Jubilee Line Extension, London Underground

Investment information

Name: Jubilee Line Extension, London Underground
Location: London, United Kingdom
Beginning of realization: 1999

The Jubilee Line Extension is the extension of the London Underground Jubilee line from Green Park to Stratford through south and east London. An eastward extension of the line was first proposed in the 1970s and a modified route was constructed during the 1990s. It opened in stages from May to December 1999.

The design of the extension is radically different from anything else on the London Underground. Stations are characterised by cavernous, stark interiors lined with polished metal panels and moulded concrete walls and columns. Some of the stations are truly enormous; Canary Wharf has been compared to a cathedral, with it being said that the neighbouring One Canada Square, if laid on its side, could fit in the station with room to spare. Westminster has a dramatic vertical void nearly 40 m (130 ft) deep.

The size of the stations was a response to safety concerns—overcrowding and a lack of exits had been significant factors in the 1987 King's Cross disasterr—and an attempt to "future-proof" stations by designing from the start for a high use. One consequence is that most platforms and halls are full only in a busy rush hour.

A number of leading architects were employed to design the stations, with the lead being given by Roland Paolettii. It was decided from the outset that although each station would be designed as an individual entity, they would be linked by a common design philosophy and functional elements. Spaciousness was the most noticeable, along with the shared theme of grey and silver polished metal and concrete interiors. More subtly, many stations were designed to admit as much natural light as possible.

The platforms saw another innovation: full-height platform screen doors, to improve airflow and prevent people from jumping or falling onto the track.

In the The Jubilee Line Extension project was anchored more than 750 000 Rawlplug anchors:

• R-SPL SafetyPlus - Loose Bolt M12 with zinc coating were used for supporting temporary walkways during construction and temporary fixings for cable support, slurry pipes and fire systems.
• R-SPL SafetyPlus - Loose Bolt M12 with special sherardized coating were used to fix all permanent cable brackets, fire systems, lighting and everything attached to the concrete segments running along the 18km tunnels
• R-RLK Stainless steel Rawloks were used for fixing mechanical and electrical services in plant rooms
• R-CAS-V Spin-In Capsule with Threaded Rods were used for cladding / curtain walling on all stations
• Rawlnut M12  for temporary fixings – to support air supply ductwork hanging from tunnel roof
• R-RBL-E Rawlbolt - Eye Bolts were used for fixing Leaky feeder cable – this is for the train driver to communicate with central control in the event of an emergency. The cable runs the full length of the tunnel and is held 200mm from the concrete surface by studs projecting from the rawlbolt shield with an eye at the end.