The World’s first Underground Railway

Although the London Underground is popularly known as the Tube, this name properly only refers to the seven deep-level lines built from 1890 onwards. The Underground in fact has its origins almost 30 years earlier with a pioneering line running in twin-track tunnels just below street level. This railway was built on the cut and cover principle, which involved excavating a trench some eight to ten metres down, laying the tracks, bricking over the tunnels and restoring the surface. Opened in January 1863 by the Metropolitan Railway Company, this was the first line anywhere in the world built in tunnels under urban streets. The new railway, 5.6 km (3.5 miles) in length, ran from Paddington via Baker Street and King's Cross to Farringdon Street.

From this modest beginning sprang a network of extensions: from Paddington to Hammersmith in 1864 (to form part of today's Hammersmith and City Line); from Edgware Road to South Kensington in 1868 and from Farringdon round to Tower Hill by 1884 (to form, with the District, today's Circle Line); and, over a period stretching into this century, from Baker Street into Middlesex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire (to form the Metropolitan Line of today).

On all three lines the trains were originally hauled by steam engines, which posed ventilation problems. In addition to shafts placed along the tunnels at frequent intervals, the locomotives were designed to turn most of the used steam back to water. After 1905, the lines through these cut and cover tunnels were gradually electrified.

The history of the Metropolitan Line

Five years after the original Metropolitan Railway, the St John's Wood Railway Company opened a line in 1868 from Baker Street to Swiss Cottage. That Company had amalgamated with the Metropolitan by 1879, when the line was extended to Willesden Green. The next extensions were to Harrow-on-the-Hill in 1880, Pinner in 1885, Rickmansworth in 1887 and Chesham in 1889. Finally, in 1892, the main line reached Aylesbury.

In 1904, the branch from Harrow-on-the-Hill to Uxbridge opened but another 21 years elapsed before the Metropolitan expanded its system further, with an extension from Moor Park via Croxley to Watford. In 1932, the Metropolitan opened yet another new branch, from Wembley Park to Stanmore (although after only seven years this became part of the Bakerloo Line which simultaneously took over the Metropolitan's stopping service between Finchley Road and Wembley Park, allowing Metropolitan trains to run non-stop between these two stations). The line from Harrow-on-the-Hill to Moor Park was double-tracked in 1962 to allow some trains to operate non-stop between these stations, speeding the service for longer-distance passengers.

Electric trains began running from Baker Street to Uxbridge in 1905 and to Rickmansworth in 1925. The Watford branch was electrified from the outset (1925), but steam survived north of Rickmansworth until 1961 when the line was electrified to Amersham and Chesham and the service beyond Amersham was taken over by British Rail (now Chiltern Railways). However, steam-hauled trains still run on the Metropolitan Line at special annual events, usually held in May or June, when the general public can enjoy the exhilaration of travelling behind a steam engine as it tackles the gradients of the Chilterns.

The Metropolitan Line today

Although today's Metropolitan Line had its origins in the world's first Underground railway, in fact only 9.7km (six miles) out of the line's 67 km (41 miles) are actually under ground. This makes what is often popularly known as the Met, more like a suburban railway than a typical part of the London Underground.

The Metropolitan Line now runs from Aldgate and Baker Street via Finchley Road and Wembley Park to Harrow-on-the-Hill, where the branch to Uxbridge separates. From Harrow, the line proceeds north to Moor Park and splits again, with one branch going to Watford and the other continuing on to Amersham via Rickmansworth. A single track branch to Chesham joins the Amersham line at Chalfont and Latimer, but is usually run as a shuttle service. Trains on the Amersham service normally run non-stop between Finchley Road, Harrow-on-the-Hill and Moor Park.

In all, the Met serves 34 stations, the busiest being King's Cross (also served by Northern, Circle, Hammermith & City, Piccadilly and Victoria Line trains) used by 69 million passengers in 1996. The line currently has 42 trains operating at peak periods, and conveyed some 54 million passengers in 1996.

A branch from Edgware Road off the original Metropolitan Railway line opened as far as Gloucester Road in October 1868, and on to South Kensington in December that year when simultaneously the District Railway opened its line from South Kensington to Westminster. in the " clockwise" direction, the original 1863 line was extended east from Farringdon Street to Moorgate in 1865, to Liverpool Street in 1875, to Aldgate the following year and finally in 1884 to Tower Hill which the District reached itself in the " anti-clockwise" direction at the same time, creating the present Circle.

The Circle Line today

The Circle Line shares almost all of its 22.5 km (14 mile) route with three other lines, the District, the Hammersmith and City and the Metropolitan. It has the distinction of serving most of London's principal main line railway stations, as well as providing useful connections with other Underground lines. The Circle Line serves 27 stations, has 14 trains operating at peak periods and conveyed some 67 million passengers in 1996.

The history of the Hammersmith and City Line

The original Metropolitan Railway terminated at Bishop's Road, Paddington, adjacent to the Great Western Railway terminus, but in June 1864 the line was extended to Hammersmith. At the eastern end, a service opened beyond Liverpool Street to Whitechapel in October 1884 at the same time as the completion of the Circle. Trains have run on from Whitechapel to Barking over District Line tracks since 1936.

The Hammersmith and City Line today

The Hammersmith and City Line between Hammersmith and Whitechapel is 14.5 km (nine miles) in length and serves 19 stations. The equivalent statistics for the extended service through to Barking - which runs until 21 00 on Mondays to Fridays and until 20 30 on Saturdays - are 26.5 km (16.5 miles) and 28 stations. The line currently has 17 trains operating at peak periods and conveyed some 43 million passengers in 1996.

Running the Lines

London Underground is currently in the process of working towards the establishment of a public private partnership (PPP) designed to increase investment in the system. This follows the Government's announcement in March 1998 of its intention to divide London Underground into a publicly-owned operating company and three privately-owned infrastructure companies (Infracos) which will be contracted to maintain and enhance the infrastructure.

In order to facilitate the transition to the new PPP structure when the contractual arrangements are in place, the operational side of the Underground has been reorganised, with a structure based on individual lines or groups of lines replaced by one reflecting the proposed Infraco groupings. From September 1999, the Metropolitan, Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines have been grouped with the District and East London Lines. Kevin Hafter, Train Service Manager (Sub-Surface) and Rob Mason, Station Services Manager (Sub-Surface), are jointly responsible for delivering train and station services which meet customers' requirements.

Train services on part of the Metropolitan Line and on all of the Jubilee Line are monitored and controlled by a computerised signalling control centre at Baker Street. All routes north of Wembley Park are controlled from local signal cabins, as are the in-town sections.

In October 1991, a £3.4 million security initiative was launched at the western end of the Hammersmith and City Line. Staff in a specially equipped control room at Ladbroke Grove station can constantly monitor the public areas of the eight stations between Hammersmith and Paddington, using closed-circuit television. Special Help Point at key locations allow passengers requiring urgent assistance or information to speak directly to staff in the Control Room.
 
 

Trains 36

Metropolitan Line trains are known as A stock. They were built in two batches between 1960 and 1962 and run as eight-car trains made up of two units each consisting of four cars permanently coupled together. One four-car unit is used for the shuttle service between Chesham and Chalfont & Latimer. The trains were recently refurbished by ABB Adtranz works in Derby.

Circle Line and Hammersmith and City Line trains are known as C stock and were built in two batches in 1969 and 1977. These 6-car trains, made up of three units each consisting of two cars permanently coupled together, were refurbished in a programme starting in 1992. C stock trains also run on the Edgware Road to Wimbledon section of the District Line.

Depôts

The main Metropolitan Line depôt is at Neasden, but there are several other minor sidings, including Wembley Park, Uxbridge and Rickmansworth. Jubilee Line trains are maintained by Alstom and East London Line trains are maintained by the Metropolitan Line.

The principal depô t for the Circle and the Hammersmith and City Lines is at Hammersmith, but there are several sidings at other places such as Barking, Triangle Sidings (in Kensington) and Farringdon. In July 1993 a new train crew depô t opened at Edgware Road, providing better staff deployment control and more up to date staff facilities.

Further Informations

If you wish to comment on Circle, Hammersmith and City or Metropolitan Line services, or would like to know more about these lines, please contact:

Customer Services
Metropolitan and Circle Lines
London Underground Limited
13 Allsop Place
London NW1 5LJ
Telephone 020 7918 1704