The Victoria Line: Truly Underground

It was designed from the outset to link 4 main railway termini: Euston, St Pancras, King’s Cross and Victoria. And to facilitate passenger movements, every station (except Blackhorse Road) was to interchange with at least 1 other Underground or mainline rail line

The Victoria line is fully underground, apart from the maintenance depot at Northumberland Park

These included freezing waterlogged ground to enable tunnelling to take place

The most difficult section was Oxford Circus

A steel “umbrella” was built at the busy road junction of Oxford Street and Regent Street to enable traffic to flow with the minimum of disruption

Once the driver closed the train doors and pressed the two start buttons, the train ran automatically to the next station, responding to coded impulses transmitted through the track, managed from a central control room at Euston

Automatic ticket gates activated by magnetically encoded tickets were also part of the scheme

At platform level, each station could be identified not only by the traditional roundel sign, but also by its decorative tile panels, with each station having its own motif

Some have historical references, such as the 7 elm trees at Seven Sisters, famous since the 17th century, while others have visual puns, like the maze or 'warren' at Warren Street

HM Queen Elizabeth II performed the Opening Ceremony

Victoria line trains run only 90 seconds apart during peak periods – 40 trains per hour