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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 and the third busiest overall on the Underground network. Out of the 60 stations served, 25 are underground. Two of the four (Richmond and Wimbledon) western branches of the route are also the only lines across the entire network to cross the Thames by bridge and not by tunnel. Although the District line is only the fourth longest line on the network, it serves more stations than any other line.

History[]

The District line was built by the Metropolitan District Railway (MDR) and opened in stages from 1868. The MDR was later bought by Charles Yerkes, forming part of the "Underground" group until it was nationalised in the 1930s. It had branches to Uxbridge and Hounslow West, but both are now operated by the Piccadilly line. Eastbound services ran as far as the seaside town of Southend-on-Sea in Essex from 1 June 1910 and to Shoeburyness from 1911, until 30 September 1939. Between 1 March 1883 and 30 September 1885 the line also served stations from Ealing Broadway to Windsor, running on the Great Western Main Line.

Trains[]

Most of the District line's services use sub-surface D stock, although the Wimbledon to Edgware Road service uses S7 stock due to shorter platform lengths between High Street Kensington and Edgware Road. The D stock has been refurbished, having received the standard Underground livery of red, white and blue, replacing the previous unpainted aluminium finish which is prone to damage by graffiti vandals. The stock also received a complete interior refurbishment and was fitted with CCTV and passenger information displays. The trains are maintained at Ealing Common Depot and Upminster Depot.

Map[]

District Line Map

Geographically accurate map of the District line

Stations[]

In order from west to east

Richmond branch[]

Station Zone Local Authority Opened Interchange
Richmond 4 Richmond-upon-Thames 1 October 1877 London Overground, National Rail Services
Kew Gardens 3/4 Richmond-upon-Thames 1 October 1877 London Overground
Gunnersbury 3 Hounslow 1 October 1877 London Overground

Ealing Broadway branch[]

Station Zone Local Authority Opened Interchange
Ealing Broadway 3 Ealing 1 July 1879 Central Line, Elizabeth Line, National Rail Services
Ealing Common 3 Ealing 1 July 1879 Piccadilly Line
Acton Town 3 Ealing 1 July 1879 Piccadilly Line
Chiswick Park 3 Ealing 1 July 1879

Main line (merging of Richmond and Ealing branches)[]

Station Zone Local Authority Opened Interchange
Turnham Green 2/3 Hounslow 1 January 1869 Piccadilly Line
Stamford Brook 2 Hounslow 1 February 1912
Ravenscourt Park 2 Hammersmith & Fulham 1 April 1873
Hammersmith 2 Hammersmith & Fulham 15 December 1906 Piccadilly Line
Barons Court 2 Hammersmith & Fulham 15 December 1906 Piccadilly Line
West Kensington 2 Hammersmith & Fulham 9 September 1874

Wimbledon branch (joins main line at Earl's Court)[]

Station Zone Local Authority Opened Interchange
Wimbledon 3 Merton 21 May 1838 Tramlink, National Rail Services, Crossrail 2
Wimbledon Park 3 Merton 3 June 1889
Southfields 3 Wandsworth 3 June 1889
East Putney 2/3 Wandsworth 3 June 1889
Putney Bridge 2 Hammersmith & Fulham 1 March 1880
Parsons Green 2 Hammersmith & Fulham 1 March 1880
Fulham Broadway 2 Hammersmith & Fulham 1 March 1880
West Brompton 2 Kensington & Chelsea 12 April 1869 London Overground, National Rail Services
The Wimbledon branch joins the main line west of Earl's Court

Kensington (Olympia) branch[]

Station Zone Local Authority Opened Interchange
Kensington (Olympia) 2 Kensington & Chelsea 2 June 1862 London Overground, National Rail Services
joins the main line west of Earl's Court, trains normally run to High Street Kensington

Edgware Road branch (joins main line at Earl's Court)[]

Station Zone Local Authority Opened Interchange
High Street Kensington 1 Kensington & Chelsea 1 October 1868 Circle Line
Notting Hill Gate 1/2 Kensington & Chelsea 1 October 1868 Central Line, Circle Line
Bayswater 1 Westminster 1 October 1868 Circle Line
Paddington 1 Westminster 1 October 1868 Bakerloo Line, Circle Line, Hammersmith & City Line, Elizabeth Line, National Rail Services
Edgware Road 1 Westminster 1 October 1863 Circle Line, Hammersmith & City Line

Main line[]

Station Zone Local Authority Opened Interchange
Earl's Court 1/2 Kensington & Chelsea 15 December 1906 Piccadilly Line
Gloucester Road 1 Kensington & Chelsea 1 October 1868 Circle Line, Piccadilly Line
South Kensington 1 Kensington & Chelsea 24 December 1868 Circle Line, Piccadilly Line
Sloane Square 1 Kensington & Chelsea 24 December 1868 Circle Line
Victoria 1 Westminster 24 December 1868 Circle Line, Victoria Line, National Rail Services
St. James's Park 1 Westminster 24 December 1868 Circle Line
Westminster 1 Westminster 24 December 1868 Circle Line, Jubilee Line
Embankment 1 Westminster 30 May 1870 Bakerloo Line, Circle Line, Northern Line
Temple 1 Westminster 30 May 1870 Circle Line
Blackfriars 1 City of London 30 May 1870 Circle Line, National Rail Services
Mansion House 1 City of London 3 July 1871 Circle Line
Cannon Street 1 City of London 6 October 1884 Circle Line
Monument 1 City of London 6 October 1884 Central Line, Circle Line, Northern Line, Waterloo & City Line, DLR
Tower Hill 1 Tower Hamlets 25 September 1882 Circle Line
Aldgate East 1 Tower Hamlets 6 October 1884 Hammersmith & City Line
Whitechapel 2 Tower Hamlets 6 October 1884 Hammersmith & City Line, London Overground, Elizabeth Line
Stepney Green 2 Tower Hamlets 1902 Hammersmith & City Line
Mile End 2 Tower Hamlets 1902 Hammersmith & City Line, Central Line
Bow Road 2 Tower Hamlets 1902 Hammersmith & City Line
Bromley-by-Bow 2/3 Tower Hamlets 1858 Hammersmith & City Line
West Ham 2/3 Newham 1 February 1901 Hammersmith & City Line, Jubilee Line, DLR, National Rail Services
Plaistow 3 Newham 1858 Hammersmith & City Line
Upton Park 3 Newham 1877 Hammersmith & City Line
East Ham 3/4 Newham 1858 Hammersmith & City Line
Barking 4 Barking and Dagenham 1854 Hammersmith & City Line, London Overground, National Rail Services
Upney 4 Barking and Dagenham 1932
Becontree 5 Barking and Dagenham 1932
Dagenham Heathway 5 Barking and Dagenham 1932
Dagenham East 5 Barking and Dagenham 1885
Elm Park 6 Havering 1935
Hornchurch 6 Havering 1885
Upminster Bridge 6 Havering 17 December 1934
Upminster 6 Havering 1885 London Overground, National Rail Services

Closed stations[]

Current service pattern[]

The following off-peak service pattern currently runs on the District line

  • 6 trains per hour Ealing Broadway - Tower Hill
  • 6 trains per hour Richmond - Upminster
  • 6 trains per hour Wimbledon - Upminster
  • 6 trains per hour Wimbledon - Edgware Road
  • 4 trains per hour Kensington (Olympia) - High Street Kensington

Safety[]

In early 2009, three safety failures occurred on the line. All of them were recorded to have involved trains which passed signals showing red. In August 2009 it was reported that the line had been given a period of less than a month to improve safety features or face possible legal action, involving temporary line closures.

Interavailabilty[]

c2c also serves Upminster, Barking, West Ham and Fenchurch Street (for Tower Hill). Tickets are interavailable between the two operators with Oyster cards (including pay as you go) accepted on this part of c2c's route. South West Trains services occasionally operate on the Wimbledon Branch between East Putney and Wimbledon, often due to engineering works or problems on the mainline, although trains do not stop at any of the intermediate stations.

In popular culture[]

  • The fictional Walford East tube station in the BBC television series EastEnders is on the District line, taking the place of Bromley-by-Bow. From 4 February 2010 EastEnders will use shots of District line trains to superimpose on their episodes to show the trains running into the fictional station of Walford East which is part of the set.
  • Sheffield band Milburn wrote a song called 'The District Line' which refers to London.

References[]

See also[]

External links[]

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