The Victoria line is turning 50 this week.

The first section of the line opened on September 1 in 1968 and ran between Highbury and Islington and Walthamstow Central.

The line was extended further south over the following two years and was reached Pimlico in 1972.

Waltham Forest is served by two Victoria line stations – Blackhorse Road and Walthamstow Central – that between them serve almost 20 million combined customers a year.

At the time it opened, the Victoria line was London’s first new line since the Central line in 1907.

Construction of the line was approved by Parliament in 1955 and started in 1960.

Most of the tunnels had been finished by 1966, and the first stations opened in 1968.

Walthamstow Central was originally going to be called ‘Walthamstow Hoe Street,’ but was renamed prior to opening to link it to the existing rail infrastructure in the area.

To celebrate the milestone, TfL will be putting out heritage displays and handing leaflets about the line’s history.

Cultural Tube maps, showing places to visit on the route, have also been placed at Victoria line stations.

The Victoria line operates 36 trains per hour at the busiest times, with 100 seconds between trains. Over 200 million passengers use the service each year.

The service is the most frequent in the UK and the second most frequent in the world.

Frank Ibe, head of Victoria Line operations, said: “The Victoria line has been a key part of London’s transport network for 50 years and it’s amazing to think how many billions of journeys have been made in its history.

“When it opened, the Victoria line was one of the most modern subways in the world and thanks to the recent improvements it still sets the standard for the rest of the world today.”

Cllr Clare Coghill, leader of Waltham Forest Council, said: “We’d like to wish the Victoria line a very happy 50th birthday. The Victoria line has been instrumental in connecting Waltham Forest to central London.

“It has helped millions of residents get to work, helped local businesses thrive and opened the borough up to visitors from London and further afield. Next year it will be play a key role in helping Londoners visit us for the first Borough of Culture celebrations. We look forward to the next 50 years and beyond.”