The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-12 00:00:00

Opening of the Metropolitan Railway.

On Saturday the Metropolitan (underground)
Railway was opened to the public, and many
thousands were enabled to indulge their curiosity
in reference to this mode of travelling under the
streets of the metropolis. The trains commenced
running as early as 6 o'clock in the morning from
the Paddington (Bishop's-road) station and the Far-
ringdon-street terminus, in order to accommodate
workmen, and there was a goodly muster of that
class of the public, who availed themselves of the
advantages of the line in reaehing their respective
places of enployment. At 8 a.m. the desire to travel
underground in the direction of the city began to
manifest itself at the various stations along the line,
and by nine it became equally evident to the
authorities that neither the locomotive power nor
the rolling-stock at their disposal was at all in pro-
portion to the requirements of the opening day.
From this time, and throughout the morning, every

station became crowded with anxious travellers,
who were admitted in sections; but poor were the
chanees of a place to those who ventured to take

their tickets at any point below Baker-street, the
occupants being, with but very rare exceptions,
" long distance," or terminus, passengers. This cir-
cumstance tended to increase the numbers at every
station every minute, until there became sufficient
to fill any train of empties which might be sent to
overflow ; and we believe we are correct in stating
that ultimately a number of the Great Western
narrow-gauge carriages, as well as engines, were
brought into requisition, and by this means the
temporary wants of the public were accommodated.
Possibly the greatest point of attraction, if the
collection of numbers may be taken as any cri-
terion, was King's-cross, which is certainly the
finest station on the line, throwing even the
termini into the shade. At this point during
the morning the crowds were immense, and the
constant cry as the train arrived of "No room,"
appeared to have a very depressing effect upon

those assembled. Between 11 and 12 at this sta-

tion, and, continuously, for the space of an hour
and a half, the money takers refused to take money

for passengers between King's-cross and Fur-
ringdon-street, but they issued tickets between that
station and Paddington, and many whose destina-
tion was city wise, determined to ride on the railway
on its first day of opening, took tickets for the op-
posite direction in order to secure places for the re-
turn journey. At 12 o'clock the clerks informed the
public, who were certainly then assembled to the
number of some 500 or 600 at King's-cross, that there
were enough people at Paddington to fill four trains
in: succession ; and that, therefore, their instructions
street terminus adfnue- was
hour. This ise'lle
r. This announcement
enabled to proceed the morning, the public were
effect of getting rid
had
the
of very large numbers. While, however, all the ten-
in the other way, and therna°ll9 however, the tide set
towards the Farringdon-
afetsetward with but little incon -
at Victoria-street can becompared to the trains
to no other than