At heart, London's thin red line! (7)
I believe the answer is:
central
'line' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I can't see?
I can't explain the rest of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for central that I've seen before include "Key" , "Near the middle" , "like this answer" , "Most important, principal" , "Focal" .)