Title: History of the London Underground Content: From its creation to the present day, London Underground's 150-year history has been an eventful one. == London Underground milestones == 1843 Constructed by Sir Marc Brunel and his son Isambard, the Thames Tunnel opens 1863 On 10 January, The Metropolitan Railway opens the world's first underground railway, between Paddington (then called Bishop's Road) and Farringdon Street 1868 The first section of the Metropolitan District Railway, from South Kensington to Westminster (now part of the District and Circle lines), opens 1869 The first steam trains travel through the Brunels' Thames Tunnel 1880 Running from the Tower of London to Bermondsey, the first Tube tunnel opens 1884 The Circle line is completed 1890 On 18 December, The City and South London Railway opens the world's first deep-level electric railway. It runs from King William Street in the City of London, under the River Thames, to Stockwell 1900 The Prince of Wales opens the Central London Railway from Shepherd's Bush to Bank (the 'Twopenny Tube'). This is now part of the Central line 1902 The Underground Electric Railway Company of London (known as the Underground Group) is formed. By the start of WWI, mergers had brought all lines - except the Metropolitan line 1905 District and Circle lines become electrified 1906 Baker Street & Waterloo Railway (now part of the Bakerloo line) opens and runs from Baker Street to Kennington Road (now Lambeth North). Great Northern, Piccadilly & Brompton Railway (now part of the Piccadilly line) opens between Hammersmith and Finsbury Park 1907 Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway (now part of the Northern line) opens and runs from Charing Cross to Golders Green and Highgate (now Archway). Albert Stanley (later Lord Ashfield) is appointed General Manager of the Underground Electric Railway Company of London Limited 1908 The name 'Underground' makes its first appearance in stations, and the first electric ticket-issuing machine is introduced. This year also sees the first appearance of the famous roundel symbol 1911 London's first escalators are installed at Earl's Court station 1929 The last manually- operated doors on Tube trains are replaced by air-operated doors 1933 * The Underground Group and the Metropolitan Railway become part of the London Passenger Transport Board, taking control of all the Capital's railway, bus, tram, trolleybus and coach services * Harry Beck presents the first diagram of the Underground map 1940 Between September 1940 and May 1945, most Tube station platforms are used as air raid shelters. Some, like the Piccadilly line, Holborn - Aldwych branch, are closed to store British Museum treasures 1948 The London Passenger Transport Board was nationalised and now becomes the London Transport Executive 1952 The first aluminium train enters service on the District line 1961 Sees the end of the steam and electric locomotive haulage of London Transport passenger trains 1963 The London Transport Executive becomes the London Transport Board, reporting directly to the Minister of Transport 1969 The Queen opens the Victoria line 1970 The London Transport Executive takes over the Underground and the Greater London area bus network, reporting to Greater London Council 1971 * The last steam shunting and freight locomotive is withdrawn from service * The Victoria line extends to Brixton 1975 A fatal accident on the Northern line at Moorgate kills 43 people. New safety measures were introduced 1977 The Queen opens Heathrow Central station (Terminals 1 2 3) on the Piccadilly line 1979 The Prince of Wales opens the Jubilee line 1980 A museum about the birthplace of modern urban transportation, called Brunel Engine House, opens to the public 1983 Dot matrix train destination indicators introduced on platforms. 1984 The Hammersmith & City and the Circle lines convert to one-person operation 1986 The Piccadilly line is extended to serve Heathrow Terminal 4 1987 A tragic fire at King's Cross station kills 31 people 1989 New safety and fire regulations are introduced following the Fennell Report into the King's Cross fire 1992 The London Underground Customer Charter is launched 1993 * Reconstruction work on Angel station ended * Work started on the extended Jubilee line from Green Park to Stratford 1994 * Penalty fares are introduced * London Underground takes over the Waterloo & City line and responsibility for the stations on the Wimbledon branch of the District line from Putney Bridge to Wimbledon Park * Aldwych station, and the Central line branch from Epping to Ongar closes 1999 * London Underground is restructured in preparation for Public Private Partnership * The extended Jubilee line opens, offering through services from Stanmore to Stratford 2003 * The Oyster card is introduced * Busking is legalised 2005 52 people are killed in bomb attacks on three Tube trains and a bus on 7 July 2007 * The Tube carries one billion passengers in a year for the first time * 14 former Silverlink stations transfer to London Underground (LU) * The East London line closes for rebuilding and extension as part of new London Overground network 2008 * Piccadilly line extension to Heathrow Terminal 5 opens * Metronet transfers to TfL control 2009 * The Circle line changes shape * LU is named Best Metro Europe 2010 * The Queen visits Aldgate station * LU achieves Carbon Trust Standard * The first air-conditioned, walk-through Underground train runs on the Metropolitan line * Through services replace the Chesham shuttle 2011 * A full fleet of brand new Victoria Line trains become operational; * Green Park becomes step-free to provide easier access to the Victoria, Piccadilly and Jubilee lines in time for the Olympics Category:History of London history Category:History of rail transport Category:London-related lists Category:History-related lists Category:Rail transport timelines