It is now June and we are three months in to major changes to life in the UK. Now the football season should have been all but over I usually find myself spending much of my free time in the summer months travelling to different parts of London and the UK by tube, rail and other forms of public transport. Going on a summer rail adventure would usually bring joy to millions of people in the UK, however, this summer we must resist these urges and continue to avoid public transport unless it is absolutely necessary. Join me today on a virtual tour of one of my favourite London Underground lines, the Piccadilly line.
Spanning over 70km and featuring 53 stations, the Piccadilly line is both the second-longest tube line and the line that features the second-most stations, being second to the Central and District line respectively. The line is served by the 1973 Stock, the second oldest behind the 1972 Stock of the Bakerloo line, and despite the units charm the line is in desperate need of new trains. In July 2017 I wrote that the 1972 and 1973 Stocks "from the inside look decades apart", however major refurbishments of the Bakerloo line units have since taken place. My favourite aspect of the 1973 Stock is that since 2006 the units were fitted with a system that allows the driver to chose between tourist or commuter settings for audio announcements.
Whilst the Piccadilly line serves many tourist attractions (Buckingham Palace, the Museums at South Kensington and Covent Garden) and transport hubs for visitors (King's Cross, St Pancras and Heathrow Airport) I start this virtual journey in zone 5 at a station that's name often brings a smile to somebody's face, you guessed it, Cockfosters. With just under 2 million annual passengers, Cockfosters is the least used terminus on the Piccadilly line, however, is well worth a visit. Cockfosters is one of the many stations to be designed by Charles Holden, a name that will pop multiple times throughout this virtual tour. Holden designed 47 stations on the London Underground, 26 of which are on the Piccadilly line.
Cockfosters to Finsbury Park
This section of the Piccadilly line north of Finsbury Park opened gradually between September 1932 and July 1933. All of these stations feature their own unique colour schemes a nod to the earlier central London stations on the line that feature their own tile patterns to help illiterate passengers know which station to alight at their stop. There are some fantastic stations on this section of the Piccadilly line that I recommend visiting once it is safe to do so.
In July 2018 to celebrate England reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup, oh what could have been, I visited Southgate station. A few days after I visited the station temporarily changed its name on the platform roundels and exterior roundels to 'Gareth Southgate' recognising the England manger's achievements. In my opinion, the exterior of Southgate station is Charles Holden's finest. The impressive circular flat roof is supported by a central column in the ticket hall and the top of the building features a tesla coil that is well worth visiting lit up in the evening. Soutgate is an example of Holden not only designing fantastic looking stations, but stations with commercial potential. The circular design of the station allows for shops, offices and public toilets. Southgate is also the northern most station on the network to feature under ground platforms. For more facts about this fantastic station check out my post from July 2018.
Although I personally think Southgate is Holden's finest, many regard his best to be Arnos Grove. Also circular in design, the exterior clearly combines brick, concrete and glass, materials Holden used across many tube stations. The centre of the ticket hall features a display dedicated to the works of Holden and it is no surprise that in 2007 The Guardian highlighted Arnos Grove as of the 12 'Great Modern' buildings alongside the Pompidou Centre in Paris, Sydney Opera House and New York's Empire State Building.
Arsenal to Caledonian Road
This section can be busy on Arsenal match days. Finsbury Park, Arsenal and Holloway Road are affected as 60,000 people arrive and exit The Emirates Stadium. Holloway Road station, the closest to the ground, closes on event days before kick off and after kick off to avoid huge queues along Holloway Road. A trial spiral escalator was erected at Holloway Road in the 1900s, however it was not successful. The remains of this escalator can be found at the London Transport Museum Depot in Acton. 
Arsenal station is rather unique. All classic London Underground logos feature the diamonds above and below the letters fall in between each letter, except on the mosaic at Arsenal station where the diamonds are spread evenly out. When Arsenal Football Club moved from Woolwich to north London in 1913 the now Arsenal station was called Gillespie Road. In 1932 the Arsenal Chairman, Herbert Chapman, led a campaign to change the name of the station to Arsenal (Highbury Hill), meaning that the station is the only London Underground station to be named after a football club. The tiling on the platform walls still read Gillespie Road. 
Caledonian Road station is a classic example of Leslie Green influence on the tube and in particular the Piccadilly line. Green designed 45 stations on the London Underground, 18 on the Piccadilly, and the stations were often unique in design with distinctive red tiled facades. This design is so synonymous with the London Underground that the fictional Walford East station in EastEnders is inspired by Green's design.
The West End
This section includes the stations between King's Cross St. Pancras and Hyde Park Corner. King's Cross St. Pancras is a big and busy station that includes sub-surface platforms and deep-level platforms for the Victoria line, Northern line and Piccadilly line. On 18 November 1987 a small fire was reported on the escalator taking passengers from the Northern and Piccadilly lines, unfortunately the fire escalated to a fireball and set the ticket hall on fire. 31 people lost their lives in the incident and a memorial is in place in the ticket hall for the deep-level platforms.
Many of the stations on the central core feature the distinctive platform tiling works to assist passengers using the railway that were illiterate. I also cannot discuss the Piccadilly line without mentioning its many now disused and abandoned stations. The most famous is Aldwych, a single station branch line from Holborn, however there were plans to extend this to Temple. Alwych, or Strand as it was originally named, closed in 1994 but has been used as film set for films such as Darkest Hour, The Bank Job and The Krays. When navigating Holborn station today, it may feel like you are going up and down a lot. That is because you are walking around and over the now abandoned platforms for that shuttle down to Aldwych.
Covent Garden and Leicester Square stations are famously close. At a distance of just 260m, they are the closest of two adjacent stations on the network, and it cost £29.81 a mile to complete this journey. Last year travel vloggers Geoff Marshall and Vicky Pipe put this journey to the test and concluded that if you are at Leicester Square from a Northern line train it is still quicker to exit the station and walk to Covent Garden than walk to the Piccadilly platforms, board a train and exit Covent Garden. As a station often used by tourists, Covent Garden is infamous for long waits for the lifts, or brave passengers can test themselves climbing 193 steps or 15 floors. You will see equivalent to 15 floors or storeys across the tube whether its 193 steps at Covent Garden, 175 steps at Russell Square or 320 steps at Hampstead. Geoff did the maths at Covent Garden is equivalent to between 10 or 11 floors.
Most of favourite stations are actually out of Zone 1, however I admire the circular concourse and ticket hall underneath Piccadilly Circus. Whilst here it is worth checking out the world clock, a unique linear clock showing the time across the globe. Between Green Park and Hyde Park Corner there is another abandoned station, Down Street. The station opened in 1907 but due to being located in a wealthy area where car ownership was high, and close to both Green Park and Hyde Park Corner stations, Down Street was never well used. Within two years it was not uncommon for trains to skip the station, it lost its Sunday service in 1918 and finally closed in 1932. Down Street did reopeon in 1939 for a different purpose, the Railway Executive Committee's secret bunker to oversee operations of Britain's railways, and was used to house the Cabinet War Rooms before they were ready in Whitehall.
This section includes the stations between King's Cross St. Pancras and Hyde Park Corner. King's Cross St. Pancras is a big and busy station that includes sub-surface platforms and deep-level platforms for the Victoria line, Northern line and Piccadilly line. On 18 November 1987 a small fire was reported on the escalator taking passengers from the Northern and Piccadilly lines, unfortunately the fire escalated to a fireball and set the ticket hall on fire. 31 people lost their lives in the incident and a memorial is in place in the ticket hall for the deep-level platforms.
Many of the stations on the central core feature the distinctive platform tiling works to assist passengers using the railway that were illiterate. I also cannot discuss the Piccadilly line without mentioning its many now disused and abandoned stations. The most famous is Aldwych, a single station branch line from Holborn, however there were plans to extend this to Temple. Alwych, or Strand as it was originally named, closed in 1994 but has been used as film set for films such as Darkest Hour, The Bank Job and The Krays. When navigating Holborn station today, it may feel like you are going up and down a lot. That is because you are walking around and over the now abandoned platforms for that shuttle down to Aldwych.
Covent Garden and Leicester Square stations are famously close. At a distance of just 260m, they are the closest of two adjacent stations on the network, and it cost £29.81 a mile to complete this journey. Last year travel vloggers Geoff Marshall and Vicky Pipe put this journey to the test and concluded that if you are at Leicester Square from a Northern line train it is still quicker to exit the station and walk to Covent Garden than walk to the Piccadilly platforms, board a train and exit Covent Garden. As a station often used by tourists, Covent Garden is infamous for long waits for the lifts, or brave passengers can test themselves climbing 193 steps or 15 floors. You will see equivalent to 15 floors or storeys across the tube whether its 193 steps at Covent Garden, 175 steps at Russell Square or 320 steps at Hampstead. Geoff did the maths at Covent Garden is equivalent to between 10 or 11 floors.
Most of favourite stations are actually out of Zone 1, however I admire the circular concourse and ticket hall underneath Piccadilly Circus. Whilst here it is worth checking out the world clock, a unique linear clock showing the time across the globe. Between Green Park and Hyde Park Corner there is another abandoned station, Down Street. The station opened in 1907 but due to being located in a wealthy area where car ownership was high, and close to both Green Park and Hyde Park Corner stations, Down Street was never well used. Within two years it was not uncommon for trains to skip the station, it lost its Sunday service in 1918 and finally closed in 1932. Down Street did reopeon in 1939 for a different purpose, the Railway Executive Committee's secret bunker to oversee operations of Britain's railways, and was used to house the Cabinet War Rooms before they were ready in Whitehall.
Knightsbridge to Acton Town
Knightsbridge station is currently undergoing major station upgrades that were due to be completed in 2021. The station is located in a busy and popular fashion district, with Harrords drawing in 100,000 people per day. Harrods opened in 1849 and until March 2020 never had to close, the store even stayed open throughout First and Second World Wars. The next station west of Knightsbridge, South Kensington, is a classic example of how the London Underground network grew out individual railways. Today you can clearly see the Leslie Green inspired deep-tube entrance adjacent to the sub-surface entrance that opened many years prior.
When I said most of my favourite stations are not in Zone 1 that is true except Westminster and the next station on the Piccadilly line tour, Gloucester Road. In July 2017 when I listed my favourite 10 stations, Gloucester Road came third. The now abandoned sub-surface platform now often displays unique Art on the Underground exhibits, and who could forget the egg inspired display from 2018? The Metro described Gloucester Road as "if there's a Tube station that could double for a church, it's Gloucester Road, which has a serenity you won't find elsewhere on the network". I could not describe the station any better than that!
After emerging from the tunnels after Earl's Court, the Piccadilly line runs in parallel with the District line until Acton Town. Between these stations the Picaddilly line trains do not stop at Ravenscourt Park, Stamford Brook, Chiswick Park and only stops at Turnham Green during Night Tube hours, or really early in the morning or late at night. These stations that the Piccadilly line rushes through will be covered when I do a tour of the District line as they are well worth a mention.
Knightsbridge station is currently undergoing major station upgrades that were due to be completed in 2021. The station is located in a busy and popular fashion district, with Harrords drawing in 100,000 people per day. Harrods opened in 1849 and until March 2020 never had to close, the store even stayed open throughout First and Second World Wars. The next station west of Knightsbridge, South Kensington, is a classic example of how the London Underground network grew out individual railways. Today you can clearly see the Leslie Green inspired deep-tube entrance adjacent to the sub-surface entrance that opened many years prior.
When I said most of my favourite stations are not in Zone 1 that is true except Westminster and the next station on the Piccadilly line tour, Gloucester Road. In July 2017 when I listed my favourite 10 stations, Gloucester Road came third. The now abandoned sub-surface platform now often displays unique Art on the Underground exhibits, and who could forget the egg inspired display from 2018? The Metro described Gloucester Road as "if there's a Tube station that could double for a church, it's Gloucester Road, which has a serenity you won't find elsewhere on the network". I could not describe the station any better than that!
After emerging from the tunnels after Earl's Court, the Piccadilly line runs in parallel with the District line until Acton Town. Between these stations the Picaddilly line trains do not stop at Ravenscourt Park, Stamford Brook, Chiswick Park and only stops at Turnham Green during Night Tube hours, or really early in the morning or late at night. These stations that the Piccadilly line rushes through will be covered when I do a tour of the District line as they are well worth a mention.
Uxbridge branch
At Acton Central the Piccadilly line splits and heads south west to Heathrow Airport or north west through Brent and joins the Metropolitan line at Rayners Lane to travel out to Uxbridge. Two of my favourite stations are on this branch; North Ealing and Sudbury Town. North Ealing is the built in a unique style and has a calmness unlike any Zone 3 station. The station reminds me of Roding Valley on the Central line, the least used station on the entire network. North Ealing is the fourth least used station on the London Underground network and the least used on the Piccadilly line.
Sudbury Town is unique. It is the only station on the network to have a barometer and the roundels on the platforms use a Johnston Delf Smith font, a wedge-serief version of the classic Johnston font. The station still retains its original ticket booth, heritage signs and a wonderful waiting room, all situated within the classic concrete of Holden's designed building. Just 350m away is Sudbury & Harrow Road station, London's former least used railway station.
From Rayners Lane the Piccadilly line shares the track with the Metropolitan line. This branch is served by more Metropolitan line trains than Piccadilly line services so will be featured on a future post about the Metropolitan line. The terminus at Uxbridge however, is worth a mention on a tour of the Piccadilly line as it was also designed by Charles Holden and is similar to Cockfosters where we started this journey. With over 7.5 million annual users, Uxbridge is the most used Zone 6 station on the network.
At Acton Central the Piccadilly line splits and heads south west to Heathrow Airport or north west through Brent and joins the Metropolitan line at Rayners Lane to travel out to Uxbridge. Two of my favourite stations are on this branch; North Ealing and Sudbury Town. North Ealing is the built in a unique style and has a calmness unlike any Zone 3 station. The station reminds me of Roding Valley on the Central line, the least used station on the entire network. North Ealing is the fourth least used station on the London Underground network and the least used on the Piccadilly line.
Sudbury Town is unique. It is the only station on the network to have a barometer and the roundels on the platforms use a Johnston Delf Smith font, a wedge-serief version of the classic Johnston font. The station still retains its original ticket booth, heritage signs and a wonderful waiting room, all situated within the classic concrete of Holden's designed building. Just 350m away is Sudbury & Harrow Road station, London's former least used railway station. 
From Rayners Lane the Piccadilly line shares the track with the Metropolitan line. This branch is served by more Metropolitan line trains than Piccadilly line services so will be featured on a future post about the Metropolitan line. The terminus at Uxbridge however, is worth a mention on a tour of the Piccadilly line as it was also designed by Charles Holden and is similar to Cockfosters where we started this journey. With over 7.5 million annual users, Uxbridge is the most used Zone 6 station on the network.
Heathrow branch
The final section of the Piccadilly line from South Ealing to Heathrow Airport is one of the most interesting aspects of the network, especially the stations in Hounslow. The area is now served by four stations, three stations have been relocated; Osterley, Hounslow East and Hounslow West. I wrote a piece explaining all the changes in the area three years ago - check it out here.
The Piccadilly line extended out to Hatton Cross in 1975. The station is built in brutalist design and interchanges with a busy bus station. When the station opened it was the closest to Heathrow, this is reflected in the tiling on the central support columns that feature the British Airways Speedbird logo. The line was then extended to Heathrow Central, which is now named Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3, in 1977.
Heathrow Terminal 4 station opened in 1998 and features two platforms; one for the Heathrow Express and one singular platform for the Piccadilly line. The station at Heathrow Terminal 5 opened in 2008 and unlike the other two stations that serve the airport is entirely staffed by Heathrow Express staff. To facilitate travel between the terminals, since 2012 it is free to travel between the three stations and via. Hatton Cross if you need to access Terminal 4.
There we go, a whilst stop tour of 71km of track and the highlights of 53 stations. With iconic buildings from Charles Holden and Leslie Green there is more to the Piccadilly line than you may think. I will revisit the disused stations on the line in a future blog post and despite needing new stock, the Piccadilly line remains one of my favourite lines with some of my favourite stations.
The final section of the Piccadilly line from South Ealing to Heathrow Airport is one of the most interesting aspects of the network, especially the stations in Hounslow. The area is now served by four stations, three stations have been relocated; Osterley, Hounslow East and Hounslow West. I wrote a piece explaining all the changes in the area three years ago - check it out here.
The Piccadilly line extended out to Hatton Cross in 1975. The station is built in brutalist design and interchanges with a busy bus station. When the station opened it was the closest to Heathrow, this is reflected in the tiling on the central support columns that feature the British Airways Speedbird logo. The line was then extended to Heathrow Central, which is now named Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3, in 1977.
Heathrow Terminal 4 station opened in 1998 and features two platforms; one for the Heathrow Express and one singular platform for the Piccadilly line. The station at Heathrow Terminal 5 opened in 2008 and unlike the other two stations that serve the airport is entirely staffed by Heathrow Express staff. To facilitate travel between the terminals, since 2012 it is free to travel between the three stations and via. Hatton Cross if you need to access Terminal 4.There we go, a whilst stop tour of 71km of track and the highlights of 53 stations. With iconic buildings from Charles Holden and Leslie Green there is more to the Piccadilly line than you may think. I will revisit the disused stations on the line in a future blog post and despite needing new stock, the Piccadilly line remains one of my favourite lines with some of my favourite stations.
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