LONDON UNDERGROUND - 150

The first train service on the London Underground was rolled on 10th January 1863 between Paddington and Farringdon stations.  Today the London Underground is 150 years old and what an achievement.  The London and its suburbs have seen some stupendous growth over the last 150 years and the Underground has helped this growth in a big way.

The Tube (as the London Underground is popularly known as) train service is operated and maintained very well and has been the role model for several such metro train systems across the world.  I have travelled in the Tube with my family when we were on vacation in London in 2008 and it was a wonderful experience to travel.  On paying five pounds we were able to use the metro service for 24 hours (unlimited trips).

I am a big fan of the Metro Train Service and fortunately I have used it several cities around the world.  I have used the MRTS in Singapore when I lived there from 1990 to 1993.  I have used the Moscow Metro in 1992.  I have used the New York Metro service in 1999.   I have used the Chicago Metro in 2011.  I have been using the Dubai Metro since 2009.  I am yet to travel in Delhi Metro and looking forward to do that soon as I have heard so many good reports about it.

The Tube has clearly stood as a leading example on how a city can develop and expand with a proper well managed transport system.  It runs for a total of 402 kilometers having 270 stations and 45% of the total network is underground.   There are 11 different lines on which the Tube is operating.  Is that not amazing and mind boggling.  It is the fourth largest metro system in the world behind Seoul, Beijing and Shanghai.  The Tube has carried just under 1.2 billion passengers in 2011-12 and thus ranks as the third busiest metro behind Moscow and Paris.

The London Underground is one of the very few metro systems which uses a four-rail system.  The electrification of the metro system can be a great learning for Electrical Engineering Students (hope my twin sons take note of this).  Most of the lines have only two tracks and hence for cleaning and preventive maintenance works the Tube is generally not operated between 1 a.m. and 5.30 a.m.  It is one of the well managed, well maintained and well run metro systems in the world.  Though the Tube carries more than 1.2 billion people in a year accidents are very rare.

Since 2003 the London Underground has been operating as a Public Private Partnership (PPP).  The London Underground arrived 150 years ago and is still going strong as the Oldest Metro System in the world.



Long Live London Underground.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
10th January 2013