The Tube Journey that's Northbound in Both Directions

Summary

A friend posed a puzzle about two tube stations where you can travel northbound between them in both directions. After contemplating various tube lines, the narrator realized it's possible between Kings Cross St Pancras and Highbury & Islington stations. The older Northern line heads southbound briefly so you can go northbound to the same station. The newer Victoria line provides a direct northbound route. The narrator explains how American terminology like 'northbound' was adopted and the history of the indirect early tube lines versus the straight Victoria line.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video describes an unusual situation where you can take the same northbound train from one station to another, and also take a northbound train back from the second station to the first.
• 🤔 The presenter first thought it might be a circle line situation enabling this paradoxical journey, but realized it was actually between King's Cross St Pancras and Highbury & Islington stations.
• 🚆 It's possible due to both the Victoria line and Northern line running between those two stations, with King's Cross being north on the Victoria line but south on the Northern line.
• 👷‍♂️ The early tube lines were built winding indirect routes to capture passengers, unlike the later Victoria line built as a fast direct north-south route.
• 🎢 The terms 'northbound' and 'southbound' emerged from American engineering influences on the early Underground.
• 😄 Traditionally British railways used 'up' and 'down' to indicate directions relative to London.
• 🕵️‍♂️ The presenter traced the historical development of the two lines involved to explain how the criss-crossing situation arose.
• ⏳ The Northern line from King's Cross to Highbury predates the Victoria line, originally reaching King's Cross in 1901.
• 🗺️ When the Victoria line opened in 1968, its northbound trains went from King's Cross to Highbury and beyond.
• 👍 The presenter hopes the unusual bidirectional tale was an enjoyable bit of tube trivia for viewers.

Q & A

What stations are involved in the puzzle described in the video?

The puzzle involves two London Underground stations - Station A and Station B. Based on the clues in the video, Station A is King's Cross St. Pancras and Station B is Highbury & Islington.

How is it possible to travel northbound from Station A to Station B, and also northbound from Station B to Station A?

This is possible due to the intersecting Victoria and Northern lines between King's Cross St. Pancras and Highbury & Islington. At Highbury & Islington, there is a cross-platform interchange allowing you to switch between the two lines while remaining on a northbound train.

When was the Victoria line opened?

The Victoria line opened in 1968. It was designed to provide a more direct north-south route across central London.

How did the early London Underground lines differ from the Victoria line?

The early Underground lines like the Metropolitan, District, and Piccadilly lines took indirect, winding routes to collect as many fare-paying passengers as possible. The Victoria line was designed to provide a faster, more direct route.

Why does the Northern line dip south between King's Cross St. Pancras and Highbury & Islington?

This is because the Northern line between those stations was built by the City & South London Railway, which originally ran from Stockwell to King William Street. The line was extended northward to Highbury & Islington in stages, accounting for the indirect route.

Where did the terms 'northbound' and 'southbound' come from in the London Underground?

These American terms were introduced on the early tube lines that used American money and engineering expertise, like the Bakerloo, Piccadilly, and Northern lines. They replaced the traditional 'up' and 'down' terminology.

How did the speaker determine the stations involved in the puzzle?

The speaker studied the London Underground map and realized the Victoria and Northern lines intersect between King's Cross St. Pancras and Highbury & Islington in a way that allows traveling northbound in both directions.

What is the purpose of the puzzle described in the video?

The puzzle seems designed to serve as a brain teaser, challenging knowledge of the Underground network by presenting a route that defies intuition about directions.

What tone does the speaker take when describing their thought process?

The speaker takes a humorous, self-deprecating tone, joking about attempting to "burn" their friend for witchcraft and calling themselves "masochistic" for tackling such a convoluted puzzle.

How does the speaker transition into thanking their supporters at the end?

The speaker cleverly links the "illogical line" of the puzzle to thanking supporters who provide the "logical thinking" that helps create their videos.