London Underground colour coding?

Question

While travelling on the London Underground recently I noticed that the poles inside the carriages (which commuters hold onto) are the same colour as the line the train is on (red poles for the red central line, for example). When I mentioned this to someone they told me that originally the actual tunnels were also lit with the colour of the line (green lighting for the green district line). Is this true? Why was it abandoned?

Answer 1

Never. The person who told you that was pulling your leg. The only lights you would see in tube tunnels are signals - e.g. green for 'line clear, proceed', red for 'danger, stop'.

Answer 2

My dad worked on underground for about 15 years and I never heard that!  I doubt it is true, lights are functional rather then decorative so I think someone is pulling your leg.

Answer 3

No it isn't true.  Tunnel lights are only there for the maintenance and cleaning crews and aren't normally on when the tube operates.  The colour coding in the carriages is relatively new - last 10 years or so.

Answer 4

No it isn't true. If the Central Line tunnels were lit with red bulbs, how would the driver notice stop lights. Same for the District Line. They would miss Go lights.

Answer 5

The northern line is black!

How can you light a tunnel with black lights??

Answer 6

prob too expensive to keep the bulbs that colour lol