93-513: London Overground (also known simply as the Overground ) is a suburban rail network serving London and its environs. Established in 2007 to take over Silverlink Metro routes, it now serves a large part of Greater London as well as Hertfordshire , with 113 stations on the six lines that make up the network. The Overground forms part of the United Kingdom's National Rail network but it
186-566: A Weston-super-Mare to Bristol Parkway service via Bedminster. The Valley Lines network of eight lines ( Cardiff Bay Line , City Line , Coryton Line , Maesteg Line , Merthyr Line , Rhondda Line , Rhymney Line and Vale of Glamorgan Line ) incorporates 20 stations in Cardiff , the capital of Wales , and 61 in surrounding towns and villages. Its hubs are Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Central . Train frequencies are up to every five minutes. The Ebbw Valley Railway also carries commuters to
279-616: A network of 70 stations in the West Midlands county focused on Birmingham . West Midlands Trains operate the West Midlands suburban routes under the West Midlands Railway branding to distinguish them from their longer-distance routes. The main city-centre station is Birmingham New Street , operated by Network Rail ; the other city-centre stations are Birmingham Snow Hill and Birmingham Moor Street . The other main stations in
372-507: A 15–20 or 30 minute frequency. Routes are listed below: West Midlands Trains routes operating from Birmingham New Street : Three lines, known collectively as the Snow Hill Lines , operate from Birmingham Snow Hill and Birmingham Moor Street stations: Other routes operating from the TFWM area but not centred on Birmingham include: The West Midlands Combined Authority , created in 2016,
465-413: A 50:50 joint venture between Laing Rail and MTR Corporation , was chosen by TfL on 19 June 2007. The contract was signed on 2 July 2007 for seven years with the option of a two-year extension. In preparation for the launch of the Overground, MTR Laing renamed itself London Overground Rail Operations. In February 2013, it was awarded a concession extension until 14 November 2016. In April 2015, TfL placed
558-683: A considerable portion of the network in Zone 2 . The network also uses Euston in central London, the southern terminus of the Watford DC line. The network interchanges with the Bakerloo , Central , Circle , District , Hammersmith & City , Jubilee , Metropolitan , Northern and Victoria tube lines, and also with the Docklands Light Railway , Elizabeth line and Tramlink networks. The Overground lines appear on Tube maps issued by TfL, and
651-610: A journey includes both mainline and urban rail. Bicycles can be taken on board in the majority of cases, and existing railways can be used, rather than new light railways being built. Urban rail usually has higher capacity than light rail because of longer trains (but often lower frequency), and higher average speed because of fewer stops. In some cases, suburban railway networks have their own ticketing system, as in West Yorkshire . A few urban railways offer service during peak times only, and others operate less frequent trains during
744-597: A light green background. This ticket stock, coded "TFL" on the reverse, was introduced in November 2007. Oyster PAYG is charged on the same zone-based rules as for the Underground and the Docklands Light Railway . Stations outside Greater London (except Watford Junction) are included in the new Travelcard Zones 7-9 . On 2 January 2008 Acton Central was moved from zone 2 to 3, Hampstead Heath from 3 to 2 and Willesden Junction from 3 to both 2 and 3. Paper tickets are charged on
837-495: A model similar to that used for the Docklands Light Railway , TfL invited tenders for operation of the Overground. Unlike other National Rail operators under the franchise control of the Department for Transport , TfL sets fares, procures rolling stock and decides service levels. The operator takes only a small element of revenue risk, with TfL taking 90% and the operator 10%. The first operator, London Overground Rail Operations ,
930-622: A network of orbital services around London goes back to the independently produced Ringrail proposals in the early 1970s. Some of these were evaluated in the London Rail Study of 1974 (the Barren Report) and Barren suggested consideration of a North London Network of orbital services, based on a later suggestion by the Ringrail Group, which involved using many existing rail routes, rather than the new construction suggested in earlier drafts of
1023-576: A notice in the Official Journal of the European Union , inviting expressions of interest in operating the next concession. In March 2016, TfL announced that Arriva Rail London had won the right to operate the London Overground concession, starting from 13 November 2016. In June 2023, Arriva announced a contract extension had been secured with TfL, pushing the expiry date to May 2026. Ticketing
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#17328443521711116-507: A number of stations. The stations that did not have barriers when TfL took over have been fitted with standalone Oyster card readers similar to those at ungated Underground and DLR stations. The validators at Blackhorse Road which were needed to enter/exit the Oyster card system when changing to and from the Victoria line were replaced with route validators, coloured pink: these are used to show that
1209-666: A popular route, it went into decline after the Metropolitan Railway purchased the route on 1 July 1913. Consequently, the planned through services to the Great Northern Railway's main line were never implemented. The CS&LR line (taken over by the Underground Group in 1913) closed services between Moorgate and Euston on 9 August 1922 in order to widen tunnels to 11 feet 8 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (3.56 m). The section from Moorgate to Clapham Common
1302-594: A route from Clapham Junction to the Greenwich Peninsula , intended to improve access from south London to the Millennium Dome . However, this was thwarted by architect Richard Rogers who considered that a railway route on a viaduct could cause "community severance", and so the Victorian brick viaduct was demolished. Nothing further happened to develop this network until after the new Greater London Authority (GLA)
1395-539: A separate map of the system is available. Much of London Overground passes through less affluent areas, and is seen as contributing to their regeneration. The North London and Gospel Oak to Barking lines were previously considered by the Transport Committee of the London Assembly to be neglected and not developed to their full potential. The new London Overground line names and colours were introduced across
1488-402: A service to Finsbury Park . It had an escalator connection to the other Moorgate platforms. The route was constructed in tube tunnels, but they were constructed at a diameter capable of accommodating main-line trains (in contrast to the majority of London tube tunnels which are much smaller). The line was the first to use automatic signalling throughout its length without any moving parts. Though
1581-510: A train derailed at the station. There were two injuries. On 28 February 1975, 43 people were killed and 74 seriously injured in the Moorgate tube crash , when a southbound Northern City Line train crashed into the end of the dead-end tunnel beyond the platform. The accident caused the most fatalities on the Underground during peacetime and has been considered the worst ever on the system. The cause
1674-500: A traveller using Oyster PAYG changed lines at that station, showing which of the possible routes was used. Typically, this avoids paying for zone 1 when the passenger did not travel into it. Ticket stock is common National Rail stock, as Overground services remain part of the National Rail network, but sometimes with a large TfL roundel in the centre and the repeated legend " Rail Settlement Plan " or on newer versions "National Rail" on
1767-568: Is a mix of paper, Oyster cards , electronic smart cards and contactless payment cards for "pay-as-you-go" travel. As with all National Rail and TfL services in London, passengers can use a Travelcard (daily, seven-day, monthly or annual); as on other National Rail services in London, paper single, return and cheap day return tickets priced under the zonal fare scheme are also available. As part of an effort to improve safety and protect revenue, TfL has announced that it will introduce ticket barriers at
1860-516: Is maintained at Willesden Junction and New Cross Gate TMDs , the latter being newly built for the extended East London line. There are also sidings at Silwood Triangle (just north of New Cross depot), built in 2013–14. Satellite locations for stabling trains include Stratford, London Euston and sidings (mainly used by London Northwestern Railway ), and c2c 's East Ham Depot. Train crews are based at stations including Euston, Willesden Junction, Watford Junction, New Cross, Stratford and Gospel Oak. Up to
1953-595: Is part of the Great Northern Route (itself part of the East Coast Main Line). It was formerly a stand-alone part of London Underground's Northern line between Moorgate and Finsbury Park. Typical services at Moorgate off-peak Monday-Friday (all operated by Great Northern): During Peak Hours, there are 4 tph to Welwyn Garden City, as well as an additional 2 tph that terminate at Gordon Hill and 2 tph that terminate at Hertford North. Great Northern introduced
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#17328443521712046-526: Is part of the London station group and accepts tickets marked "London Terminals". London Buses routes 21 , 43 , 76 , 100 , 141 and 153 serve the station. The station was opened as Moorgate Street by the Metropolitan Railway as the first eastwards extension from the original terminus at Farringdon . Parliamentary power had been obtained to build a station at Moorgate in 1861, two years before
2139-566: Is pursuing plans to restore local passenger services to the Camp Hill line in southern Birmingham, which is currently freight only, by constructing new chords into Birmingham Moor Street station. Restoration of local passenger services to the freight only Walsall to Wolverhampton Line , is also being pursued. Centro was established in 1969 following the Transport Act 1968 . The Transport Act 1985 deregulated and privatised bus services across
2232-732: Is the 13.5 mile long Severn Beach Line with 11 stations and 1.25 million journeys in 2016/7. The operator estimates that 57% of travellers on the line commute, rather than travelling for leisure. Services run every half an hour to Avonmouth and continue every hour to Severn Beach . As part of the MetroWest local rail expansion project, a further two suburban lines from Bristol Temple Meads to Henbury and Portishead were due to open in 2021 and 2023 respectively. Services also run from Gloucester - Westbury and Cardiff Central - Taunton via Bristol. Other suburban stations lie on main lines: Commuter services operate to and from nearby Bath , as well as
2325-727: Is the terminus of the City line, with a connection to the Wirral line at Lime Street underground station. There is also a connection with the Northern Line at Liverpool South Parkway in the south of Liverpool. The City Line is to be electrified to the Wigan and Manchester branches. The network includes the following lines: The West Yorkshire Metro oversees Northern suburban trains on 11 lines connecting urban centres such as Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield and Huddersfield and small commuter towns and villages in
2418-481: Is under the concession control and branding of Transport for London (TfL). Operation has been contracted to Arriva Rail London since 2016. TfL previously assigned orange as a mode-specific colour for the Overground in branding and publicity including the roundel , on the Tube map , trains and stations. In 2024, it was announced that, while orange would remain the overall Overground brand colour and continue to appear on
2511-702: The Arriva Trains Wales franchise in 2003, and subsequently the KeolisAmey Wales franchise in 2018. Since 2021, works on the South Wales Metro have taken place to transform the Valley Lines into a Light Metro service, with brand new larger trains and much more frequent services. Electrification began in 2021 for the new trains which will run at a core frequency of 18 trains per hour. ScotRail operates four commuter lines (with 40 stations) in and around
2604-661: The City . These eventually ran to and from Liverpool Street via a new section of track, the Graham Road Curve. British Rail replaced the existing three-car Class 501 electric trains (built 1957) with slightly newer but shorter two-car Class 416 electric trains (built 1959), leading to overcrowding. In 1988, by reorganising and reducing services on the Great Northern routes from Moorgate , about 18 relatively modern Class 313 dual-voltage electric trains were transferred to operate
2697-771: The Department for Transport (DfT) announced a review of the rail industry in Great Britain. As part of that review, TfL proposed a "London Regional Rail Authority" to give TfL regulatory powers over rail services in and around Greater London. A result of this consultation was agreement by the Secretary of State for Transport , Alistair Darling , to transfer the Silverlink Metro services from DfT to TfL control. Silverlink had two areas of operation: Silverlink County regional services from Euston to Northampton , St Albans Abbey , Bletchley and Bedford ; and Silverlink Metro within
2790-468: The Devon Metro project multiple new stations within the city and its environs have opened in recent years, with the goal to eventually establish a rapid-transit style service through incremental improvements to Exeter's existing urban rail network. Recent advancements in the scheme include the openings of Newcourt , Cranbrook and Marsh Barton railway stations, as well as an increased frequency of 2tph on
2883-576: The Edinburgh tram network to take passengers to the terminal. A proposal to re-open the Edinburgh suburban railway line has been made by campaigning groups. Exeter serves as the regional hub for rail transport in Devon. There are 8 suburban stations and two main-line stations within the city limits ( Exeter St Davids and Exeter Central ), with many more in the Greater Exeter area. Local services: Under
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2976-702: The Leeds city region , branded as Metro. The network incorporates the following lines, which often continue to longer distance destinations: Commuting via rail by wealthy merchants living in North Cheshire and South Lancashire into the centre of Manchester was a fairly early phenomenon thanks to the opening of railways such as the Liverpool and Manchester Railway , Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway , Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway & Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway , in
3069-595: The North London Railway routes from Silverlink Metro. The following day there was an official launch ceremony at Hampstead Heath station with the Mayor of London , Ken Livingstone ; there was also a later media event on the bay platform at Willesden Junction . The launch was accompanied by a marketing campaign entitled "London's new train set", with posters and leaflets carrying an image of model railway packaging containing new Overground trains, tracks and staff. At
3162-515: The ON – Overground Network brand. TfL introduced consistent information displays, station signage and maps on the selected routes in South London. Although this pilot was primarily an exercise in branding, some service improvements were introduced, and it was the first instance of the newly created TfL having a visible influence over National Rail services. The pilot scheme was later dropped. In January 2004
3255-758: The Riviera and Avocet Lines. Glasgow is Scotland's biggest city and has the UK's largest suburban rail network outside London. Much of the network is electrified, with some lines operated by diesel trains. Trains are operated by Abellio ScotRail ; Transport Scotland oversees the management of routes, fares and timetables for all train services in Scotland - until 2005, train services around Glasgow were managed by Strathclyde Passenger Transport . Because of this historic split there are differences between train services in Strathclyde and
3348-791: The Scottish capital: the North Clyde Line , the Borders Railway , the Edinburgh to Dunblane Line and the Fife Circle Line . Edinburgh Waverley and Haymarket are the city's two major stations with connections to mainline services. A project to open a rail link to Edinburgh Airport was cancelled in September 2007 by the Scottish Government in favour of construction of an Edinburgh Gateway station at nearby Gogar , which connects with
3441-558: The Victoria line . The line never re-opened fully, but instead the line was connected to the Finsbury Park British Rail station, in order to provide a connection for suburban services into Moorgate. The new service opened on 1 September 1968. Moorgate station was completely modernised at platform level and street level in the 1960s, and the Widened Lines part of the station was extended to six platforms. The realignment of
3534-578: The deep level Northern City Line platforms (9 and 10) are supplied with 750 V DC current via the third rail , overseen by York Electrical Control Room. The signalling is track circuit block , colour light signals with TPWS , the tripcock mechanisms having been removed in May 2022, controlled by York Rail Operating Centre . The former subsurface Thameslink bay platforms (5 and 6) were equipped with 25 kilovolt alternating current overhead line equipment , overseen by York Electrical Control Room. Signalling
3627-428: The train operating company called Merseyrail . Suburban trains run on both the electrified lines. The service operates at metro frequencies in central Liverpool and Birkenhead. The City line is operated by Northern running into Merseyside from outside the region, receiving funding from Merseytravel. The City line consists of non-electrified lines heading east and one electrified running south. Liverpool Lime Street
3720-497: The 1830s & 1840s. All had stations in what were then the outskirts of Manchester, from where citizens could take a train into the centre of the city. Sale , Alderley Edge and Wilmslow are examples of early settlements that had railway stations in the early-mid-19th century and grew into sizable commuter towns. Urban rail services to Manchester nowadays forms part of the Northern network. Around 25 million journeys are made on
3813-582: The Ayrshire Coast line, and is the only airport in Scotland with its own station. A direct rail link from Glasgow Central to Glasgow International Airport was planned, but was cancelled in 2009. The partially underground Merseyrail network consists of three lines, the Northern Line , Wirral Line and City Line , which interconnect in Liverpool's city centre. The Northern and Wirral Lines run in tunnels in
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3906-634: The Birmingham and West Midlands County local suburban lines are centred on New Street station, including the Cross-City Line , the Chase Line and the Coventry-Wolverhampton Line . Three suburban routes, known collectively as the Snow Hill Lines run through Snow Hill and Moor Street stations. Services run at ten-minute frequencies on the busiest routes, with most other routes operating at least
3999-705: The East London line became part of the London Overground network when the Phase 1 extension was completed. The former London Underground line was extended northwards, mostly along the former Broad Street viaduct of the North London line, to the re-opened Dalston Junction , and southwards to Crystal Palace and West Croydon . Operations began with a limited preview service between Dalston Junction and New Cross/New Cross Gate, with full operation between Dalston Junction and West Croydon/Crystal Palace on 23 May. On 28 February 2011,
4092-721: The Greater Manchester local rail network, compared to 34 million Metrolink tram journeys. Buses make up a far bigger number than both however with 225 million journeys per year. The biggest point of entry to the city is Manchester Piccadilly which accommodates 13 lines on which services are provided up to around every 15 minutes. These include lines to/from Bolton , New Mills Central , Crewe , Liverpool Lime Street , Chester , Warrington Central , Hadfield / Glossop , Huddersfield and Southport . There are also 11 routes from Manchester Victoria , all operated by Northern. Routes are as follows: 91 stations are within
4185-547: The Greater Manchester ticketing zone. There are links to the Metrolink tram network at Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Victoria, Manchester Deansgate, Altrincham, Navigation Road, Eccles (400m walk), Rochdale, Ashton-under-Lyne (from 2013), East Didsbury (200m walk) and Manchester Airport. Tickets bought for rail travel within Greater Manchester ticketing zone to the four city-centre stations (Deansgate, Oxford Road, Victoria and Piccadilly) are to "Manchester Central Zone", rendered on
4278-513: The London Overground network. The initial network, service levels and timetables were a continuation of Silverlink Metro services, a set of routes primarily built and electrified by the North London and London & North Western railway companies in the 19th and early 20th centuries. As the Overground name implies, the majority of the network is above ground, and it mostly consists of railway lines that connect areas outside Central London , with
4371-399: The London rail network in November 2024 As of May 2023, the typical off-peak service pattern is: Battersea Park railway station is served by an infrequent parliamentary train service from Dalston Junction , which terminates at Battersea Park instead of Clapham Junction . Since the reorganization of services into the London Overground network, this has been the only service to use
4464-579: The London urban area. When the franchise was split up in 2007, County services were taken over by the London Midland franchise, and the Metro services came under TfL control. TfL decided to let this franchise as a management contract, with TfL taking the revenue risk. On 20 February 2006, the DfT announced that TfL would take over management of services then provided by Silverlink Metro . Tenders were invited to operate
4557-556: The Midland Railway ran via Kentish Town and the Great Northern Railway ran via King's Cross. In 1874, director of the Metropolitan, Edward Watkin , described Moorgate Street as "your great terminus" and recommended a 100-bedroom hotel should be built on top of the station. The now Northern line platforms were originally part of an extension of the City & South London Railway (C&SLR) beyond Borough towards Angel , forming
4650-534: The North London and Watford services, from both Euston and Liverpool Street. Several voluntary sector groups, the Railway Development Society (RDS, later Railfuture ), Transport 2000's then London groups, and the Capital Transport Campaign, launched a series of leaflets and briefings promoting a concept called Outer Circle. This name had once been used for a semi-circular service from Broad Street to Mansion House , which ceased during World War I. The pamphlets and briefings, first issued in 1997, initially suggested
4743-479: The North London line trains at Stratford moved to new high-level platforms 1 and 2 from low-level platforms 1 and 2, which were needed for the Docklands Light Railway 's Stratford International service. The new platforms 1 and 2 are an island platform with step-free access to platform 12 and subway links to platforms 3–11. On 27 September 2009, Imperial Wharf station opened on the West London line , between West Brompton and Clapham Junction . On 27 April 2010,
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#17328443521714836-467: The Northern City Line from the City Widened Lines the following year. The City Widened Lines were renamed the Moorgate line when overhead electrification was installed in 1982, allowing the Midland City Line service to run from Bedford via the Midland Main Line to Moorgate. This later formed a branch of the Thameslink route. The Moorgate Thameslink branch was reduced to peak hours services only in 2003, and closed permanently on 20 March 2009 as part of
4929-429: The Northern line platforms at Moorgate to the Central line at Liverpool Street via the Elizabeth line platforms spanning the two. The refurbished entrance on Moorfields opened on 5 July 2021. Upon opening, this provided step-free access to the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan line platforms, and later to the Northern line and Elizabeth line when the new line opened on 24 May 2022. On 13 September 1905,
5022-432: The Ringrail Plan. The proposal from Barren was for several overlapping services mainly using the North London line , generally at 20-minute intervals. The suggested routes followed the original North London line service from Broad Street to Richmond , new services from Barking to Clapham Junction , and a third service from Ealing Broadway to North Woolwich . However, the Wilson government 's continuing antipathy to
5115-456: The South London line, calling at Queens Road Peckham , Peckham Rye , Denmark Hill , Clapham High Street and Wandsworth Road . The extension uses an alignment between Surrey Quays and just north of Queen's Road Peckham that had been disused since 1911; new track was laid after some major civil engineering works. Passive provision has also been made for a new station at Surrey Canal , to be constructed when funding becomes fully available. This
5208-413: The Thameslink Programme upgrades. The closure was required in order to lengthen the platforms at Farringdon to take the longer trains, which could only be done southward in the direction of Moorgate as there was too steep a gradient to the north. Under Crossrail works, the western ticket hall of the Elizabeth line station at Liverpool Street was constructed just east of Moorgate station. This linked
5301-463: The UK. The West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive co-ordinated the services of all local private bus operators and adopted the name of Centro shortly afterwards to distinguish its new role from its previous role as an operator. In 2016 Centro was abolished and replaced by TfWM. There are 13 suburban and two main-line stations ( Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway ) in Bristol , all operated by Great Western Railway . The only suburban line
5394-405: The Underground station is served by the Circle , Hammersmith & City , Metropolitan and Northern lines . The station was opened as Moorgate Street in 1865 by the Metropolitan Railway . In 1900, the City & South London Railway added the station to its network, and the Great Northern & City Railway began serving the station in 1904. In 1975, the Northern City Line platforms were
5487-469: The West Midlands are Wolverhampton and Coventry . During 2014/15, there were nearly 51 million rail passenger journeys in the TfWM area. Birmingham has the highest proportion of rail commuters in England outside London. In the past few decades the proportion of journeys into central Birmingham by rail has grown sharply: 29% of journeys into Birmingham city centre in the peak hours were made by rail in 2015, compared to 17% in 2001, 12% in 1991. Most of
5580-441: The capital. Transport for Wales operates the stations and services. In February 2008, the Ebbw Valley Railway re-opened after 45 years with an hourly service to Cardiff Central. Until the line's closure in 1962, passengers had had to change at Newport . The Maesteg line is incorporated into the wider network: trains continue to Cheltenham Spa from Cardiff Central. The Vale of Glamorgan Line serves Cardiff Airport . However,
5673-424: The centres of Liverpool and Birkenhead. Liverpool is the nucleus of the network, which sees 100,000 people a day travel through 68 stations on the electrified lines. There are 21 stations on the City Line that serves the Merseyside area. The origins of the network are old, dating back 1848 and the Liverpool, Crosby and Southport Railway , one of the world's first commuter lines, and to the 1886 Mersey Railway , which
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#17328443521715766-494: The city centre: the North Clyde line through Queen Street and the Argyle Line through Central, from underground platforms below the mainline stations. The North Clyde and Argyle lines meet at Partick , which is also served by the Glasgow Subway . There are Glasgow Subway stations near Central ( St Enoch ) and Queen Street ( Buchanan Street ). A bus services to Glasgow Airport operates from Paisley Gilmour Street station . Glasgow Prestwick Airport has its own railway station on
5859-492: The closure of the Moorgate branch from Farringdon junction as part of the Thameslink Programme and are now used for storage. The Northern line of the Underground uses platforms 7 and 8, which are in a deep-level tube section of the station. National Rail services on the Northern City Line use platforms 9 and 10, which are terminal platforms. Train services run via the East Coast Main Line to Welwyn Garden City , Hertford North and Stevenage . Because of this, Moorgate
5952-433: The depot at Neasden , powered by a 0-6-0 tank locomotive . Steam was replaced by Cravens-built diesel multiple units and British Rail Class 31 locomotives class hauling non-corridor stock which remained in operation until 1976, when it was replaced with British Rail Class 313 electrics. The Northern City Line connection for Moorgate to Finsbury Park tube was closed beyond Drayton Park on 5 October 1964 to allow work on
6045-430: The early 2010s, London Overground operated with a conductor or guard on its North London, West London and Gospel Oak services. With the other 60% of Overground services already operated by only a driver, it was decided in 2013 to convert these remaining two-person operated trains to driver only . The London Overground is currently operated by Arriva Rail London under a contract with TfL which expires in 2026. Following
6138-703: The east. All three lines share the same pair of tracks from Baker Street Junction to Aldgate Junction. The typical service in trains per hour (tph) is: The typical service in trains per hour (tph) is: The Metropolitan Line is the only line to operate express services from Moorgate, and then only at peak times. Fast services run non-stop between Wembley Park , Harrow-on-the-Hill and Moor Park ; semi-fast services run non-stop between Wembley Park and Harrow-on-the-Hill. The typical off-peak service in trains per hour (tph) is: Off-peak services to/from Watford terminate at Baker Street The typical peak time service in trains per hour (tph) is: The Northern line serves
6231-811: The evenings and on Sundays. Networks often encompass a few major stations in a large city, with other stations being medium or minor. Services can be provided by one train operating company operating exclusively on an urban rail network, such as in Merseyside , or by a company that also operates regional and national services, like in Bristol , Cardiff , Edinburgh and Glasgow . In Northern Ireland 's capital, Northern Ireland Railways Belfast suburban rail serves Greater Belfast . Services run about every 20 minutes from 06:00 until 00:00 on: Some services run between Larne and Portadown, calling at all stations. Belfast Suburban Rail serves 39 different stations on three lines. Co-ordinated and subsidised by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), West Midlands Trains operates
6324-536: The historic Thames Tunnel , the oldest tunnel under a navigable river in the world. A peculiarity is that at Whitechapel the London Overground runs below the London Underground (though there are other parts of the network where this occurs, e.g. the Watford Junction to Euston route between Kenton and South Kenton – shared with the Bakerloo line – passes under the Metropolitan line between Northwick Park and Preston Road ). The next addition opened on 9 December 2012, from Surrey Quays to Clapham Junction via
6417-527: The initial section, and it was completed on 23 December 1865. Increased traffic from other companies, including goods traffic from the Great Northern Railway , led to the line between King's Cross and Moorgate being widened to four tracks; the route was called the City Widened Lines and included a new tunnel at Clerkenwell which was 16 feet (4.9 m) lower than the original. The Widened Lines were open from Moorgate to Farringdon on 1 July 1866, and to King's Cross on 17 February 1868. Suburban services from
6510-447: The launch, TfL undertook to revamp the routes by improving service frequencies and station facilities, staffing all stations, introducing new rolling stock and allowing Oyster pay as you go throughout the network from the outset. After the takeover, all stations were "deep-cleaned", and Silverlink branding removed. Station signage was replaced with Overground-branded signs using TfL's corporate New Johnston typeface. On 15 April 2009,
6603-444: The line between Dalston Junction and Highbury & Islington was opened. In attendance were the Mayor of London and London Underground 's Managing Director. TfL announced in November 2010 that ridership was ahead of forecast at 92,000 a day, and that patronage at Surrey Quays had "gone through the roof". The incorporation of the East London line into the Overground network has added substantial sections of line in tunnel, including
6696-624: The link from platform 2 at Battersea Park to Wandsworth Road . Highbury & Islington to New Cross, Clapham Junction, Crystal Palace and West Croydon services are served by New Cross Gate Depot . Richmond and Clapham Junction to Stratford, Watford Junction to Euston, and Gospel Oak to Barking services are served by Willesden Traction Maintenance Depot . London Liverpool Street to Enfield Town, Cheshunt and Chingford, and Romford to Upminster are served by Ilford EMU Depot , Chingford sidings and Gidea Park Sidings. London Overground's head office and control centre are at Swiss Cottage . Rolling stock
6789-601: The network neglects large residential areas in the south-west and east of Cardiff, although the South Wales Main Line runs through these areas without any stations. These areas include Caerau in the south-west and Rumney and St Mellons in the east. Between 1995 and 2001, the network (except the Maesteg Line) was operated by Valley Lines . It then became part of the Wales & Borders franchise before becoming part of
6882-559: The northern terminus of its services from Stockwell south of the River Thames . An act for the extension had been authorised in 1893 and included an eastern diversion of the original line underneath the Thames. The new station opened on 25 February 1900. The line was extended to Angel on 17 November the following year. The Northern City Line to Moorgate was opened by the Great Northern & City Railway (GN&CR) on 14 February 1904 offering
6975-620: The platforms enabled about 500 yd (460 m) of the line to Barbican to be straightened and moved south to facilitate development of the Barbican Estate . British Rail (Eastern Region) took over control of the Northern City Line from London Underground in 1975, as part of the Great Northern lines suburban electrification. The Highbury Branch of the Northern line was terminated. Services from Finsbury Park to Moorgate were diverted to
7068-521: The railways, along with British Rail 's management's lack of interest in minor local train services, meant that few of these initiatives were carried forward. In 1979, the Greater London Council (GLC) decided to sponsor an improved service from Camden Road , on the North London line, to North Woolwich, opening up a previously freight-only line between Dalston and Stratford and linking it to an improved Stratford – North Woolwich service. This
7161-399: The rest of Scotland. There is no first class travel in Strathclyde, and morning peak time finishes at 09:00 (rather than 09:15) with no evening peak time. Glasgow Central and Glasgow Queen Street are the two mainline railway stations, both in the city centre. Services to the south leave from Central, and to the north leave from Queen Street. Two lines run underground east to west through
7254-596: The roundels, each of the six Overground lines would be given distinct colours and names. London Mayor Sadik Khan officially named the lines in a ceremony at Dalston Junction Station in November 2024. Now called Lioness, Mildmay , Windrush , Weaver, Suffragette , and Liberty, the lines are intended to reference London's diverse history and communities. Rail services in Great Britain are mostly run under franchises operated by private train operating companies, marketed together as National Rail. The concept of developing
7347-540: The same zone-based rules as for Underground and DLR paper tickets, which were expanded to take in the extra zones covered. Watford Junction has its own fare scale. Paper tickets are significantly more expensive than using Oyster PAYG. Urban rail in the United Kingdom Urban and suburban rail plays a key role in public transport in many of the major cities of the United Kingdom . Urban rail refers to
7440-441: The service under the provisional name of the North London Railway . On 5 September 2006, London Overground branding was announced, and it was confirmed that the extended East London line would be included. On 25 June 2007, a statutory instrument was laid before parliament to exclude the ex-Silverlink metro lines from the franchising process, which enabled them to be operated as a concession. On 11 November 2007, TfL took over
7533-588: The site of the Moorgate tube crash – at the time, the worst peacetime accident in the history of the London Underground – in which 43 people were killed. Thameslink branch services were withdrawn in the early 21st century, and a new ticket hall was built connected to the newly opened Elizabeth line at Liverpool Street in 2021, with through access to the rest of Liverpool Street Underground station. The station has entrances on both Moorgate itself and Moorfields , which runs parallel. The public entrances from
7626-405: The station between Old Street to the north and Bank to the south being part of the City branch of the Northern line via Bank. The typical off-peak service in trains per hour (tph) are: The typical peak time service in trains per hour (tph) are: Previously, typical off-peak services include terminating at Colindale to the north and Tooting Broadway to the south. The Northern City Line
7719-457: The street give access to all the train services at the station, there are three distinct levels. The Circle , Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan underground lines use platforms 1 and 2, which are through platforms. For terminating trains at busy times, there are platforms 3 and 4 which are west-facing bays. Adjacent to these are platforms 5 and 6 of the former Thameslink service from Bedford via St Pancras. These are disused following
7812-585: The ticket as "MANCHESTER CTLZ", and allow free tram travel within the Metrolink tram city fare zone (eight stops within the Piccadilly-Victoria-Deansgate station triangle). Moorgate railway station Moorgate is a central London railway terminus and connected London Underground station on Moorgate in the City of London . Main line railway services for Hertford , Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage are operated by Great Northern , while
7905-621: The train service between city centres and suburbs or nearby towns that acts as a main mode of transport for travellers on a daily basis. They consist of several railway lines connecting city centre stations of major cities to suburbs and surrounding towns. Train services and ticketing are fully integrated with the national rail network and are not considered separate. In London, a route for Crossrail 2 has been safeguarded. Unlike most light rail systems, most urban rail networks are part of National Rail , which often allows easy interchange with mainline rail , and only one ticket needs to be bought if
7998-555: Was criticised by local politicians during the planning phase of the project. No stations are planned at these locations as the line is on high railway arches, making the cost of any station construction prohibitive. On 31 May 2015, the Liverpool Street to Enfield Town , Cheshunt (via Seven Sisters ) and Chingford services, as well as the Romford to Upminster service, were transferred from Greater Anglia to TfL to become part of
8091-548: Was given the marketing name Crosstown Linkline , and operated with basic two-car diesel multiple units. The next initiative came from the GLC in 1984, when the government supported the Broadgate development that would entail the demolition of Broad Street station. The closure process was convoluted because of problems in making alternative arrangements for the North London line, and the remaining services operating from Watford Junction to
8184-602: Was launched in 2000. But the lobbying discreetly continued, with a series of short briefings published by one RDS member based in North London. Mayoral and GLA candidates were approached to discuss the viability of the Outer Circle concept. The principle was widely supported and was adopted into the first Mayor's Transport Plan, published in 2001. Meanwhile, a pilot scheme was launched in 2003 to bring several National Rail local services, mainly in South London, operated by Connex South Eastern , Southern and South West Trains under
8277-524: Was put on hold in 2009, although a suitable station 'foundation structure' has been built to facilitate completion in the future. Funding for the railway rebuilding project was secured in February 2009, including £64 million from the Department for Transport (DfT) and £15 million from TfL, and construction began in May 2011. The route passes over both Loughborough Junction and Brixton stations without stopping, and this lack of interchange stations
8370-406: Was the unexplained failure of the driver to stop or even slow down at the platform, causing the train to run at speed into the dead-end tunnel, colliding with the buffers and then with the wall. Services were immediately suspended, resuming on 1 March from Drayton Park to Old Street only. The wreckage was not fully cleared until 6 March and the station fully re-opened four days later. Trains using
8463-649: Was the world's second oldest underground passenger railway. An early commuter was Nathaniel Hawthorne , United States consul to Liverpool, 1853–57. The 75 mile long electric third rail Northern and Wirral lines are 100% dedicated Merseyrail lines operating separately from the City Line. The City Line currently uses diesel trains operated by Northern . The local passenger transport executive, Merseytravel , brands all suburban rail lines running through Merseyside as Merseyrail with stations inside Merseyside branded as Merseyrail stations. The Northern and Wirral lines operate under
8556-473: Was track circuit block, multiple aspect colour light signals, controlled by West Hampstead PSB . South of the Northern City platform 10 is a Greathead tunnelling shield . The shield was used to dig part of a very short planned extension south to Lothbury , quickly abandoned. The Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City and Circle lines serve the station between Barbican to the west and Liverpool Street to
8649-553: Was worked on during the night while daytime services remained running, but closed completely on 28 November 1923 following a roof collapse at Newington Causeway the day before. Services to Euston opened on 20 April 1924, along with a connection to Camden Town and stations further north. Services to Clapham Common resumed on 1 December. The station was renamed from Moorgate Street to Moorgate on 24 October that year. British Rail services to Moorgate were initially steam-operated. A commemorative service ran on 6 June 1971 from Moorgate to
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