Watford DC Line

The Watford DC Line is a suburban railway line between the stations Watford Junction and London Euston. Will primarily along the West Coast Main Line and is traveled the full length of trains of the London Overground. In addition, the Bakerloo line of the London Underground uses the Section Harrow & Wealdstone - Queen 's Park.

History

The Watford DC Line was created as a route upgrade the West Coast Main Line. For more train paths were free for the long-distance trains, mass transit tracks were created, but at a different voltage. More and more such sections were added until 1912 following the opening of the Bakerloo line to Watford Junction.

From the start, the route of the London and North Western Railway was operated. Then, with the nationalization it became part of British Rail and its privatization in 1994 acquired Silverlink Metro franchise. Since 2007, London Overground is responsible for the operation.

1982, the section Stonebridge Park was - Watford Junction Bakerloo Line shut down after the operation to Watford had been reduced more and more. Two years later, the line was again extended to Harrow & Wealdstone.

Future

Re- extension of the Bakerloo Line

The Transport for London plans to the Bakerloo Line to lead back to Watford Junction to create a new transfer point of the Metropolitan Line, which is later than in 2017 also led to Watford Junction. With this extension of the Bakerloo Line to replace the Watford DC Line, although the TfL says in its 2025 vision of an Underground / Overground parallel operation to Watford. In case of a handover, the Overground would lose their only Euston Station in central London.

Primrose Hill route

The orphaned after the surrender of most of the DC line to the Bakerloo Line stations South Hampstead and Kilburn High Road would be led by a disused since 1992 for passenger connection via Primrose Hill to the North London Line at Camden Road. How should a new Overground train Stratford- Queen's Park with optional extension to Willesden Junction are introduced.

Metropolitan Line

As part of the Croxley Rail Link will leave the existing railhead Watford far out of town and also lead to Watford Junction and share the DC line between Watford High Street and the terminus of the Metropolitan Line until 2014/ 2017.

Operation

• Watford Junction - London Euston (London Overground )
• Harrow & Wealdstone - Queen 's Park - Elephant & Castle (London Underground)

Others

• The line is named Watford DC Line, because the line was electrified with a DC busbar ( DC = Direct Current), while the WCML is operated with AC power, refer to the traits of a catenary.
• The Watford DC Line is in addition to the North London Line / District Line section Gunnersbury - Richmond and the Chiltern Main Line between Harrow-on- the-Hill and Amersham, which is also used by the express trains of the Metropolitan Line, the only railway line which together is used by London Underground and the railways.

Location

Except for the section Bushey - Watford Junction where the Watford DC Line makes a detour through the city center with the station Watford High Street, it follows completely the WCML. However, only the stations Wembley Central, Queen's Park, Harrow & Wealdstone and Bushey also on the WCML platforms - which will be used in Queen's Park rarely of regional trains of the London Midland Railway, but the others regularly. In Willesden Junction, where the mainline platforms were removed in 1969, is a reactivation of the debate, mainly because of the Southern trains on the West London Line which stop at every station except WLL Willesden Junction.