Widened Lines
Encyclopedia
The Widened Lines is the name of a group of railway routes that currently form part of the Thameslink
network leading from King's Cross/St. Pancras to Moorgate within Central London
.
built the world's first underground railway between Paddington
and Farringdon station
in January 1863 (now part of the Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines), plans to extend the railway to Moorgate
were already under development. As part of these plans, an extra set of dual tracks was proposed and built during the late 1860s, opening in 1868.
The Widened Lines were built as a means of allowing through trains between the Great Northern Railway
and the London, Chatham and Dover Railway
through the Snow Hill tunnel
. This running initially allowed two separate routes both northbound and southbound:
The closure of the Snow Hill tunnel to passenger services after 1916 saw these options reduced, with the Widened Lines route terminating at Moorgate. In 1976, services from Finsbury Park
to Moorgate via the Widened Lines ended, with these services instead diverted on to the newly acquired Northern City Line
, leaving the route via St Pancras as the last remaining element of the network. In 1989, passenger services through the Snow Hill tunnel from Blackfriars
restarted, which led to the reduction of services to Moorgate only to peak hours. In 2009, the route into Moorgate closed to allow the platforms at Farringdon station
to be extended over the junction as part of the "Thameslink Programme
" project. The last passenger train down the Moorgate branch comprised units 319364 and 319365, in "Thameslink Programme" promotional livery. The closed branch remained accessible for empty coaching stock movements until December 2009 when Network Rail removed the track.
Thameslink
Thameslink is a fifty-station main-line route in the British railway system running north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than...
network leading from King's Cross/St. Pancras to Moorgate within Central London
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...
.
History
After the Metropolitan RailwayMetropolitan railway
Metropolitan Railway can refer to:* Metropolitan line, part of the London Underground* Metropolitan Railway, the first underground railway to be built in London...
built the world's first underground railway between Paddington
Paddington
Paddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
and Farringdon station
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...
in January 1863 (now part of the Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines), plans to extend the railway to Moorgate
Moorgate
Moorgate was a postern in the London Wall originally built by the Romans. It was turned into a gate in the 15th century. Though the gate was demolished in 1762, the name survives as a major street in the City of London...
were already under development. As part of these plans, an extra set of dual tracks was proposed and built during the late 1860s, opening in 1868.
The Widened Lines were built as a means of allowing through trains between the Great Northern Railway
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
and the London, Chatham and Dover Railway
London, Chatham and Dover Railway
The London, Chatham and Dover Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1859 until the 1923 grouping which united it with other companies to form the Southern Railway. Its lines ran through London and northern and eastern Kent to form a significant part of the Greater London...
through the Snow Hill tunnel
Snow Hill tunnel
Snow Hill Tunnel is a railway tunnel on the northern edge of the City of London between City Thameslink and Farringdon stations. The tunnel runs beneath the Smithfield meat market and was constructed using the cut and cover method immediately prior to the building of the market...
. This running initially allowed two separate routes both northbound and southbound:
- Southbound trains could either travel through the Snow Hill tunnel to Ludgate Viaduct, and then across the River ThamesRiver ThamesThe River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, or proceed into MoorgateMoorgate 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...
. - Northbound trains could travel onto the GNR lines via King's Cross, or on to the Midland Railway via St Pancras.
The closure of the Snow Hill tunnel to passenger services after 1916 saw these options reduced, with the Widened Lines route terminating at Moorgate. In 1976, services from Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park station
Finsbury Park Station is a busy transport interchange in North London. The interchange consists of an interconnected National Rail station, London Underground station and two bus stations. The main entrances are by the eastern bus station on Station Place...
to Moorgate via the Widened Lines ended, with these services instead diverted on to the newly acquired Northern City Line
Northern City Line
The Northern City Line is a railway line from Moorgate to Finsbury Park in London, once part of the Great Northern Electrics line. It should not be confused with the City branch of the Northern line, nor with the North London Line...
, leaving the route via St Pancras as the last remaining element of the network. In 1989, passenger services through the Snow Hill tunnel from Blackfriars
Blackfriars station
Blackfriars 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...
restarted, which led to the reduction of services to Moorgate only to peak hours. In 2009, the route into Moorgate closed to allow the platforms at Farringdon station
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...
to be extended over the junction as part of the "Thameslink Programme
Thameslink Programme
The Thameslink Programme, originally Thameslink 2000, is a £6 billion project in south-east England to upgrade and expand the Thameslink rail network to provide new and longer trains between a wider range of stations to the north and to the south of London without requiring passengers to change...
" project. The last passenger train down the Moorgate branch comprised units 319364 and 319365, in "Thameslink Programme" promotional livery. The closed branch remained accessible for empty coaching stock movements until December 2009 when Network Rail removed the track.
External links
- London's Snow Hill Tunnel
- Diagrams showing the Hotel Curve/York Way Curve and Midland connections. These show the development of the various interconnections between the what are now the Circle Line, ThameslinkThameslinkThameslink is a fifty-station main-line route in the British railway system running north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than...
, East Coast Main LineEast Coast Main LineThe East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
and Midland Main LineMidland Main LineThe Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
in the area underneath King's Cross and St. Pancras.