• 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 / The Tube / The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts About the Central Line on the London Underground

The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts About the Central Line on the London Underground

Jan 10, 2020 By John Rabon

Earning its name by running through Central London, the Central Line is one of the most important lines in the London Underground.  The Central Line started as the Central London Railway in 1900 running east to west through the city.  In 120 years of its existence, the Central Line has built up a very interesting history and some great facts to go with it.  Combing through the miles of tunnels, we’ve found ten of the most interesting factoids about the Central Line that you ought to find fascinating.

Deep Underground

The Central Line has the most stations without a building above ground.  These stations include Bank, Bethnal Green, Chancery Lane, Gants Hill, and Notting Hill Gate.

The Numbers

It’s not an exaggeration to say that the Central Line is one of the most important in the London Underground network.  It is the longest line in the Underground at 46 miles, which is just three miles short of the distance between Leeds and Manchester.  The line also reported a total number of nearly 261 million passengers between 2016 and 2017.

I Ain’t ‘Fraid of No Ghosts

London is a city that has its share of spectres and spirits, and that extends to the Underground as well.  Liverpool Street Station was built over the site of the infamous Bethlehem Hospital, a mental institution that coined the word “Bedlam”.  In 2015, thousands of skeletons were found during construction for the Crossrail line, the remnants of a burial pit created for victims of the Black Death.  The former British Museum station is also believed to be haunted by the ghost of a mummy.

Busiest and Quietest

The Central Line’s busiest station is Oxford Circus, which saw nearly 85 million passengers during 2016 and 2017 due to its proximity to busy Oxford Street (the shipping district).  By contrast, Roding sees maybe 250,000 passengers in a single year.

Forgoing Trains for Planes

Prior to World War II, stations began an upgrade, lengthened to allow for eight-car trains.  However, the war effort ceased the construction, and some new tenants moved into unused tunnels between Leytonstone and Newberry Park.  The Pressley Company used the vacant tunnels as a factory to construct aircraft parts, employing some 2,000 people for the duration of the war.

Nicknames

Would you believe that the nickname “The Tube” didn’t originate as a term for the whole of the Underground?  It actually started as a nickname for the Central Line.  Back when the line started in 1900, the line had a flat fare of two pennies, earning it the nickname “The Two-Penny Tube”, which was later shortened to simply “The Tube”.

Early Attempts at Corporate Sponsorships?

In 1909, Harry Gordon Selfridge attempted to make a major push to have the Bond Street station named changed to “Selfridges” as a way to promote his store.  Naturally, he was turned down.  The store made another push in the 1930s to have its own subway connecting the station and the store but was refused yet again.

What’s That Smell?

In 2001, the Central Line attempted to freshen up its stations by pumping ascent known as “Madeline” through the vents.  However, after a single day of use, the Underground cancelled using the scent as passengers complained of feeling ill.

Is It Made of…Wood?

Greenford station was home to the Underground’s last wooden escalator, which was removed in 2015.  Most of the wooden escalators were removed after a fire at King’s Cross station caused by a lit cigarette dropping into the escalator killed 31 people.

Train Jumpers

Suicides on the Central Line from people jumping in front of trains caused the Underground to install suicide pits beneath the tracks in 1926.

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.

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

  • More than 200 looks to feature in V&A exhibition on Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel
  • Souls Grown Deep like the Rivers: Black Artists from the American South at The Royal Academy
  • National Portrait Gallery to reopen with exhibition on pioneering color photographer
  • London Eye gets spring clean to mark start of the season
  • Natural History Museum named most visited indoor UK attraction again
  • The Ugly Duchess: Beauty and Satire in the Renaissance at the National Gallery
  • Gatwick returns to profit as air travel bounces back
  • Sir Mark Rylance brings role as Dr Semmelweis to West End
  • Shire horses prepare Tower of London moat for next wildflower display
  • In Video: Watch pianist Lang Lang perform at St Pancras station

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

10 Interesting Facts about the Hammersmith and City Line

Nearly half of Londoners have used Elizabeth line so far – survey

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

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