The Open Guide to London: the free London guide

The North London Line runs between Richmond and Stratford, with a number of incredibly useful connections to other rail and tube lines. Since 11 November 2007, it has operated as part of the "London Overground" group of routes operated on behalf of Transport for London. Trains are timetabled to run every 15 minutes during weekdays, however, please check before you travel, especially at weekends, as there will inevitably be part of the line closed for engineering work, and replaced with a bus service, due to a massive �1.4billion investment programme to increase the service and introduce new trains. The line continues to be owned and maintained by Network Rail.

The line is also the one of the UK's key rail freight arteries, linking the east coast ports to the industrial heartland of the north - do not be surprised by the sight of mile-long trains of freight wagons on this apparently peaceful commuter line.

• Richmond - mainline services ([South West Trains]?) from Waterloo
• Gunnersbury - District Line
• Willesden Junction - Bakerloo Line, London Overground services to Euston, Watford and Clapham Junction*
  * There is same-platform interchange when travelling from the West London Line (WLL, from Clapham Junction) towards Stratford, from the westbound NLL onto the WLL towards Clapham.
• West Hampstead - Jubilee Line, Thameslink
• Finchley Road & Frognal - short walk to Finchley Road Station for Metropolitan Line and Jubilee Line
• Gospel Oak - to Barking
• Camden Road - 5-10 min walk from Camden Town on the Northern Line.
• Highbury & Islington - Victoria Line, WAGN services to Moorgate, Welwyn Garden City and Hertford North.
• Stratford - Central Line, Jubilee Line, Anglia trains to Liverpool Street and East Anglia, DLR, LTS line, Future Eurostar terminal

Tickets

A Travelcard including zones 2 & 3 will cover you for the entire line except Richmond, which is in Zone 4. The line weaves between zones 2 and 3 so watch out if your ticket only covers one of these zones.

London Underground single tickets are valid throughout the line as long as they cover the correct zones - for example, a Z234 single bought at Wembley Park can be used via West Hampstead to any station on the NLL, or even via the NLL to another Underground line (e.g. the ticket mentioned is valid from Wembley to Walthamstow Central if you use the NLL between West Hampstead and Highbury & Islington, then the Victoria line).

Oyster Prepay is valid on the NLL.

The NLL used to run on beyond Stratford, to North Woolwich. However, this section closed 10/12/2006 and the Docklands Light railway (DLR) has now taken over the section between Canning Town and Stratford for its own extension to Stratford International Station. The left-over section between Canning Town and North Woolwich will be largely superseded by the new DLR extension to London City Airport. Some of the alignment, including the tunnel under the Royal Docks, will be used in the future by Crossrail.

A technical note on 313 units

Apart from on the [Barking service]?, exclusive use of 313s is made on all services. The 313 is a versatile unit, capable of being powered both by overhead electric cables via pantograph, or by third rail. It is also small enough to fit in Metropolitan Railway tube tunnels. This capability of switching power pickup is used on the North London Line, as some sections are third rail, and some have overhead cables. They are due to be replaced by 24 three car Class 378 trains in 2009, which will be extended to four cars in 2010.

• Richmond to Acton Central: Third rail
• Acton Central to Camden Road: Pantograph
• [[Camden Road Station|Camden Road]] to [[Stratford Station|: Third rail

The GN Electrics line also uses 313s, and switches over to third rail when heading south at Finsbury Park.