Naming of Victoria line

[GuyBarry]

I've always thought that the Victoria line was the least satisfactorily named of the lot. No other Underground line shares its name with a station, and it's not the only line running through Victoria; in fact the name "Victoria line" could be misunderstood to refer to the mainline into Victoria in some circumstances (e.g. if you were travelling from Clapham Junction and had to distinguish).

I read recently that when the line was in the planning stage attempts were made to come up with a formation similar to "Bakerloo", such as "Walvic" (Walthamstow-Victoria) or "Viking" (Victoria-King's Cross). "Viking" strikes me as especially appealing and I'm not sure why it was rejected. Anyone know why the more pedestrian name was chosen?

 

[MCR247]

I don't think the Viking line sounds appealing at all Much prefer the Victoria line

 

[transmanche]

No other Underground line shares its name with a station, and it's not the only line running through Victoria

Piccadilly line? And its not the only line to run through Piccadilly Circus...

I've always thought that the Victoria line was the least satisfactorily named of the lot.

I guess we accept the names as we grew up with them, but they can all appear daft if you don't know how/why they got their name. Central line in Epping? Northern line in Morden? Metropolitan line in Chesham? And as for the Circle line...!

 

[Buttsy]

Piccadilly line? And its not the only line to run through Piccadilly Circus...

Piccadilly line started out as the Brompton & Piccadilly Circus railway, became the Great Northern, Piccadilly & Brompton Railway under Charles Yerkes (merger occuring before any major building work taking place). On take over in 1910, as the Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway would sensibly (at the time) get the moniker, Northern Line, it is hard to see why the Great Northern, Piccadilly & Brompton Railway wouldn't become either the Piccadilly line or the Brompton line.

The older tube lines names these days don't 'look' right because of the extensions carried out in the 20s & 30s as well as post war. The Central started out being between Shepherd's Bush and Liverpool Street as the Central London Railway.

 

[D365]

The Bakerloo line wasn't even called Bakerloo at first; can't remember its original name or anything much off the top of my head, but the portmanteau was so well used that it was eventually adopted as the official name. I'm sure you can figure out which two stations make up this name!

As others have said, yes, the Piccadilly Line does take its name from Piccadilly Circus. It can't be argued that this "doesn't count" as the Victoria Line takes its name from London Victoria mainline station. Where a line travels someplace that contradicts the name, this is usually an extension which has opened after the LT takeover. [There's H&C and W&C too, though like Bakerloo, the names stem from two stations.]

The split Northern line will need one or two new identities; either both receive new names and colours, two new names and one new colour or one new name and colour. A shade of gold or lime green has been suggested for the Charing Cross branch - Battering line? Though to be fair, Battersea Line actually sounds rather good - perhaps LU/TfL could give the developers some sort of naming/promotional rights should the extension go ahead. But then, retaining the Northern name for the Bank branch wouldn't make sense!

Also, will further Crossrail lines including #2 be named as such? Earlier Chelney proposals suggested Kings Line as it would serve both Kings Cross and Chelsea Kings Road. Sorry, I've digressed, but this could be considered in some ways relevant!

 

[transmanche]

On take over in 1910, as the Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway would sensibly (at the time) get the moniker, Northern Line

In fact it was known as the 'Hampstead tube' for many years.

It didn't get the 'Northern line' name until the late 1930s - after it had been joined up with the C&SLR and the plans to add the 'Northern Heights' extensions had been developed - much of which was never completed. On 1930s tube maps it was shown as the 'Edgware-Morden' line.

 

[Dstock7080]

Bakerloo: Baker Street and Waterloo Railway.

I had thought the Victoria Line naming had a connection with Queen Victoria, hence the decoration at Victoria station and its Royal opening?

 

[edwin_m]

I had thought the Victoria Line naming had a connection with Queen Victoria

Apart from serving Victoria station and being opened by her great-great-granddaughter, the only connection I can think of is that it serves two stations which are probably the closest to Buckingham Palace.

 

[transmanche]

I had thought the Victoria Line naming had a connection with Queen Victoria, hence the decoration at Victoria station and its Royal opening?

Each station on the Victoria line had its own design motif, in order to help passengers recognise the station. E.g. Warren Street had a maze. So it was natural for Victoria station to have one based on Queen Victoria.

The mainline station was so named because it's at the end of Victoria Street. And the street (built around 1850) was named in honour of the queen. Over time, the area around the station became known as Victoria.

 

[GuyBarry]

Piccadilly line? And its not the only line to run through Piccadilly Circus...

That's the closest analogy, but there's still no station called "Piccadilly". As for the remark elsewhere that Victoria mainline station is actually "London Victoria", it certainly wasn't referred to that way in the 60s when the Victoria line was opened. I forget when the "London" prefix was added to the names of the mainline stations but I'm sure it was after I left London in the mid-80s.

I guess we accept the names as we grew up with them, but they can all appear daft if you don't know how/why they got their name. Central line in Epping? Northern line in Morden? Metropolitan line in Chesham? And as for the Circle line...!

Wasn't there talk of renaming the Circle line when it was re-routed?

I suppose the daftest name of all was the Jubilee line, which missed the occasion for which it was named. Although in retrospect it would have been even sillier if it had opened as the Fleet line and subsequently been diverted away from the River Fleet

 

[Eagle]

Wasn't there talk of renaming the Circle line when it was re-routed?

Not sure, although there was definitely an idea to formally merge it with the H&C (they've been operationally merged for many years now). Possibly in tandem with the plan, now scrapped, to have the Met line take over Barking services once the S Stock was fully rolled out.

 

[EM2]

If we're talking unsatisfactory names, what about the District Line? And yes, I know where the name comes from but it's hardly descriptive.
As for the Northern line, half of it obviously isn't.

 

[Manchester77]

When the name was decided perhaps it had something to do with the fact that the line would terminate at Victoria as the Brixton extension wasn't authorised until 1967 and the line to Victoria was authorised in 1955(?)

I actually like the name of the Victoria line just to give my opinion (Y)

 

[jopsuk]

Waterloo and City?

 

[Bushy]

That's the closest analogy, but there's still no station called "Piccadilly". As for the remark elsewhere that Victoria mainline station is actually "London Victoria", it certainly wasn't referred to that way in the 60s when the Victoria line was opened. I forget when the "London" prefix was added to the names of the mainline stations but I'm sure it was after I left London in the mid-80s.

Strange, I hadn't realised that Victoria was named London Victoria. OK on timetables, but it has got 'London Victoria Station' written on the front of the station. Charing Cross, on the other hand, just has 'Charing Cross Station'

Regards

Bushy

 

[transmanche]

Waterloo and City?

In fact you can claim that has the name of two stations - as the platforms at Bank were called 'City' from when the line opened until 1940.

Oh and I forgot to mention Hammersmith and City earlier. So that's four lines whose names include the name of a station.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

"Viking" strikes me as especially appealing and I'm not sure why it was rejected.

Isn't there a ferry company of that name that was established earlier?

 

[GuyBarry]

Isn't there a ferry company of that name that was established earlier?

Ah, good point:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_Line

I'd have thought the danger of confusion would have been minimal but maybe there were trademark issues.

 

[Manchester77]

The name Victoria line was chosen in 1955 and that company was established in 1963

 

[GuyBarry]

The name Victoria line was chosen in 1955 and that company was established in 1963

I stand corrected. I hadn't realized the name was that old - often with this type of project the name is one of the last things they decide on. (I believe it was known as "Route C" at the planning stage.)

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I hadn't realised the name was that old either!

 

[Tiny Tim]

As tube line names evolve, often without official sanction, what do we think the cheery London commuter will be calling Crossrail in the years after it opens?

 

[Manchester77]

The other central line?

 

[transmanche]

As tube line names evolve, often without official sanction, what do we think the cheery London commuter will be calling Crossrail in the years after it opens?

Crossrail 1.

I'm surprised that after all these years, the DLR hasn't evolved a common nickname equivalent to 'the tube'. (I have a vague notion that many years ago, their adverts used the tagline "ride the light" (or similar), but it never caught on.)

 

[Tiny Tim]

The other central line?

I thought 'The Central Relief Line', although that does sound a bit lavatorial.

 

[edwin_m]

Paddipool?

 

[telstarbox]

Crossrail 1.

I'm surprised that after all these years, the DLR hasn't evolved a common nickname equivalent to 'the tube'. (I have a vague notion that many years ago, their adverts used the tagline "ride the light" (or similar), but it never caught on.)

Three-letter acronyms trip off the tongue: BBC, NHS, ITV, EDL, OMG, QPR, etc.

 

[mister-sparky]

Paddipool?

The Paddling Pool Line :P

 

[Zoidberg]

three-letter acronyms trip off the tongue: Bbc, nhs, itv, edl, omg, qpr, etc.

wtf?

 

[southern442]

That's the closest analogy, but there's still no station called "Piccadilly". As for the remark elsewhere that Victoria mainline station is actually "London Victoria", it certainly wasn't referred to that way in the 60s when the Victoria line was opened. I forget when the "London" prefix was added to the names of the mainline stations but I'm sure it was after I left London in the mid-80s.

Picadilly circus opened as Picadilly, I believe.