h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

You know how all platforms have tube maps showing the stations on that particular line and the line changes that can be made on each of those stations? Well, I have noticed that the maps in some of the older stations show Hammersmith as being a link to the Metropolitan line. Does anyone know why?

I think the Hammersmith and City Line used to be a part of the Metropolitan Line.

There's a very simple answer to this. What is now the snappily titled "Hammersmith and City Line" was once called the "Metropolitan Line". I believe it may have even been joined (who knows how?) to the current Metropolitan Line but at some point either the lines, or perhaps merely the names, diverged.

It is semi-explained by Gloucester Road station (on the District, Circle and Picadilly lines.) If you go outside the station and walk north a little - to about the junction between Gloucester and Cromwell Roads - and turn around and look up, the brickwork itself was built to say "Metropolitan" something or other (I don't live there any more so can't check and I can't remember exactly.) Anyway, the Metropolitan Railway was one of the independent companies which built the underground railway lines. It was much later on that they were merged into the London Underground.

The Hammersmith and City Line was part of what is now the Metropolitan line until 1990.

I believe Gloucester Road station has the "Metropolitan" railway brickwork because it was on what was to be a 'branch' extension of the original Metropolitan railway. This followed the route of what is now the Circle Line from Paddington to South Kensington and was known as the Metropolitan District Railway - hence the name District Line.

There are currently proposals to revamp the entire operation of the sub-surface lines as part of the SSL Upgrade Plan. This means the H&C line will probably lose its name although it's not yet clear what its new name will be.

The biggest shake up will be the operation of the Circle and H&C lines which will be replaced with a single service which will run as follows: Hammersmith to Edgware Road via the current clockwise Cirlce line layout.

That is, a train will leave Hammersmith, and call at all stations via Edgware Road, Kings Cross, Liverpool Street, Tower Hill, Victoria, High Street Kensington and finally back into Edgware Road where it will terminate. Upon arrival, it will simply reverse and go back round the current Circle line anti-clockwise to Hammersmith. Note, that each journey will pass through Edgware Road TWICE.

This proposal is due for implementation in 2009.

The current H&C service from Aldgate East to Barking will be covered by extending Metropolitan services beyond Liverpool Street. This presents its own problems because only A-stock trains will be allowed past Aldgate East. C-stock Circle line trains are currently barred from travelling east of Aldgate East because of width restrictions.

LU are hoping to replace all of their current SSL stock (Circle, District, Met and H&C trains) with new stock by 2014 at the latest with all current stock having been withdrawn from service by then.

If you are interested in reading an overview of the proposals visit http://www.trainweb.org/districtdave/html/upgrade_plans.html

Now we have CROSSRAIL....as well as a lot of cross southern rail passengers (well they would be if the trains had not been cancelled and time table revised [slashed culled } )