Showing posts with label Underground. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Underground. Show all posts

Tuesday, 5 February 2013

150 Years of Tube Action

Bakerloo, Central , Picadilly, Northern and District Line. If you've been to London, you are sure to have traveled on a train that passes through these iconic London Underground stations. This year marked the London Underground's incredible 150 year anniversary!

"Huge influence abroad"

Not only was the tube a great success in Great Britain, but it also influenced how many other underground train networks were constructed and operated around the world.

'The first subway system was proposed for London by Charles Pearson, a city solicitor, as part of a city-improvement plan shortly after the opening of the Thames Tunnel in 1843.'

'Many other cities followed London’s lead. In Budapest, a 2.5-mile (4-kilometre) electric subway was opened in 1896, using single cars with trolley poles. [...] 'In Paris, the Métro (Chemin de Fer Métropolitain de Paris) was started in 1898, and the first 6.25 miles (10 km) were opened in 1900. [...] 'In the United States the first practical subway line was constructed in Boston between 1895 and 1897. It was 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and at first used trolley streetcars, or tramcars. Later, Boston acquired conventional subway trains. New York City opened the first section of what was to become the largest system in the world on Oct. 27, 1904. In Philadelphia, a subway system was opened in 1907, and Chicago’s system opened in 1943. Moscow constructed its original system in the 1930s. In Canada, Toronto opened a subway in 1954; a second system was constructed in Montreal during the 1960s using Paris-type rubber-tired cars.'

So, next time you are on the London underground, take a minute or two to breath in its historical significance, and, please enjoy the ride!




Source: www.britannica.com