Racing Parts

Richmond Ring

Richmond Ring

London Underground – The World's First Underground Railway

The transport system now known as the London Underground began in 1863 with the Metropolitan Railway, the world's first underground railway. Over the next forty years, the early sub-surface lines reached out from the urban centre of the London capital into the surrounding rural margins, leading to the development of new commuter suburbs. The London Underground map is also one of the Iconic English Designs and is copied all over the world at every other underground station system.

At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, new technology—including electric locomotives and improvements to the tunnelling shield enabled new companies to construct a series of "tube" lines deeper underground. Initially rivals, the tube railway companies began to co-operate in advertising and through shared branding, eventually consolidating under the single ownership of the London Electric Railway with lines stretching across London.

Important Dates of The London Underground

1820s

 

In 1825,Using his patented tunnelling sheild, Marc Brunel begins construction of the Thames Tunnel under the River Thames between Wapping and Rotherhithe. Progress is slow and will be halted a number of times before the tunnel is completed.

1840s

1843 The Thames Tunnel opens as a pedestrian tunnel. 1845 Charles Pearson, Solicitor to the City of London, begins promoting the idea of an underground railway to bring passenger and goods services into the centre of the City.

1850s

1854 Metropolitan Railway (MR) is incorporated and granted powers to construct an underground railway from Paddington to Farringdon. 1856 Eastern Counties Railway (ECR) opens a line from Leyton to Loughton.

1860s

1861 Construction of the Metropolitan Railway near Kings Cross Station.

1860 Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway (A&BR) is incorporated.
1862 Edgware, Highgate and London Railway (EH&LR) is incorporated to build a railway between Finsbury Park and Edgware. 1863 MR opens the first underground railway in the world. 1864 MR opens the Hammersmith & City Railway, its first extensions to Hammersmith and to Kensington Olympia. Metropolitan District Railway (MDR) is incorporated. 1865 MR extends to Moorgate. East London Railway (ELR) purchases the Thames Tunnel for conversion to a railway tunnel. ECR extends to Ongar. 1867 EH&LR opens between Finsbury Park and Edgware. 1868 MR opens the Metropolitan and St John's Wood Railway, a short branch northward from Baker Street to Swiss Cottage,[8] the first section of the company's eventual extensions into Middlesex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. MDR opens between South Kensington and Westminster. The MR extends to connect to the MDR at South Kensington and both companies operate services over the other's tracks. A&BR opens between Aylesbury and Verney Junction. 1869 MDR extends from Gloucester Road to West Brompton. ELR opens between New Cross Gate and Wapping. First use of Thames Tunnel for trains. London and South Western Railway (L&SWR) opens line from West London Line to Richmond.

1870s Tower Subway, of tubular construction with segmental cast-iron rings

1870 Tower Subway opens, briefly, using a cabled-hauled carriage before conversion to pedestrian use. Constructed using a circular tunnelling shield developed by Peter W. Barlow and James Henry Greathead and lined with segmental cast-iron rings, this short tunnel under the River Thames successfully demonstrated new tunnelling techniques that would be used to construct most of the subsequent underground lines in London. MDR extends from Westminster to Blackfriars. 1871 MDR extends from Blackfriars to Mansion House. Brill Tramway opens between the A&BR's station at Quainton Road and Wood Siding. 1872 Brill Tramway extends to Brill. MDR extends from Earl's Court to Kensington Olympia. Great Northern Railway (GNR) extends E&HLR from East Finchley to High Barnet. 1873 GNR extends EH&LR from Highgate to Alexandra Palace. 1874 MDR extends from Earl's Court to Hammersmith. City of London financiers establish Metropolitan Inner Circle Completion Railway to complete the Inner Circle by linking the MDR's terminus at Mansion House with the MR's planned terminus at Aldgate. 1875 MR extends to Liverpool Street. 1876 MR extends to Aldgate. ELR extends from Whitechapel to Shoreditch. 1877 MDR extends from Hammersmith to connect to the L&SWR at Ravenscourt Park. MDR and MR commence services over the L&SWR to Richmond. 1879 MR extends to Willesden Green. MR takes over Metropolitan Inner Circle Completion Railway. MDR extends from Turnham Green to Ealing Broadway.

1880s

1880 MR extends to Harrow on the Hill. MDR extends from West Brompton to Putney Bridge. 1882 MR extends from Aldgate to Tower of London. 1883 MDR commences a service over Great Western Railway (GWR) via Slough to Windsor & Eton Central. MDR extends from Acton Town to Hounslow Town. 1884 City of London and Southwark Subway established to build a railway from the City of London to Elephant & Castle. MDR extends from Osterley & Spring Grove to Hounslow West. MR and MDR connect Mansion House with Tower of London, completing the Inner Circle. MR and MDR extend east to St Mary's (Whitechapel Road) and connect to ELR with services running to New Cross and New Cross Gate. MDR extends to Whitechapel. 1885 MR extends to Pinner. MDR withdraws Ealing Broadway to Windsor & Eton Central service. 1886 MDR closes Hounslow Town spur. 1887 MR extends to Rickmansworth. 1889 MR extends to Chesham. MDR connects to L&SWR at East Putney and commences services to Wimbledon.

1890s

1890 City and South London Railway electric locomotive and carriages.

1890 City of London and Southwark Subway changes name to City and South London Railway (C&SLR) and opens between Stockwell and King William Street, the world's first deep-level underground and electric railway. Central London Railway (CLR) incorporated to build a tube railway from Bank to Shepherd's Bush. 1891 MR takes over A&BR between Aylesbury and Verney Junction. 1892 MR extends from Chalfont & Latimer to Aylesbury. Great Northern & City Railway (GN&CR) granted powers to build a tube railway from Finsbury Park to Moorgate. 1893 Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway (CCE&HR) granted powers to build a tube railway from Strand to Hampstead. Baker Street and Waterloo Railway (BS&WR) granted powers to build a tube railway from Waterloo to Baker Street. 1897 Brompton and Piccadilly Circus Railway granted powers to build a tube railway from Piccadilly Circus to South Kensington. MDR obtains powers to construct a tube railway from Gloucester Road to Mansion to run below its sub-surface line. Anarchists bomb a MR train which explodes at Barbican, injuring 60 and killing one. Whitaker Wright's London & Globe Finance Corporation purchases BS&WR. 1898 City and Brixton Railway granted powers to build a tube railway from King William Street to Brixton. Waterloo and City Railway opens between Waterloo and Bank. 1899 Great Northern and Strand Railway granted powers to build a tube railway from Wood Green to Strand. MR services commence over the Brill Tramway.

1900s

"Underground"-branded Tube map from 1908 showing the newly opened tube lines in central London

1900 C&SLR closes King William Street and extends north to Moorgate and south to Clapham Common. CLR opens between Bank and Shepherd's Bush. Consortium led by Charles Yerkes takes over CCE&HR. London & Globe Finance Corporation and BS&WR collapse following Whitaker Wright's fraudulent concealment of large losses. 1901 C&SLR extends to Angel. Yerkes consortium takes over MDR, Brompton and Piccadilly Circus Railway and Great Northern and Strand Railway and merges the tube routes to form the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway (GNP&BR). 1902 Yerkes consortium takes over BS&WR. Yerkes establishes the Underground Electric Railways Company of London Limited (UERL) as the holding company of the tube lines under his consortium's control. MDR extends from Whitechapel to Bromley-by-Bow and commences a service from there over the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway to Upminster. Edgware & Hampstead Railway incorporated to build a railway from Golders Green to Edgware. 1903 C&SLR takes over City and Brixton Railway and allows its plans to lapse. MDR extends from Ealing Common to South Harrow. MDR reopens Hounslow Town spur. Watford and Edgware Railway incorporated to build a railway from Edgware to Watford. CCE&HR takes over Edgware & Hampstead Railway. Great Eastern Railway opens Fairlop Loop from Ilford to Woodford via Hainult. 1904 GN&CR opens between Finsbury Park and Moorgate. MR opens branch from Harrow-on-the-Hill to Uxbridge. Whitaker Wright commits suicide by swallowing cyanide after being convicted of fraud. 1905 UERL opens Lots Road Power Station to provide electricity for the MDR and the UERL's forthcoming tube lines. MR and MDR replace steam trains with electric over majority of routes. MDR withdraws service between East Ham and Upminster. MDR opens branch from Acton Town to South Acton. MDR withdraws service between St Mary's (Whitechapel Road) and New Cross. Charles Yerkes dies and is replaced as Chairman of the UERL by Edgar Speyer. 1906 Frank Pick, later Managing Director and Vice Chairman of London Transport, begins work at UERL. MR withdraws services between Hammersmith and Richmond. BS&WR opens between Elephant & Castle and Baker Street. It becomes known as the Bakerloo tube. GNP&BR opens between Finsbury Park and Hammersmith. It becomes known as the Piccadilly tube. MR withdraws service between St Mary's (Whitechapel Road) and New Cross, pending electrification of the ELR. 1907 Albert Stanley, later Chairman of London Transport, begins work at UERL. C&SLR extends to Euston. CCE&HR opens between Golders Green, Archway and Charing Cross. It becomes known as the Hampstead tube. Piccadilly tube opens branch from Holborn to Aldwych. Bakerloo tube extends to Edgware Road. 1908 CLR extends to Wood Lane. MDR restarts service between East Ham and Barking. The underground railway companies begin to use the "Underground" brand for joint marketing. First version of the Underground roundel comes into use—a solid red disk with a bar carrying station names is based on a device used by the London General Omnibus Company. 1909 MDR closes Hounslow Town spur again.

1910s Tube roundels based on Edward Johnston's design

1910 District line extends from South Harrow to connect to the MR at Rayners Lane and commences services to Uxbridge. District line starts excursion services from Upminster to Southend-on-Sea.. Separate managements of the Bakerloo tube, Hampstead tube and Piccadilly tube companies merge into a single company—the London Electric Railway (LER). The lines continue to be identified by individual names. 1911 First escalators come into use at Earl's Court. 1912 CLR extends to Liverpool Street. 1913 LER purchases the C&SLR and CLR. MR takes control of the ELR and the GN&CR. Following electrification of the ELR, MR restarts service between St Mary's (Whitechapel Road) and New Cross. MR starts service from Whitechapel to Shoreditch and Surrey Quays to New Cross Gate. Bakerloo tube extends to Paddington. 1914 Hampstead tube extends to Embankment. 1915 Bakerloo tube extends to Willesden Junction. MR begins publication of Metro-land its annual guide promoting the use of its line for commuting and leisure. The name becomes synonymous with the developing suburbs north-west of the capital served by the railway. Sir Edgar Speyer resigns as Chairman of the Underground Group following attacks in the press regarding his Germany origins. He is replaced by Lord George Hamilton. 1916 Edward Johnston designs the "Underground" typeface that now bears his name and is used by Transport for London for all transport related purposes. 1917 Edward Johnston re-designs the Underground's disk and bar roundel, to suit his new typeface, turning the disk into a ring. 1917 Bakerloo tube extends to Watford Junction. 1919 Sir Albert Stanley replaces Lord George Hamilton as Chairman of the Underground Group.

1920s

1920 CLR extends from Wood Lane to Ealing Broadway. 1922 Underground Group purchases unbuilt Watford and Edgware Railway to extend the Hampstead tube to Watford. 1923 Hampstead tube extends to Hendon Central. 1924 Hampstead tube extends to Edgware. C&SLR extends from Euston to connect to Hampstead tube at Camden Town. 1925 MR extends from Moor Park to Watford. 1926 Hampstead tube links Embankment to Kennington and C&SLR extends to Morden, completing the integration of the two lines.

55 Broadway, built between 1927 and 1929

1929 55 Broadway opens as headquarters of the Underground Group.

1930s Arnos Grove station designed by Charles Holden

1932 MR extends to Stanmore. Piccadilly line extends from Finsbury Park to Arnos Grove. Piccadilly line extends over District line from Hammersmith to South Harrow. District line services restart between Barking and Upminster. MR ends publication of Metro-land. 1933 Piccadilly line extends from Arnos Grove to Cockfosters. Piccadilly line extends over District line from Acton Town to Hounslow West and from South Harrow to Uxbridge. District line service withdrawn between Acton Town and Uxbridge. Underground Group and MR brought under common public control with the formation of the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB). Lord Ashfield and Frank Pick, formerly chairman and managing director of the Underground Group, become the LPTB's chairman and vice chairman. LPTB publishes Harry Beck's first design for the Tube Map. 1935 Brill Tramway closes. LPTB announces the New Works Programme, a five-year plan to modernise and extend the Underground network and to take over and electrify a number of main line routes. 1936 Metropolitan line closes from Aylesbury to Verney Junction. 1937 The combined Hampstead tube and C&SLR routes are officially renamed the Northern line and the CLR is renamed the Central line. 1938 Collision of two trains between Embankment and Temple kills six and injures 45 due to an incorrectly wired signal control. 1939 Bakerloo line extends from Baker Street to Finchley Road and takes over Metropolitan line services to Stanmore. Northern line extends from Archway to East Finchley. LPTB suspends majority of New Works Programme following outbreak of Second World War. District line ends excursion services to Southend-on-Sea.

1940s Londoners sheltering from The Blitz in a tube station

1940 Northern line extends over former EH&LR route to High Barnet. Metropolitan line services withdrawn between Latimer Road and Kensington Olympia following bomb damage at Uxbridge Road. Londoners use the deep tube platforms as air-raid shelters in the London Blitz. Hits by German bombs during this period kill passengers and shelterers at Charing Cross (7 killed), Bounds Green (19 killed), Balham (68 killed), Tottenham Court Road (1 killed) and Camden Town (1 killed). 1941 Northern line extends over former EH&LR route to Mill Hill East. Uncompleted new Northern line depot at Aldenham converted for the construction of Halifax bombers. Plessey uses unopened Central line tunnels between Wanstead and Gants Hill as an underground factory. A German bomb explodes in the Central line ticket hall at Bank, killing 56 people. 1943 Panic in a crowd entering the air-raid shelter at the unopened station at Bethnal Green causes the death of 173 people by crushing. 1946 Central line extends from Liverpool Street to Stratford. 1947 Central line extends from Stratford over former ECR and GNR routes to Woodford and Newbury Park and from North Acton over GWR route to Greenford Lord Ashfield retires from LPTB. 1948 The government nationalises all London Transport operations and the LondonTransport Executive (LTE) replaces LPTB. Central line extends over former ECR and GNR routes to Roding Valley and Loughton and over GWR route to West Ruislip.. 1949 Central line extends over former ECR route to Ongar.. Circle line appears on tube maps as an separate service for the first time.

1950s

LTE abandons New Works Programme Northern line extension to Bushey Heath due to introduction of Green Belt legislation preventing development in the areas to be served. 1953 LTE abandons take-over of former EH&LR line between Mill Hill East and Edgware due to diminished expected passenger numbers and lack of funds. A rear-end collision between two trains on the Central line between Stratford and Leyton kills 12 passengers. 1955 Aldenham depot opens as bus overhaul works. 1956 Parliament grants approval for the construction of the Victoria line. 1957 Electric tube trains replace steam-hauled shuttles between Epping and Ongar. 1959 District line spur between Acton Town and South Acton is closed.

1960s Hans Unger's tiling design at  Victoria line station, opened 1968

1960 The last published underground map designed by Harry Beck is released. Electric tube trains replace steam-hauled shuttles between Chalfont & Latimer and Chesham. 1961 Metropolitan line services withdrawn between Aylesbury and Amersham. 1963 London Transport Board (LTB) replaces LTE. 1964 District line services withdrawn between Acton Town and Hounslow West. Northern City line services withdrawn between Drayton Park and Finsbury Park to allow the tunnels to be reused for the Victoria line. Experimental automatic ticket gates installed at Stamford Brook, Chiswick Park and Ravenscourt Park stations. World's first automatic trains brought into service on Central line between Hainault and Woodford to test Victoria line operating systems. 1968 Victoria line opens between Walthamstow Central and Warren Street. 1969 Victoria line extends to Victoria.

1970s

1970 Greater London Council (GLC) takes control of management of London Underground from London Transport Board controlling the Underground through a new London Transport Executive (LTE). 1971 Victoria line extends to Brixton. London Underground withdraws last operational steam locomotives from service. 1975 Moorgate tube crash kills 43 when a southbound Northern line (Highbury Branch) train fails to stop and crashes into the headwall of the tunnel. Piccadilly line extends from Hounslow West to Hatton Cross. 1976 Northern line (Highbury Branch) transfers to British Rail operation. During a bombing campaign against the Underground, an Irish Republican Army (IRA) gunman detonates a bomb on a train and kills the driver and injures a bystander while trying to escape. 1977 Piccadilly line extends from Hatton Cross to Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3. 1979 Jubilee line opens between Baker Street and Charing Cross and takes over Bakerloo line service to Stanmore.

1980s London Transport Museum, Covent Garden

1980 London Transport Museum opens in Covent Garden.. 1981 GLC introduces Fares Fair policy to reduce ticket prices by increasing London Transport subsidies from local rates. 1982 Fares Fair policy ends following legal challenge from Bromley London Borough Council, which does not have any Underground services. 1983 LTE introduces Travelcard and divides network into five fare zones. Bakerloo line withdraws services between Stonebridge Park and Watford Junction. 1984 Bakerloo line restarts services between Stonebridge Park and Harrow & Wealdstone. Fire at Oxford Circus guts the northbound Victoria line platform and damages adjacent northbound Bakerloo line platform. London Regional Transport (LRT) replaces LTE, removing control of the transport in London from the GLC.. 1985 LRT establishes its wholly owned subsidiary, London Underground Limited, to manage the Underground.. 1986 Piccadilly line opens Heathrow loop and Heathrow Terminal 4.. 1987 Fire at King's Cross kills 31 people when a blaze breaks out in a Piccadilly line escalator. The first lines of the Docklands Light Railway open, between Tower Gateway, Stratford and Island Gardens.

1990s Canary Wharf station on the Jubilee line extension

1990 Hammersmith & City line appears on the Tube map independently of the Metropolitan line for the first time. 1991 Travelcard Zone 5 split to create a new Travelcard Zone 6. 1994 Waterloo & City line transfers from British Rail to London Underground ownership. Piccadilly line's Aldwych branch closes. Central line's Epping to Ongar section closes. 1995 East London line closes for repairs to Thames Tunnel. 1998 East London line reopens. 1999 Jubilee line extends from Green Park to Stratford. The section from Green Park to Charing Cross closes.

2000s Oyster card

2000

Last service operates with a train guard. Transport for London (TfL), an executive body of the Greater London Authority, is established to take over responsibility for London's transport from LRT.] London Underground Limited moves to direct control by the Department for Transport 2002 Lots Road Power Station closes. 2003 TfL takes control of London Underground Limited from the Department for Transport. Oyster card smart card ticket system begins operation. Public Private Partnership infrastructure companies Metronet and Tube Lines take over responsibility for maintenance of underground system. Train operations remain the responsibility of TfL. A Central line train derails at Chancery Lane when a motor falls from the underside of a carriage. Following investigations, modifications are made to all 1992 stock trains. 2005 Suicide bombers detonate bombs on three tube trains and one bus, killing 52 and injuring more than 770.[95] Two weeks later four further bombers fail when their bombs do not explode. 2006 East London line closes from Shoreditch to Whitechapel. 2007 East London line closes completely for conversion into part of London Overground network. Metronet goes into administration following failures to manage the costs and programmes of its projects. TfL takes temporary control. 2008 Piccadilly line extends to Heathrow Terminal 5. 2009 Construction begins on Crossrail. Circle line extends to Hammersmith.

2010s

2010 East London line reopens as part of London Overground network.

England is the oldest European country ( 1500 years old ) and London itself was founded by the Romans in 53 AD this makes London a world capital. A recent UN survey recently found that London schools had children speaking 365 languages. Please click on links below to visit my various Articles and websites.

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Freedom of Religion and Marriage rings(wedding bells) in Massachusetts?

Conservative anti-choice of marriage advocate Diane Steele,52,of Richmond Viginia was arrested in Boston, MA yesterday after hitting a gay man after verbally attacking him with religous prosletying.

"Homosexuality causes violence", Ron Good, a confirmed conservfative said as a cop out.

Now the Commonwealth that has the lowest divorce rate in the country also has freedom of religion and marriage for consenting adults for yeras to come after an anti-gay initiative was defeated.

A great day for freedom against conservative hatemongers.
Why not?
Brian: Get a clue. Allowing straight divorce but denying gay marriage on Christian grounds IS NOT freedom of religion.
Voting on human rights is not the "will of the people" it is UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

The right to marry is not within the realm of a vote. Neither is any other expression of religion.
Vince Whgat the hell is a "typical liberal tatic" or are we lying again.

Typical right wing tatic.

Good, I hope they throw the book at her. Gays have been marrying in MA for a long time now. God hasn't wiped it off the map, there's no slow down in MA heterosexual marriages so apparently it hasn't degraded the "sanctity" of straight marriages like the fundies claimed it would - life goes on as usual in MA. Maybe this idiot went nuts because none of the horrible by-products of gay marriage that fundies claimed would happen have come to pass. They really hate it when they're proven wrong.

Social Distortion Ring Of Fire The National Richmond VA May 18 2011