Produced by British Transport Films on behalf of London Transport – 1964.
This is the first in a series of four films covering the construction of the London underground’s new Victoria line.
This film, Report Number 1 Over and Under, Operations at Oxford Circus, describes the route of the new line, the planning and the problems that had to be overcome from 1962-64.
Construction began in 1962 on the Walthamstow-Victoria section and continued until 1972, when Pimlico station was opened.
Halcrow were joint consulting engineers to the London Transport Board. Halcrow's share of the work included the reconstruction of the complex interchanges at Oxford Circus Station, Kings Cross Station, Finsbury Park Station, Highbury and Seven Sisters Station and the construction of some 6 miles of twin running tunnels, each of 3.7 metres internal diameter.
Great lengths were taken to minimise disruption in a busy city. At Oxford Circus a portion of Oxford Street was raised by constructing a temporary road deck so that construction of the ticket hall could take place below, while traffic rumbled overhead.
Interesting fact:
This was to be British Transport Films largest single project in terms of the quantity of footage that was shot.