London Underground expansion and electrification (1863–1933)

1. Metropolitan Railway opens first underground line

   Jan 10, 1863Labels: Metropolitan Railway, Paddington, Farringdon

   • Britannica
   • Guinness
   • Met Railway

2. Hammersmith branch extends rail toward suburbs

   Jun 13, 1864Labels: Hammersmith branch, Farringdon, Suburban rail

   • H C line
   • Met Railway

3. District Railway opens, starting the Inner Circle

   Dec 24, 1868Labels: District Railway, Inner Circle, South Kensington

   • District
   • Met Railway

4. Deep-level electric “Tube” service opens

   Dec 18, 1890Labels: City and, Deep-level tube, Electric traction

   • C SLR
   • FT archive

5. Central London Railway launches the “Twopenny Tube”

   Jul 30, 1900Labels: Central London, Twopenny Tube, Shepherd s

   • Central line
   • UERL

6. Underground Electric Railways Company forms

   Apr 1, 1902Labels: Underground Electric, UERL, Holding company

   • UERL

7. Electric trains begin on District and Inner Circle

   Jul 1, 1905Labels: District Railway, Inner Circle, Electrification

   • District
   • UERL

8. Baker Street and Waterloo Railway opens (Bakerloo)

   Mar 10, 1906Labels: Bakerloo, Baker Street, Deep-level line

   • BS WR
   • Baker St

9. Piccadilly tube opens, linking north to west London

   Dec 15, 1906Labels: Piccadilly line, Great Northern, Finsbury Park

   • GNP BR
   • UERL

10. Hampstead Tube opens, completing UERL’s trio

    Jun 22, 1907Labels: Hampstead Tube, Charing Cross, Northern suburbs

    • CCE HR
    • UERL

11. “UndergrounD” brand and roundel appear systemwide

    Jan 1, 1908Labels: Underground brand, Roundel, Station nameboards

    • Design Museum
    • LU Roundel

12. Morden extension pushes Tube into outer suburbs

    Sep 13, 1926Labels: Morden extension, City and, Outer suburbs

    • South Wim
    • Tooting Br

13. Beck’s diagrammatic Tube map debuts under London Transport

    Jan 1, 1933Labels: Harry Beck, Tube map, London Transport

    • EnglishHer
    • Tube map

14. London Passenger Transport Board unifies the Underground

    Jul 1, 1933Labels: London Passenger, LPTB, Public authority

    • LPTB
    • Met line