Watford DC line

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Watford DC line
Class 710 at Harrow and Wealdstone in 2022
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Network Rail
Locale	Greater London Hertfordshire
Termini	London Euston Watford Junction
Stations	19
Service
Type	Rapid transit suburban rail
System	London Overground London Underground
Operator(s)	Overground: Arriva Rail London Underground: Transport for London
Depot(s)	Stonebridge Park Willesden
Rolling stock	Overground: Class 378 / Class 710 Underground: 1972 Stock
Technical
Number of tracks	Two
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	Third rail, 750 V DC Fourth rail, 750 V DC (Bakerloo line)
Route map (Click to expand) Show static map Legend WCML West Coast Main Line Watford DC Abbey line to St Albans Abbey Watford Junction Watford High Street   to Rickmansworth (closed 1952) and Croxley Green (closed 1996) (see also never-built Croxley Rail Link) Bushey Carpenders Park Hatch End Headstone Lane Bakerloo line turnback siding Harrow & Wealdstone to Stanmore Village (closed 1964) Kenton Metropolitan line London–Aylesbury line South Kenton North Wembley Chiltern Main Line Wembley Central Stonebridge Park Depot (LU) Wembley Yard Stonebridge Park North Circular Road Harlesden Willesden Dudding Hill Line North London line to Richmond Willesden Junction West London line to Clapham Junction Willesden TMD North London line to Stratford via Camden Road and Dalston Kingsland Kensal Green Queen's Park north sheds (LU) Queens Park Queen's Park south sheds (LU) Bakerloo line to Elephant & Castle Kilburn High Road South Hampstead Chiltern Main Line Metropolitan line Jubilee line Primrose Hill Camden carriage sidings North London line to Stratford Regent's Canal Euston carriage sidings Euston This diagram: view talk edit Show diagram map

The Watford DC line is a suburban line from London Euston to Watford Junction in Watford, Hertfordshire. Its services are operated by London Overground. In February 2024, TfL announced a re-branding as the Lioness line.^[1]

The line runs beside the West Coast Main Line (WCML) for most of its length. The London Underground Bakerloo line shares the section of the line from Queen's Park to Harrow & Wealdstone. The rolling stock used on the line are Class 710 "Aventras" made by Bombardier.

The "DC" in the title refers to line being electrified using direct current. This was done in the early twentieth century with conductor rails to be compatible with the four-rail system used by the Underground and, at the time, the North London Line; currently, the line uses a third rail system, with a fourth rail available on the section shared with the Bakerloo line. By contrast, the WCML uses overhead alternating current.