• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Archive
    • London Blogs
  • Blog
  • Travel
    • London Theater Tickets
    • Shopping
    • Tips
    • Tours
    • Transport
    • Maps
    • Parks
    • Resources
    • Restaurants
    • Top 10 London
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Buildings
    • Food
    • London Books
    • Movies
    • Museums
    • Music
    • Pubs
  • Londonism
    • Reviews
    • Fun London
    • Iconic London
    • Life in London
    • London Realities
    • Moving to London
    • Politics
  • The Tube
  • London History
    • Great London Buildings
    • Great Londoners
  • Contact
  • Guidebooks
    • 101 London Travel Tips – Guidebook
    • 101 Free Things to do in London

Londontopia

The Website for People Who Love London

You are here: Home / Site News / Featured / The Tube: How the Different Tube Lines Got Their Names

The Tube: How the Different Tube Lines Got Their Names

Sep 22, 2015 By John Rabon

Underground.svg

Millions of Londoners and tourists use the London Underground every day. They travel from north to south, east to west, and back again along lines with some seemingly unusual names. Bakerloo, Waterloo, Hammersmith & City, the names for the lines on which Tube cars travel come from history, geography, and special occasions. Most people may not have considered these origins, but once you’ve finished reading this article, you’ll be sure to think about them each time you step into the Underground.

Bakerloo

The Bakerloo Line goes all the way back to 1865 and the old pneumatic system when it was known as the Waterloo & Whitehall Railway, then the Charing Cross and Waterloo Electric Railway in 1882. Work on the current line began in 1898 and it opened in 1906 as the Baker Street & Waterloo Line, a name that was eventually shortened to simply “Bakerloo”.

Central Line

The longest of the Underground lines, the Central Line started as the Central London Railway, which opened in 1900 and got its name from the fact that it traveled through Central London on an east-west axis. More interestingly, the Central Line is one that coined the term “Tube” for the Underground. In its earliest days, its shape and the twopenny price for a ride gave it the nickname “Twopenny Tube”. As prices increased the “twopenny” part of the nickname was dropped and “Tube” became the colloquial name that encompassed all of the Underground.

Circle Line

The Circle Line opened in 1884 and its name comes from the ring that it makes around the city. An extension out to Hammersmith was added in 2009 that creates a more spiraling look.

District Line

The District Line began its life as the District Railway in 1868. It was originally the Metropolitan District Railway and the idea was that the District Railway would be merged with the Metropolitan Railway, though ultimately it was decided to keep them separate as it would be easier to raise funds for the District Railway separately. It is from this original “Metropolitan District” combined name that the District Line gets its name, as the Metropolitan Railway came first and kept its original name.

Hammersmith & City Line

The Hammersmith & City Line earns part of its name from its most western stop in Hammersmith. The name originated as applied to the Hammersmith & City Railway that opened in 1864 and only applied to a three-mile section of track between the Hammersmith and Westbourne Park stations that was operated jointly by the Metropolitan and Great Western Railways until 1868. From then on, it was not shown as a separate line on the Tube map until 1990.

Jubilee Line

Jubilee is the youngest line in the Underground and its name has a very special significance. Like Most of the other lines, it was originally part of the Metropolitan Railway. In 1971, construction began on the new “Fleet” Line to help ease some of the congestion for travelers coming from suburbs in Northwest London. With the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II coming up in 1977, the suggestion was made in 1975 to rename the line “Jubilee” in her honour. At first, the recommendation was shot down as being too costly, but a victory by the Conservatives in the Great London Council Election of 1977 resulted in the change happening anyway, as the candidates had made the change part of their campaign platforms. The line is also coloured silver in reference to this event.

Metropolitan Line

The Metropolitan Line is the oldest of the Underground lines, having opened in 1863 as the first underground railway in the world. The name is in recognition of London’s status as the largest city in the world for much of the 19th Century. The line is also known as the “Met” and even inspired the French Metropolitan, which imitated the name from London.

Northern Line

The Northern Line came about as a result of the integration of the City & South London Railway and the Charing Cross, Euston, & Hampstead Railway beginning in the 1920s, though both railways existed as early as 1890. It was officially named the “Northern” Line in 1937 in recognition of a planned addition of a “Northern Heights” railway extension. The plans for the extension were eventually abandoned in 1954, but the line kept the name.

Piccadilly Line

Like many of the early Underground lines, the Piccadilly line had quite a long name when it opened in 1906 as the Great Northern, Piccadilly, & Brompton Railway. The line was formed out of a merger between the Great Northern & Strand Railway and the Brompton & Piccadilly Circus Railway and over time, the other parts of the name dropped away until the entire line came to reference the Piccadilly Circus station, which itself is named after the Piccadilly House which one existed on the road junction above the station.

Victoria Line

Before the Jubilee Line opened in 1979, the Victoria Line was the youngest in the Underground, having opened only 11 years prior in 1968. A Working Party set up by the British Transportation Commission recommended the line as an extension to help relieve congestion by establishing a line to run from Walthamstow Station to Victoria Station, the latter of which is where the line gets its name. The station’s name comes from Victoria Street above the station, which, as you may guess, is named for Queen Victoria.

Waterloo & City Line

The original line followed the London & South Western Railway, which within London had a station near Waterloo Bridge. The Waterloo Bridge Station eventually became shortened to Waterloo, but both reference the Battle of Waterloo, in which the Duke of Wellington was the leader of the British forces that worked in an alliance with other European nations to deliver a final defeat to Napoleon.

Editor’s Note: The Docklands Light Railway is not included on this list as it’s not part of the Underground but it’s name after the…. Docklands.

John Rabon
Author: John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

close

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Share this:

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Pocket

Filed Under: Featured, The Tube

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

About John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Elizabeth Becigneul says

    Sep 24, 2015 at 10:37 am

    Of great interest. the only way to get the flavor of London, the residents & of course tourist!!

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Get the Anglotopia/Londontopia App

Our Advertisers

If you are a mobile gamer, you may want to take a look at UK’s new mobile casinos and slots reviewed by NewCasinoUK.

Join the London Forum

  • Mudlarking
  • MY FAVOURITE PLACE IN LONDON
  • What's Your Favorite Place in London?
  • Paddington Station

London Guide

  • Ten Cheap Things You Can Do in London on a Budget
  • Ten London Exhibitions to Look Forward to in 2023
  • London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission
  • Trip Planning: Top 10 Exhibitions To Plan Your 2018 Trips to London Around
  • London Guide: Our Favorite Restaurants in London – London Restaurant Recommendations for Americans – What’s Your Favorite?

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • RSS Feed
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Support Londontopia

Search our Extensive Archive

Top 10 London

  • Ten Unusual Exhibits to See in London
  • London Pubs: Ten Thameside Pubs for a Pint and a View
  • Top 10 London: Ten More Things to Do Along the River Thames
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Shopping Centers in London
  • Museums of London: Ten Overlooked London Museums
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haggerston
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haringey
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Redbridge
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Hillingdon
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Canonbury

Recent Posts

  • V&A set to open first major UK exhibition on Renaissance sculptor Donatello
  • Ten National Trust Properties in London
  • What’s On in London Events for February 2023
  • Only Fools And Horses musical to close in West End after four years
  • Artist Ai Weiwei to launch first design-focused exhibition at London’s Design Museum
  • London Travel Alert: Staff at British Museum to walk out during half-term break
  • Poet Lemn Sissay ‘over the moon’ to receive Freedom of the City of London
  • English Heritage has unveiled six new blue plaques for London
  • National Portrait Gallery to reopen in June with two special exhibitions
  • Exploring The Cosmic House in London

Best Posts on Londontopia

  • 101 London Travel Tips
  • Top 100 London Attractions
  • How to Find the Cheapest Airfares to London
  • 10 Things NOT to do in London
  • Best London Guidebooks
  • 101 Free Things to do in London
  • London Lingo – A London Word Dictionary
  • Top 7 Tips for Doing London on the Cheap
  • Top 11 Myths American Believe about London
  • Guide to Eating in London
  • Best Times of Year to Travel to London
  • London Packing Tips
  • Top 11 Movies Set in London
  • Top Attractions off the Tourist Track
  • Top 5 Most Amazing London Hotels
  • Top 10 Hostels in London
  • Best Views in London Restuarants
  • London Taxi Ettiquette
  • Top 12 London Views
  • Great Fire of London
  • A Guide to Five of London’s Bridges
  • 10 Random Facts and Figures about Trafalgar Square
  • Top 100 British Slang Words

London Places to Explore

Bloomsbury Buckingham Palace Canary Wharf City of London Covent Garden Cutty Sark Greenwich Hampstead Hampton Court Palace Heathrow Houses of Parliament Hyde Park Imperial War Museum Islington Kensington Kensington Palace Leicester Square London London Eye London Transport Museum Museum of London National Gallery Notting Hill Piccadilly Circus Putney Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Regent's Street Royal Academy Selfridges Somerset House Southbank Southwark St Pancras St Paul's Cathedral Tate Britain Tate Modern The City Tower Bridge Tower of London Trafalgar Square V&A Wandsworth West End Westminster Westminster Abbey

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Recent Videos

Walk Around London Virtually Right Now – Watched Walker is the YouTube Channel We All Need Right Now

Jason Hawkes Shares a Beautiful Video of London From Above That We All Need Right now

London Tube: You’ve Got to Watch This Amazing Mesmerizing Animation That Shows the Real Geography of the London Underground

Video: The Basics of Crossrail – London’s New Underground Line

London History: The Place Where Old London Double Decker Buses Went to Die

London Video: A Look at the Great Smog of London

Tube and London bus fares to rise by nearly 6% from March

What is Crossrail 2 and What is Its Current Status?

London Alert: Strike by London Underground workers to go ahead after last-minute talks fail

London Mayor hails Elizabeth line as direct routes and Sunday services begin

Elizabeth line fully opens and offers more direct journeys

Tube poet encourages writers to ‘bring who they are to the field’

Footer

About Londontopia

Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!

When We’re in London Next

We don’t currently have any travel plans to London but hope to visit at some point in 2021.

  • SEO Backlinks
  • Travel Blog

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Copyright © 2023 Anglotopia, LLC · Website Developed by Anglotopia, LLC · Log in