This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more
02/08/1870 The world's first underground tube railway opens in London
9:02
The History of The London Underground
4:58
How the world's first metro system was built - Christian Wolmar
3:00
London Underground celebrates 150th anniversary - Part 1 (BBC1 London coverage)
12:05
Engineering the London Underground
In 1869 a 1,340-foot circular tunnel was dug through the London clay using a cast iron shield, an idea that had been patented in 1864 by Peter W. Barlow but never built. A 2 ft 6 in narrow gauge railway was laid in the tunnel and from 1870 a cable-hauled wooden carriage conveyed passengers from one end to the other.
Essentials
History
The subway today