Circle Line
Encyclopedia
The Circle line, coloured yellow on the tube map
, is the eighth busiest line on the London Underground
. It forms a loop line around the centre of London on the north side of the River Thames
with, since 13 December 2009, an extension to Hammersmith on its north-western side.
in 1853 and 1854 empowered the Metropolitan Railway
(MR) and the Metropolitan District Railway
(MDR) to construct the world's first underground railway in central London
. From an initial section between Farringdon
and Paddington stations, the route was gradually extended at each end. Financial difficulties in the construction of the section through the City of London
, as well as animosity between the two railway companies, delayed completion of the full circuit until 6 October 1884, although it had been known as the Inner Circle since the 1870s.
Trains on the route were originally hauled by steam engines
, but electrification
was started with an experimental section in 1900. A disagreement between the two companies over the method of electrification delayed the exercise, so that the first electric trains
were introduced gradually over the 11 days to 24 September 1905.
The introduction of this line took over many parts of the Metropolitan line
, confining it to the north-west and limiting its interchanges with the District line
. The Uxbridge
branch of the Metropolitan last shared track with the District in 1933, when Piccadilly line
services replaced the latter. In the east, the Barking
service of the Metropolitan, also sharing track with the District, was designated part of the Hammersmith & City line
in 1988, though in practice the Hammersmith & City service had already been run as a separate operation for many years.
The success of the Inner Circle led to the operation of three other "circular" routes within the capital, over existing main line routes and sections of the Inner Circle tracks. Like the Inner Circle at the time they were established, none of them was actually a complete circle:
These routes failed to attract the passenger numbers hoped for. The Super Outer Circle ran for only two years; the other two routes lasted longer, but were eventually cut back and finally ended (see the map for details). Other services on the lines continued. Today parts of the Outer Circle and Super Outer Circle routes are operated by London Overground
trains on the North London Line
. Plans to complete an outer rail loop have been relaunched under the name Orbirail
.
, one between Liverpool Street
and Aldgate and the other at Edgware Road
.
Following the attacks, the whole of the Circle line was closed. While most other lines re-opened on 8 July, the Circle remained closed for several weeks, reopening a little less than a month after the attacks, on 4 August. 13 people were killed by the blasts on the Circle line trains. A third attack occurred on the Piccadilly line
between King's Cross St Pancras
and Russell Square
.
and Gloucester Road
, and between Tower Hill
and Aldgate
.
A complete journey around the line took approximately 55 minutes, but timetabling constraints meant that each train had scheduled two-minute stops at High Street Kensington and Aldgate, extending the time required to about 59 minutes. This meant the service was operated with seven trains in each direction, providing an 8.5-minute service interval (but a shorter service interval in combination with other lines operating on the same tracks).
Since 13 December 2009, the name of the line has been misleading: from that date its trains ceased to run a continuous circuit, taking instead a "lassoo" shape.It now has 35 stations and 17 mi (27.4 km) of track.
In the north, east and west of central London, the loop part of the Circle line roughly follows the boundary of Travelcard Zone 1, but in the south a substantial portion of the zone is outside the Circle line. With the extension on 13 December 2009, it ceased to be one of the two lines operated completely within Zone 1 (the other being the two-stop shuttle Waterloo & City line
). Of the 35 stations served, a substantial number have Circle line platforms wholly or almost wholly underground, while those at Edgware Road, Farringdon, Barbican, Aldgate, Sloane Square
, South Kensington
, High Street Kensington, Bayswater
, Notting Hill Gate
and Paddington are in cuttings or under train sheds. They are all below street level, albeit only by a few feet, whereas all the stations on the Hammersmith extension are above ground: indeed most of this section is an elevated railway, built largely on brick arches. See below for the changes that took place on 13 December 2009, extending the line to Hammersmith.
Circle line route since 13 December 2009
The idea had been in discussion for some years: at one point diagrams were drawn up, for internal use only, bearing the provisional name "Hammersmith & Circle Line", the implication being that the two lines would be merged into one. This idea was abandoned in favour of the 'extension' to the Circle and retention of the Hammersmith & City route as a separate identity.
The extension was announced in March 2009 and introduced on 13 December 2009, when the Circle line was extended from Edgware Road to Hammersmith, sharing tracks with the Hammersmith & City line (see station list above). Clockwise, the new service runs from Hammersmith to Edgware Road, and then makes a full loop of the circle to arrive at Edgware Road a second time, where trains terminate. Anticlockwise, trains leave Edgware Road, travel round the circle and pass through Edgware Road a second time, and continue to Hammersmith. This means it is no longer possible to travel between certain stations on the line (such as Baker Street to Bayswater) via Edgware Road without changing trains there. However, London Underground has said that giving the line fixed termini improves reliability. At the same time the day-time service interval on both the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines was increased from 8.5 to 10 minutes, between them providing a train every five minutes between Hammersmith and Liverpool Street. This increased the frequency on the Hammersmith branch by 70 per cent, but slightly reduced it on the loop. Despite its new spiral shape, the Circle line has retained its name.
No new track was required as this was solely a change in route pattern, using existing lines. It now shares the tracks previously used only by the Hammersmith & City line, although movements were regularly made over this section to and from Hammersmith depot as the two lines already shared a common fleet of trains.
The extension was intended to reduce overcrowding on Hammersmith & City line trains between Hammersmith and Edgware Road by improving the frequency of trains on that section. It was also designed to bring about improved reliability, not only for the Circle line itself but also for the District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines by slightly reducing the number of train movements on the loop.
LUL says these 40-year-old trains, part of the same fleet that also operates the Hammersmith & City 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 (117 metres (383.9 ft) long as opposed to 93 metres (305.1 ft) for C stock), station platforms are currently being lengthened.
, but there are several other sidings at Barking
, Triangle Sidings (in Kensington
) and Farringdon. Sidings at Edgware Road have been decommissioned.
(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.
The line then continues to Edgware Road where trains terminate before traversing the loop in an anticlockwise direction toward Hammersmith.
Circle-line parties
have gained in popularity on the line in the 21st century, similar to subway parties
in the United States. These involve large groups of people boarding a train and holding an impromptu party in the carriages, often dressing in costume.
A high-profile Circle-line party took place on 31 May 2008 to celebrate the last night of legal alcohol drinking on public transport in London. Thousands of people attended and seventeen were arrested by police due to disorderly behaviour, eventually causing the entire line to be suspended for the rest of the night.
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....
, is the eighth busiest line on 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...
. It forms a loop line around the centre of London on the north side of the River Thames
River Thames
The 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,...
with, since 13 December 2009, an extension to Hammersmith on its north-western side.
History
The route now known as the Circle line was authorised when Acts of ParliamentActs of Parliament in the United Kingdom
An Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom is a type of legislation called primary legislation. These Acts are passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster, or by the Scottish Parliament at Edinburgh....
in 1853 and 1854 empowered 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 Metropolitan District Railway
Metropolitan 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) to construct the world's first underground railway in 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,...
. From an initial section between 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...
and Paddington stations, the route was gradually extended at each end. Financial difficulties in the construction of the section through the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, as well as animosity between the two railway companies, delayed completion of the full circuit until 6 October 1884, although it had been known as the Inner Circle since the 1870s.
Trains on the route were originally hauled by steam engines
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
, but electrification
Railway electrification in Great Britain
Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...
was started with an experimental section in 1900. A disagreement between the two companies over the method of electrification delayed the exercise, so that the first electric trains
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
were introduced gradually over the 11 days to 24 September 1905.
The introduction of this line took over many parts 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...
, confining it to the north-west and limiting its interchanges with 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 Uxbridge
Uxbridge
Uxbridge is a large town located in north west London, England and is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. It forms part of the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is located west-northwest of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres...
branch of the Metropolitan last shared track with the District in 1933, when Piccadilly line
Piccadilly Line
The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, 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 Zone 1, with...
services replaced the latter. In the east, the Barking
Barking
Barking is a suburban town in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, in East London, England. A retail and commercial centre situated in the west of the borough, it lies east of Charing Cross. Barking was in the historic county of Essex until it was absorbed by Greater London. The area is...
service of the Metropolitan, also sharing track with the District, was designated part of the Hammersmith & City line
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...
in 1988, though in practice the Hammersmith & City service had already been run as a separate operation for many years.
Other circle routes
- Middle CircleMiddle CircleThe 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...
: 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...
to 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...
via Addison Road (now Kensington OlympiaKensington (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...
) - Outer CircleOuter Circle (London)The Outer Circle was a railway route in London operated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries over tracks which are now mainly owned by Network Rail but include parts of the London Underground...
: Broad Street to Mansion House via Willesden JunctionWillesden Junction stationWillesden Junction station is a Network Rail station in Harlesden, northwest London, UK. It is served by both London Overground and the Bakerloo line of the London Underground.-History:The station developed on three contiguous sites:... - Super Outer Circle: to 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....
via and .
These routes failed to attract the passenger numbers hoped for. The Super Outer Circle ran for only two years; the other two routes lasted longer, but were eventually cut back and finally ended (see the map for details). Other services on the lines continued. Today parts of the Outer Circle and Super Outer Circle routes are operated by 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...
trains on the North London Line
North London Line
The North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of north London, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail...
. Plans to complete an outer rail loop have been relaunched under the name Orbirail
Orbirail
Orbirail was a name for a suggested orbital railway route around London. It would involve connecting the extended North London Line, East London Line, the Inner South London Line and the West London Line, possibly including the Gospel Oak to Barking Line. The combined line would orbit London in...
.
7 July 2005 terrorist attack
On 7 July 2005 two Circle line trains were bombed. The blasts occurred almost simultaneously at 08:50 BSTBritish Summer Time
Western European Summer Time is a summer daylight saving time scheme, 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. It is used in the following places:* the Canary Islands* Portugal * Ireland...
, one between 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...
and Aldgate and the other at 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...
.
Following the attacks, the whole of the Circle line was closed. While most other lines re-opened on 8 July, the Circle remained closed for several weeks, reopening a little less than a month after the attacks, on 4 August. 13 people were killed by the blasts on the Circle line trains. A third attack occurred on the Piccadilly line
Piccadilly Line
The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, 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 Zone 1, with...
between 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...
and Russell Square
Russell Square tube station
Russell Square is a London Underground station on Bernard Street, Bloomsbury in the London Borough of Camden. It is a small but busy station, often used by office workers and by tourists who are staying in Bloomsbury's numerous hotels. The station is a Grade II listed building.-History:The station...
.
Pre-13 December 2009
Prior to 13 December 2009, the Circle line was true to its name and formed a simple loop. This orbital route had 27 stations and 14.5 miles (23.3 km) of track. The map below shows what it looked like from a geographic point of view:| Former Circle line route before the service was extended on to the Hammersmith branch |
The route
The Circle line became known as such in 1949, when it was designated separately from its parent lines, the Metropolitan line and the District line, although it had been shown on Underground maps since 1947 (see history above). It is a "route" rather than a separate "line": it does not have any stations for its sole use and only has two short sections of track over which it operates exclusively: the chords between High Street KensingtonHigh Street Kensington tube station
High Street Kensington is a London Underground station at Kensington High Street.The station is on the Circle Line between Gloucester Road and Notting Hill Gate, and the District Line between Earl's Court and Notting Hill Gate. It is in Travelcard Zone 1....
and 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...
, and between Tower Hill
Tower Hill tube station
Tower Hill is a London Underground station at Tower Hill in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.The station is in Travelcard Zone 1 and near the Tower of London...
and 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...
.
A complete journey around the line took approximately 55 minutes, but timetabling constraints meant that each train had scheduled two-minute stops at High Street Kensington and Aldgate, extending the time required to about 59 minutes. This meant the service was operated with seven trains in each direction, providing an 8.5-minute service interval (but a shorter service interval in combination with other lines operating on the same tracks).
Since 13 December 2009, the name of the line has been misleading: from that date its trains ceased to run a continuous circuit, taking instead a "lassoo" shape.It now has 35 stations and 17 mi (27.4 km) of track.
In the north, east and west of central London, the loop part of the Circle line roughly follows the boundary of Travelcard Zone 1, but in the south a substantial portion of the zone is outside the Circle line. With the extension on 13 December 2009, it ceased to be one of the two lines operated completely within Zone 1 (the other being the two-stop shuttle 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...
). Of the 35 stations served, a substantial number have Circle line platforms wholly or almost wholly underground, while those at Edgware Road, Farringdon, Barbican, Aldgate, Sloane Square
Sloane Square tube station
Sloane 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....
, South Kensington
South Kensington tube station
South 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...
, High Street Kensington, Bayswater
Bayswater tube station
Bayswater is a London Underground station in the Bayswater area of the City of Westminster. It is served by the Circle and District lines, but is closed until 23rd of August for engineering works. It's between Notting Hill Gate and Paddington stations, in Travelcard Zone 1...
, Notting Hill Gate
Notting Hill Gate tube station
Notting Hill Gate tube station is a London Underground station in the street known as Notting Hill Gate. On the Central Line, it is between Holland Park to the west and Queensway to the east. On the District Line and Circle Line it is between High Street Kensington and Bayswater stations...
and Paddington are in cuttings or under train sheds. They are all below street level, albeit only by a few feet, whereas all the stations on the Hammersmith extension are above ground: indeed most of this section is an elevated railway, built largely on brick arches. See below for the changes that took place on 13 December 2009, extending the line to Hammersmith.
Post-13 December 2009
Circle line route since 13 December 2009
Extension
The Circle line extension extended the route from Edgware Road to Hammersmith.The idea had been in discussion for some years: at one point diagrams were drawn up, for internal use only, bearing the provisional name "Hammersmith & Circle Line", the implication being that the two lines would be merged into one. This idea was abandoned in favour of the 'extension' to the Circle and retention of the Hammersmith & City route as a separate identity.
The extension was announced in March 2009 and introduced on 13 December 2009, when the Circle line was extended from Edgware Road to Hammersmith, sharing tracks with the Hammersmith & City line (see station list above). Clockwise, the new service runs from Hammersmith to Edgware Road, and then makes a full loop of the circle to arrive at Edgware Road a second time, where trains terminate. Anticlockwise, trains leave Edgware Road, travel round the circle and pass through Edgware Road a second time, and continue to Hammersmith. This means it is no longer possible to travel between certain stations on the line (such as Baker Street to Bayswater) via Edgware Road without changing trains there. However, London Underground has said that giving the line fixed termini improves reliability. At the same time the day-time service interval on both the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines was increased from 8.5 to 10 minutes, between them providing a train every five minutes between Hammersmith and Liverpool Street. This increased the frequency on the Hammersmith branch by 70 per cent, but slightly reduced it on the loop. Despite its new spiral shape, the Circle line has retained its name.
No new track was required as this was solely a change in route pattern, using existing lines. It now shares the tracks previously used only by the Hammersmith & City line, although movements were regularly made over this section to and from Hammersmith depot as the two lines already shared a common fleet of trains.
The extension was intended to reduce overcrowding on Hammersmith & City line trains between Hammersmith and Edgware Road by improving the frequency of trains on that section. It was also designed to bring about improved reliability, not only for the Circle line itself but also for the District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines by slightly reducing the number of train movements on the loop.
Orbital routes
Orbital routes have an intrinsic problem of timetabling robustness. The trains are constantly in service and so there is little scope for "recovery time" if they are delayed. A single delay can have long-lasting knock-on effects and be much more disruptive than on a non-orbital railway. Recovery time can be created by timetabling longer stops at some stations, but this increases journey times. The current spiral route supposedly removed this problem because of the recovery time at both ends of the route.Trains
All Circle 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.LUL says these 40-year-old trains, part of the same fleet that also operates the Hammersmith & City 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 (117 metres (383.9 ft) long as opposed to 93 metres (305.1 ft) for C stock), station platforms are currently being lengthened.
Depots
The principal depot for the Circle line is at HammersmithHammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, but there are several other sidings at Barking
Barking
Barking is a suburban town in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, in East London, England. A retail and commercial centre situated in the west of the borough, it lies east of Charing Cross. Barking was in the historic county of Essex until it was absorbed by Greater London. The area is...
, Triangle Sidings (in Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
) and Farringdon. Sidings at Edgware Road have been decommissioned.
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, District, 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.
Stations
| Station | Image | Opened | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammersmith | _station_building.jpg) |
1 December 1868 | 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... . This is the terminus for trains travelling anticlockwise. |
| 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... |
 |
13 June 1864 | |
| Shepherd's Bush Market | 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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... |
 |
30 October 1871 | |
| 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 | 10 January 1863 | Bakerloo Bakerloo Line The Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground... , 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... , 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... , Great Western Main Line Great Western Main Line The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads railway station in Bristol. A major branch of the Great... |
|
| 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... |
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1 October 1863 | 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... , 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... , Bakerloo Edgware Road tube station (Bakerloo Line) Edgware Road is a London Underground station in the City of Westminster. It is served by the Bakerloo line and is between Paddington and Marylebone stations. It is in Travelcard Zone 1. The station is located on the north-east corner of the junction of Edgware Road, Harrow Road and Marylebone Road... (150 m (492.1 ft)). This is the terminus for trains travelling clockwise. |
| 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... |
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10 January 1863 | Bakerloo Bakerloo Line The Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground... , Jubilee Jubilee Line The Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections—initially to Charing Cross, in central London, and later extended, in 1999, to Stratford, in east London. The later stations are larger and have special safety features, both aspects... , Metropolitan 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... |
| 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... |
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10 January 1863 | |
| 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... |
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10 January 1863 | and West Coast Main Line West Coast Main Line The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the... |
| 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... |
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10 January 1863 | Northern Northern Line The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in... , Piccadilly Piccadilly Line The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, 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 Zone 1, with... , Victoria Victoria Line The Victoria line is a deep-level London Underground line running from the south to the north-east of London. It is coloured light blue on the Tube map... . Rail stations:
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| 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... |
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10 January 1863 | First Capital Connect First Capital Connect First Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006... (Thameslink 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... ) |
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23 December 1865 | |
| 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... |
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23 December 1865 | Northern Northern Line The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in... , First Capital Connect First Capital Connect First Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006... (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... ) |
| 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... |
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12 July 1874 | Central 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... , National Express East Anglia, c2c C2c c2c is a British train operating company that is part of the National Express Group. It provides passenger rail services on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line from Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London to east London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway... |
| 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... |
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18 November 1876 | Metropolitan 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... |
| Tower Hill Tower Hill tube station Tower Hill is a London Underground station at Tower Hill in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.The station is in Travelcard Zone 1 and near the Tower of London... |
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25 September 1882 | 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... |
| Monument | 6 October 1884 | Central 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... , Northern Northern Line The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in... , Waterloo & City 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... , DLR Docklands Light Railway The Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro or light rail system opened on 31 August 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London... (all via escalator connection to Bank station) |
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6 October 1884 | Southeastern Southeastern (train operating company) London & South Eastern Railway Limited, trading as Southeastern is a train operating company in south-east England. On 1 April 2006 it became the franchisee for the new Integrated Kent Franchise , replacing the publicly owned South Eastern Trains on the former South East Franchise... |
| 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... |
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3 July 1871 | |
| 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... (closed until 2011) |
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30 May 1870 | First Capital Connect First Capital Connect First Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006... / Southeastern Southeastern (train operating company) London & South Eastern Railway Limited, trading as Southeastern is a train operating company in south-east England. On 1 April 2006 it became the franchisee for the new Integrated Kent Franchise , replacing the publicly owned South Eastern Trains on the former South East Franchise... (Thameslink 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... ) |
| Temple Temple tube station Temple 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... |
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30 May 1870 | |
| Embankment Embankment tube station Embankment 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... |
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30 May 1870 | Bakerloo Bakerloo Line The Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground... , Northern Northern Line The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in... |
| Westminster Westminster tube station Westminster 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... |
24 December 1868 | Jubilee Jubilee Line The Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections—initially to Charing Cross, in central London, and later extended, in 1999, to Stratford, in east London. The later stations are larger and have special safety features, both aspects... |
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| St. James's Park St. James's Park tube station St 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.... |
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24 December 1868 | |
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24 December 1868 | Victoria Victoria Line The Victoria line is a deep-level London Underground line running from the south to the north-east of London. It is coloured light blue on the Tube map... , Southeastern Southeastern (train operating company) London & South Eastern Railway Limited, trading as Southeastern is a train operating company in south-east England. On 1 April 2006 it became the franchisee for the new Integrated Kent Franchise , replacing the publicly owned South Eastern Trains on the former South East Franchise... , Southern Southern (train operating company) Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service... |
| Sloane Square Sloane Square tube station Sloane 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.... |
24 December 1868 | ||
| South Kensington South Kensington tube station South 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... |
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24 December 1868 | Piccadilly Piccadilly Line The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, 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 Zone 1, with... |
| 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... |
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1 October 1868 | Piccadilly Piccadilly Line The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, 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 Zone 1, with... |
| High Street Kensington High Street Kensington tube station High Street Kensington is a London Underground station at Kensington High Street.The station is on the Circle Line between Gloucester Road and Notting Hill Gate, and the District Line between Earl's Court and Notting Hill Gate. It is in Travelcard Zone 1.... |
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1 October 1868 | 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... |
| Notting Hill Gate Notting Hill Gate tube station Notting Hill Gate tube station is a London Underground station in the street known as Notting Hill Gate. On the Central Line, it is between Holland Park to the west and Queensway to the east. On the District Line and Circle Line it is between High Street Kensington and Bayswater stations... |
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1 October 1868 | Central 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... |
| Bayswater Bayswater tube station Bayswater is a London Underground station in the Bayswater area of the City of Westminster. It is served by the Circle and District lines, but is closed until 23rd of August for engineering works. It's between Notting Hill Gate and Paddington stations, in Travelcard Zone 1... |
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1 October 1868 | |
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1 October 1868 | Bakerloo Bakerloo Line The Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground... , 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... , 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... , Great Western Main Line Great Western Main Line The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads railway station in Bristol. A major branch of the Great... |
The line then continues to Edgware Road where trains terminate before traversing the loop in an anticlockwise direction toward Hammersmith.
Circle line parties
Circle Line Party
A Circle line Party is type of subway party occasionally held on the Circle line of the London Underground. Although the time and place of these parties is pre-planned, the event itself occurs spontaneously, as each participant decides for themselves what sort of revelry, costume, decorations,...
have gained in popularity on the line in the 21st century, similar to subway parties
Subway party
A subway party is a celebration that occurs on a mass transit system. Generally, people meet at a predetermined station in their city's mass transit system, wait until their numbers have achieved critical mass, and board the train...
in the United States. These involve large groups of people boarding a train and holding an impromptu party in the carriages, often dressing in costume.
A high-profile Circle-line party took place on 31 May 2008 to celebrate the last night of legal alcohol drinking on public transport in London. Thousands of people attended and seventeen were arrested by police due to disorderly behaviour, eventually causing the entire line to be suspended for the rest of the night.