Piccadilly line

The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground. It is coloured dark blue on the Tube map. It is the fifth busiest line on the Underground network judged by the number of passengers transported per year. It is mainly a deep-level line, running from the north to the west of London via all different 6 zones on the London railway fare system. However, there are a number of surface sections mostly in its westernmost parts. Out of the 53 stations served, 25 are underground. It is the second longest line on the system, after the Central Line.

Piccadilly line
A Piccadilly line train at Russell Square
Overview
Stations	53
Colour on map	Dark blue
Website	tfl.gov.uk
Service
Type	Rapid transit
System	London Underground
Depot(s)	Cockfosters Northfields
Rolling stock	1973 Stock
Ridership	210.169 million (2011/12)[1] passenger journeys
History
Opened	15 December 1906
Last extension	2008
Technical
Line length	71 km (44 mi)
Character	Deep Tube
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Transport for London rail lines London Underground Bakerloo Central Circle District Hammersmith & City Jubilee Metropolitan Northern Piccadilly Victoria Waterloo & City Other systems Crossrail DLR London Trams London Overground TfL Rail v t e

Infrastructure

Rolling stock

Piccadilly line trains of 1973 stock at Rayners Lane station

Like all Underground lines, the Piccadilly line is operated by a single type of rolling stock. In this case it is the 1973 tube stock. The trains are painted in the standard London Underground livery of blue, white and red. Seventy-six trains out of a fleet of 88 are needed to run the line's peak service. One unit (166-566-366) was severely damaged by the terrorist attacks on 7 July 2025. The stock was recently refurbished, and was due for replacement by 2014,^[2] but the order for new trains was cancelled in July 2010.^[3]

The line was previously worked by 1959 stock, 1956 stock, 1938 stock, standard tube stock and 1906 gate stock.

The line has two depots, at Northfields^{55 map 55} and Cockfosters.^{54 map 54} There are sidings at Oakwood, South Harrow, Arnos Grove, Rayners Lane, Down Street, Wood Green, Barons Court, Acton Town, Ruislip and Uxbridge.

Signalling

The line is controlled from the control centre at Earl's Court, which it used to share with the District line. It is in need of resignalling, and this work is planned to be carried out by 2014.

Service pattern

The current off-peak service pattern is:

6 trains per hour Cockfosters – Heathrow Terminal 5 (via Terminals 1, 2, 3)

6 trains per hour Cockfosters – Heathrow Terminal 4 (returning around the loop and serving Terminals 1, 2, 3)

3 trains per hour Cockfosters – Uxbridge

3 trains per hour Cockfosters – Rayners Lane

6 trains per hour Arnos Grove – Northfields

Often late evening services terminate at Oakwood instead of Cockfosters.

Trains will also make an additional stop at Turnham Green during early mornings and late evenings but will not stop at the station during the main part of the day.

Other services operate at times, especially at the start and towards the end of the traffic day.

Map

Geographically accurate path of the Piccadilly line

Easier Versions can be found http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/standard-tube-map.gif Archived 2008-05-27 at the Wayback Machine

Stations

v t e Piccadilly Line
Legend
Cockfosters   Cockfosters depot   Oakwood Southgate Arnos Grove Arnos Grove sidings Bounds Green Wood Green Turnpike Lane Harringay (St. Ann's Road) proposed but never built Manor House Finsbury Park to Victoria line Arsenal Holloway Road Caledonian Road York Road King's Cross St. Pancras to Northern line Russell Square Holborn Aldwych Covent Garden Leicester Square Piccadilly Circus Green Park Down Street Hyde Park Corner Knightsbridge Brompton Road South Kensington Gloucester Road Earl's Court District line to Edgware Road Barons Court Hammersmith Non-stop section Non-stop section Ravenscourt Park () Stamford Brook () Turnham Green () limited Piccadilly line services District line to Richmond Chiswick Park () Acton works Acton Town Ealing Common depot Ealing Common Great Western Main Line to London Paddington to Bristol Central line via Bank to Ealing Broadway District line to Ealing Broadway North Ealing Park Royal Central line via Bank to West Ruislip Acton–Northolt Line   Park Royal & Twyford Abbey River Brent Grand Union Canal (Paddington branch) Alperton Sudbury Town Sudbury Hill Chiltern Main Line to Marylebone via South Ruislip South Harrow Metropolitan line to Aldgate Rayners Lane joint with Metropolitan line joint with Metropolitan line Eastcote Ruislip Manor Ruislip Chiltern Main Line via West Ruislip to Marylebone Central line to West Ruislip via Bank to Ruislip Central line depot Ickenham Hillingdon Uxbridge depot Uxbridge (original site) Uxbridge South Ealing Northfields Northfields depot Boston Manor M4 motorway Grand Junction Canal Brentford Branch Line Osterley & Spring Grove Osterley Hounslow East │ Hounslow Town Hounslow Central Hounslow West River Crane Hatton Cross Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 Heathrow Terminal 4 Heathrow Terminal 5

Notice explaining about step-free access. This can be found inside every Piccadilly line train.

Notice explaining alternative routes to Covent Garden. This can be found inside every Piccadilly line train.

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(In order from east to west.)

Cockfosters branch

Cockfosters branch
Station	Image	Opened	Additional information
Cockfosters		31 July 1933	One of the two depots is located here1 map 1
Oakwood		13 March 1933	Opened as Enfield West; renamed Enfield West Oakwood 3 May 1934; renamed 1 September 19462 map 2
Southgate		13 March 1933	in deep-level tunnel3 map 3
Arnos Grove		19 September 1932	Trains may terminate here: there are several sidings for stabling trains4 map 4
Tunnel section commences
Bounds Green		19 September 1932	5 map 5
Wood Green		19 September 1932	6 map 6
Turnpike Lane		19 September 1932	7 map 7
Manor House		19 September 1932	8 map 8
Original Section
Finsbury Park		15 December 1906	9 map 9
Arsenal		15 December 1906	Opened as Gillespie Road; renamed Arsenal (Highbury Hill) 31 October 1932; the suffix was later dropped in 196010 map 10
Holloway Road		15 December 1906	11 map 11
Caledonian Road		15 December 1906	12 map 12
King's Cross St. Pancras		15 December 1906	Opened as King's Cross; renamed King's Cross for St. Pancras 1927; renamed 193313 map 13
Russell Square		15 December 1906	14 map 14
Holborn		15 December 1906	Renamed Holborn (Kingsway) 22 May 1933; the suffix was later dropped.15 map 15
Covent Garden		11 April 1907	16 map 16
Leicester Square		15 December 1906	17 map 17
Piccadilly Circus		15 December 1906	18 map 18
Green Park		15 December 1906	Opened as Dover Street; renamed 18 September 193319 map 19
Hyde Park Corner		15 December 1906	In the event of disruption, trains may terminate here via a crossover20 map 20
Knightsbridge		15 December 1906	21 map 21
South Kensington		8 January 1907	22 map 22
Gloucester Road		15 December 1906	23 map 23
Earl's Court		15 December 1906	24 map 24
Tunnel section ends
Barons Court		15 December 1906	25 map 25
Hammersmith		15 December 1906	26 map 26

Extension to Hounslow and Uxbridge

Extension to Hounslow and Uxbridge
Station	Image	Opened	Additional information
Turnham Green		1 January 1869	Originally the London and South Western Railway; first served by the Piccadilly line 23 June 196327 map 27
Acton Town		1 July 1879	Originally the Metropolitan District Railway, later District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 4 July 193228 map 28
The line splits here into two branches – the Heathrow branch and the Uxbridge branch.

Heathrow branch

Continuing from Acton Town
Station	Image	Opened	Additional information
South Ealing		1 May 1883	Originally the Metropolitan District Railway, later District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 29 April 193529 map 29
Northfields		16 April 1908	Originally the District line (one of the two depots is here and some trains terminate here); first served by the Piccadilly line 9 January 193330 map 30
Boston Manor		1 May 1883	Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 13 March 193331 map 31
Osterley		23 March 1934	32 map 32
Hounslow East		2 May 1909	Opened as Hounslow Town by the District line renamed 1 December 1925; first served by the Piccadilly line 13 March 193333 map 33
Hounslow Central		1 April 1886	Opened as Heston-Hounslow by the District line, renamed 1 December 1925; first served by the Piccadilly line 13 March 193334 map 34
Tunnel section recommences
Hounslow West		21 July 1884	Opened as Hounslow Barracks by the District line, renamed 1 December 1925; first served by the Piccadilly line 13 March 1933, resited 19 July 197535 map 35
Hatton Cross		19 July 1975	36 map 36
Heathrow Terminal 4		12 April 1986	37 map 37
Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3		16 December 1977	Opened as Heathrow Central; renamed Heathrow Central Terminals 1,2,3 on 3 September 1983; renamed 12 April 198638 map 38
Heathrow Terminal 5		27 March 2008	39 map 39
Just beyond Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 tube station, the line goes into a new section to serve Heathrow Terminal 5 tube station, which opened in March 2008. Half of all Heathrow trains use the loop and serve Terminal 4 and the other half omit Terminal 4 and serve Terminal 5.[4]

Uxbridge branch

Continuing from Acton Town
Station	Image	Opened	Additional information
Ealing Common		1 July 1879	Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 4 July 193240 map 40
North Ealing		23 June 1903	Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 4 July 193241 map 41
Park Royal		6 July 1931	Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 4 July 1932; renamed Park Royal (Hanger Hill) 1 March 1936; renamed 194742 map 42
Alperton		28 June 1903	Opened as Perivale-Alperton by the District line; renamed 7 October 1910; first served by the Piccadilly line 4 July 193243 map 43
Sudbury Town		28 June 1903	Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 4 July 193244 map 44
Sudbury Hill ( Sudbury Hill Harrow)		28 June 1903	Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 4 July 193245 map 45
South Harrow		28 June 1903	Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 4 July 1932; closed when re-located 4 July 1935; re-opened 5 July 193546 map 46
Rayners Lane		1 March 1910	Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 23 October 1933 (from here to Uxbridge trains share track with Metropolitan line, and some trains terminate here)47 map 47
Eastcote		1 March 1910	Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 23 October 193348 map 48
Ruislip Manor		5 August 1912	Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 23 October 193349 map 49
Ruislip		1 March 1910	Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 23 October 1933 (some trains terminate here in Monday-Friday peak hours)50 map 50
Ickenham		1 March 1910	Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 23 October 193351 map 51
Hillingdon		10 December 1923	Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 23 October 1933; renamed Hillingdon (Swakeleys) April 1934; the suffix was later dropped; closed when re-located 5 December 1992; re-opened 6 December 199252 map 52
Uxbridge		1 March 1910	Terminus. Originally the District line; first served by the Piccadilly line 23 October 1933; closed when re-located 3 December 1938; re-opened 4 December 193853 map 53

Closed stations

The Aldwych branch

• Aldwych opened on 30 November 1907 as the Strand tube station. It was at the end of a branch line from the main line at Holborn. An evening through-northbound 'Theatre' train ran until 1910. From 1917 onwards, it was served only by a shuttle from Holborn. In the same year it was renamed Aldwych when Charing Cross on the Northern line was renamed Strand. It was temporarily closed in 1940 during World War II to be used as an air-raid shelter. It re-opened in 1946. The possibility of extending the branch to Waterloo was discussed, but the scheme never proceeded.^[5] Aldwych was finally closed on 30 September 1994; the level of use was said to be too low to justify the £1 million in estimated costs of a complete replacement of the lifts. The station is regularly used by film makers.
• Brompton Road opened 15 December 1906; closed 30 July 1934, between Knightsbridge and South Kensington.
• Down Street opened 15 December 1906; closed 21 May 1932, between Green Park and Hyde Park Corner.
• Osterley & Spring Grove first served 13 March 1933; closed 24 March 1934 between Boston Manor and Hounslow East. It was replaced by Osterley.
• Park Royal & Twyford Abbey opened 23 June 1903; closed 5 July 1931. Although on the route of the current Piccadilly line, a short distance north of the present Park Royal station, it was never served by Piccadilly line trains. It was opened by the District line, the original operator of the line between Ealing Common and South Harrow, and was closed and replaced by the present Park Royal station before the Piccadilly line started running trains to South Harrow in 1932.
• York Road opened 15 December 1906; closed 19 September 1932, between King's Cross St Pancras and Caledonian Road. It has been suggested^[6] that this station may be reopened to serve new developments on the nearby Kings Cross railway lands, but this idea is not being progressed at present. The road the station served, 'York Road', has since been renamed 'York Way'.

Future

The Piccadilly line was to be upgraded in 2014–15 and would have had new trains as well as new signalling. This would have increased the line's capacity by some 24%.^[7] Bids for the rolling-stock order were submitted in 2008. However, after the acquisition of Tube Lines by Transport for London in June 2010, this order was cancelled.^[3]

Maps

^map 1 Cockfosters – 51°39′06″N 000°08′56″W ^map 2 Oakwood – 51°38′51″N 000°07′54″W ^map 3 Southgate – 51°37′57″N 000°07′41″W ^map 4 Arnos Grove – 51°36′59″N 000°08′01″W ^map 5 Bounds Green – 51°36′25″N 000°07′27″W ^map 6 Wood Green – 51°35′49″N 000°06′36″W ^map 7 Turnpike Lane – 51°35′25″N 000°06′10″W ^map 8 Manor House – 51°34′15″N 000°05′46″W ^map 9 Finsbury Park – 51°33′53″N 000°06′23″W ^map 10 Arsenal – 51°33′31″N 000°06′21″W ^map 11 Holloway Road – 51°33′11″N 000°06′43″W ^map 12 Caledonian Road – 51°32′54″N 000°07′07″W ^map 13 King's Cross St. Pancras – 51°31′49″N 000°07′27″W ^map 14 Russell Square – 51°31′23″N 000°07′28″W ^map 15 Holborn – 51°31′03″N 000°07′12″W ^map 16 Covent Garden – 51°30′47″N 000°07′27″W ^map 17 Leicester Square – 51°30′41″N 000°07′41″W ^map 18 Piccadilly Circus – 51°30′36″N 000°08′02″W ^map 19 Green Park – 51°30′24″N 000°08′34″W ^map 20 Hyde Park Corner – 51°30′10″N 000°09′10″W ^map 21 Knightsbridge – 51°30′06″N 000°09′39″W ^map 22 South Kensington – 51°29′39″N 000°10′26″W ^map 23 Gloucester Road – 51°29′41″N 000°10′59″W ^map 24 Earl's Court – 51°29′29″N 000°11′41″W ^map 25 Barons Court – 51°29′26″N 000°12′49″W ^map 26 Hammersmith – 51°29′39″N 000°13′30″W ^map 27 Turnham Green – 51°29′43″N 000°15′18″W ^map 28 Acton Town – 51°30′10″N 000°16′48″W

^map 29 South Ealing – 51°30′04″N 000°18′26″W ^map 30 Northfields – 51°29′58″N 000°18′51″W ^map 31 Boston Manor – 51°29′45″N 000°19′30″W ^map 32 Osterley – 51°28′53″N 000°21′08″W ^map 33 Hounslow East – 51°28′23″N 000°21′23″W ^map 34 Hounslow Central – 51°28′17″N 000°21′59″W ^map 35 Hounslow West – 51°28′25″N 000°23′08″W ^map 36 Hatton Cross – 51°28′01″N 000°25′24″W ^map 37 Heathrow Terminal 4 – 51°27′32″N 000°26′46″W ^map 38 Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 – 51°28′16″N 000°27′07″W ^map 39 Heathrow Terminal 5 – 51°28′20″N 000°29′17″W ^map 40 Ealing Common – 51°30′37″N 000°17′17″W ^map 41 North Ealing – 51°31′03″N 000°17′19″W ^map 42 Park Royal – 51°31′37″N 000°17′03″W ^map 43 Alperton – 51°32′27″N 000°17′59″W ^map 44 Sudbury Town – 51°33′03″N 000°18′56″W ^map 45 Sudbury Hill – 51°33′25″N 000°20′11″W ^map 46 South Harrow – 51°33′53″N 000°21′08″W ^map 47 Rayners Lane – 51°34′31″N 000°22′17″W ^map 48 Eastcote – 51°34′36″N 000°23′49″W ^map 49 Ruislip Manor – 51°34′24″N 000°24′45″W ^map 50 Ruislip – 51°34′17″N 000°25′16″W ^map 51 Ickenham – 51°33′43″N 000°26′31″W ^map 52 Hillingdon – 51°33′14″N 000°27′00″W ^map 53 Uxbridge – 51°32′45″N 000°28′42″W ^map 54 Cockfosters Depot – 51°38′56″N 000°08′25″W ^map 55 Northfields Depot – 51°29′50″N 000°19′14″W

Related pages

• Leslie Green – architect of the Great Northern, Piccadilly & Brompton Railway's early stations
• Vauxhall Cross tube station – fictional Piccadilly line tube station