Notice how certain things are painted in red. This is because the Waterloo & City line used to be part of British Rail, and was operated by Network SouthEast, who painted all their stations in red.
I have loved watching the whole series. Thank you so much. You should be given a TV series. I lived in London for 25 years and never been knew most of what you have shown 10/10!
I wish there was an American guy (or anyone, really) who made amazing videos like these for the Subway in NYC. I've visited London a couple of times, and I've traveled the lines plenty while I was there, but it's not quite the same thing as learning something cool you never knew about a thing you use everyday back home and often take for granted. Brilliant series!
Waterloo and City did/does have some other secrets. 1) Before the EuroStar platforms were put in at Waterloo the carriages used to be lowered down via a water lift. 2) I believe it is still the only line to have it own signalling controlled by a lever frame box at the end of the Waterloo platform.
You'll have to take this project global now, Geoff. Secrets of the Metro/Subway etc. in Paris, New York .. etc etc ... The world is your oyster (card). Thanks for a brilliant series.
Many thanks, Mr. Marshall. Pausing by the red arch a few days ago was a real pleasure. Credit to the Underground for installing a plaque for those who do not have to hurry by.
Berlin's BVG as well. There were even some underpants sold, with really provocative station names written on it; all in German though. I think that was in 2004...
That crane isn't used for lifting the stock in and out; it's far too small, a large road crane is used. The fixed crane is used for lifting small items, such as the guide wheels fixed to each end of the vehicles when they're being lifted in and out.
little tibits in comparison of Waterloo & City line with it's cousin in New York, the 42nd Street Shuttle (or as the transit authority calls it on their internal paperwork, the Zero Train. there are three "shuttle lines, and each has an internal name that matches the number/letter system the other lines use, publicly all three are "S"). Both connect a major rail terminal (Waterloo and Grand Central Terminal) to one of their network's largest hubs (Bank/Monument and Times Square) Both are by far the shortest lines on their network. Both run with abnormal train lengths. W&C four, Shuttle ranges from three to five depending on the track. Both do run much less than the rest of their network. W&C no sunday or holidays, Shuttle does not operate overnight and is the only Subway line that actually closes. (during these times, passengers can take the parallel #7) Both are direct one stop rides that pass by stations other lines stop at. W&C runs past the Dristict and Circle lines at Blackfriars and Mansion House while a wall literally separates the Shuttle from the station at 6th ave and 42nd where the B,D,F and M stop and the connected 5th avenue stop on the 7) Both are often used to portray other sections of the system in TV and movies. For the record, the differences being the shuttle is a repurposed section of disconnected track of the original 1904 "Day One" subway line. It was disconnected in 1918 during the switch over to what is known as the "H" system, two main trunk lines on each side of Manhattan with the shuttle crossing between them. It is still connected by track to other line sections, so it does not need it's own storage and maintenance facility. The shuttle is shorter and takes officially 1 minute to run end to end. It uses three tracks and each track operates independently of the other two.
Some of your commentators have already pointed out that the W&C used to be part of British Rail. In fact it was built by the Southern Railway and before the current trains (which were built as part of the order of the 1992 Central Line trains), it was operated by Bulleid designed tube stock, with weird almost oval, small windows. They were pretty ancient as well, dating from 1940. In fact this line is far older than that, opening in 1898 (and with a previous generation of trains) and therefore one of the oldest lines on the network. The 1992 trains were also delivered in Network South-East livery. The Wikipedia entry for this line is worth a look, and reveals that one of the 1940 Bulleid trains is in the London Transport Museum depot in Acton, which has open days from time to time.
+Londonist Ltd tell Geoff I'll chew him out if he still tells lies. Ground him for a week until I can get to London on the Geoff and Plonker line and change for a central to Ealing Broadway. Kisses, Olli
I've noticed that the Waterloo & City Line's trains still retain their original armrests between the seats, despite two changes of moquette since they were introduced. Their counterparts on the Central Line lost their armrests very early on, as they used to break off easily apparently!!
Saw the Greathead shield (Gratehead?) yesterday --- my grandson pointed it out HAVING SEEN THIS VIDEO !!! He also told me the bit about 1000s of people walking by and not knowing what it is, and the bit about the W&C being the only line that is totally underground (even the depot), and, and .... Thanks Geoff - sterling work.
You missed the best fact about the Waterloo and City line. It will be in most movies the Tube is featured in, because they can film there on weekends. The W&C Line stood in for the Circle line on Skyfall for example. Which is funny because circle line trains look different.
I was hoping for some facts as to why build a tube line of 2 stations? etc :) Went on this line for the first time today, changing my route to Moorfields, hey at least there was no chance of me missing my stop! :) Saw the red head shield and remembered it from your video, thank you x
So that's great. I've sat through all those videos, learning facts that were really interesting- and only now at the end of the series has he told us that many of them weren't true. Nice one.
One major problem... The crane in Lower Marsh can not lift the W&C cars it doesn't have the lifting capacity, it is used to lift maintenance materials in and out of the depot. When the cars where removed & returned they used a very large road crane parked in Lower Marsh, and the cars only just fitted into the hole.
Martin Tyler The LSWR did build a lift on the Western side of the station, it survived up until some one built a temporary international station on the sight of the top of the lift.
Oh I see it was the other side of Waterloo I presumed it was where the existing depot is. "temp international station" like that. Thanks for clearing that up for me.
Martin Tyler It disappeared when Waterloo Station had to be adapted for the Eurostar trains. They terminated in Waterloo for some time, now they terminate in St. Pancras.
I'm living far far away from London, in fact in Austria ( not Australia!). But I enjoyed this video series as much as I think all the commuters of the Tube did. Hope to see all this things in real some day. Best regards from Austria, keep up this funny and intersting videos about London. :)
The reason the numbers for the W&S are so high is cos it was owned and run by BR for many decades so the surface numbering merely continued in the tunnels. Waterloo also had a track over the concourse for many years, the bridge carrying the spur from the Charring Cross branch still visible - you should do "Secrets of the Teminii"
I have a secret for the Waterloo and City; In the 1950s they built a large network of deep level cable tunnels to protect London's telephone lines from a nuclear attack. A part of the Waterloo and City line tunnel is used to take the cables underneath the River Thames.
Glitch, not quite. The tunnel with the cables is the Old South London and City Tunnel from King William Street under to London Bridge (replaced when it was extended beyond Kennington and the tunnels needed widening for new trains. Deep Level Tubes were built pre-WW2 between Roughly Camden Town and Clapham South to normal Railway Loading Guage - but never used for rail - they should be used to accomodate HS2 to Brighton Extension. In the 1950s more tunnels and underground exchanges for the Government Telephone Network were constructed - around the High Holborn Tram Tunnel Area and Chancery Lane above the Central Line in Particular linking into the BT Tower Transmitter - one reason why GPO engineers had to sign the official secrets act.
That crane on Lower Marsh which lifts out the Waterloo & City Line cars from the depot beneath out into the open air only came into being around 1993 as originally on the former western part of Waterloo station on the 'Windsor lines' side was a lift (called the Armstrong lift) which was where the Waterloo & City Line cars were taken out as the lift was connected with the sidings which were part of the LSWR main line. The Armstrong lift was taken out of use when the former Waterloo International station was built in 1992 but apparently the lift is still there but encased in concrete beneath the site of Waterloo International station. The 'new' crane off Lower Marsh came into its own in the spring of 1993 when the old Southern Railway and BR class 487 EMUs dating from 1940 were replaced by the new fleet of class 482/1992 stock which still runs on the Waterloo & City Line to this day.
You can add the fact that Waterloo and City line was before a part of British Rail, and that the 1992 Stock trains on the W&C had originally blue doors and Netweork South East logo ;)
You can add the fact that Waterloo and City line was before a part of British Rail, and that the 1992 Stock trains on the W&C had originally blue doors and Netweork South East logo ;) -imaginox9 I was surprised to see a Network Southeast livery on a 1992 stock tube train. I thought the image was edited. I was wrong. It surprised me at first.
Just four carriages. If my home of Carlisle got four car trains it would be a blessing. We usually get one or two car trains except for the intercity. But nobody really uses them.
Oh man, you got me with the caption thing! I didn't watch this video until the end because I clicked on a previos video before to check the captions and I didn't get the clue. Now I have watched this video until the end and I have noticed that there is no clue! Shame on you!*gg* I like your videos! Btw.: Did say something about the "Baker Street"-Station? Berhaps I missed it but I'm not able to remember anything!
The Waterloo and City Line is nicknamed 'The Drain'. I understood the stock is smaller than other tube lines as it has smaller bore tunnels. Also the coaches are shorter to negotiate the bends. It was also not part of the London Transport tube network as such because it was owned by British Rail. Another interesting fact is that unlike all other UK railways, the Drain had a strict queuing system set by markings on the platform surface. Finalamento, It's a whole lot faster than the 76 bus.
The rolling stock used is the same as used on the Central Line, and is driver by Central Line drivers who sign on a the depot in Leytonstone. In effect it's a branchline of the Central ... If TfL ever ran out of colours, they could colour this branch red, and re-use the W&C colour ...
Another great fact is that it was run by National Rail (or Network SouthEast as that part of it was at the time) until only a couple of decades age. Okay, that's not that great of a fact, but the interesting part is that you can still see the Network SouthEast branding on the platform edges.
A brilliant series! Apparently back in the 1980s (when under BR), there were plans to add an intermediate station at Blackfriars, but nothing ever came to it. There were also plans to merge the line with the Moorgate to Finsbury Park branch, but that never came to anything. Due to the fact, that new platforms would have to be built at Bank. Plus I also heard plans for the line to be merged with the DLR quite a while ago. But yet again, nothing came to anything, due to again the Waterloo and City platforms at Bank (and possibly the DLR's).
The 42nd St Shuttle in NYC is pretty much identical, as it connects two major stations. Also, like the Waterloo and City Line which is the only line with 4-car trains, the 42nd St Shuttle is the only line with 6-car trains. However, unlike the Waterloo and City Line, the 42nd St Shuttle runs every day except late nights. This is because it’s not crowded during those times and there’s an alternate service which is the 7 and it runs parallel. The reason the shuttle still exists despite the 7 connecting both stops is because Times Square and Grand Central are the first and second busiest stations, respectively and many people want to travel between them. The 7 is much deeper and harder to access. Also, there’s an extra stop, that being 5th Ave on the way, thus making journeys with the 7 longer. The Shuttle only connects both stations together and it helps ease congestion on the 7. However, the Waterloo and City Line apparently has way too few riders because there’s no alternative to quickly travel between Waterloo and Bank and yet, it doesn’t run on weekends.
There's a documentary about the Waterloo and City Line where they show cranes replacing tube train cars. I saw it once on TV a few years ago, but I can't find it anywhere now. Anyone have more info?
I'm a bit confused by one thing: it says that the tunelling shield was uncovered in 1987 when the city extension for the DLR was being built. But I've read in lots of other places that the city extension for the DLR only went ahead after it turned out that Tower Gateway station, which didn't open until 31st August 1987 with the rest of the original DLR stations, wasn't convenient enough for commuters, and they decided that an extension from the DLR to Bank would be necessary. If that's true, they wouldn't have started building the city extension until after 1987. So that story must be incorrect and they must have had plans to build the city extension for the DLR even before Tower Gateway and the DLR opened. Am I right? If so, all the reports about Tower Gateway turning out to be not fit for purpose after it opened can't be correct.
The DLR opened at the end of July 1987 but even before it opened it was realised that usage would be different & much heavier from planned so the Bank and Beckton extensions were already being planned. Here's a question in Parliament about them from before the opening: api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1987/may/06/docklands-light-railway#S6CV0115P0_19870506_CWA_30
Lies! I'm aghast. Next, up will be down, cats will be dogs, Arsenal will be Spurs. (Actually, I'm not aghast, brilliant video. Also, is the fact that the W&C was used as the District line in "Sliding Doors" a secret? The blue-doored trains are something of a give-away.)
You also said , on the Heathrow express video , that the line wich connects terminal 5 and terminal 4 was the only line in London using two drivers for two stations , but the Waterloo&City line also uses two drivers for only two stations during peak hour !
Imagine if you use the W&C line everyday and it was closed for maintenance you'd have to take the bus which would probably take longer, or take an alternate route through Embankment on the Bakerloo and Circle/District.
Used to be known as "The Drain", was owned and run by British Rail and the tunnel was smaller than those on the LU and hence smaller trains were used. Has the old platform queuing system ended?
A Cool Fact: At Bank station, London Underground allow the drivers to park their Waterloo and city line trains on one of the platforms, especially during the off peak quiet times, or sometimes if their is a technical fault, they can shut down the train and leave it on the platform for half an hour, then reboot. I bet during the coronavirus lockdown, Bank Waterloo and city line station will be full of parked trains
Geoff, which Signal Box controls the Waterloo & City Line? The signal posts have WK on them, and they look like National Rail signal posts (ie with the signal box code) - white lettering and black background. You can see one very clearly at Waterloo, and if you look out the right hand side in direction of travel, you can spot the one protecting the scissors at Bank. Just wondered if you might know! Thank you!
One thing that seems to have been missed (in the comments as well - or, at least, as far as I got!), is that the W&C is built to a smaller loading gauge (because it has smaller tunnels than the tube) - so the carriages are smaller. So it cannot (for instance) use ex-tube stock, and extending it , or linking it to other lines , would be even more difficult. For those asking why it was built and why it was never extended, this is a clue to the answer. It was built entirely to get Waterloo passengers to the City, it was never intended to be part of the Tube, or connect to it, or anything, so the builders paid no attention to what else was going on at the time, they just built their line to meet their own needs. It is also (or was - I haven't been on the new trains) - by far the noisiest of all the underground lines!
The trains it uses are identical in design to those used on the Central line, there's even some old footage out there of them testing on the Central Line in the 90s
You forgot, there's still signs, if you look carefully in the correct tunnel, of where the Armstrong train lift was, what was used for transporting rolling stock from a track on the surface to the W & C, until the early 90's when it had to be removed to build the Eurostar terminal. This hoist could only take one car at a time. There was a smaller lift at the depot for boiler fuel wagons.
I thought the Holborn to Aldwych was the only underground line with just two stations. I used to regularly use this short line from the Central line at Holborn when, as a Chorister, I lived at Ealing and sang in the Kings Chapel of the Savoy. Yes, Kings Chapel will tell you how long ago that was. There were two lifts in use at Aldwych then. What used to intrigue me on the Central Line was the disused station on a spur called Wood Lane (I think) just outside White City station. I went with my camera and took a photo of it as we flashed by the opening to that spur.
I have some card maps of the London Underground Railway - issued free from the publicity manager's office. Interestingly they show the railways 'geographically' unlike those from 1934 onward which show them in the current format. It says (on the top right corner) Extension (from Finsbury Park) to Cockfosters under construction. I wonder when these red tri-fold card maps date from - my later maps are all dated. The line from Moorgate to Finsbury Park is uncoloured. The Picadilly line is under construction from Hammersmith westwards, and coloured green. Bank station on the Central line is called Post Office. Michael
I was on the Waterloo platform of the Waterloo and City this afternoon, and I looked up and saw a walkway, I couldn't remember if you had said anything about it, and you hadn't.
You lied to me, I can never trust you again :P Seriously though, loved these videos. I think they should build more lines just so you can do another series
Notice how certain things are painted in red. This is because the Waterloo & City line used to be part of British Rail, and was operated by Network SouthEast, who painted all their stations in red.
I always put it down to a particular brand of rust inhibitor being red ...
J
I have loved watching the whole series. Thank you so much. You should be given a TV series. I lived in London for 25 years and never been knew most of what you have shown 10/10!
kind words Peter, thank you!
I wish there was an American guy (or anyone, really) who made amazing videos like these for the Subway in NYC. I've visited London a couple of times, and I've traveled the lines plenty while I was there, but it's not quite the same thing as learning something cool you never knew about a thing you use everyday back home and often take for granted. Brilliant series!
That might be me one day
@Uzbek Traveller when I grow up and start making these videos for New York City
bro we will give u that if u give us a mrbeast in the uk
@@wesh420 Bruh in a few years I will do these videos for America.
Look up Mystic Transit, it’s not the same content but it’s similar
After watching this video I actually went on the Waterloo and City line to see the red thing in the ceiling
I recommend getting on at Waterloo and when you get off don't go towards the travalator, and towards the DLR. I think...
Waterloo and City did/does have some other secrets. 1) Before the EuroStar platforms were put in at Waterloo the carriages used to be lowered down via a water lift. 2) I believe it is still the only line to have it own signalling controlled by a lever frame box at the end of the Waterloo platform.
You'll have to take this project global now, Geoff. Secrets of the Metro/Subway etc. in Paris, New York .. etc etc ... The world is your oyster (card). Thanks for a brilliant series.
0:57 Hammersmith & Tity line - Geoff Marshall 2016
Yep I heard it
Many thanks, Mr. Marshall. Pausing by the red arch a few days ago was a real pleasure. Credit to the Underground for installing a plaque for those who do not have to hurry by.
How come Underground isn't selling its own T-shirts in the colours of its lines?
It's a transportation company, Not a fashion company.
+Samad Mckenna-Ahmedi So? It could be a nice way for TfL to make some extra quid.
It's a big company, It just sounds like your treating it like a RUclips channel or merchandise market
+Samad Mckenna-Ahmedi NYC and L.A do it. Singapore also.
Berlin's BVG as well. There were even some underpants sold, with really provocative station names written on it; all in German though. I think that was in 2004...
3:31 anyone saw that he was gonna laugh?
YES
It is 2021. Do us a favour and bring this back
Really enjoyed all the videos, I appreciate all the legwork you put in Geoff. Best of luck for the future.
That crane isn't used for lifting the stock in and out; it's far too small, a large road crane is used. The fixed crane is used for lifting small items, such as the guide wheels fixed to each end of the vehicles when they're being lifted in and out.
+Stephen Furley Stephen, this was corrected in the DVD version with up--to-date footage, yes. thanks!
Really enjoyed the series, thank you for your efforts!
little tibits in comparison of Waterloo & City line with it's cousin in New York, the 42nd Street Shuttle (or as the transit authority calls it on their internal paperwork, the Zero Train. there are three "shuttle lines, and each has an internal name that matches the number/letter system the other lines use, publicly all three are "S").
Both connect a major rail terminal (Waterloo and Grand Central Terminal) to one of their network's largest hubs (Bank/Monument and Times Square)
Both are by far the shortest lines on their network.
Both run with abnormal train lengths. W&C four, Shuttle ranges from three to five depending on the track.
Both do run much less than the rest of their network.
W&C no sunday or holidays, Shuttle does not operate overnight and is the only Subway line that actually closes. (during these times, passengers can take the parallel #7)
Both are direct one stop rides that pass by stations other lines stop at.
W&C runs past the Dristict and Circle lines at Blackfriars and Mansion House while a wall literally separates the Shuttle from the station at 6th ave and 42nd where the B,D,F and M stop and the connected 5th avenue stop on the 7)
Both are often used to portray other sections of the system in TV and movies.
For the record, the differences being the shuttle is a repurposed section of disconnected track of the original 1904 "Day One" subway line. It was disconnected in 1918 during the switch over to what is known as the "H" system, two main trunk lines on each side of Manhattan with the shuttle crossing between them.
It is still connected by track to other line sections, so it does not need it's own storage and maintenance facility.
The shuttle is shorter and takes officially 1 minute to run end to end.
It uses three tracks and each track operates independently of the other two.
Why does this shuttle exist if there's another line that runs parallel to it?
metropod i
There’s also M1B in Helsinki, shuttling between Itäkeskus and Vuosaari. Only 3 trains a day.
There's also the Ramal line in Madrid
@@KasabianFan44 if the 7 line goes out of service the S fills in
Some of your commentators have already pointed out that the W&C used to be part of British Rail. In fact it was built by the Southern Railway and before the current trains (which were built as part of the order of the 1992 Central Line trains), it was operated by Bulleid designed tube stock, with weird almost oval, small windows. They were pretty ancient as well, dating from 1940. In fact this line is far older than that, opening in 1898 (and with a previous generation of trains) and therefore one of the oldest lines on the network. The 1992 trains were also delivered in Network South-East livery. The Wikipedia entry for this line is worth a look, and reveals that one of the 1940 Bulleid trains is in the London Transport Museum depot in Acton, which has open days from time to time.
The end of a brilliant series, learnt a lot of things, thanks Geoff
Cheeky sod
+Londonist Ltd Teach him a lesson. I bet he's not a frequent user of the W&C. Tut tut tut
+disguyiknowreturns We're not even sure it was Geoff in that last video. He might have sent his twin brother, we've just realised.
+Londonist Ltd tell Geoff I'll chew him out if he still tells lies. Ground him for a week until I can get to London on the Geoff and Plonker line and change for a central to Ealing Broadway. Kisses, Olli
Wait, what, you *pay* Geoff?
How is he a cheeky sod? Only trying to be fun
thanks for this awesome series hope you do more.
Really well made videos. Much better than a lot you see on broadcast TV
I've noticed that the Waterloo & City Line's trains still retain their original armrests between the seats, despite two changes of moquette since they were introduced. Their counterparts on the Central Line lost their armrests very early on, as they used to break off easily apparently!!
Outstanding, Geoff ! ! - many thanks for such an entertaining series - I look forward to your vids on the DLR and London's canal network ! ! :-)
Saw the Greathead shield (Gratehead?) yesterday --- my grandson pointed it out HAVING SEEN THIS VIDEO !!! He also told me the bit about 1000s of people walking by and not knowing what it is, and the bit about the W&C being the only line that is totally underground (even the depot), and, and .... Thanks Geoff - sterling work.
This and Bakerloo lines are my favourite lines. Thank you for all the videos.
How can you like a line that runs for two stops
Great series,enjoyed it,thanks a lot
I love the whole series I spent a lot of time on the Underground in April kind of sad it's over you are a great presenter
You missed the best fact about the Waterloo and City line. It will be in most movies the Tube is featured in, because they can film there on weekends. The W&C Line stood in for the Circle line on Skyfall for example. Which is funny because circle line trains look different.
The majority of filming on the London Underground takes places as Aldwych and Charing Cross (the old Jubilee Line platforms).
Thank you. I somehow heard it is the W&C line.
Matt Warwick they are central line trains.
You all are wrong. In skyfall, it was filmed at Charing Cross on the old jubilee line platforms and a jubilee line train was used
@@jay-ti5js Yes. That 1996 Stock was just disguised as a 1995 Stock xD
thank u for bringing us truly the best train vids
there should be a Manchester equivalent of this channel, with secrets of the Metrolink trams, Northern Rail, etc.
yes yes yes yes, I am a regular user of all of these and to know some secrets would be great!
Well I'm proposing 'Secrets of the Sheffield Supertram' - it's even got a nice alliterative title
Northern? The videos won’t be on Saturdays, I’ll tell you that...
James Geoff should really do that. There’s enough fun facts to fill a video with
@@GreatBritishRailways Manchester also has a lot of lost railways!!
Absolutely loved the factoid about the portal with crane to pick out or drop in new or refurbished carriages. Super.
I'm really going to miss this series, really interesting! :)
There are three places in zone 1 that you don't have to use a barrier to get access to the system, the 3rd place is via the MIP lift at Bank.
I was hoping for some facts as to why build a tube line of 2 stations? etc :)
Went on this line for the first time today, changing my route to Moorfields, hey at least there was no chance of me missing my stop! :) Saw the red head shield and remembered it from your video, thank you x
So that's great. I've sat through all those videos, learning facts that were really interesting- and only now at the end of the series has he told us that many of them weren't true.
Nice one.
Now I can't remember what's true and what was made up
One major problem... The crane in Lower Marsh can not lift the W&C cars it doesn't have the lifting capacity, it is used to lift maintenance materials in and out of the depot. When the cars where removed & returned they used a very large road crane parked in Lower Marsh, and the cars only just fitted into the hole.
***** what is the anagram in this video
Before the crane didn't they have a LIFT so that each car could be brought to the surface? When did that disappear?
Martin Tyler The LSWR did build a lift on the Western side of the station, it survived up until some one built a temporary international station on the sight of the top of the lift.
Oh I see it was the other side of Waterloo I presumed it was where the existing depot is. "temp international station" like that. Thanks for clearing that up for me.
Martin Tyler It disappeared when Waterloo Station had to be adapted for the Eurostar trains. They terminated in Waterloo for some time, now they terminate in St. Pancras.
I know another fact: The Waterloo and City line could have 3 stations as it runs directly underneath Blackfriars
There could have been a fourth too. If you look at its route on Google Maps, the line goes straight through Mansion House
G
Yo.
@@jpbdude4223 hi
The Banking guys who are commuting from their nice Surrey villages won't want their journey made less efficient ;)
Coming to London today quite excited
I'm living far far away from London, in fact in Austria ( not Australia!). But I enjoyed this video series as much as I think all the commuters of the Tube did. Hope to see all this things in real some day.
Best regards from Austria, keep up this funny and intersting videos about London. :)
Brilliant series of videos - they should reach a wider audience.
The reason the numbers for the W&S are so high is cos it was owned and run by BR for many decades so the surface numbering merely continued in the tunnels. Waterloo also had a track over the concourse for many years, the bridge carrying the spur from the Charring Cross branch still visible - you should do "Secrets of the Teminii"
I have a secret for the Waterloo and City; In the 1950s they built a large network of deep level cable tunnels to protect London's telephone lines from a nuclear attack. A part of the Waterloo and City line tunnel is used to take the cables underneath the River Thames.
Glitch, not quite. The tunnel with the cables is the Old South London and City Tunnel from King William Street under to London Bridge (replaced when it was extended beyond Kennington and the tunnels needed widening for new trains.
Deep Level Tubes were built pre-WW2 between Roughly Camden Town and Clapham South to normal Railway Loading Guage - but never used for rail - they should be used to accomodate HS2 to Brighton Extension. In the 1950s more tunnels and underground exchanges for the Government Telephone Network were constructed - around the High Holborn Tram Tunnel Area and Chancery Lane above the Central Line in Particular linking into the BT Tower Transmitter - one reason why GPO engineers had to sign the official secrets act.
That crane on Lower Marsh which lifts out the Waterloo & City Line cars from the depot beneath out into the open air only came into being around 1993 as originally on the former western part of Waterloo station on the 'Windsor lines' side was a lift (called the Armstrong lift) which was where the Waterloo & City Line cars were taken out as the lift was connected with the sidings which were part of the LSWR main line. The Armstrong lift was taken out of use when the former Waterloo International station was built in 1992 but apparently the lift is still there but encased in concrete beneath the site of Waterloo International station. The 'new' crane off Lower Marsh came into its own in the spring of 1993 when the old Southern Railway and BR class 487 EMUs dating from 1940 were replaced by the new fleet of class 482/1992 stock which still runs on the Waterloo & City Line to this day.
I never realized this line existed because it's so easy to miss on the map. They should give the River Thames a different color.
Thanks Geoff, I loved your video series
You can add the fact that Waterloo and City line was before a part of British Rail, and that the 1992 Stock trains on the W&C had originally blue doors and Netweork South East logo ;)
You can add the fact that Waterloo and City line was before a part of British Rail, and that the 1992 Stock trains on the W&C had originally blue doors and Netweork South East logo ;) -imaginox9
I was surprised to see a Network Southeast livery on a 1992 stock tube train. I thought the image was edited. I was wrong. It surprised me at first.
I travelled on it in the 1970's - not sure what stock it was but seemed like something from the 1930's, really creepy
OMG... I actually did the caption thing. Just so you know the letters are "TTUWIJIHIC" Don't think you CAN make a word from that but have fun :D
Watch the end of the video!
I did, but I still did the caption thing. It's like Countdown
AKinkyApple
no he says its a lie XD
i'm just joking... klljoy
Where's James May when you need him?
Just four carriages. If my home of Carlisle got four car trains it would be a blessing. We usually get one or two car trains except for the intercity. But nobody really uses them.
Oh man, you got me with the caption thing!
I didn't watch this video until the end because I clicked on a previos video before to check the captions and I didn't get the clue.
Now I have watched this video until the end and I have noticed that there is no clue!
Shame on you!*gg*
I like your videos!
Btw.: Did say something about the "Baker Street"-Station? Berhaps I missed it but I'm not able to remember anything!
Great series!!
Well done Good series ! more videos please
The Waterloo and City Line is nicknamed 'The Drain'. I understood the stock is smaller than other tube lines as it has smaller bore tunnels. Also the coaches are shorter to negotiate the bends. It was also not part of the London Transport tube network as such because it was owned by British Rail. Another interesting fact is that unlike all other UK railways, the Drain had a strict queuing system set by markings on the platform surface. Finalamento, It's a whole lot faster than the 76 bus.
The rolling stock used is the same as used on the Central Line, and is driver by Central Line drivers who sign on a the depot in Leytonstone. In effect it's a branchline of the Central ... If TfL ever ran out of colours, they could colour this branch red, and re-use the W&C colour ...
Great series of videos Geoff! How about now doing abandoned stations or disused sections of stations still in use? Just an idea :)
Lovely vid Geoff, I've loved the W&C for years but I've never been quite sure why. It's the odd duck of the Underground :)
London Underground meets Only Connect. Love it.
Fun Facts and a few Fun Red Herrings about the London Underground. I had a great view of Waterloo station from my hotel room.
Premier Inn?
Another great fact is that it was run by National Rail (or Network SouthEast as that part of it was at the time) until only a couple of decades age. Okay, that's not that great of a fact, but the interesting part is that you can still see the Network SouthEast branding on the platform edges.
brilliant video again thank u
I really wanted the caption thing to be true... Great series, enjoyed watching all of it. Thanks Geoff! 😉
A brilliant series! Apparently back in the 1980s (when under BR), there were plans to add an intermediate station at Blackfriars, but nothing ever came to it. There were also plans to merge the line with the Moorgate to Finsbury Park branch, but that never came to anything. Due to the fact, that new platforms would have to be built at Bank. Plus I also heard plans for the line to be merged with the DLR quite a while ago. But yet again, nothing came to anything, due to again the Waterloo and City platforms at Bank (and possibly the DLR's).
You really skidaddled on us with that one
There is technically one more like the island line on the Isle of Wight that would be a nice little bonus
He does London stations
@@mattinfullvision9598 he did all the stations as well
You forgot that the Waterloo and city is the only tube line that used to be owned by BR Network Southeast and were originally class 487s...
2:13 the crane will be used again right? for the new tub stock mid 2020's or before
I love the tube, and overground, and DLR
Sneaky little mustard! :D
Nerd, nerdier, Geoff! Well playd!
The 42nd St Shuttle in NYC is pretty much identical, as it connects two major stations. Also, like the Waterloo and City Line which is the only line with 4-car trains, the 42nd St Shuttle is the only line with 6-car trains. However, unlike the Waterloo and City Line, the 42nd St Shuttle runs every day except late nights. This is because it’s not crowded during those times and there’s an alternate service which is the 7 and it runs parallel. The reason the shuttle still exists despite the 7 connecting both stops is because Times Square and Grand Central are the first and second busiest stations, respectively and many people want to travel between them. The 7 is much deeper and harder to access. Also, there’s an extra stop, that being 5th Ave on the way, thus making journeys with the 7 longer. The Shuttle only connects both stations together and it helps ease congestion on the 7. However, the Waterloo and City Line apparently has way too few riders because there’s no alternative to quickly travel between Waterloo and Bank and yet, it doesn’t run on weekends.
More. More. More
There's a documentary about the Waterloo and City Line where they show cranes replacing tube train cars. I saw it once on TV a few years ago, but I can't find it anywhere now. Anyone have more info?
I'm a bit confused by one thing: it says that the tunelling shield was uncovered in 1987 when the city extension for the DLR was being built. But I've read in lots of other places that the city extension for the DLR only went ahead after it turned out that Tower Gateway station, which didn't open until 31st August 1987 with the rest of the original DLR stations, wasn't convenient enough for commuters, and they decided that an extension from the DLR to Bank would be necessary. If that's true, they wouldn't have started building the city extension until after 1987. So that story must be incorrect and they must have had plans to build the city extension for the DLR even before Tower Gateway and the DLR opened. Am I right? If so, all the reports about Tower Gateway turning out to be not fit for purpose after it opened can't be correct.
The DLR opened at the end of July 1987 but even before it opened it was realised that usage would be different & much heavier from planned so the Bank and Beckton extensions were already being planned. Here's a question in Parliament about them from before the opening: api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1987/may/06/docklands-light-railway#S6CV0115P0_19870506_CWA_30
Happy 125 Years to the Waterloo & City Line 1898 - 2023
Were some of the 92 stock taken from the central line and modified for waterloo and city line?
Please could you do the secrets of the TFL Rail both towards Sheffield and Heathrow. Thanks
I love your channels
Lies! I'm aghast. Next, up will be down, cats will be dogs, Arsenal will be Spurs.
(Actually, I'm not aghast, brilliant video. Also, is the fact that the W&C was used as the District line in "Sliding Doors" a secret? The blue-doored trains are something of a give-away.)
Next he'll tell It's arsenal don't even play at Woolwich...pah!
You also said , on the Heathrow express video , that the line wich connects terminal 5 and terminal 4 was the only line in London using two drivers for two stations , but the Waterloo&City line also uses two drivers for only two stations during peak hour !
Imagine if you use the W&C line everyday and it was closed for maintenance you'd have to take the bus which would probably take longer, or take an alternate route through Embankment on the Bakerloo and Circle/District.
Used to be known as "The Drain", was owned and run by British Rail and the tunnel was smaller than those on the LU and hence smaller trains were used. Has the old platform queuing system ended?
you should do the DLR overground and national rail lines that operate out of london
Brilliant! More, please.... I guess the DLR could be 3 or 4 videos?.....
Could you do a video for the tramlink through Croydon?
A Cool Fact: At Bank station, London Underground allow the drivers to park their Waterloo and city line trains on one of the platforms, especially during the off peak quiet times, or sometimes if their is a technical fault, they can shut down the train and leave it on the platform for half an hour, then reboot. I bet during the coronavirus lockdown, Bank Waterloo and city line station will be full of parked trains
Geoff, which Signal Box controls the Waterloo & City Line? The signal posts have WK on them, and they look like National Rail signal posts (ie with the signal box code) - white lettering and black background.
You can see one very clearly at Waterloo, and if you look out the right hand side in direction of travel, you can spot the one protecting the scissors at Bank. Just wondered if you might know! Thank you!
Waterloo 'box, (Waterloo and banK)
I've just paged through some of Geoff's 'Secrets of' lines - and I think this is, by official stats , the 'Least Used'
The shortest train on the Underground was the single car train that shuttled between Acton Town Station and South Acton Station.
Oh you smart smart man! even your shirts?! omg my hero.
***** Do you make Geofftech t shirts? OR even better Londonist shirts? I'd get one!
One thing that seems to have been missed (in the comments as well - or, at least, as far as I got!), is that the W&C is built to a smaller loading gauge (because it has smaller tunnels than the tube) - so the carriages are smaller. So it cannot (for instance) use ex-tube stock, and extending it , or linking it to other lines , would be even more difficult.
For those asking why it was built and why it was never extended, this is a clue to the answer. It was built entirely to get Waterloo passengers to the City, it was never intended to be part of the Tube, or connect to it, or anything, so the builders paid no attention to what else was going on at the time, they just built their line to meet their own needs.
It is also (or was - I haven't been on the new trains) - by far the noisiest of all the underground lines!
The trains it uses are identical in design to those used on the Central line, there's even some old footage out there of them testing on the Central Line in the 90s
I say the jubilee is louder
Was literally walking thru that tunnel at bank yesterday and was baffled as to what the red thing was
You forgot, there's still signs, if you look carefully in the correct tunnel, of where the Armstrong train lift was, what was used for transporting rolling stock from a track on the surface to the W & C, until the early 90's when it had to be removed to build the Eurostar terminal. This hoist could only take one car at a time. There was a smaller lift at the depot for boiler fuel wagons.
Great/brilliant end to a great/brilliant series. Thanks ever so.
Love the bit of the T-shirts hanging up at 1:45 . Are they available for purchase ;-)
*****
Gotcha.
I thought the Holborn to Aldwych was the only underground line with just two stations. I used to regularly use this short line from the Central line at Holborn when, as a Chorister, I lived at Ealing and sang in the Kings Chapel of the Savoy. Yes, Kings Chapel will tell you how long ago that was. There were two lifts in use at Aldwych then. What used to intrigue me on the Central Line was the disused station on a spur called Wood Lane (I think) just outside White City station. I went with my camera and took a photo of it as we flashed by the opening to that spur.
Michael Gamble It was the only one back then, the W&C opened as a LU line after the Aldwych branch closed.
I have some card maps of the London Underground Railway - issued free from the publicity manager's office. Interestingly they show the railways 'geographically' unlike those from 1934 onward which show them in the current format. It says (on the top right corner) Extension (from Finsbury Park) to Cockfosters under construction. I wonder when these red tri-fold card maps date from - my later maps are all dated. The line from Moorgate to Finsbury Park is uncoloured. The Picadilly line is under construction from Hammersmith westwards, and coloured green. Bank station on the Central line is called Post Office. Michael
Technically the Aldwych branch was part of the piccadilly line
Oh thank god, I was almost about to type up every first letter of the captions in the videos.
I was on the Waterloo platform of the Waterloo and City this afternoon, and I looked up and saw a walkway, I couldn't remember if you had said anything about it, and you hadn't.
There’s a depot at Leytonstone?
Next you should do:
OVERGROUND, TRAMLINK, DLR ?? Please?? :D
Even I used to think that the Victoria line runs entirely underground but I didn't know its depo is overground
I've never realised that the colour shirt he was wearing was the colour of the line he was riding in each video... awesome!
trainers too !
Is the Waterloo and city a single track line?
You lied to me, I can never trust you again :P
Seriously though, loved these videos. I think they should build more lines just so you can do another series
+HatterDave Lines are getting extended (Including DLR) So it will continue 2019 (When the full XRail Opens)
How about the International Line?
Any video of the Crain in use or next time it is can u video it