Line History:

The Jubilee Line is the Underground's newest line, but serves stations which originally opened over 100 years ago. Inaugurated on 1st May 1979, the Jubilee Line linked up the most recent sections of new tunnelling to open in central London - the four km (two and a half miles) of twin tunnels between Baker Street and Charing Cross - with the former Bakerloo Line branch between Baker Street and Stanmore. The section of the line between Finchley Road and Wembley Park was originally opened by the Metropolitan Railway in 1879/1880. The branch from Wembley Park to Stanmore, opened in 1932, was also originally part of the Metropolitan. Both the local service from Finchley Road to Wembley Park and the Stanmore branch became part of the Bakerloo Line in 1939, when the London Passenger Transport Board opened a new section of twin tube tunnels between Baker Street and Finchley Road with stations at St John's Wood and Swiss Cottage.

Stations and Trains:

Twenty-four trains are required to operate the full morning and evening peak period service. The six-car trains are formed of the latest 1996 tube stock, with its distinctive feature of push- button doors which passengers can operate themselves. Jubilee Line trains have a single crew member - the train operator - who drives the train and who also oversees the opening and closing of the doors. The Jubilee Line, which currently carries 59 million passengers a year, covers 22.5 km (14 miles) and serves 17 stations. The 13 stations from St John's Wood to Stanmore inclusive are managed by the Jubilee Line management team. The four central London interchange stations are managed by other lines, but in anticipation of the opening of the extended line, the team is already responsible for Westminster, London Bridge and West Ham stations. The origins of the Jubilee Line show in the varied station architecture, ranging back in time from the bright and cheer ful late 1970s tube style (platform level) at Baker Street and south to Charing Cross, through late 1930s style at Kilburn and Dollis Hill, early 1930s Metropolitan suburban style at Kingsbury, Canons Park and Stanmore, 1920s Metropolitan urban style at W illesden Green and 1880 Metropolitan rural style at Neasden.

Jubilee Line Extension:

The extension of the Jubilee Line was recommended in the East London Rail study published in 1989. The Government secured an undertaking for a significant private sector contribution towards the cost of the project from major developers in Docklands. In November 1989 the Government authorised London Underground to deposit a Bill before Parliament to extend the Jubilee Line from Green Park to Stratford. Royal Assent to the Bill was ob tained in March 1992 and the billion (at current prices), of this total billion will be directly funded by ring-fenced grant; the remainder will be met from London Transport's core resources (which include substantial Government grant) and from private sector contributions of over 400 million. The project, putting the developing Docklands area on the Underground map, was given the formal go-ahead by the Secretary of State for Transport in October 1993. The then Prime Minister, the Rt Hon John Major MP, drove the first pile of the extension at a start-of-work ceremony at Canary Wharf on Wednesday 8th December 1993. The extension is expected to open in three stages during 1999 : Stratford to North Greenwich, late Spring; North Greenwich to Waterloo l ate Summer; and in the Autumn, Waterloo to Green Park. The new section will be 16 km (10 miles) long, making the extended Jubilee Line from Stanmore to Stratford 36 km (22.5 miles) long. From Green Park, there will be twin-tube tunnels with stations at West minster, Waterloo, Southwark, London Bridge, Bermondsey, Canada Water, Canary Wharf and North Greenwich. After crossing under the River Thames for a fourth time, the line comes to the surface at Canning Town and runs north to Stratford following the exist ing North London Railways route, with an intermediate station at West Ham. All Jubilee Line trains will follow the new alignment, but the existing section between Green Park and Charing Cross will be retained for emergency use or for special services. New trains, known as 1996 tube stock were introduced into service during 1998. The fleet consists of 59 of these state-of-the-art six-car trains which will provide the full service over the extended line from Stanmore to Stratford. There is a new depot at Stratford Market, although some routine engineering work will also continue to be undertaken at Neasden. The line will bring many benefits, with dramatically reduced journey times and useful interchange facilities with existing Underground lines and other rail lines including the Docklands Light Railway.

Jubilee Route Map (inc. Extension):

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