Tunnel Vision: The History of the Metropolitan Railway

Today we were entertained to a true history lesson, when Colin Brading spoke to us, with the aid of photographs, on “Tunnel Vision – The History of the Metropolitan Railway”. The railway comprised of 42 miles of track, 34 stations, a 60 mph speed limit, in 2012 the Met carried 67 million passengers. Starting from a line just 3.75 miles long from Paddington to Farringdon Street via Baker Street & Kings Cross, the line opened in 1862.
This line followed the route of the road and was built using the “cut & cover method” by closing sections of the road as it progressed. It proved a huge success and rapidly expanded to South Kensington and subsequently eastwards along the embankment to Moorgate by 1868, forming into what then became the Metropolitan & District Rly. This expansion also ran to Hammersmith and Kensington Addison Road, this also included a stub of line to Swiss Cottage, this small piece of line eventually developed further to Amersham, Chesham 1880’s and to Watford in late1890’s. The main locos used over this network were 40 Beyer Peacock steam engines. The Met eventually pushed further northward, out as far as Verney Junction also taking in the Brill Tramway. Four rail electrification took place in 1905 but only as far as Rickmansworth, which meant steam was still required to work onwards from here. New electric loco’s, multiple units and some new steam engines were added to the fleet. In 1933 the Met was amalgamated in London Underground, with their other services, outside of LT network, were handed over to LNER.
A superb afternoon, full of information.

Dave Elsdon
Branch Secretary