Vital renewal work will mean part closure of Piccadilly line this month

06 February 2024
Points at Northfields need to be replaced as part of renewal of the line, including the introduction of transformative new trains from 2025
"The track at Northfields has to be replaced and doing so will make journeys smoother and more reliable, as well as enable us to deliver as much of the improvements made by the upgrade to the Piccadilly line as possible"
Richard Jones
Director of Asset Performance Delivery for TfL
  • Closure will also allow work to be completed at Heathrow Airport stations
  • Line will be closed between Hammersmith and Heathrow Airport on morning of Saturday 10 February
  • Closure will then change to Acton Town to Heathrow Airport from Saturday morning until start of service on Thursday 15 February
  • Access to Heathrow Airport will be provided via the Elizabeth line, as well as replacement bus services 

A part closure will affect Piccadilly line customers from Saturday 10 February until Wednesday 14 February for important engineering work. Vital upgrade works to points at Northfields will be completed during the closure, improving the line infrastructure alongside the introduction of transformative new trains from 2025. Other important work will also be completed including infrastructure work at Heathrow Airport stations.

The Piccadilly line will be closed between Hammersmith and Heathrow Airport from 00:45 to 05:00 on Saturday 10 February, meaning there will be no Night Tube west of Hammersmith station. The closure will then change from start of normal service on Saturday, with no trains between Acton Town and Heathrow until start of service on Thursday 15 February.

The points at Northfields are on a complicated stretch of track where trains come out of Northfields depot to enter service. The track in this area features some components from the 1930s and must be replaced as the assets are unreliable and maintenance is costly. The closure will take five days because it is not a like-for-like renewal, which means that once the first section is removed, the rest of the track in the area must be removed and replaced. Replacing the track will not only address the ongoing issues but will also mean a better, smoother ride once the new Piccadilly line trains are introduced.

Customers travelling during these times are encouraged to plan ahead, using real time travel tools such as TfL Go and Journey Planner, to check before travelling and to allow more time for their journeys. Customers travelling to Heathrow Airport should use Elizabeth line services. There will be rail replacement buses serving local stations from Acton Town to Heathrow Airport, as well as many local buses.

Richard Jones, Director of Asset Performance Delivery for TfL, said:

'We thank customers in advance for their patience during this vital closure of the Piccadilly line. The track at Northfields has to be replaced and doing so will make journeys smoother and more reliable, as well as enable us to deliver as much of the improvements made by the upgrade to the Piccadilly line as possible.

'The Elizabeth line will help customers reach Heathrow Airport during this closure but we will also be operating rail replacement buses in Hounslow and the surrounding areas. Customers should check before they travel and leave more time for their journeys during this work.'

The new Piccadilly line trains are part of a £2.9bn investment to modernise the Piccadilly line, rolling out 94 brand new trains from 2025 onwards to help the line run more reliably, safely, inclusively and sustainably.

The new trains will feature walk-through carriages, air-conditioning, wider all-double doorways to help customers get on and off more easily, enhanced digital display screens for customer information, on-train CCTV cameras for additional customer security and will, for the first time on a Deep Tube train, provide air conditioning. They will increase capacity by 10 per cent and will also improve energy efficiency and accessibility.

The points are located beneath a bridge, which means they cannot be replaced quickly during engineering hours. This has meant the need for a closure of the line to carry out the work. With the line closed, infrastructure work will also take place around Hounslow and at stations at Heathrow Airport so that TfL can minimise future disruption. 

Notes to editors

Trains between Acton Town and both Uxbridge and Cockfosters will operate from start of normal service on Saturday 10 February and throughout the closure 

There will be replacement buses between:  

  • Heathrow and Acton Town calling at South Ealing, Northfields, Boston Manor, Osterley, Hounslow East, Hounslow Central, Hounslow West, Hatton Cross, and Heathrow Central Bus Station (Heathrow Terminal 5, overnight only)
  • Non-stop from Hammersmith to Heathrow Central Bus Station