LONDON UNDERGROUND HISTORY

Our heritage: The District line
In 2018, the District line is celebrating its 150th anniversary. The line was first envisaged as a companion to the Metropolitan Railway,. offering a ’circle’ of service around central London. In December 1868, the Metropolitan District Railway began running trains between five stations, from South Kensington to Westminster, that formed the start of the east-west District line service. By 1900, the line extended to Whitechapel in the east, and Ealing, Wimbledon, and Richmond in the west. At one point, the Metropolitan District Railway even ran a short-lived service all the way to Windsor!

Today the District line encompasses 60 stations, and runs through 13 of London’s boroughs, providing a vital link through London.

Find out more at www.ltmuseum.co.uk

[Images]:
Below left: This 1880 photo shows the platforms and glass roof at South Kensington station
Below right: In 2011, new walkthrough trains were introduced on the District line
Right: The original Blackfriars station was housed in this ornate four-story building

MAYOR OF LONDON
Logo of the Underground
TRANSPORT FOR LONDON - EVERY JOURNEY MATTERS

© TFL courtesy of the London Transport Museum

27

A venture of the City of London, Transport For London, and the London’s Transport Museum. In this project, which is usually located in the subway stations, a sign is displayed on each platform with the history of the current train station, or a page in the history of the London Underground. The signs are next to the other signs with train line maps or advertisements.

The current sign is at Temple Station on the District platform, and is focused on the District line

The number that appears on the sign frame is probably the serial number of the sign.