Northern Line

This is the portal to hell

The black line.
This one runs from the south/​south west way up to the north of the city.
This was the line I used to take as a kiddie to get to Chinatown from Tooting. We would go by Clapham with its crazy middle platform (not common on the Underground) which always fascinated me.
It was old and deep underground. It also split and rejoined which added to the «coolness» of this line. Like all the others, it’s not without its problems. However overall, I love the Underground!

If a Tube line can be confusing, the Northern line does it. Bank Branch. Charing Cross Branch. Edgware. High Barnet. Oh, and don’t forget the occasional run that splits to Mill Hill. You have to seriously know where you’re going to ride the Northern!
And just when you think you know where you’re headed, the train stops and the driver announces that no, this Bank Branch train that was headed to Edgware is now going to High Barnet. I mean, wtf. I finally got a seat, and now I have to stand on a platform with a billion people to try and get back onto the next train. Oh, wait, the next train is ALSO going to High Barnet. Argh!
In the summer, Northern is one of the sweatiest and most crowded Tubes in the whole system. Considering that these are relatively modern cars, you have to wonder why they can’t pump a little cooler air in there. It was getting to the point that I’d have to have one shirt for the train ride and a spare to change into when I got to my destination.
Leicester Square (‘less-​tuh’), Waterloo, Charing Cross. All places you’ve managed to take me. Thanks for that. But really, so hot!

Dear Mr. N. Line
I love you. I really do. You get me to and from some of my favourite places like Camden and you got me to work everyday while I was on placement you little legend you. I know you’re busy and all that but the other lines have been talking (esp that jumped up newbie the DLR with it’s lack of a ship’s captain) and they were wondering if there’s any chance that you could have a bit of a dust? You know summer’s coming up I hate it when London gets all sultry and muggy. Atmosphere = like a submariner’s arsecrack. Just mull that over for a bit.
See you tomorrow :)
Esther
x

One star or five stars? I can’t decide.
The good thing about the Northern line is that it covers a lot of ground and it goes to a lot of places I like going to.
The really crap thing about the northern line is that IT IS SO CROWDED! Yes that’s kind of a given during commuting hours, but the northern line really is completely insane in the morning. I get on at Clapham Common and literally have to force myself in with all my might and just grab on to whatever I can and then hope my ponytail doesn’t get caught in the doors (it’s happened before). There is literally not a singe bit of extra space and you can be sure you’ll ride with either an armpit or someones hair in your face. Really, IN your face. And your entire body will be smashed up against strangers. Disgusting.
This all makes commuters really cranky and mean. They yell at each other and push each other and fight over seats. To me, the worst is when people accuse you of either not giving them enough space (ha!) or pushing. So yeah, the whole experience can be rather painful… but it gets you where you need to go.
My advice: always bring a book.

The good? It goes to, or close to, most of the party spots in London, right out of my Clapham village.
That’s it.
The bad? Try getting from Clapham to Camden at 8am. I used to be nice in the morning. I used to whistle. I used to hold doors open for ladies. Now I sulk. I resent. I think about moving to Libya.

Tsk tsk!
So, you mis inform me as to when you finish, you leave me in some unfamiliar part of London at the mercy of loud and drunken revellers, none of whom I know and to top it all off you say it’s because of «planned engineering works!»
Planned you say… so you MEANT to f*ck up my weekend?!

Previously dubbed the Misery Line by the papers and commuters, I have to say that the modern Northern Line is generally quite a pleasant experience. The carriages are new and there are ticker tape displays in the carriages announcing the routes and next stations.
The routes are important as the Northern Line is one of the more complicated Underground lines with alternative routes through the middle of town and 3 final stops in north London. I often give poor confused tourists a guiding hand when I spot them on the platforms
Like all Underground lines, could do with air conditioning or deodorising spray machines in the summer!

I took the Northern Line from Clapham North everyday to get where I needed to go. I loved the free newspapers in the evening. Everyone pretty much kept to themselves on here, and I didn’t usually have a problem with trains being late at all. The people working in the ticket booth were friendly when I would go in to buy another week for my Oyster Card or put prepaid money on it [God Bless Oyster Cards]. I came to know the Northern Line pretty well the 2 weeks I was in London, and since it got me where I needed to go everyday that made me happy.

The black is back. Angel and Old Street, I miss you.

Be sure to pick up a newspaper to read. Sometimes families carry smelly takeaway or schoolchildren play their music loud. The first time I rode this, I ended up in the wrong direction. When the Underground is flooded, you can count on the «Misery Line» being kept open due to the sheer demand. You never have to wait long and signage informs you about the next train.

The black line…
I give this line a 3 star because it has rarely let me down but is not the quickest! The Northern Line, which covers London Transport from South to North and North to South is the oldest line in London. No surprise to experience from time to time building work. Also it is therefore one of the slower lines — comparable to central line especially. This line I think is the most encrypted line for foreigners, as there is a route, which goes over Bank and another one, which goes over Holborn to Central London. Being away in my thought it was not the first time getting on the wrong train lost in the endless underground passages.
There is one thing you should know, when changing at Bank, a long walk will expect you until you finally reach the Central Line.
Important Northern Line Stations:
Camden Town Station:
–The Northern punk quarter from the 1980’s
–Markets open all week and weekend
King’s Cross:
–The train station has been rebuilt recently
–Eurostar departs from there over the channel (Paris/​Belgium…)
–Do not be fooled by tube map, Victoria line is not that far to walk to
Euston:
–Other train station, which takes you north towards Liverpool etc.
–Change there for the other Southbound of the Northern Line

The Northern Line is a good line. It usually runs pretty well. If you live in North London like me, you can often change trains at Camden Town to get to your desired destination.
If you are headed North you can get a train to High Barnet, Mill Hill East, or Edgware (which, often terminates at Golders Green).
Southbound is via Charing Cross or Bank toward Morden usually.
The North Line is not confusing at all. You will be confused by District and Circle but Northern is straight forward. Still germy people on the Tube but what can you do?

The Northern line is a great transportation tool. As the name hints it runs north to south and dissects zone one in the middle. At Euston the line splits into two. One side (Bank branch) services the city whilst the other (Charing Cross branch) services the West End. It comes back together at Kennington then becomes a life line to southerners living in Clapham, Balham and Morden.
The trains are very frequent and fast. If you are going far south or north use the Charing Cross branch as it is the fastest.
There are to many major stations to name them all but as an example you can reach Camden, Bank, Charing Cross, Kings Cross and Elephant & Castle.