Piccadilly line shut in stages over half-term, with Heathrow and Uxbridge branches hit
From Wednesday 28 October only the Acton Town to Heathrow section ran. The whole line then closed on Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November, and the Elizabeth line was also reduced on the Sunday.
The Piccadilly line was closed in stages over the October half-term for planned works linked to the line's upgrade. Transport for London (TfL) planned the closures for Wednesday 28 October to Sunday 1 November, and the full line was shut over the Halloween weekend.
The works hit some of the busiest routes in West London, including the Tube link to Heathrow Airport, the stations through Hounslow and Ealing, and the branch to Uxbridge, during one of the busiest weeks of the year for families flying abroad.
What closed and when
From Wednesday 28 to Friday 30 October, TfL's plans showed no Piccadilly line trains between Cockfosters and Acton Town, or on the branch from Acton Town to Uxbridge.
Trains were planned to keep running between Acton Town and Heathrow. That meant Heathrow, Hounslow West, Hounslow Central, Hounslow East, Osterley, Boston Manor, Northfields and South Ealing kept a service, but passengers could not travel on the Piccadilly line beyond Acton Town towards central London.
Ealing Common, Park Royal, Alperton, Sudbury, South Harrow, Rayners Lane, Ruislip and Uxbridge had no Piccadilly line trains on those days.
On Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November there was no service anywhere on the line, including the Night Tube on the Saturday night.
Alternative routes
TfL's travel advice pointed passengers to other lines. The Elizabeth line was the main alternative between Heathrow and central London. The Metropolitan line serves the stations between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge. The District line runs from Acton Town into central London. Replacement buses were also planned.
Heathrow passengers had a further problem on Sunday 1 November, when the Elizabeth line was also due to run a reduced service. Only four trains an hour were planned to Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3, and Acton Main Line, Hanwell and West Ealing stations were to be closed that day.
Why the works are happening
The closures are part of the Piccadilly line upgrade, which is bringing in a new fleet of trains to replace the line's ageing stock. The Mayor of London has said the new trains will use 20 per cent less energy than the current ones, and that delivering the upgrade requires some closures for testing and other vital preparation work.
The line has already had a number of planned closures this year, including part closures over the summer, as testing of the new trains has stepped up. TfL has published further closure dates for the line running into late November.
TfL's planned track closures list, last revised on 3 November, also includes more weekend works affecting West London. On Saturday 7 November, Elizabeth line trains are listed as not stopping at Acton Main Line, Hanwell and West Ealing.
Passengers are advised to check TfL's website or the TfL Go app before travelling, especially when heading to Heathrow with a flight to catch, as closures can change at short notice.