London Underground tube trains

The First Underground system
The trains that were used were powered by steam. The tunnels had vents along the roof so the smoke in escape and not suffocate the fare paying passengers. You can still see evidence of these vents in the roof lining of some London underground stations. This was phase 1 in the construction of a planned circular line intended to link all the main London railway over ground terminus stations. In the early Victorian period the streets of London were suffering from chronic congestion. Journey times were slow. There was no traffic management, no traffic lights or road lanes at this time. Large horse-drawn work carts, carriages, Hackney cabs and omnibus blocked the streets in long traffic jams. It was chaos. London's population increased drastically with the growth of the city's financial and retail centres. More and more people commuted into town to get to work. A new method of getting around London fast was required.

The construction of the newfangled underground railway system did not initially ease congestion. Gangs of navies dug huge deep trenches that carved their way through London. Large mechanical tunneling equipment had not been invented. Once the labourers had reached the required depth, the bricklayers would skillfully build a long tube made of bricks. This was then covered up with the excavated soil before the old road surface was restored.

The first London underground railway lines were shallow compared with the ones like the Northern line, but followed. A number of newspapers made comments about the convenience of riding in pleasant, carriages in comfort lower down and the subterranean gas and water pipes that serve the city, lower than even graveyards. One comment attributed to the 79-year-old prime minister Lord Palmerstone, I find funny. He politely declined the offer to cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony, saying that he wished to remain above ground for as long as possible, at his age.

Did you know that the London underground railway system had 26 ghost stations. This is the name that has been given to railway stations on the tube lines that have been closed. Many stopped being used as they were to near other tube stations. Some are owned by the Ministry of Defence. One is rumoured to be under Buckingham Palace to enable the Queen to get to overground railway stations quickly. The British Museum used to be served by a designated underground station at Bury Place. A fun rumour has it that the station is haunted by an ancient Egyptian. If you travel between Holborn and Tottenham Court Road tube stations on the Central line, you can catch a glimpse of it. A number of these ghost stations have been used by filmmakers. Most recently, in the James Bond film Skyfall. A number of entrepreneurs have made applications to turn these ghost stations into restaurants, bars, theatres, or a museum.

Some of the London underground railway station names can cause mirth, If you are travelling with young teenagers. Cockfosters, Shepherd's Bush, Bushy, normally generates titters. Some have historical origins for example, Earls Court railway station is believed to be built on the location of the Earls of Oxford manorial court building. Some stations are named after local landmarks. The Angle tube station was named after the Angle coaching inn. The Elephant and Castle underground station was named after the local pub with the same name.

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