Worst Tube Line?

[Peter Sarf]

What I have realised is intolerably bad about the tube are the sections where there is an almost painful howling noise at certain locations - it seems to build up with speed. The Jubilee from Canary Wharf to London Bridge and now parts of the Victoria line (iirc Southbound towards Victoria). The noise is so bad those sections are now out of bounds - my 8 year old granddaughter cannot tolerate it and it is so loud and I am now wondering if it is bad for my own hearing let alone her younger ears. What is the cause of this terrible noise as I never used to notice it on the Victoria line since it was built until recently.

 

[Russel]

What I have realised is intolerably bad about the tube are the sections where there is an almost painful howling noise at certain locations - it seems to build up with speed. The Jubilee from Canary Wharf to London Bridge and now parts of the Victoria line (iirc Southbound towards Victoria). The noise is so bad those sections are now out of bounds - my 8 year old granddaughter cannot tolerate it and it is so loud and I am now wondering if it is bad for my own hearing let alone her younger ears. What is the cause of this terrible noise as I never used to notice it on the Victoria line since it was built until recently.

The Central line past Liverpool Street towards Stratford is awful for this noise too, my 6 year old son also cannot tolerate it to the point where we now change to the Elizabeth line to avoid it.

 

[urbophile]

Central line for me though I am not keen on the Metropolitan

The Metropolitan bad for what? It's the oldest and therefore has a lot of character. It has fast trains on the main line section. And it's one of the few lines now where you can sit and look out of the window rather than have your back to it. But I admit I am a (very) occasional leisure traveller rather than a daily commuter, which might change perspective.

 

[m79900]

I can’t be done with the central. In my experience the trains are always rammed and boiling.

 

[Metro95]

Even though I can understand why the Central Line gets so much hate. At least the Central Line actually goes somewhere unlike the Bakerloo Line. Most of where the Bakerloo Line goes is served by other lines or the Overground.

 

[100andthirty]

Equal first: Bakerloo line and all lines where there's terrible track noise known as corrugation

 

[Taunton]

What I have realised is intolerably bad about the tube are the sections where there is an almost painful howling noise at certain locations - it seems to build up with speed. The Jubilee from Canary Wharf to London Bridge ...

The noise on this part of the Jubilee, which was excessive, seems to have abated notably in recent times. I suspect some work has been done.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

To be fair , in this boiling weather , one thanks the "S" stock and air con. (whilst staying away from the deep tubes , especially the Bakerloo !)

 

[Railguy1]

Central line is the worst. Regularly packed, no air con and always busy. The seats at the ends of the carriages are also rubbish too and no one is able to sit properly on them.

 

[thomalex]

What I have realised is intolerably bad about the tube are the sections where there is an almost painful howling noise at certain locations - it seems to build up with speed. The Jubilee from Canary Wharf to London Bridge and now parts of the Victoria line (iirc Southbound towards Victoria). The noise is so bad those sections are now out of bounds - my 8 year old granddaughter cannot tolerate it and it is so loud and I am now wondering if it is bad for my own hearing let alone her younger ears. What is the cause of this terrible noise as I never used to notice it on the Victoria line since it was built until recently.

I guess drivers must wear earplugs. It's also shocking on the northern parts of the Victoria line. They really should knock the speed down on the sections where it's really bad. I know it has been raised it would impact frequency but I don't buy this. On the Victoria line especially these trains are so frequent, and regularly stop in the tunnels when they've caught up with the one in front, it would likely smooth out the service a bit.

Of course starting with the Piccadilly we'll soon have new fully enclosed trains which should help with the noise and in the longer term will be a long term solution to this for the deep level tubes.

 

[Mgameing123]

Oh yes. I have to remember not to use the Jubilee Line between London Bridge and Stratford. The noise is horrendous, it is really really deafening even for me but even worse for my Granddaughter. It is really something TfL need to do something about.

Personally I love the noise. It makes me feel im going hella fast.

 

[Intercity110]

For me it’s the Hammersmith and city. Just give it back to the met and simplify everything.

 

[rebmcr]

For me it’s the Hammersmith and city. Just give it back to the met and simplify everything.

Adding more destination pairs to the Met would not be a simplification.

In fact, I think giving the Wimbledon-Edgware Road services a new name independent of the District Line would be simpler, and that's a move in the opposite direction.

 

[stuu]

For me it’s the Hammersmith and city. Just give it back to the met and simplify everything.

What practical difference would that make?

 

[PGAT]

For me it’s the Hammersmith and city. Just give it back to the met and simplify everything.

Simplifying for simplifying sake doesn’t solve anything

 

[AlbertBeale]

For me it’s the Hammersmith and city. Just give it back to the met and simplify everything.

Am I right in thinking that the service pattern always (well, for decades before, anyway) had been separate Hammersmith - East London and Metroland - Aldgate services (because the longer north-of-Baker Street trans were too long for platforms Aldgate East and onwards)? So giving one part of the Met a separate name (whenever that was) simply spelt out what was always the pattern anyway?

 

[Dstock7080]

District services still retained some 8-car operations until 1971, when uncoupling (8-car peak, 6-car off-peak) was withdrawn: so, could have been possible but never implemented.
Hammersmith-New Cross/Gate withdrawn during WWII.

 

[Mikey C]

Am I right in thinking that the service pattern always (well, for decades before, anyway) had been separate Hammersmith - East London and Metroland - Aldgate services (because the longer north-of-Baker Street trans were too long for platforms Aldgate East and onwards)? So giving one part of the Met a separate name (whenever that was) simply spelt out what was always the pattern anyway?

Yes, I recall it being called the "Hammersmith and City" branch. And had completely different trains from the rest of the Met.

 

[Back2front]

Central line way too hot

 

[NorthKent1989]

Am I right in thinking that the service pattern always (well, for decades before, anyway) had been separate Hammersmith - East London and Metroland - Aldgate services (because the longer north-of-Baker Street trans were too long for platforms Aldgate East and onwards)? So giving one part of the Met a separate name (whenever that was) simply spelt out what was always the pattern anyway?

Yep you are correct, there has never been a Metroland to East London service to my knowledge, in the 2000s they did intend for the Metropolitan line to extend to Barking but this required major re-signalling and it was found to be not worth it

 

[Statto]

Piccadilly Line, i do like the fast section from Hammersmith to Acton Town, think the running time is around 50 minutes from Kings Cross to Heathrow, but still feels painfully slow from Acton Town to Heathrow.

 

[Harsig]

Yep you are correct, there has never been a Metroland to East London service to my knowledge, in the 2000s they did intend for the Metropolitan line to extend to Barking but this required major re-signalling and it was found to be not worth it

When London Transport was first formed it was by no means obvious how services on the sub-surface network should be organised. Various different service patterns were tried over the following few years, including I believe a peak hours only Uxbridge to Barking service via the Met which I think ran from 1939 to 1941.
The timetable change in 1941 was most significant as this was the one that introduced the basic division of services between the various sub-surface line that we can still recognise today.
Since then the only fundamental changes to the division of services between the various lines of any note are:

• Hammersmith & City and East London lines gaining their own separate identities to differentiate them from the Metropolitan line, thus recognising a situation which had by then existed for decades.
• The peak hours only sections of the Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines becoming all day services.
• The introduction of the T-cup Circle Line service.

I’ve ignored changes caused by changes to the Underground network itself e.g. withdrawal of all underground services beyond Amersham.
As an aside the current timetable numbering sequence for the District and Metropolitan line working timetables also commenced with that 1941 timetable change.

 

[LiftFan]

The Hammersmith & City paired with the Circle Line takes the cake for me. Another person who does Paddington - Kings Cross frequently, I hate that long walk from the mainline platforms to the H&C Platforms at Paddington, realising I've just missed a train and waiting 10-15 minutes for another one. Either that or using the core platforms and then having to change at Edgeware Road. Then there is the inevitable delay at Baker Street to let a Met train pass in front... I gave up using it in the end and found it a lot quicker using the Bakerloo and Victoria.

 

[Peter Sarf]

The Hammersmith & City paired with the Circle Line takes the cake for me. Another person who does Paddington - Kings Cross frequently, I hate that long walk from the mainline platforms to the H&C Platforms at Paddington, realising I've just missed a train and waiting 10-15 minutes for another one. Either that or using the core platforms and then having to change at Edgeware Road. Then there is the inevitable delay at Baker Street to let a Met train pass in front... I gave up using it in the end and found it a lot quicker using the Bakerloo and Victoria.

I have noticed the Elizabeth line does not really help. It does not have a station for Kings Cross, the Victoria line or the Piccadilly line, has to be the Northern for a connection. Mind you perhaps I am expecting too much as it connects with Farringdon which points to my home in Croydon !.

I wonder if anyone has any views on the "drain" ?.

 

[Dstock7080]

It does not have a station for Kings Cross, the Victoria line or the Piccadilly line, has to be the Northern for a connection.

Farringdon has a one station connection to King’s Cross, via a 2min Circle/H&C/MET service

 

[Peter Sarf]

Farringdon has a one station connection to King’s Cross, via a 2min Circle/H&C/MET service

I forgot that and its a lot less faff than the rabbit warren of tunnels linking the ground level at Kings Cross to the Deep level tubes.

I have to remember to exit at the right end of Farringdon Elizabeth line as the other end of the platforms is for Barbican iirc. Just goes to show how long the EL platforms and trains are compared to the underground !.

 

[AlbertBeale]

I forgot that and its a lot less faff than the rabbit warren of tunnels linking the ground level at Kings Cross to the Deep level tubes.

Not such a rabbit warren if you remember to use the old connection routes between/to/from the Deep Tube lines, and ignore the hiking route via the new tunnels...

 

[Purple Train]

I forgot that and its a lot less faff than the rabbit warren of tunnels linking the ground level at Kings Cross to the Deep level tubes.

I have to remember to exit at the right end of Farringdon Elizabeth line as the other end of the platforms is for Barbican iirc. Just goes to show how long the EL platforms and trains are compared to the underground !.

There is a Barbican exit, but I have never managed to find it! Unlike the Moorgate/Liverpool Street interchange, there isn't a central passageway between the platforms linking the two sides.

 

[thomalex]

Not such a rabbit warren if you remember to use the old connection routes between/to/from the Deep Tube lines, and ignore the hiking route via the new tunnels...

Indeed. Euston Road exit is your friend

 

[Sealink]

I actually like the Bakerloo line as it's virtually a museum line and the seat layout means I can sit facing forward and the unique "ghost train experience" when it goes over section gaps most noticable when leaving Lambeth North station the interior lights can flicker, partially go out or completely out for a few seconds.

I love the Bakerloo Line.
It's really bouncy after Queens Park!

When I lived in Cockfosters, I thought great, a direct tube to Green Park, moments from the office.

Pretty quickly discovered that during disruption, which was often, Arnos Grove to Cockfosters would be ditched regularly. Often took me about two hours to get home.