The line was called the Metropolitan Railway, and it opened to the public on January 10, 1863. That’s right—over 160 years ago, and it’s still running today as part of the Metropolitan line (though it looks a bit less sooty now). The route was only 3.75 miles long, from Paddington to Farringdon, with stops at Edgware Road, Baker Street, Portland Road (now Great Portland Street), Gower Street (now Euston Square), and King’s Cross. Yes, the very same stations you might use today—just with more top hats and fewer Oyster cards.
The construction was a nightmare. Imagine digging a trench through the middle of a city using only pickaxes, shovels, and gunpowder. They used a method called “cut-and-cover,” where they literally opened up the street, built the tunnel walls, and then covered it all back up. For two years, Londoners had to dodge construction pits and exploding rock. The road traffic was diverted into temporary wooden viaducts, which made an already congested city look like a circus. But somehow, they finished on time. Because Victorians didn’t believe in excuses.
The First Day: A Triumph of Chaos
Opening day was a madhouse. Over 30,000 people showed up to ride the train, even though the system could only carry about 12,000 per day. Tickets sold out in hours, and people were crammed into the wooden carriages like sardines in a tin. The steam locomotives, built by companies like Beyer, Peacock & Company, had to work hard to pull all that weight. And here’s the kicker: the tunnels were still being ventilated through openings in the street, so smoke and soot poured into the stations. Passengers described it as “a journey through a coal mine with a sulfurous aftertaste.”
But people loved it. The novelty of traveling underground was irresistible. They called it the “sewer railway” and the “tunnel to nowhere,” but they still lined up to buy first-class tickets for a shilling (about £5 today). Why would anyone want to sit in a smoky, dark hole? Because it was faster than a horse-drawn carriage, and it made you feel like you were part of the future. And isn’t that the same reason we still ride the Tube today, even when it’s 30°C and someone’s backpack is in your face?
Five Things You Didn't Know About The First Underground Line | Londonist
