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Bakerloo line facts

History

Marylebone station

Rumour has it that the Bakerloo line originated from the desire of a few London businessmen to get to and from Lord's Cricket Ground as quickly as possible.

Nevertheless, when the line opened between Baker Street and Lambeth North on 10th March 1906, over 36 000 passengers were carried despite the fact that the cricket season had yet to start. Originally known as the Baker Street and Waterloo Railway, the name was officially changed in July 1906 to the Bakerloo Railway reflecting the nickname coined by the Evening News. Elephant & Castle station opened in August 1906.

The Bakerloo line was extended from Baker Street to Queen's Park in 1915 and further north over existing suburban railway tracks to Watford Junction by 1917. In 1939, a new-tunnelled section was built from Baker Street to Finchley Road, which allowed Bakerloo trains to take over the Metropolitan line's service, originally started in 1932, to Stanmore.

Rumour has it that the Bakerloo line originated from the desire of a few London businessmen to get to and from Lord's Cricket Ground.

Until the opening of the Jubilee line in 1979, the Bakerloo operated both Stanmore and Watford Junction services. The building of the Jubilee line from Charing Cross to Baker Street, and its connection to the Stanmore branch of the Bakerloo Line, left the Bakerloo again with only its Watford Junction branch.

In 1982, the service beyond Queen's Park to Watford Junction, by then only four peak period trains, was withdrawn. Queen's Park again became the northern terminus, although there were some journeys to and from the new Stonebridge Park depot.

In 1984 some peak period journeys were extended to Harrow & Wealdstone, and the present all-day, daily, service to Harrow & Wealdstone began in May 1989, and has been regularly enhanced in recent years.

Link to extended history

Bakerloo line facts

Number of passengers on the Bakerloo line*

Weekday Saturday Sunday Annual (mil)
302,869 19,811 133,741 95.947
*It is accurate to say that 3 million people travel on the Tube every week day. However, if the weekday totals for each line added up they will give a figure of 4 million. This is because many passengers will use more than one line to complete a journey.

The Bakerloo line covers 23.2 km (14.5 miles) and serves 25 stations, of which 15 are managed either by other Underground lines or, north of Queen's Park, by North London Railways. North of Queen's Park, Bakerloo line trains run over tracks owned by Railtrack.

Metro-Cammell rolling stock Metro-Cammell rolling stock

Trains run between Elephant & Castle and Queen's Park every 2½ minutes during peak periods, when there is a ten-minute service to and from Harrow & Wealdstone. The type of train operated on the line is 1972 Mark Two tube stock, manufactured by Metro-Cammell of Birmingham, with each train made up of seven cars.

These trains have recently been modernised. They were mechanically modified and given an allover face-lift to make them brighter and cleaner, and more pleasant

The main depot for the Bakerloo line is at Stonebridge Park. Built in the late 1970s on the site of a former British Rail power station, it handles the maintenance of the line's fleet. There are two smaller depots at London Road (near Elephant & Castle) and Queen's Park where some of the trains are stabled

Bakerloo line management

Oxford Circus with an annual passenger count of 38.6 million is the Line's busiest station

London Underground has recently established a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to secure stable, long term investment in the system.

This follows the Government's announcement in March 1998 of its intention to divide London Underground into a publicly owned operating company and three privately-owned companies (Infracos) who will be contracted to maintain and enhance the existing network.

The PPP contract was signed with Metronet Rail BCV to upgrade, renew and maintain the Bakerloo line. Metronet Rail BCV's contract also covers the maintenance of the Central, Waterloo & City and Victoria lines.

In order to ease transition to the new PPP structure, the operational side of the Underground has been reorganised from individual lines to a new structure reflecting the proposed Infraco groupings. From September 1999, the Bakerloo line has been grouped with the Central, Victoria and Waterloo & City lines.

From November 2003, Howard Collins will be responsible for delivering BCV train and station services to meet customers' requirements. Kevin Bootle is the line's General Manager.

Further information

If you wish to comment on the Bakerloo line services, or would like to know more about the line, please contact us.

An extended history of the Bakerloo line

The Bakerloo Line was first conceived in 1865 (the Waterloo and Whitehall Railway) and was to run between Waterloo and Great Scotland Yard at Charing Cross. It was proposed to be a pneumatic railway (where carriages are propelled through the tunnel by air pressure).

The railway it was to be modelled on was an experimental mail-carrying railway that was in operation between Holborn and Euston. Some work was carried out but financial problems caused most of the work to be suspended. The Company finally closed in 1882.

A further railway, the Charing Cross and Waterloo Electric Railway, was incorporated by an Act of 1882 and was to have run between Trafalgar Square and Waterloo. Although work did start, financial problems again caused the undertaking to be abandoned by an Act of 16 July 1885.

A third company, The Baker Street and Waterloo Railway, was successful in securing additional funding by an Act of Parliament on the 28th March 1893 for a three-mile line. This was to run from what is now Melcombe Street (near Upper Baker Street) to the southern side of James Street (near lower marsh). Again, lack of money put the project on hold.

On 07 August 1896 a second Act of Parliament was granted which included extending the line to Marylebone. Work eventually began in August 1898 near the Hungerford Bridge on a staging on the river Thames. A shaft was sunk and the tunnels were constructed in both directions at the same time. Tunnelling began in February 1899 towards Baker Street, and in March 1900 towards Waterloo.

A third Act of Parliament in August 1899 allowed the line to terminate at Addington St., allowing for an improved Depot and power station.

Two further extensions, south to Elephant & Castle and north to Paddington, were authorised by a further Act of Parliament in 1900.

In 1902 a fifth Act of Parliament extended the time allowed to complete the railway.

A sixth Act of Parliament in 1904 allowed for two extra stations to be built, at Lambeth North and Regents Park.

In 1906 the Baker Street and Waterloo railway obtained the nickname Bakerloo Line. Captain GHF Nichols ("Quex" the diarist) coined the name in the columns of the Evening News. The name stuck and it was officially adopted for popular use in July 1906.

There was a rumour that the acts were passed through parliament because the both Houses saw an easy way to get to Lords cricket ground, of course this was only an unfounded rumour. The Baker Street to Waterloo railway opened on 10th March 1906 when 37,000 passengers were carried. In 2001, passenger usage was 290,000 per day. Listed below are the opening dates for each section of the Bakerloo Line.

Start station to End station Date
Lambeth North to Baker Street 10th March 1906 *
Lambeth North to Elephant & Castle 5th August 1906
Baker Street to Marylebone 27th March 1907
Marylebone to Edgware Road 15th June 1907
Edgware Road to Paddington 1st December1913
Paddington to Kilburn Park 31st January 1915
Kilburn Park to Queens Park 11th February 1915
Queens Park to Willesden Junction 10th May 1915 **
Willesden Junction to Watford Junction 16th April 1917
Baker Street to Stanmore 20th November1939
Baker Street to Stanmore Bakerloo services withdrawn (now Jubilee Line) 1st May 1979
Stonebridge Park to Watford Junction Bakerloo Line services withdrawn 24th October 1982
Stonebridge Park to Harrow Wealdstone Bakerloo Line services restored 4th June 1984
 

* This three-mile section is the whole of the length of the original railway authorised by the Act of 1893.

** The Bakerloo Line thus became the first London Tube line to be physically connected with one of the main line railways.

In the 1930s powers were granted to extend the line southerly to Camberwell Green, however, these never came to fruition and the only use made of these powers were to extend the sidings at Elephant & Castle. Although the plans were revived in the 1950s, these too were abandoned on the grounds of cost. Another attempt to revive the plans was made in the 1970s to extend to Peckham Rye, but again the proposals were abandoned.

In 2000 the Bakerloo Line carried 100.4 million passengers. Oxford Circus with an annual passenger count of 38.6 million is the line's busiest station. The Bakerloo Line covers 23.2 km (14.5 miles) and serves 25 stations, of which 15 are managed either by other Underground lines or, north of Queen's Park, by Silverlink Metro (North London Railways). North of Queen's Park, Bakerloo Line trains run over tracks owned by Railtrack - services North of Queens Park have always been shared with the National Rail Company's.

Rolling stock

The type of train operated on the line is 1972 Mark Two tube stock, manufactured by Metro-Cammell of Birmingham, with each train made up of seven cars. These trains were effectively a later version of the 1967 Victoria Line stock, (but without Automatic Train Operation equipment). The trains have recently been modernised. They were mechanically modified and given an all-over face-lift to make them brighter and cleaner, and more pleasant and comfortable to ride in. 32 trains are required to be available for service. The rolling stock has been converted for use with one-person operation, the line being operated in this way from 20 November 1989.

Opening dates

Dates of opening/renaming etc. refer to Bakerloo Line services and may differ for other lines that interchange at that station. Short term closures for lift and escalator repairs or other engineering reasons are not normally included.

Station Event Date
Elephant & Castle Opened 05-08-1906
Interchange with Northern Line station opened 10-08-1906
Lambeth North Opened as KENNINGTON ROAD 10-03-1906
Renamed WESTMINSTER BRIDGE ROAD 05-08-1906
Renamed Lambeth (North) 15-04-1917
Renamed Lambeth North Circa 1928
Waterloo Opened 10-03-1906
Embankment Opened as EMBANKMENT 10-03-1906
Renamed CHARING CROSS (EMBANKMENT) 06-04-1914
Renamed CHARING CROSS 09-05-1915
Renamed CHARING CROSS EMBANKMENT 04-08-1974
Renamed EMBANKMENT 12-09-1976
Charing Cross Opened as TRAFALGAR SQUARE 10-03-1906
Interchange opened and renamed CHARING CROSS 01-05-1979
Piccadilly Circus Opened 10-03-1906
Oxford Circus Opened 10-03-1906
Regents Park Opened 10-03-1906
Baker Street Opened 10-03-1906
A Junction towards Finchley Road opened 20-11-1939
This was closed to passenger services 30-04-1979. In stages between 30-11-1913 and 31-05-1915, the Metropolitan Line duplicated its tracks between Finchley Road to Wembley Park. On 20-11-39 the Bakerloo Line owned separate tracks between Baker Street and Finchley Road., and was extended to serve all stations to Stanmore. On 01-05-1979 services between Baker Street and Stanmore were transferred to the Jubilee Line. [For further details see the Jubilee Line history]  
Marylebone Opened as GREAT CENTRAL 27-03-1907
Renamed MARYLEBONE 15-04-1917
Edgware Road Opened 15-06-1907
Paddington Opened 01-12-1913
Warwick Avenue Opened 31-01-1915
Maida Vale Opened 06-06-1915
Kilburn Park Opened 31-01-1915
Queens Park Opened 11-12-1915
Kensal Green Opened 01-10-1916
Willesden Junction Opened 10-05-1915
Harlesden Opened 16-04-1917
Stonebridge Park Opened 01-08-1917
Wembley Central Opened as WEMBLEY FOR SUDBURY 16-04-1917
Renamed WEMBLEY CENTRAL 05-07-1948
Bakerloo Line services withdrawn 24-09-1982
Bakerloo Line services reinstated 04-06-1984
North Wembley Opened 16-04-1917
Bakerloo Line services withdrawn 24-09-1982
Bakerloo Line services reinstated 04-06-1984
South Kenton Opened 03-07-1933
Bakerloo Line services withdrawn 24-09-1982
Bakerloo Line services reinstated 04-06-1984
Kenton Opened 16-04-1917
Bakerloo Line services withdrawn 24-09-1982
Bakerloo Line services reinstated 04-06-1984
Harrow & Wealdstone Opened 16-04-1917
Bakerloo Line services withdrawn 24-09-1982
Bakerloo Line services reinstated 04-06-1984
Headstone Lane Opened 16-04-1917
Bakerloo Line services withdrawn 24-09-1982
Hatch End Opened as PINNER & HATCH END 16-04-1917
Renamed HATCH END (FOR PINNER) 01-02-1920
Renamed HATCH END 1956
Bakerloo Line services withdrawn 24-09-1982
Carpenders Park Original station opened 05-05-1919
Original station closed 16-11-1952
New station relocated further South 17-11-1952
Bakerloo Line services withdrawn 24-09-1982
Bushey Opened as BUSHEY & OXHEY 16-04-1917
Renamed BUSHEY 06-05-1974
Bakerloo Line services withdrawn 24-09-1982
Watford High Street Opened 16-04-1917
Bakerloo Line services withdrawn 24-09-1982
Watford Junction Opened 16-04-1917
Bakerloo Line services withdrawn 24-09-1982

Depots

There are three depots for the Bakerloo Line. The main depot is at Stonebridge Park. Built in the late 1970s on the site of a former British Rail power station, it handles the maintenance of the Line's fleet. It was formally opened 09 April 1978. There are two smaller depots. . The original depot at London Road (near Lambeth North) is still in use. The Bakerloo Line is the only line on the Underground to run trains in passenger service through a depot at Queens Park, where a depot is situated immediately North of the station. The depot sheds were completed late in 1915 where some of the trains are stabled.

When Bakerloo Line services still ran to Watford, there was a depot at Croxley Green. This depot closed in November 1985.

Trivia

Maida Vale station was the first London station to have all-female staff - when it opened 06/06/1915 there were two ticket collectors, two porters, two booking clerks, and two relief ticket collector-booking clerks. (The male stationmaster was shared with three other stations).

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