Randomness Guide to London - Differences between Version 7 and Version 6 of Category Circle Line

Version 7 Version 6
== Line 0 == == Line 0 ==
In a sense, the Circle Line is a kind of “virtual line”, since it doesn't have any stations of its own, merely sharing those of other lines.
The Circle Line is an orbital line, meaning that trains go round and round and round it, rather than going to one end and then reversing. Despite this, the trains are still referred to as westbound and eastbound, even at the edges of the loop where this doesn't really give you any useful information. Earle on [http://london.openguides.org/index.cgi?Circle_Line_Clockwise OGL] makes the sensible proposition that we should use “clockwise” and “widdershins” instead.
== Line 2 == == Line 2 ==
Prior to December 2009, the Circle Line was an orbital line; that is, an actual circle of track on which the trains went round and round and round, rather than going to one end and then reversing. On 13 December 2009 a new service pattern was introduced and a "tail" was added to the "loop", turning the line into more of a spiral (or a teacup) than a circle.
The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_Line Wikipedia entry on the Circle Line] points out that it could be seen as a kind of “virtual line”, since it doesn't have any stations of its own, merely sharing those of other lines. I kind of like this concept.
== Line 4 == == Line 4 ==
Now, trains start at [[Edgware Road (Circle/District/Hammersmith) Station|Edgware Road]] and travel anticlockwise around the old "loop"; when they get back to Edgware Road again, they leave the loop and head off along the "tail" to [[Hammersmith Station|Hammersmith]] along the route of (and on the same track as) the [[Category Hammersmith And City Line|Hammersmith & City Line]].
Apart from the very, very small [[Category Waterloo and City Line|Waterloo & City Line]], the Circle Line is the only Tube line which lies totally inside zone 1.
== Line 6 ==
Note that the next westbound station after Edgware Road on the Hammersmith & City Line is [[Paddington Station|Paddington]], which is also on the Circle's loop; this means that Circle Line trains use more than one set of platforms at Paddington. For westbound trains, this depends on whether their next station is [[Bayswater Station|Bayswater]] (on the loop; trains use the Praed Street platforms at Paddington) or [[Royal Oak Station|Royal Oak]] (on the tail; trains use the Bishop's Road platforms at Paddington). All eastbound Circle Line trains from Paddington call at Edgware Road next, but those coming from the loop (i.e. those on the Praed Street platforms) will terminate at Edgware Road, while those coming from the tail (Bishop's Road platforms) will continue around the loop.

== Line 11 ==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_line_%28London_Underground%29 Wikipedia entry]
== Line 13 == == Line 10 ==
Auto-generated list of all Circle Line stations (@MAP_LINK [[Category Circle Line|view them on a map]]):
Auto-generated list of all Circle Line stations on this guide:
== Line 15 == == Line 12 ==

@MAP_LINK [[Category Circle Line]]

The Circle Line is an orbital line, meaning that trains go round and round and round it, rather than going to one end and then reversing. Despite this, the trains are still referred to as westbound and eastbound, even at the edges of the loop where this doesn't really give you any useful information. Earle on OGL makes the sensible proposition that we should use “clockwise” and “widdershins” instead.

The Wikipedia entry on the Circle Line points out that it could be seen as a kind of “virtual line”, since it doesn't have any stations of its own, merely sharing those of other lines. I kind of like this concept.

Apart from the very, very small Waterloo & City Line, the Circle Line is the only Tube line which lies totally inside zone 1.

See also:

Auto-generated list of all Circle Line stations on this guide: (unprocessed INDEX_LIST macro) View map of pages in Category Circle Line


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