London Underground facts for kids

Quick facts for kids London Underground
Why London Underground is nicknamed The Tube.jpg
Info
Locale	Greater London, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire
Transit type	Rapid transit
Number of lines	11
Number of stations	272 served (262 owned)
Operation
Began operation	10 January 1863; 162 years ago (1863-01-10)
Operator(s)	London Underground Limited
Reporting marks	LT (National Rail)
Technical
System length	402 km (250 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge (1863–pres.) 7 ft (2,134 mm) Brunel gauge (1863–1869)
Electrification	Fourth rail, 630 or 750 V DC
Average speed	33 km/h (21 mph)

Part of a series of articles on The Tube
Overview History Infrastructure Stations Trains Popular Culture Map

The London Underground, also known as the Tube, is a famous train system in London, England. It helps millions of people travel around Greater London and nearby areas like Buckinghamshire, Essex, and Hertfordshire.

It started way back on 10 January 1863 as the world's first underground passenger railway. This first line is now part of the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, and Metropolitan lines. The first line to use electric trains, the City & South London Railway, opened in 1890 and is now part of the Northern line.

Today, the Tube has 11 lines and over 250 miles (400 km) of track. It serves 272 stations and carries up to 5 million passengers every day! Even though it's called the "Underground," only about 45% of the system is actually below ground. Many parts in the outer areas of London run on the surface.

The first tunnels were built just below the ground using a method called "cut-and-cover." Later, smaller, round tunnels were dug much deeper. These round tunnels gave the system its famous nickname: the Tube! Over the years, many different companies owned parts of the Tube. Eventually, they all joined together to form London Transport in 1933. Now, it's run by London Underground Limited (LUL), which is part of Transport for London (TfL).

The Tube is also known for its cool designs. The famous Tube map, created by Harry Beck in 1931, is now a national design icon. It shows all the lines in a simple, easy-to-understand way. Other famous designs include the red and blue roundel logo and the special Johnston typeface used for all the signs.

History of the Tube

How the Tube Started

The Metropolitan Railway opened in 1863 using GWR broad-gauge locomotives.

People started thinking about an underground railway in London in the 1830s. The Metropolitan Railway got permission to build the first line in 1854. They even built a test tunnel in 1855 to try out ideas for the first underground train.

The world's first underground railway opened in January 1863. It ran between Paddington and Farringdon. The trains used gas lamps and were pulled by steam engines. It was a huge success, carrying 38,000 passengers on its first day!

Another railway, the District Railway, opened in 1868. Both the Metropolitan and District railways worked together to complete the Circle line in 1884. These lines were built using the "cut-and-cover" method, which means they dug a trench, built the tunnel, and then covered it up.

Deep Tunnels and Electric Trains

The first deep-level tube line was the City and South London Railway, which opened in 1890. Its tunnels were much smaller and round, about 10 feet 2 inches (3.10 m) wide. These trains were pulled by electric engines and had small, dark windows.

More deep-level lines followed, like the Waterloo and City Railway in 1898 and the Central London Railway in 1900. These electric trains ran in circular tunnels, which is how the "Tube" got its name!

Early steam trains on the Underground caused a lot of smoke and heat. This led to calls for better air quality. Some people even thought the smoky air could cure illnesses! But soon, electric trains became more popular and helped to clean up the air.

Joining Forces

Passengers wait to board a tube train in 1906.

In the early 1900s, an American investor named Charles Yerkes helped to electrify the District Railway. He also created the Underground Electric Railways Company of London (UERL) in 1902. This company built and ran three new deep-tube lines: the Baker Street and Waterloo Railway (now the Bakerloo line), the Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway (part of the Northern line), and the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway (now the Piccadilly line). These lines opened between 1906 and 1907.

By 1913, the UERL had bought many of London's bus and tram companies, as well as other railway lines. Most of the different underground companies were now part of one big "Underground Group." They started working together, sharing maps, advertising, and tickets. This is when the first "bullseye" or roundel symbol appeared outside stations.

During World War I, people used tube stations as shelters during air raids. After the war, the network continued to grow with new extensions.

London Transport and World War II

Aldwych Underground station being used as a bomb shelter in 1940

In 1933, most of London's public transport, including the underground railways, buses, and trams, joined together to form the London Passenger Transport Board. This group used the famous London Transport brand. This was also the year Harry Beck's iconic diagrammatic tube map was first published.

During World War II, many tube stations were used as air-raid shelters. Sadly, there were some terrible accidents. For example, in 1943, 173 people died at Bethnal Green when a crowd rushed to take shelter. This was the biggest loss of life in a single incident on the London Underground. After the war, work continued to extend the Central line.

Modern Times

A 1959 Stock train at Barons Court

In 1970, the Greater London Council (GLC) took over running London's public transport. In 1979, the Jubilee line was opened, named in honor of Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee. This new line took over an existing branch and added new sections.

In 1984, control of the Tube went back to the central government, creating London Regional Transport (LRT). A terrible fire broke out at King's Cross St Pancras in 1987, killing 31 people. After this, many safety improvements were made, like banning smoking and replacing all wooden escalators with metal ones.

In 1999, the Jubilee Line Extension opened, extending the Jubilee line to the Docklands area. These new stations were designed to be very modern, with wide walkways, many escalators, and platform edge doors for safety.

Transport for London Era

Platform edge doors at Westminster

In 2000, Transport for London (TfL) was created to manage all of London's transport. TfL introduced the Oyster card in 2003, a smartcard that makes paying for journeys easy. In 2014, they became the first public transport system to accept contactless bank card payments, which is super convenient!

In July 2005, there were sad terrorist attacks, with three of them happening on the Tube. The system quickly recovered and continued to serve Londoners.

The Tube saw record numbers of passengers during the 2012 Summer Olympics. In 2013, the London Underground celebrated its 150th birthday with special events, including steam trains running on the lines! TfL has also worked to connect the Tube with other train lines like the London Overground and the new Elizabeth line, making it easier to travel across London.

How the Tube Works

The Railway Network

A geographic London Underground map showing the extent of the current network (Amersham and Chesham stations, top left, are beyond the extent of the map.)

The London Underground has 272 stations. Most are in London, but some are in nearby counties. The Tube's 11 lines stretch for 402 kilometres (250 mi), making it one of the longest metro systems in the world.

There are two main types of lines:

• Sub-surface lines: These include the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, and Metropolitan lines. Their tunnels are just below the ground and are similar in size to regular trains. They often share tracks.
• Deep-level tubes: These are the Bakerloo, Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria, and Waterloo & City lines. Their trains are smaller and run in circular tunnels, about 11 feet 8 inches (3.56 m) wide. These lines usually have their own tracks.

Even though it's called the "Underground," more than half of the system (55%) runs above ground! Trains usually run on the left-hand track, just like cars in the UK. The average speed on the Tube is about 20.5 mph (33.0 km/h), but some trains on the Metropolitan line can go up to 62 mph (100 km/h)!

Tube Lines at a Glance

The London Underground carried 296.1 million passengers in 2020–21. Here's a quick look at the lines:

Trains on the Tube

A sub-surface Metropolitan line A Stock train (left) passes a deep-tube Piccadilly line 1973 Stock train (right) in the siding at Rayners Lane.

London Underground trains come in two sizes: larger ones for the sub-surface lines and smaller ones for the deep-tube lines. All passenger trains are electric and have sliding doors. Trains usually have between six and eight cars, except for the Waterloo & City line, which uses four.

New trains are designed to hold many standing passengers and allow people to get on and off quickly. They also have special braking systems that help save energy. Since 1999, all new trains must be accessible for everyone, including wheelchair users.

Trains on sub-surface lines are named with a letter (like S Stock), while deep-tube trains are named by the year they were meant to be introduced (like 1996 Stock).

Disused Stations

Over the years, many Tube stations and routes have closed down. Some closed because not enough people used them, while others were no longer needed when lines changed. Some old station buildings are still there and are used for other things.

The London Transport Museum offers tours of some of these hidden stations, like Aldwych. These tours explore the history of the network.

Future Plans for the Tube

The Tube is always being improved! There are plans for new extensions and upgrades to make journeys better.

New Extensions

• Bakerloo line extension: There's a long-term plan to extend the Bakerloo line south from Elephant & Castle to Lewisham. This would help more people travel in South London.
• Other ideas: People have also suggested extending the Northern line to Clapham Junction and even the Central line to Harlow. However, these are just ideas for now and don't have funding.

Line Upgrades

Many lines are getting new trains and better signalling systems to carry more passengers and reduce delays.

• Bakerloo line: The trains are old, so new, air-cooled trains are planned. This will also allow for more trains per hour.
• Central line: This line got new trains and a new signalling system in the 1990s. More upgrades are planned to make the trains more reliable and increase how often they run.
• Jubilee line: The signalling system has been updated to allow 30 trains per hour during busy times. They plan to add more trains and increase the frequency even more.
• Northern line: New signalling has increased capacity by 20%. More trains are planned to allow even more frequent services.
• Piccadilly line: This line will be one of the first to get brand new, air-cooled trains and a new signalling system. This could increase capacity by up to 50%!
• Victoria line: This line has already received new trains and an upgraded signalling system, allowing up to 36 trains per hour during peak times.
• Waterloo & City line: This short line will also get new trains and a new signalling system to run more trains per hour.
• Sub-surface lines: The District, Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City, and Circle lines have all received new S Stock trains. Their signalling systems are also being upgraded to allow more trains to run.

Ventilation and Cooling

Tube tunnels can get very warm, especially in summer. The London Underground has fans to remove hot air, but sometimes they can't run at full power at night due to noise complaints from people living nearby.

New air-conditioned trains are now on the sub-surface lines. For the deep-tube lines, new trains are being designed with air conditioning, which will make journeys much more comfortable.

Lifts and Escalators

Escalators at Canary Wharf station

When the deep-tube lines first opened, people used lifts to get to the platforms. The first escalator on the London Underground was installed in 1911 at Earl's Court. From 1912, new deep-level stations started using escalators instead of lifts.

There are 426 escalators on the Tube system. The longest one is at Angel, measuring 60 metres (200 ft)! There are also 184 lifts. More lifts are being added to make stations easier to use for everyone, especially those with limited mobility.

Travelling on the Tube

Tickets and Fares

The Oyster card, a contactless smart card used across the London transport system

The Tube uses a "zonal fare system" to work out how much your journey costs. London is divided into nine zones, with Zone 1 being the very centre.

You can pay for your journey using paper tickets, a contactless Oyster card, or even your contactless debit or credit card, phone, or smartwatch! Oyster cards are special smartcards that you can top up with money or travelcards. They make journeys cheaper than paper tickets and have a daily limit so you don't pay too much.

When you travel, you need to "touch in" at the start of your journey and "touch out" at the end. If you forget to touch out, you might be charged the maximum fare.

Hours of Operation

The Tube usually closes overnight during the week for maintenance. However, since 2016, some lines now run all night on Friday and Saturday! This is called the Night Tube.

The Night Tube runs on parts of the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly, and Victoria lines. This means you can travel all night on weekends!

The Tube runs a limited service on Christmas Eve and does not operate on Christmas Day.

Accessibility

A wheelchair user on a Tube train

When most of the Tube was built, it wasn't designed for people with limited mobility. But now, TfL is working hard to make stations more accessible. The stations on the Jubilee Line Extension, opened in 1999, were the first to be designed with accessibility in mind.

The Tube map shows which stations are "step-free," meaning you can get from the street to the platform without stairs. There can still be a gap between the platform and the train, but staff can help with ramps if needed. New trains also have special spaces for wheelchairs and better information systems.

Delays and Overcrowding

During busy times, especially in the morning and evening, Tube stations can get very crowded. Sometimes, stations even need to close temporarily to manage the crowds. Many passengers have to stand on trains, and it can feel very squashed!

TfL is working to improve reliability and reduce delays. If your journey is delayed by 15 minutes or more due to something TfL could control, you might be able to get a refund!

Tube Challenge

The Tube Challenge is a fun competition to see who can travel to all London Underground stations in the fastest time. People can walk or use other public transport between stations. As of 2021, the record is 15 hours, 45 minutes, and 38 seconds!

Design and Art on the Tube

The Tube Map

The left side shows the 1933 Beck map and the right side the map in 2012.

Early Tube maps were just city maps with the lines drawn on top. But in 1931, Harry Beck created a revolutionary new map. He simplified it by making the lines straight and spacing the stations evenly, even if it didn't match the real geography. This made the map much easier to understand.

Today's Tube map is based on Beck's design. It also includes other transport systems like the Docklands Light Railway and London Overground. The Tube map is so famous that it was voted a top UK design icon of the 20th century!

Artists are often asked to design the covers for the pocket Tube maps, making them small pieces of public art.

The Roundel Logo

The famous red and blue roundel logo is a symbol of London transport. It first appeared on the Underground in 1908 to highlight station names. In 1917, Edward Johnston helped to refine the design, and it became a registered trademark.

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  An early form of the roundel as used on the platform at Ealing Broadway

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  Mosaic roundel used at Maida Vale station

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  The form used today outside Westminster tube station

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  Roundel and "way out" arrow on a platform at Bethnal Green station

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  Michael Craig-Martin's 2016 roundel design

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  NO SMOKING signs using the roundel which are present only on the 1972 stock trains of the Bakerloo line

Today, different versions of the roundel are used for all TfL services, like London Buses and the Docklands Light Railway. The roundel is often seen on white poles outside Tube stations, called "Venetian masts."

Station Architecture and Art

Russell Square, one of the UERL stations designed by Leslie Green clad in ox-blood tiles

55 Broadway, above St James's Park station, was designed by Charles Holden in 1927 and is one of only two Grade I listed buildings on the Underground.

Many London Underground stations are famous for their architecture. Early stations had Italian-inspired designs. Later, Leslie Green designed many deep-tube stations with distinctive "ox-blood" red tiles. He also used unique tile patterns on platform walls to help people know which station they were at.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Charles Holden designed many modern and art-deco stations. His design for the Underground's headquarters building, 55 Broadway, even included sculptures by famous artists.

More recently, the stations on the 1990s Jubilee Line Extension were designed in a high-tech style by famous architects. They are known for their wide spaces and modern features.

Many platforms also have special artwork to make them unique. For example, at Baker Street, the tiles feature Sherlock Holmes's silhouette. At Tottenham Court Road, there are cool mosaics by Eduardo Paolozzi showing musical instruments and butterflies.

Posters and Art on the Underground

1913 Underground poster by Tony Sarg

From the early 1900s, the Underground Group started commissioning artists to create colourful posters. These posters encouraged people to use the Tube to visit the countryside, go shopping, or attend major events. Famous artists like Edward McKnight Kauffer created amazing designs.

Art on the Underground was started in 2000 to bring more art to the Tube. They commission artists to create everything from Tube map covers to large artworks in stations. You can also find Poems on the Underground displayed inside trains, bringing poetry to your journey.

Artwork by Daniel Buren at Tottenham Court Road, commissioned by Art on the Underground

Busking

The London Underground allows musicians to perform live music in many central London stations. These performers, called buskers, are chosen through auditions. Famous musicians like Ed Sheeran and George Michael have busked on the Tube before!

Images for kids

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  A map of the entire system with accurate positions of stations but simplified presentation of lines

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  Proposed route, safeguarded by TfL in 2021

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  The new Shepherd's Bush station, part of a Central line improvement

• Night Tube map.svg

  Route map of Night Tube