Mind the Gap: exploring London’s historic underground

Holborn Tube (Dashing East)

London Underground is undoubtedly one of the world’s best public transport metro systems. It’s also pretty affordable, and most trains arrive every few minutes, you don’t even need a timetable.

If you’re disabled, read about free travel and discounts available on London transport.

For over 160 years, the London Tube has been carrying people around the city, keeping traffic off the streets above ground.  Though in fact many of the stations are actually overground, including the faraway stations that veer into Buckinghamshire.

The world’s first underground railway

The tube was actually the world’s first subterranean metro, opened in 1863 in Paddington and Farringdon. The first trains were steam-powered, not the cleanest way to commute amid clouds of smoke.

At the end of the 19th century, electric trains began to ride the tunnels that led to cleaner and faster trains. The first deep-level line opened in 1890 (forming what is now part of the Northern Line).

The famous Tube map

This was designed in 1931 by engineering draughtsman Harry Beck, to simplify the complicated network. Today there are 11 lines and over 270 stations, some going to Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire on the London borders. Making it easy for people to live outside London, but commute in.

Interesting facts about London Underground

One of the best-ever Mastermind winners was a London tube driver.  Magnus Magnusson would be turning on his grave (a recent celebrity question was ‘what animal goes woof woof?)

Only a few people have been born on the London Underground. One was TV show host Jerry Springer.

The man who says ‘Mind the Gap’ was for years actor Oswald Laurence. After he died, his widow would travel the Tube, to hear his voice.