal 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...
- Westbourne ParkWestbourne Park tube stationWestbourne 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...
- Notting HillLadbroke Grove tube stationLadbroke 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 ....
(now Ladbroke Grove) - Latimer RoadLatimer Road tube stationLatimer Road Station is a London Underground station in North Kensington on the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines between Wood Lane and Ladbroke Grove stations...
- Uxbridge RoadUxbridge Road tube stationUxbridge Road was a London Underground station on a branch of the Metropolitan Line. It was located at the eastern end of the Uxbridge Road in Shepherd's Bush, west London, UK, just before the start of Holland Park Avenue, a short distance from Shepherd's Bush station on the Central Line...
(closed) - Addison RoadKensington (Olympia) stationKensington station is a station in West London managed and served by London Overground and also served by Southern and London Underground. It is in Travelcard Zone 2...
(now Kensington (Olympia))
- Moorgate Street
- from 1 August 1872 until 31 January 1905
- Earl's CourtEarl's Court tube stationEarl's Court tube station is a London Underground station in Earls Court. The station is located between Earls Court Road and Warwick Road . It is on the boundary of Travelcard Zone 1 and 2 and is in both zones....
- Earl's Court
- from 1 August 1872 until 30 June 1900
- Brompton (Gloucester Road)Gloucester Road tube station-Deep-level station:By the beginning of the 20th century, the MDR had been extended to Richmond, Ealing Broadway, Hounslow West and Wimbledon in the west and to New Cross Gate in the east...
(now Gloucester Road) - South KensingtonSouth Kensington tube stationSouth Kensington is a London Underground station in Kensington, west London. It is served by the District, Circle and Piccadilly lines. On the District and Circle lines, the station is between Gloucester Road and Sloane Square, and on the Piccadilly Line, it is between Gloucester Road and...
- Sloane SquareSloane Square tube stationSloane Square is a London Underground station in Sloane Square, in the Chelsea district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is served by the District and Circle Lines and is between South Kensington and Victoria. It is in Travelcard Zone 1....
- VictoriaVictoria station (London)Victoria station, also known as London Victoria, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. It is named after nearby Victoria Street and not Queen Victoria. It is the second busiest railway terminus in London after Waterloo, and includes an air terminal for passengers...
- St. James's ParkSt. James's Park tube stationSt James's Park is a London Underground station near St James's Park in the City of Westminster. It is served by the District and Circle Lines and is between Victoria and Westminster stations. It is in Travelcard Zone 1....
- Westminster BridgeWestminster tube stationWestminster is a London Underground station in the City of Westminster. It is served by the Circle, District and Jubilee lines. On the Circle and District lines, the station is between St. James's Park and Embankment and, on the Jubilee line it is between Green Park and Waterloo. It is in...
(now Westminster) - Charing CrossEmbankment tube stationEmbankment is a London Underground station in the City of Westminster, known by various names during its history. It is served by the Circle, District, Northern and Bakerloo lines. On the Northern and Bakerloo lines, the station is between Waterloo and Charing Cross stations; on the Circle and...
(now Embankment) - TempleTemple tube stationTemple is a London Underground station in the City of Westminster, between Victoria Embankment and Temple Place. It is on the Circle and District lines between Embankment and Blackfriars and is in Travelcard Zone 1. The station entrance is from Victoria Embankment...
- BlackfriarsBlackfriars stationBlackfriars station, also known as London Blackfriars, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the City of London, England. Its platforms will eventually span the River Thames a short distance downstream from Blackfriars Bridge. The current entrance is located on the...
- Mansion HouseMansion House tube stationMansion House is a London Underground station in the City of London, near Mansion House . It is a sub-surface station served by trains on the Circle and District Lines. It is between Blackfriars and Cannon Street stations. The station is located at the junction of Queen Victoria Street and Cannon...
- Brompton (Gloucester Road)
With the exception of the closed Uxbridge Road, all stations continue to be served by the Circle, District
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...
or Hammersmith & City
Hammersmith & City Line
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...
Lines.