• When it opened in July 1900, the line was known as the Central London Railway. The line was soon nicknamed the "Twopenny Tube" because it charged a flat fare. Only on 23 August 1937 did the current Central Line name come into use.
• The Central is London's longest underground line, with 46 miles of track. It also boasts the longest possible journey on the network - 34 miles from West Ruislip to Epping.
• The line was opened by The Prince of Wales (soon to be Edward VII) who made an eighteen minute non-stop journey from Bank to Shepherds Bush.
• The lifts at all the original stations have been replaced by escalators, except at Holland Park, Queensway and Lancaster Gate.
• Central line trains are now 20 years old. Each is 132.3m long, and its eight carriages contain a total of 272 seats.
• The western end of the Central line originally terminated at Shepherd's Bush. Tracks were extended to Wood Lane in 1908, Ealing Broadway in 1920, Greenford in 1947 and West Ruislip in 1948.
• The eastern end of the Central line originally terminated at Bank. Services were extended to Liverpool Street in 1912, Stratford in 1946, Woodford and Hainault in 1947, round the Hainault loop in 1948, Epping in 1949 and Ongar in 1957. The EppingtoOngar shuttle closed in 1994.
• During World War Two, before the eastbound extension of the line opened, an aircraft-componentfactory operated in the twin tunnels between Leytonstone and Gants Hill. It was 2½ miles long.
• The Central line's official colour is Pantone 485
• The Central line has a split of services that you may not have noticed. West Ruislip trains go up the Epping branch, and Ealing Broadway trains go round the Hainault loop. Generally speaking. [full line history here]
CENTRAL: Ten line facts
