Mind the Gap!

This warning will be familiar to anyone who has used the London Underground, the oldest underground railway in the world. However, since its opening in 1863 the network has changed almost completely. The first passengers were transported in steam-powered trains instead of the electric trains we know today. This meant that tunnels had to be close to the surface and have many openings for the steam to escape. Bit by bit, the old steam trains were replaced by electricity-powered trains, more and deeper tunnels were built and lines were extended far into the suburbs of London.

The constant network changes also meant that many stations were closed, relocated or used for different purposes. During the Second World War, for example, some stations served as air raid shelters during bomb attacks. An underground branch leading to a station called Aldwych in Westminster was closed and used to store precious items from the British Museum.

Even though it is called “Underground”, only 45% of all the rails are actually underground. If you want to visit the deepest point of the Underground, go to Hampstead, which runs down to more than 58 metres – nothing for people suffering from claustrophobia! Another useless fact: Smoking on the tube was allowed until 1987, when a fire broke out due to a discarded match in King’s Cross station, killing 31 people. 

 

The next time you feel like complaining about cramped carriages or slow connections, think about the beginnings of the “Tube” and be thankful for non-smoking regulations, lifts and carriages more modern than this “padded cell” without windows: