alwaystouchout.com - BCV (Bakerloo, Central & Victoria) Upgrade
- ️Dave Arquati
- ️Wed Sep 28 2005
Importance: High |
Due: 2019 |
Status: Under construction |
Areas: A,O,C,N,E,SW,W,NW |
Last updated: Fri, 08 Sep 2006 07:00:45 -0500
Metronet, the private infrastructure company in charge of the Bakerloo, Central, Victoria and Waterloo & City lines, has pledged various upgrades.
Victoria Line
A new fleet of 47 trains is promised for the Victoria Line, arriving from 2009 and all in service by 2012. A prototype will be running by 2006. 43 of those trains will be available for each peak service, an improvement of 6 over the current level. The new trains will have a higher maximum speed and faster acceleration. Coupled with signalling and infrastructure improvements, this should lead to an 8% decrease in station-to-station journey times.
There will also be a 5% increase in "capability" by 2006, and a 20% improvement in reliability by 2005. A 14% increase in capability should be achieved by 2013.
(Capability basically refers to the capacity of the train service plus some other factors such as journey times and the capacity of the stations themselves).
Modernisation will occur at 12 stations by 2012.
- Blackhorse Road (2010)
- Brixton (2007) - inc. accessibility improvement
- Highbury & Islington (2008)
- King's Cross St. Pancras (2009)
- Oxford Circus (2008)
- Pimlico (2011)
- Seven Sisters (2011)
- Tottenham Hale (2011)
- Vauxhall (2010)
- Victoria (2012) - inc. a new entrance in Bressenden Place, extra escalators to the Victoria line & step-free access
- Walthamstow Central (2006)
- Warren Street (2010)
In addition, Tube Lines plans to modernise Green Park (2008), Euston (2008) and Finsbury Park (2009). Stockwell should receive refurbishment by the end of 2005.
Bakerloo Line
A new fleet of trains is promised for 2019, with a line upgrade in 2020 to increase capacity by 17%. Meanwhile, 3 stations will be modernised and 11 stations will be refurbished by 2012. There will be a "deep clean" of the entire existing fleet in the short-term.
- Kilburn Park (2010)
- Maida Vale (2007)
- Warwick Avenue (2011)
- Paddington (2009)
- Marylebone (2011)
- Baker Street (2009)
- Regent's Park (2010)
- Oxford Circus (2008)
- Charing Cross (2010)
- Embankment (2009)
- Waterloo (2009) * by Tube Lines
- Elephant & Castle (summer 2006; already underway)
Central Line
From July 2005, seven extra trains* (over 2003 levels) are now in service for the peaks. This has resulted in an increase in line frequency during the peaks, from 24 to 27tph eastbound between 0800 and 0900, and 27tph to 30tph eastbound between 1700 and 1800. The morning westbound peak service period has been lengthened, and more trains are operating between 1600-1700 and 1800-1900 too.
The increase in number of trains is not from building new trains but is through improved maintenance, allowing more of the current fleet to be in operation at any given time.
Refurbishment is planned for 25 stations and modernisation for 22 stations by 2011, along with 4 station accessibility projects.
* Three of the extra trains were already available from Dec 2004.
- South Ruislip (Jan-May 2006)
- White City (2008)
- Shepherd's Bush (2007)
- Holland Park (2006)
- Notting Hill Gate (was 2005, delayed pending negotiations)
- Queensway (Jun 2005 - 2008)
- Lancaster Gate (Nov 2005 - Nov 2006)
- Marble Arch (2006)
- Bond Street (2006)
- Oxford Circus (2008, preparatory work underway)
- Tottenham Court Road (2010) * by Tube Lines
- Holborn (2007)
- Chancery Lane (2009)
- St Paul's (2008)
- Liverpool Street (2008)
- Bethnal Green (2007)
- Mile End (2007)
- Leyton (2006)
- Wanstead (2006)
- Redbridge (2008)
- Gants Hill (2008)
- Hainault (2006)
- Buckhurst Hill (was 2004, delayed pending negotiation with LU)
- Epping (2006)
- Chigwell (due Spring 2005, underway since Autumn 2004)
In addition, accessibility improvements will be carried out at Hainault, Newbury Park, Leytonstone and Greenford.
Meanwhile, there should be a 6% increase in line capacity by 2006, and there will be an overhaul of the entire fleet.
Waterloo & City
The Waterloo & City line has been managed as part of the Central Line since its transfer from British Rail to London Underground in 1994.
There should be a 12% increase in "capability" by 2007, achieved by making all five W&C; trains available for use in the rush hour - this will allow an 18% capacity increase in the rush hour.
A new signalling system will be introduced along with Automatic Train Protection (ATP).
A five-month complete closure of the line ends on 11 September 2006 (over a week later than planned), during which extensive engineering work took place to relay the track, refurbish the trains and upgrade the signalling. During the closure, passengers were asked to use the Bakerloo/Northern and District/Circle lines, travelling via Embankment to and from Monument, instead, as there was no available capacity on alternative route via London Bridge.
News
(newest first)
Construction of new Victoria fleet begins
2005-02-08 17:38:25
Construction of the 47-strong new Victoria line fleet has begun at Bombardier's factory in Derby, with the first trains expected to be in service in 4 years' time (2009), and the entire fleet ready in 2011.