Event    From 10/1/1863 

First underground passenger railway - Metropolitan

Categories: Transport

Event

Between Paddington and Farringdon. A grand opening on the 9th preceded the opening to the public on Saturday 10 January 1863.

“That afternoon Hetta trusted herself all alone to the mysteries of the Marylebone underground railway, and emerged with accuracy at King’s Cross. She had studied her geography, and she walked from thence to Islington.” This description of an early underground journey, by a woman alone, comes from the 1875 ‘The Way We Live Now’ by Anthony Trollope (p.385 in vol.2, Penguin 2001). Living in Welbeck Street Hetta probably got on at (Great) Portland Street.

See Metropolitan Railway Company for more information.

It's interesting that, in 1829, George Shillibeer had launched the first omnibus service on a quite similar route: Marylebone Road to the Bank. Both services were catering to the middle classes who lived to the west and worked in the City.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
First underground passenger railway - Metropolitan

Commemorated ati

Baker Street Station Restoration

The walls of both platforms are adorned with information boards giving the hi...

Read More

First underground passenger railway - LT plaque

London's roads were heavily congested, the railways stopped on the fringes of...

Read More

First underground railway - red plaque

Metropolitan Railway The world's first underground railway opened from Paddin...

Read More

Regents Park Station

Great Portland Street  is a London Underground station on the Circle, Hammers...

Read More

Other Subjects

Lord Hore-Belisha

Lord Hore-Belisha

Born Isaac Leslie Belisha in London. Politician. His widowed mother married Sir Adair Hore in 1912, and the surnames were merged. Entered parliament as a Liberal in 1923, and became minister of tra...

Person, Politics & Administration, Transport, France

1 memorial
Charles Tyson Yerkes

Charles Tyson Yerkes

First things first - pronounce his name to rhyme to with turkeys.  He has a claim to having created London Transport. Born Philadelphia. The memorial describes him as 'creative' and 'imaginative' ...

Person, Transport, USA

2 memorials
RMS Titanic Engineers

RMS Titanic Engineers

The team led by Chief Engineer Joseph Bell comprised 24 engineers, 6 electrical engineers, two boilermakers, a plumber and a clerk. When the ship foundered, they all (including those off-duty) stru...

Group, Tragedy, Transport

1 memorial
James (Jim) Selby

James (Jim) Selby

Stage coachman.  Lived at 7 Edgware Road.  On 13 July 1888, he established a record by driving “The Old Times” coach from Hatchett's Hotel to the “Old Ship” at Brighton and back - 108 miles in 7 ho...

Person, Sport / Games, Transport

1 memorial