Should The Circle Line Now Be Considered A Branch Of The Hammersmith & City

[SpacePhoenix]

Since the circle ceased to be a circle and started from Hammersmith (whatever year that was), they travel over the same tracks until around the Aldgate. Should the Circle Line really be considered to be a branch of the Hammersmith & City?

 

[Busaholic]

From the public, non-enthusiast point of view, making it one line on the underground map would be too confusing. I can remember when the East London Line was just shown as part of the Metropolitan Line, so to the untutored eye it might have seemed you could get on a train at New Cross and get off at Amersham. The interests of Joe Public must always be the first consideration.

 

[me123]

No benefit really. Two separate services. Someone at Moorgate will know that a Circle Line train takes them round to Tower Hill and beyond whilst an H&C would take them towards Barking. The fact that Weatbound pax can take one of two services to the same destination is not an issue.

AFAIC there's no merit in your suggestion. Both should continue to run as they are.

 

[edwin_m]

I think trains towards Hammersmith are shown as Circle Line if that's where they have come from. I wonder if they should change to being H&C once they get to Liverpool Street, only when travelling towards Hammersmith with the separate lines only being used in the opposite direction.

The H&C was itself shown as part of the Metropolitan until sometime around the 1980s.

 

[Clip]

A bit like saying why on the southern side of it it doesnt become the district line?

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Once they diverge around Aldgate, what's the relative loadings like for each?

 

[TheNewNo2]

From an operational standpoint, they are the same line, just two branches. From a map point of view there's no real harm in keeping the distinction.

 

[Busaholic]

From an operational standpoint, they are the same line, just two branches. From a map point of view there's no real harm in keeping the distinction.

Indeed, but I'd express it differently i.e. it is actually better to keep the distinction

 

[jopsuk]

if anything there should be better obvious distinction between the District Line services

 

[rebmcr]

if anything there should be better obvious distinction between the District Line services

Agreed. Isn't the Wimbleware service operationally part of the H&C/Circle group as well?

 

[Dstock7080]

Agreed. Isn't the Wimbleware service operationally part of the H&C/Circle group as well?

No, it is part of the District Line - with trains and drivers from the District.

 

[edwin_m]

Wimbleware was previously operated with C Stock, so line diagrams inside those units included that service but not the rest of the District (which used D stock). S7 stock includes diagrams for the whole of the District, Circle and H&C so presumably is common user between those three lines.

 

[bluegoblin7]

Wimbleware was previously operated with C Stock, so line diagrams inside those units included that service but not the rest of the District (which used D stock). S7 stock includes diagrams for the whole of the District, Circle and H&C so presumably is common user between those three lines.

Correct. S7 stock, as has been stated many times, is interchangeable between all three lines and regularly gets rotated around Neasden, Ealing Common and Upminster depots. Trains outstabled may stay on certain services for a few days, but will eventually work their way back to a major depot for the bigger exams.

Operationally in terms of stations and trains, the District and the Circle & Hammersmith & City lines are two separate groups. For service control purposes the C&H is generally* amalgamated with the Met, although both the Met and District do have overlaps with each other's trains.

In C69/77 stock days, as stated above, the trains were based at Hammersmith for major exams and outstabled at places such as Parsons Green and Lillie Bridge. Although the trains could venture onto longer District services, they weren't generally scheduled to do so, thus only included maps for the Edgware Road to Wimbledon service.

 

[LiftFan]

It's a shame really - It used to be much simpler hopping on a train at Earl's Court and instantly know where you're going just by looking whether it's single leaf doors or not.

 

[ModernRailways]

It's a shame really - It used to be much simpler hopping on a train at Earl's Court and instantly know where you're going just by looking whether it's single leaf doors or not.

Yes, because all the LED signage with destination and next station info is so hard to see. :roll:

 

[rebmcr]

Yes, because all the LED signage with destination and next station info is so hard to see. :roll:

You don't have to focus on nor read a big red door out of the corner of your eye.

 

[LU_timetabler]

The Circle Line and Hamersmith & City Line timetables are published in one timetable book, so operationally in terms of drivers they are 1 line, with 2 branches. However for customers it is better that they stay as 2 separate identities, otherwise you'd have to read the front (or side) of the train carefully.