Why is the Central line so hot? Science has the answer

[transmanche]

Weren't the Victoria line tunnels built to be able to accommodate mainline size trains?

No. You may be thinking of the Northern City line.

 

[edwin_m]

Weren't the Victoria line tunnels built to be able to accommodate mainline size trains?

Absolutely not. There is one at Finsbury Park that is, but only because it was previously a platform on the Great Northern and City, which was originally built to carry main line stock and the rest of which eventually became the line down to Moorgate.

 

[Mikey C]

Whether the Victoria Line SHOULD have been built to mainline size is another matter, but I guess it would have been too expensive.

 

[rebmcr]

Whether the Victoria Line SHOULD have been built to mainline size is another matter, but I guess it would have been too expensive.

It was one of the options considered during planning. They did decide against it on cost grounds, but whether it was actually "too expensive" in terms of BCR, I don't know. I don't believe they had BCR-type decision making back then.

 

[edwin_m]

It was one of the options considered during planning. They did decide against it on cost grounds, but whether it was actually "too expensive" in terms of BCR, I don't know. I don't believe they had BCR-type decision making back then.

Victoria Line was one of the first projects justified by cost-benefit analysis, considering social benefits rather than just the financial numbers (which as many Edwardian investors found out will never stack up for an underground line). The BCR is an evolution of the same technique.

I guess with no intention of through running to the main line, there was little point in making it compatible. The Underground will need to carry on ordering small-profile trains for other lines and the cost penalty of doing so is proportionately less if shared over more fleets.

 

[holborncentral]

No. You may be thinking of the Northern City line.

I probably am, but I vaguely remember reading something somewhere about early Victoria line plans and the tunnels being built to mainline size. Can't remember where it was though.

 

[BahrainLad]

Went down to TCR Crossrail during the open day a few weeks back and on a hot muggy day outside, the platform level was lovely and cool, so much so I thought it was air conditioned.

 

[Journeyman]

Weren't the Victoria line tunnels built to be able to accommodate mainline size trains?

No. The 2009 Stock is only slightly bigger than the other tube stocks.

Biggest tube tunnels are the ones on the Jubilee Line Extension at 14ft, so there's quite a lot of room in those, but not much use as they interface to older, smaller ones.

 

[Bald Rick]

Went down to TCR Crossrail during the open day a few weeks back and on a hot muggy day outside, the platform level was lovely and cool, so much so I thought it was air conditioned.

There’s very good ventilation down there. Including big holes under the platforms that line up with the air con exhaust ports on the trains, so that heat from the trains is extracted straight out of the tunnels and pumped up to above ground level.