| Splitting the Northern Line into two Posted by grahame at 13:16, 26th January 2026 |     |
The "Northern Line" is unique in having two branches running through the heart on London and this has been known to confuse visitors ... join a Northern Line train in either direction at Waterloo with a home of getting off at Moorgate and you'll find you're out of luck
From Timeout
Could the Northern line be split into two separate tube lines? Under proposals from TfL, it just might be. Transport for London has long-term goals to break up the line, saying that the split could increase the line’s capacity by 20,000.
At the moment, the Northern line has two central branches: trains run either via Bank or Charing Cross, before rejoining at Camden Town in the north and Oval in the south.
At the moment, the Northern line has two central branches: trains run either via Bank or Charing Cross, before rejoining at Camden Town in the north and Oval in the south.
It has always amused me (is it still the case?) that the most southerly station on the underground is on the Northern Line
Would it be a good idea to split? What would the two lines be called? Northern line and Southern line? Charles and Camilla? Citylink and Westend Link? Seaden and Denden lines? West End and Bank lines?
| Re: Splitting the Northern Line into two Posted by Oxonhutch at 13:22, 26th January 2026 | |
I believe a major constraint on splitting is the passenger interchange capacity of Camden Town. At the moment both northern extensions serve both the city and Charing Cross branches. If the line was split, a large number of commuters would be transferring from one line to the other at Camden Town and its underground layout is not currently designed to cope with that kind of passenger flow.
| Re: Splitting the Northern Line into two Posted by ChrisB at 13:50, 26th January 2026 | |
Kennington in the south (not Oval) is the same
| Re: Splitting the Northern Line into two Posted by Red Squirrel at 15:17, 26th January 2026 | |
I quite like the sound of 'City and South London Line' and 'Hampstead Tube'
