The Anonymous Widower

Extending The Elizabeth Line – Improving The Northern City Line

Some parts of North and North-East London, have less-than-good connections with the Elizabeth Line.

• The Piccadilly Line has no direct connection with the Elizabeth Line.
• The Victoria Line has no direct connection with the Elizabeth Line.
• The Bank branch of the Northern Line has only a poor connection with the Elizabeth Line at Moorgate station.
• The Northern City Line has only a poor connection with the Elizabeth Line at Moorgate station.
• The Charing Cross branch of the Northern Line has a good connection with the Elizabeth Line at Tottenham Court Road station.
• The Lea Valley Lines of the London Overground have good connections with the Elizabeth Line at Liverpool Street station.
• Thameslink has a good connection with the Elizabeth Line at Farringdon station.

It would appear that if you live near one of the Lea Valley Lines or Thameslink stations, you can access the Elizabeth Line fairly easily at Liverpool Street or Farringdon stations, but if you rely on a Northern, Northern City, Piccadilly or Victoria Line local station, you are not so lucky!

Could The Northern City Line Be Improved To Give Better Connections Between North London And The Elizabeth Line?

This map from cartometro.com shows the lines between Finsbury Park and Highbury & Islington stations.

Note.

1. The dark blue tracks are the Piccadilly Line, which calls at M (Manor House), Finsbury Park, Arsenal, Holloway Road and Caledonian Road, before going South-West to King’s Cross St. Pancras.
2. The lighter blue tracks are the Victoria Line, which calls at Finsbury Park and Highbury & Islington, before going South-West to King’s Cross St. Pancras.
3. The black tracks on the Western side of the map are those of the East Coast Main Line into King’s Cross.
4. The black tracks going South-East from Finsbury Park are the Northern City Line, which calls at Finsbury Park, Drayton Park, Highbury & Islington, E (Essex Road) and Old Street before terminating at Moorgate.

This second map shows the lines through Finsbury Park station.

 

Note.

1. The dark blue tracks are the Piccadilly Line.
2. The lighter blue tracks are the Victoria Line.
3. The black tracks going through Drayton Park station are the Northern City Line.
4. The platforms of the Piccadilly and Victoria Lines are paired at Finsbury Park station, so that passengers can change lines with a simple walk-across.

This third map shows the lines through Highbury & Islington station.

Note.

1. The dark blue tracks are the Piccadilly Line.
2. The lighter blue tracks are the Victoria Line.
3. The orange tracks are the London Overground.
4. The black tracks going through Drayton Park and Highbury & Islington stations are the Northern City Line, which terminates at Moorgate station.
5. The platforms of the Northern City and Victoria Lines are paired at Highbury & Islington station, so that passengers can change lines with a simple walk-across.

The big problem with Highbury & Islington station is that is not step-free.

A Step-Free Route Between Wood Green And Moorgate  Stations

Currently, it is possible to go between Wood Green and Moorgate stations by using three trains.

• Piccadilly Line – Wood Green to Finsbury Park – 6 mins
• Victoria Line – Finsbury Park to Highbury & Islington – 6 mins
• Northern City Line – Highbury & Islington to Moorgate – 10 mins

Note.

1. These are actual times measured on my phone.
2. The total time is twenty-two minutes.
3. I had to wait a couple of minutes at both changes.
4. Both changes are walk-across.
5. The changes are not as perfect as they could be, although they would be easily managed with a buggy or a heavy case.

These pictures show the change at Highbury & Islington station.

These pictures show the change at Finsbury Park station.

This route works for all stations Between Manor House and Cockfosters.

• Cockfosters – Add 15 minutes
• Oakwood – Add 12 minutes
• Southgate – Add 9 minutes
• Arnos Grove – Add 6 minutes
• Bounds Green – Add 3 minutes
• Turnpike Lane – Subtract 2 minutes
• Manor House – Subtract 5 minutes

But look at the frequencies of the three sections in trains per hour (tph)

• Piccadilly Line – 21 tph
• Victoria Line – 33 tph
• Northern City Line – 4 tph

The Northern City Line frequency is not high enough, as you could have a fifteen minute wait for a train.

Improvements Needed To The Northern City Line

The Northern City Line now has new Class 717 trains, a terminal platform at Stevenage and full digital signalling is being installed.

• The major improvement needed would be to improve frequency to at least 12 tph.
• Six tph on both branches should be possible.

I would also install step-free access at more stations.

Moorgate Station’s Northern City Line Platforms

These pictures show the platforms of the Northern City Line at Moorgate station.

Note.

Improved Connections At Moorgate Station

I talked about the connections between the Northern and Elizabeth Lines at Moorgate station in Elizabeth Line To Northern Line At Moorgate Station.

This was my conclusion.

Routes between the Northern and Elizabeth Lines at Moorgate need to be improved.

I feel that some of the improvements could be fairly minor, but adding step-free access to the Northern City Line could be more difficult.

An Improved Connection Between Bank And Moorgate Stations

Currently, there are three ways between Bank and Moorgate stations.

• Use the Northern Line
• Use a 21, 43 or 141 bus routes
• Walk

I believe that it would also be possible to dig a pedestrian tunnel between the two stations and fit it out with a moving walkway.

This visualisation shows the updated Bank station.

Note.

1. Moorgate station is to the left.
2. The only more-or-less completed bits are the two Northern Line tunnels and platforms and parallel pedestrian tunnel.
3. The four cross tunnels can be picked out towards the far end of the station.
4. Three of the cross tunnels can now be used by passengers.
5. The moving walkway can be accessed from the two cross tunnels nearest to the Central Line.
6. The escalators from the yet-to-open Cannon Street entrance appear to lead directly into a cross tunnel and a parallel tunnel to the moving walkway.

I believe that the moving walkway to Moorgate station could connect with the Bank station complex, at the Moorgate end of the new moving walkway in Bank station.

 

September 5, 2022 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Bank And Moorgate Moving Walkway, Bank Station, Class 717 Train, Elizabeth Line, Extending The Elizabeth Line, Farringdon Station, Finsbury Park Station, Highbury And Islington Station, Lea Valley Lines, Liverpool Street Station, London Bus 141, London Bus 21, Moorgate Station, Northern City Line, Northern Line, Piccadilly Line, Step-Free, Thameslink, Tottenham Court Road Station, Victoria Line