Secrets of the Central Line

Geoff Marshall reveals dozens of features and facts about London's Central Line that you probably didn't know. We start in Epping and head east to west across London...
WELL DONE btw for clicking on 'Show More..' as not a lot of people often do. As you've done this, if you write 'The Central Line is the BEST!' in the comments below, it'll be a fun game to confuse all of those who haven't read this bit ...

[@burgerman2337]

I found something out about the Central Line, between Liverpool St and Bank the tight curves are actually dodging the old foundations of the buildings above. Also there is one curve that avoids the Vaults of the Bank of England! :D

[@patthewoodboy]

an old girlfriend of mine told me that

[@jasonantigua6825]

Jonathan Vogel She sounds like she would have been a keeper!

[@blackham7]

This sounds like it should be an idea for a bank heist movie where someone breaks into the bank via the underground tunnels lol

[@louischallener5865]

Drill through the wall of the tunnel into the vault gta v style

[@johnashford51]

BurgerMan233 kk

[@alexanderstevenson6484]

Tube station: *holds any record * Stratford: I’m gonna stop you right there

[@terminx7841]

Stratford is just built different

[@thatguyshawzy]

@@terminx7841 Frrrr

[@cameradoesstuff...]

Gants hill: 1. ur overground 2. im the eastermost completely underground station

[@Matrin1987]

Yes! And although it has the shortest escalator it's equivalent to 16 floors. Why 16 floors? Because every other tube station has 15 floors and Stratfort wants the record.

[@elementballs]

stratford gets wooden treads on escalators!

[@Ravelinn]

I worked on the Railway for 25 years and love the history and idiosyncrasies of it... all the secrets and stuff ive seen.. its an amazing place..

[@abzinhoo]

Yh

[@nailayaseen9994]

Hi

[@martinwood744]

I frequented the London Underground system for many years and I loved it. Now, as my time runs out, all that is finished, just memories. But what memories. I no longer have any reason to travel, or any money to travel. And I wouldn't just hop on a train to nowhere for the feels. It wouldn't work. The journey and the destination are entwined. Each enhances the other. So vids like these are my window into a gone but never forgotten past. Muchas Gracias!

[@001ChelseaFan]

Hey Geoff, if I can add one more thing, if you go to the front of the eastbound platform at Holborn station and peer into the tunnel, you can see a distinctive white light at the far end of it - that's Chancery Lane station!

[@NineEyeRon]

1:40:27-Speedence safety comes first though so sadly we miss out

[@FactChecker1000]

What the heck why are you saying, "FUCKING BITCH!" why are you saying that kid

[@johnsmith-wx5fb]

Mental problems

[@pierferekatze2370]

2:47 that woman in the background is like "wtf is that guy doing?"

[@moritzl7065]

2:48 You're attracting quite a bit of attention, Geoff...

[@aaronandmumleimayes8667]

Moritz L why is the woman looking at Geoff?

[@Richard_is_cool]

Not very British..

[@Chrnan6710]

*UNTIL THE NEW STRATFORD STATION WAS BUILT*

[@TheCastleMarch]

XD

[@alzirabalde4010]

Wow

[@jasminejohnston6393]

Lift trick: Lifts always chime once when they’re going up and twice when going down. Useful info!

[@NATENIL2]

Jasmine Johnston yes ,this is true but not all lifts arent like this.

[@toddhunter3137]

I live in a Manchester highrise and that's actually true. 👍👍

[@Chrnan6710]

*_UNTIL THE NEW STRATFORD STATION WAS BUILT_*

[@hyungwoo0312]

The "Whistle" sign and the train whistling at 1:44 made me chuckle. Something about the scene and the sound itself is somehow charming!

[@MiaFa_x]

Small but helpful tip. When entering Stratford station from the Westfield entrance. Don’t follow the first sign to the central line as that takes you on a much longer route. Its quicker to just go down the second escalator slightly further on, you’ll get to the central line platforms about twice as quick :)

[@Farleigh1050]

Ikr

[@doristheslug9609]

Not far from the epping to ongar steam railway you can find the worlds oldest surviving wooden church, heavily restored but never demolished, build in 1060 CE

[@Hussein1156]

Sod9ckd

[@ericjamieson]

Gants Hill looks the way it does because engineers from the London Underground had consulted on the initial construction of the Moscow Metro, were impressed with the station layouts the Soviets were using, and recommended something similar for London.

[@JackMitchell404]

The De La Rue (Bank of England) printing works is on Langston Road in Loughton, you would pass it long before you reach Roding Valley. It's visible on the left on a Westbound train just before it arrives in Debden or on the right of an Eastbound train leaving Debden. The printing works is the most distant building from Debden station in that industrial estate before the countryside sets in.

[@paulshorney3465]

My aunt used to work there. She lived out at Horley near Gatwick airport. Some commute!!

[@123ObbYzz]

2:29 Simon from Inbetweeners

[@jacksearle5485]

how would you know?

[@callumfisher9124]

Robert Obrien i

[@thenameaintjim]

how the HELL did you notice that?! hahaha

[@callumfisher9124]

Raph CJ What?

[@hellotherekindsir1137]

Oh friends

[@philrabe910]

2:15 there also appears to be a roundel on the hour hand. Brilliant!

[@rjjcms1]

That makes two of us who spotted that.

[@Londonistvids]

"It's quicker to walk from Queensway to Baywater" t-shirt, now available from the Londonist shop! www.moretvicar.com/collection/londonist/product/its-quicker-to-walk-t-shirt

[@jbm9918]

Nice 😃😃

[@alphies.q.4858]

Londonist my mum was born in Leytonstone😀

[@insertnamehere5660]

+sd2787 Its considerably cheap as t-shirts aren't that cheap anyway. He's not forcing you to buy a t-shirt, there just there if you want to purchase one.

[@thephoenix3155]

+Alphie S.Q. My Grandad was born in Leytonstone!

[@thebuzzah]

Would one tap out and back in?

[@vonHintenHorst]

1:50 to the right: "Rear Window" 1:55 "North by Northwest" 2:00 to the right: "Vertigo" 2:02 "Psycho"

[@Kohl423]

In times past I traveled on the extention to the Central Line beyond Epping. You had to get off the tube train and walk up the platform and then get on another tube train which eventually took you to Ongar albeit I was actually travelling to North Weald in order to see an air display at the aerodrome there when they used to have such things. I'm glad they have managed to find a use for that bit of line but it's a shame they discontinued the tube arrangement. Sometimes progress seems more about going backwards!

[@abzinhoo]

Lj

[@stevewright4576]

I LOVE this video and all comments! I am Canadian living in London and love all this nostalgia! My wife who is British just shrugs, I make her ride all these lines with me and I am wide-eyed with enthusiasm (way past zone 6, but I am paying so who cares!) I think it's so fun!

[@Biggsatroid]

It's strange to me how Roding Valley is the least used Underground station because it is the station I personally have used the most in my entire life. I spent quite a lot of my life living between Buckhurst Hill and Woodford, hence Roding Valley being the station I would get on and off at nearly every day

[@crazyboutferrets]

Bro is the sole person keeping roding valley alive

[@thewalkingman777]

The Central line is an elegant design masterpiece! I love Roding Valley btw, especially how the trains go past you towards Epping on the platform that curves away from you when you are waiting for the train to Hainault.

[@crazysharkgaming8947]

You forgot about Leyton! On match days when Leyton Orient play at home, there is a secret gate that they open to deal with crowds, trust me i have been through it

[@crazysharkgaming8947]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leyton_tube_station if you don't believe me

[@boomerrob9223]

Crowds? At Leyton Orient?

[@NatashaKundi]

i trust you. i saw that during Olympics​.

[@realfrowz]

You forgot um startford

[@brendansheerin8980]

I've been through that gate

[@bolerie]

2:20 Sorry mate, I think you're the only one who does those quizes

[@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian]

I have travelled hundreds of times between Shepherds Bush and White City and for 40+ years wondered “why does the train appear on the far right having departed Shepherds Bush on the left’. Wow, now I understand. Thank you so much 👏👏👍😀

[@businessbuilding1]

absolutely love your commentary and your videos. I can't get enough - just watched the Bakerloo line and this video. Would love to see you reveal NYC's subway lines

[@maherhamadouch2005]

it must've been awkward to shout hello

[@ymodnar]

Yup.

[@1963TOMB]

This brings back memories. The Central Line project in the early to mid nineties was the 1st LU line I worked on as a radio commissioning engineer, eventually working on all the lines. I'm still at it and currently working on Crossrail.

[@peteypops]

When we lived in London, during 2000, we used the tube as much as we could to visit as many pubs as we could nearly every Sunday. We visited some very interesting places!...The Milenium Pub Crawl....what a year.

[@MarcusTDM]

Great Video, anyone who loves London and its history should watch this video. Nice one.

[@yoyoyoygoogo677]

“And this escalator-” Stratford: “N O”

[@maplady572]

Only just discovered these fantastic shorts...completely hooked now, won't get any work done! Thanks for a brilliant series, can't wait to spot some of the features you have pointed out!

[@Londonistvids]

Karen Pinchbeck Thanks Karen! We do loads of great London vids, subscribe up to see what else Geoff gets up to! (There's a DVD too with extra stuff if you're interested)

[@TheBookoholic]

+Londonist Londonist Where can I grab a copy of this fantastic-sounding DVD?

[@jackandemily5937]

I've been watching this guy for years and I have enjoyed every video

[@bolerie]

I like to imagine the lady at 2:48 thinking "I'm about to see some shit!"

[@saleemk6025]

Who's here after the have randomly been recommended this...

[@lilyp353]

Yes and I’m even from England lol

[@harryturner8701]

S K yes but weirdly I fucking love it

[@chrisbrown6168]

I'm here because I watched secrets of the district line. My fiancé thinks I'm an absolute geek

[@dot10k]

Love this information. I never realised that so much detail went into the building of stations etc. Fascinating stuff. A well earns subscription from me.

[@davidmccarthy7562]

Thank you for such a great film, which Leo (aged 4) and I (considerable older) very much enjoy. We had previously seen the clocks with roundels instead of numbers at Bethnal Green, but were so excited to see from your film that there were more such clocks at Gants Hill we made a special trip to check them out!! It was great to see them. But here is some BIG news...there's are two more clocks with roundels instead of numbers at the bottom of the escalators at Wanstead tube! Great news for fans of clocks with roundels instead of number like us!! Love your work Geoff! David and Leo

[@Bullmannumber4]

Awesome 😎🤗 Thanks for pointing me to this.

[@finnyoungman2674]

1:37 That was cleannnn

[@sethc6663]

We visited family in the UK a few years ago and we got around a fair bit on the tube when we went to London. I found this very interesting. Thank you 👍

[@amethyst7084]

Excellent video. I wish I had travelled on the old section between Epping and Ongar when it was in use. 🤨 Geoff Marshall makes the best videos about the London Tube 👏🏿

[@ccityplanner1217]

Wanstead & Gants Hill remind me of the Prague Metro, & Redbridge reminds me of U-Bahn stations in Germany.

[@campbellcaraher1008]

Wasn't Gants Hill copied from some Russian station ?

[@jaccydatta]

On top of this, did you know that at Chancery Lane the Westbound trains are directly underneath the Eastbound trains, yet at St Paul's (the next station) the Eastbound trains are directly underneath the Westbound!! Weird!!

[@thoughtfortheday7811]

Oh wow, a total vertical switch. That's brilliant! Thanks for sharing that.

[@msg355]

This is absolutely fantastic you have such a knack for presenting. Very informative and interesting, thank you

[@ednuttah]

Can't get enough of this channel!

[@johnnylyttle]

That transition at 1:39 - niiiiice!

[@milkandduckrailway323]

Stratford being cheeky....

[@dzezonja3558]

I love your videos man, makes me miss London. Really looking forward to the next one! :)

[@tijuanagringo]

I'm having a good time watching your videos. Thanks!

[@ChoobChoob]

You forgot to mention that Gants Hill station was based on designs made for the Moscow Metro!

[@e28r838vvxzcx]

Because this is a KZbin video they fit in around 5 mins of footage, there's a dvd explaining more secrets.

[@ChoobChoob]

+Samad Mckenna-Ahmedi He only needed to say one line.

[@e28r838vvxzcx]

Well if you think about it every scene is like 16-30 seconds

[@superjoe5215]

Samad Mckenna-Ahmedi f

[@cr10001]

There are many Moscow Metro stations with that layout, with a concourse (?) down the middle and the platforms off each side. I'm not sure which one resembles Gants Hill most closely, though the Moscow ones are generally more ornate.

[@SB_FootbaII]

2:47 that lady be like, “what are you doing?”

[@jonathan461965]

Nice Video Geoff. The underground facinates me with all it's history etc. Keep them rolling!

[@robertdrinkall8947]

Excellent, very interesting & well presented.

[@marsgal42]

On the oldest part of the Central Line the tracks have a rising grade approaching the stations to assist braking and a falling grade leaving the stations to assist acceleration. Cool videos!

[@Great_WesternTVFan]

Laura Halliday which one? White City?

[@cr10001]

The Paris Metro has that feature on Ligne 1 (and possibly others). Since Ligne 1 is straight for much of its length from the city centre out to the west, and the trains are driverless so you can sit up front and look straight down the tunnel, this is very noticeable.

[@bowlerstuff9589]

@@Great_WesternTVFan ,Loughton towards the city

[@cindywhitton5347]

I love the sound the central line trains make when leaving a station

[@cr10001]

Yep. I've been on TGV's and Eurostars, but when the Central Line train takes off from Stratford and winds up in the tunnel, you *know* you're moving... :)

[@neyann]

These videos are great! Thank you for making them!

[@neyann]

I watched it all in one day! :)

[@misst.e.a.187]

The Central Line has become as hot and crowded as the pit of hell

[@aintnoplum]

I get first pick of the seats being first on the line at Epping

[@AlisonBryen]

This video got me a point in my pub quiz tonight...! The question was "From which map did Ongar disappear from... ?" or something along those lines! I even elaborated to state that it was on the Central line past Epping...My teammates (who happen to be my family) were impressed. We live in the Midlands and so the Underground is not generally part of our everyday life...although my husband and I visit London semi regularly to visit his sister. She lives on the Victoria line not far from Angel...

[@Drawyah]

4:18 - Just saw the new video where the wooden escalator is now no longer wooden or an escalator! :O

[@kinkisharyocoasters]

Drawyah i have one on mu channel of the inclinator

[@MalaysianAviator737-8]

Drawyah hi drawyah

[@thoughtfortheday7811]

Those escalators, with the uplighters, were beautiful. After the Kings Cross tragedy, they had to replace them with the safer but ugly metal ones.

[@MalaysianAviator737-8]

Thought for the Day kings X incident?

[@thoughtfortheday7811]

MAS_ pilot. Fire, 1987, 31 people died.

[@hannahfields6160]

i enjoyed watching this well done!xxx 😄

[@dfolt]

Brilliant film! When starting to visit my aunt in Leytonstone as a German teenager in the early 1970ies, one of my favourite pasttimes was exploring the underground network. It is still fascinating although I miss the era when a train guard was operating the doors on the old Metro Cammel rolling stock.

[@emmapaignton4765]

I work at Newbury park sometimes on rail replacement so I use the central line quite alot in 2-3 days

[@lawrencesimmons5093]

I can recall sneaking up a spiral staircase to dodge ticket barriers at Marble Arch.

[@mikemoreno4469]

Marvellous. I love your videos, Geoff.

[@youtubister]

Brilliant presentation. Great video.

[@choekizm]

Love your videos if you could do some more local ones would be great :) ps are u on tv if not you should be u got the gift for presenting.

[@TheLewistownTrainspotter8102]

4:04 Now that escalator is gone and there's an inclinator in its place.

[@briannamacciarain2169]

Great video, huge thanks👍👍💙💙

[@AS-ft6vc]

I am addicted to these videos

[@kyriacosmenicou964]

You have forgotten a secret about Epping station that there is a 1930's train parked there 😁

[@mrsmirnoff8715]

And it's recently had a new lick of paint.

[@flickgaming6986]

I've lived in Epping for 14 years and I didn't even know about that.

[@zhirui3709]

The Central Line is the BEST!

[@drugaming4595]

Read the description

[@mika182]

Love these videos. Thank you!

[@stu3121]

I stumbled across these videos by accident, now i'm addicted.

[@MrExEssex]

1:41 "Wooford" is a great place for lovers to visit and a very well-kept Secret of the Underground.

[@lawrencesimmons5093]

This or Woo-ford Green splits the village in 2.

[@KasabianFan44]

Is _Wooford_ somewhere near Barking?...

[@444JMS]

Very interesting stuff, thanks for these videos! Do you have any unusual information on West Ruislip or Uxbridge?

[@Hjominbonrun]

Excellent film. I much enjoy the odd historical tidbits. I am a foreigner so all extremely new and useful.

[@wawapuffe]

So excited for next episode!

[@brendonleonard5549]

Interesting stuff, Although I live in New Zealand and have never been anywhere overseas other than Australia..

[@adlam97531]

Interesting fact also about Roding Valley was that tickets where originally sold via a Gibson Ticket Machine in the 70s and 80s, the same machine used by bus conductors.

[@Londonistvids]

Great fact, David. thanks!

[@passtheparcel2007]

Thats really interesting and well presented Geoff!

[@bluebusmms]

Really interesting video. I'll have to see the others now.

[@cheesekingofdenmark6910]

00:52 - 01:04 After so many years I finally got the joke...

[@architectofechoes4]

When you leave Shepherd's Bush towards White City you can see the sharp right hand turn that the train makes by looking at either the carriage in front or the one behind, it is so sharp a turn that the train seems to strain at this angle. Also, I seem to remember standing on Holborn station's westbound platform & being able to see Chancery Lane's westbound platform by looking down the tunnel. The stations are quite close to each other. Hanger Lane used to have a main circular pedestrian subway under the A40 which had multiple exits leading to different sides of the road, it always fascinated me as a child.

[@juliansmith4295]

I don't know why, but that was fascinating. I've never been to London, and probably never will (although I'd love to go), but I found that very interesting, and very well done.

[@regentstreettv]

Fantastic video - great information.

[@rchaffer]

2:47 Behold the stony death glare

[@mucusmayhem1118]

It's the longest line and one of the busiest at peak times. Not the tube you want to get stuck in a tunnel on a hot day.

[@TritoneTrickster]

When I used to work in the city one unseasonably hot spring day in 2012 I was stuck between St Paul's and Bank (in tunnel) for 30 mins. My suit was soaked through, and everyone looked like they's just got off a water slide! Hope I never experience that again!

[@massivley]

Fascinating video to watch

[@jb17kx]

These are great videos! Interesting to note, seeing that you mentioned Gants Hill, that the platform-level concourse there was designed by architect Charles Holden (who also designed the likes of Arnos Grove and Sudbury Town), who was inspired by the architecture he saw while working as a consultant on the Moscow Metro.

[@cr10001]

I hadn't realised that Gants Hill was a Holden design, but I'm not surprised. Also not surprised that Gants Hill is much less ornate than the Moscow Metro, since Holden liked simplicity.

[@Kanal7Indonesia]

The central line is the best!

[@Thoomas2001]

The Central Line is the BEST! I guess...

[@Thoomas2001]

I don't even remember commenting this...

[@terry2405]

Must have been pissed! I guess...

[@glenmears3774]

The worst you mean

[@money5238]

Glen Mears it’s his opinion

[@yurad7429]

Thomas Joosten its worst, at summer time from holborn to marble arch at pick time, will you survive ?

[@Asdfbedffhdsxe345]

Great little video, thank you

[@limeyosu2000]

You guys know your stuff good work! helpful tips too

[@Squaretable22]

Did you also know Gants Hill station was also worked on by the same people who built the Moscow Metro?

[@AlexanderAllison]

Haha the look that woman gives at 2:47

[@yegventures]

As always, love your videos!!! Are you going to do one for every line? I'd love to spend a vacation in London just on the Underground lol

[@jonathanbrett-warren2031]

I love this video. You are a great presenter!

[@chrismitchell4808]

When i was based in Chelsea barracks, i used to get the Victoria line to and from kings cross stn, after i had got off the gner 125 train from Aberdeen Mcp

[@5-Consecutive-Hairpin-Turns]

2:47 that woman looked at him like he was committing a war crime

[@cephalopod7300]

This train terminates at... The Hague

[@5-Consecutive-Hairpin-Turns]

@@cephalopod7300 great username

[@thenameaintjim]

this is fascinating! great vid!

[@swiper1818]

Love the bus shelter and the other architecture👍👍👍