PICCADILLY: Ten line facts
• The Piccadilly line was created from plans for two other railway projects - the Great Northern & Strand Railway and the Brompton & Piccadilly Circus Railway, joined by a extra bit of tunnel between Piccadilly Circus and Holborn.
• Construction of the Piccadilly line took place in three stages: a) the original section from Hammersmith to Finsbury Park in 1906 b) extensions to Cockfosters, Uxbridge and Hounslow in 1932/33 c) nudges out to Heathrow in 1975, 1977, 1984 and 2008.
• Not that such a word exists, but the Piccadilly is probably London's unstraightest tube line (other than the Circle line, obviously)
• The Piccadilly line has seven non-consecutive disused stations, at York Road, Aldwych, Down Street, Brompton Road, Park Royal & Twyford Abbey, Osterley & Spring Grove and Hounslow Town. (You can hunt them down on Dylan's splendid map of Disused London Tube Stations)
• Off-peak, travelling east, over 85% of trains go all the way to Cockfosters rather than terminating at Arnos Grove. Travelling west, twice as many trains go to Heathrow as head up towards Rayners Lane.
• The voice of the Piccadilly line ("alight here for Buckingham Palace") is Julie Berry. (She's also the voice of Southern and Southeastern trains, Merseyrail and various other rail lines)
• The Piccadilly line's official colour is Pantone 072
• Piccadilly line trains have only six carriages. Each contains 38 seats plus extra luggage space, and is about 17½m long.
• During World War II the Aldwych branch's eastern tunnel was used to hold valuables from the British Museum, while the western tunnel was used as an air-raid shelter.
• The Piccadilly line has 35 listed stations - more than any other line. Of these, Oakwood, Southgate, Arnos Grove and Sudbury Town are Grade II* listed - that's twice as many as any other line.
[full line history here]
