"London Underground 150" 9th January 2013 Paddington Baker Street Great Portland Street Farringdon
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- Опубликовано: 15 сен 2024
- It was the world's first underground railway and 150 years to the day since the first ceremonial journey, I made the same three and three quarter mile journey from Paddington to Farringdon.
That train set off from Bishop's Road (Paddington) station, what are now the Hammersmith and City line platforms. There is nothing left of the original station and the platforms are having work on them at the moment so we start at the Praed Street station, now the Circle line platforms, opened on 1st October 1868, on the then new branch line to Gloucester Road. This is similar to how Bishop's Road would have been, having alcove walls and curved roof.
Passenger trains started the next day, 10th January 1863, using GWR (Great Western Railway) broad gauge (7ft) carriages, the line having been built with mixed gauge track as seen in early illustrations. This had been an agreement with the GWR so it could run though trains from such places as Windsor. By August there had been disagreement between the two companies and that arrangement for coaching stock ended, with the Metropolitan obtaining their own stock.
Baker Street is the jewel of the original stations and is little changed. The illuminated shafts originally opened into the street above allowing daylight in and smoke from the steam engines out. Changes above in later years forced these to be closed off.
The line was constructed using the "cut and cover" method. Dig a trench, line it with bricks then roof it back over.
The chief engineer was John Fowler, a leading railway engineer of the day, who would go on to create the Forth Bridge in Scotland. He did not come cheap and his Metropolitan Railway salary of £137,700 would be worth about £10 million today.
There were predictions that the tunnel's roof would give way and people would fall into it, while passengers would be asphyxiated by the fumes, and an evangelical minister had denounced the railway company for trying to break into Hell. However the railway was an instant success with thirty-eight thousand passengers the first day and nine and a half million in the year.
On to Great Portland Street or Portland Road as it opened, then onto the then terminus at Farringdon Street. Again the original station is no more, in fact only lasting two years. The current station was built a short distance away, as rapid developments to the network meant the station was on an inconvenient alignment. Opposite is the new Thameslink, and from 2018, Crossrail concourse
On arrival of the first train at Farringdon, a celebratory banquet was held for 600 guests in the station including railway executives, Members of Parliament and City grandees including the lord mayor. The prime minister, Lord Palmerston, had declined his invitation, saying that at 79 he "wanted to stay above ground as long as he could."
On an up to date note..Most of the trains seen here are C (circle) (C69 C77) stock built in two batches 1969 and 1977, all to be replaced over the next couple of years, by the new S7 stock being built by Bombardier in Derby. In fact, the first withdrawl of C-stock for scrap was just a few days before this film...
UPDATE: The very last C-Stock train ran on 29th June 2014. The "C-Stock farewell railtour"
I lived in London for a long time and this brings back some great memories. I am not a shy person at all and will strike up a conversation with anybody anywhere but on the tube it was different. Nobody hardly talks to another traveller... except me ! I used to ride the tube for the fun of it and actually made friends with a lot of strangers on the tube. Everybody on this earth has something interesting inside them... and it's wonderful to share. Try it sometime you may enjoy it.
Top class videography! Thanks.
Yes, this video is a very fine presentation.
This is a fantastically produced video. Great editing, very engaging. Loved the crossing between old photos and new video. Great Job!!! Fantastic!!!!
Excellent Video!
Thanks. Really neat.
Regs,
Train fan in California.
I ran out of characters LOL. Thanks for a great video. Absolutely brilliant.
The actual opening of the Underground, and the real anniversary, was 10 January 1863. Bizarrely, for the 150th anniversary, London Transport celebrated it on the 9th, in honour of the pre-opening ride and banquet.
Yes, that's what I say in my description.
@@traindriver35 My point was that they celebrated it on the wrong day on the big 150th anniversary. I wasn't disputing what you wrote.
Yes. Please do
Can I also use some shots of it for my video?
Very great video ! ;)
12:52 to 13:02 - she can certainly carry some gear.
C69/C77 and S7/8 are not tube trains.
Yes, be my guest