A Sunday treat of the highest calibre Rob. You should be snapped up by the BBC as your documentaries are truly first class, entertaining and so educational. Already looking forward to part two.
An absolutely cracking video Rob and I’m looking forward to part two. I love your graphics as well. The wisps of smoke didn’t go unnoticed by me. You mentioned the proposed idea for an atmospheric railway and Brunel. He did build such a system west of Exeter, bits of which can still be glimpsed today. Ultimately it was a failure, as was the earlier one near Dublin. But I’m staggered that such ideas were considered so long ago by people born in the 18th century when nothing moved faster than a horse. As always thanks for your research, dedication and high quality videos.
That means a great deal to me Mark, thanks so mate. Brunel’s atmospheric railway intrigues me, and as you may know, the image included was of the Dublin atmospheric line. Thanks again for the great comment and stay well.
Fantastic video Rob, I used to go to Edgware Road station as a child as my grandparents lived nearby and was always fascinated by the grubby brick cliffs within which the station is nestled. It's interesting that near the beginning you mentioned one of the planners stating that the railway will allow the poor to live further out of the city, whereas in reality the poor remained and the railways took the middle classes out to the suburbs.
Thanks for another great & informative video Rob. I was born in Paddington and live in Metroland, so the Met Line has always been an important part of my life.
The Dalkey Atmospheric Railway (unofficial opening 19 August 1843, official opening 29 March 1844 - 12 April 1854) was an extension of the Dublin and Kingstown Railway (D&KR) to Atmospheric Road in Dalkey, Co. Dublin, Ireland. It was the first commercial railway of its type in the world.
Thank you for the vicarious London experiences! You’ve prompted me to get out my Underground maps from my few but much-loved visits, to follow you along🌞
I am a huge fan of the London Underground system and have a whole bookshelf full of books on the subject but I can honestly say watching your video is far easier to understand than reading one of my heavy books. Having read the books over a few years or more I knew most of the facts you spoke about but even knowing it your video was totally fascinating and I look excitedly for the next edition of the story. Don't stop with just one more as with your knowledge and ability you could make half a dozen videos coving the L.T. history and not one would be uninteresting. Continue the good work .... and yes Charles Pearson does deserve some tribute somewhere in the system where it can be clearly seen.
Peter, that’s such a wonderful comment; thank you sir- you’ve made my day. I’m currently working on the second instalment which I hope you’ll enjoy too! And rest assured, I will certainly be making similar videos in the future. Many thanks again and stay well.
Excellent, thanks. Yes, Charles definitely deserves more recognition - he's even more unrecognised than that other Victorian we have a lot to thank for, Joseph Bazalgette. I always think it's sad he never lived to see the Met running, and wonder what he'd have made of the fact that the Metropolitan Railway became simply the progenitor of a 250 mile system, inspiring the construction of 180 metros around the world. Of course, he and the North Met group didn't invent the "metro" - they simply came up with a local solution to a local problem - but the modern metro it essentially was.
Great comment Julian, thanks. And yes, couldn't agree more about Joseph Bazalgette; I'd like to make a video about him at some point. Cheers and stay well.
Kudos to you Rob! I always love your videos on London. On a side-note, I've just watched an award winning short film called 'The Mail Train' made in the 1930s and the service they provided to Londoners. Really interesting indeed. I'd also love to see you do a video on the Crystal Palace railway station. It's a beautiful station which unfortunately is no longer open except a few times each year for tours. The brickwork is amazing. Apparently you can get a glimpse of it as it's on a loop that trains use as part of the 'end of the line' in order to utilize the the outbound platform.
Really enjoyed reading this comment, thank you so much Prudence Pineapple 🙂 Couldn't agree more about Crystal Palace station; I love it... will try and factor it in at some point. And yes, good call on the Mail Train film! Thanks again and stay well.
@@Robslondon I was slightly wrong with Crystal Palace station. It's still closed of course, but the bit about getting a small glimpse of it as the train would loop around was actually about a closed NY subway station that had a very tight curve to it. In any event, both stations are spectacular architecturally speaking!
Excellent video on such a fascinating subject. I am so much looking forward to part 2 :) I remember seeing Met 1 running on the system in June 2019 which was a rather exciting event (but this was sadly the final time a heritage steam train was able travel on the Underground in central London - owing to the installation of the new signalling systems). I really enjoy all the snippets of information and stories you include in your videos.
Thank you so much Darren, really appreciate you kind words. There will be a lot about the early Metropolitan steam locos in the next video... as you say though, they can no longer run on the network which, personally, breaks my heart :-( Anyway, thanks again mate- cheers and stay well.
Another excellent video! Looking forward to part 2! It’s so interesting to imagine something being so new and innovative which we now take for granted 😊
Hi Rob As a Londoner ,anything to do with the tube interests me, and learning of its origins was really fascinating. well done, and I look forward to the next instalment Cheers Mike
Hello Rob An excellent video well researched and edited . Looking forward to the 2nd video.I love taking the tube and love the history of it. We have been to 84 different tube stations during our visit to London. We will be adding more as we are coming to London for the coronation woohoo. As our hotel is at Battersea power station. We are so excited. Thanks and Take Care Chris and Sandra of Canada.
Brilliant video as always Rob. The amount of info that you put across leaves us with our mouths open in amazement mate. So interesting, it's prompted me to read A Metropolitan Murder by Lee Jackson again. It's a crime novel, set in the early days of the Metropolitan Railway. Loved the smoke effects, and sound effects that you used.
Hi Rob, nice one, can't wait for part 2. So many folks just take underground travel for granted without thinking of the bones of it all. As I have commented to you many times my experiences as a younger northern guy having weekends away in 'the smoke' was liberating and using the tube was a getting around thing even if it was only a few stops. I felt cheated if I was on some cut and cover lines as it was not like the 'real tube' and stations like Earls Court was just like an overground station. Going down to the deeper lines was the 'real deal' to me. Oh I could go on and on but I better not! I would bore everyone 😂. Cheers DougT in Mancs
@@Robslondon ✔️👍 yuppers taking the escalators or lifts down was all part of the experience of descending into the bowels of the earth to meet Belzibub if the reverend had had his way 😎🤣🤣. BTW there was a terrific Greek(?) Sit down cafe that served up moussaka and chips (other dishes were available) on Earls Court Road towards the junction of Old Brompton Road. The cafe was very popular with pub goers of Earls Court when pubs had to close for a couple hours in the afternoon (you would be too young to remember those days) Or another place to while away pub closing hours was in the Troubadour coffee bar just below the Coleherne pub. All heady stuff back in my wild days 🙄 Cheers DougT
A mere £100m?? What did Crossail end up costing - just shy of £20billion, wasn't it? Lots of similarities with HS2 (complaints about homes being seized, and the mess resulting from extended delays) - in fact, it seems the only thing the Metropolitan Railway *didn't* have to contend with was environmental protesters occupying tunnels! Bravo, Rob - your videos are a brilliant start to Sunday evenings.
Yeah Rob, once again an excellent video. I haven’t visited your channel since my visit to London last October, which was the first time in forty something years. I remember riding this line occasionally in big old carriages which swayed and rumbled along very fast. Wishing you all the best from Sydney Australia 🇦🇺. Looking forward to part two and other videos that I haven’t watched.
@@Robslondon that was quick! Yes, I am very well thank you. Still working four days a week which is sometimes difficult but I have recently rejoined a gym and now in better condition than when I visited London. My wife and I hope to get back to the uk in the not too distant future.
Bob Greetings from THAILAND yes I am back here again An excellent video amazing research and interesting to see all the old photographs and prints Interesting you mention West Norwood Cemetery, there are some other notable people buried there, maybe some be topics of future videos, no pressure on you looking forward to part two
Exceptional work, Rob! (DownUnder) I'm well aware of much of the history but you have personalised it so well! I hope Mr Wolmar sees it: he would be giving you Gold Stars too, I'm sure. 🙃
The opening of the first underground railway in a city always brings the same fears and worries - especially back in the day. When my city's first opened in 1895, people were always joking about "making their will" before they entered the train or when they were asked if they wanted a return ticket, they would answer: "One way. I'm not sure if I'll be alive to make the journey back!" lol
@@Robslondon Nope, it's Athens actually. The line first opened as a suburban railway in 1869. It wasn't underground yet, since the terminal station was located outside the city, but it was extended underground to the center of the city in 1895. It was electrified in 1904, which is when Wikipedia thinks that it first counted as an underground line, but I disagree. I think it was in 1895 when it extended to the city center. Many people here even count it from 1869, when it first opened! Wikipedia apparently can’t make up it’s mind about when to first classify something as an underground line, as they placed Athens in 1904 when it was electrified, but London in 1863 and not in 1890, when the first electric line opened! lol
A BBC level production. Really, this is one of your best. Though, I have to knock the grade down a bit... you never told us if the railway unleashed Satan. Surely you will cover whether or not Beelzebub went on a rampage in London as a result of this construction in the next part. Jokes aside, this was fantastic. Great work. Top notch.
Loved this episode and looking forward to part two ! I hope you include the tale of "Fowler's 'Ghost'" in the second episode. I would like to hear your take on it. PS: On the subject of atmospheric railways, there was, briefly, one between New Cross Gate and West Croydon. There is a short segment of pipe from it in Croydon Museum.
Brilliant comment Patrick, thank you. I will indeed be covering Fowler’s Ghost’ 😉 And I had no idea about the New Cross atmospheric railway, that’s fascinating- thanks for letting me know. Cheers and stay well.
Always well received by your viewers Rob. Thanks so much for putting in all your effort. I love the peek views you show us as the trains emerge from the cut and cover. When I traveled the tube I always wondered what was above as we past through those areas. Looking forward to the next one. Cheers. Lance
Thank you so much Stasi Child! At the moment I'm trying to schedule videos every fortnight, publishing them on Sundays- so it should be ready for Feb 26th (I'm working on it as we speak!) Thanks again; really appreciate your kind words.
Hi Rob, love your channel. I did wonder how the metro has become known as 'The Underground'. I've not been to London for years in fact I was about 11 when my parents took me to see tutankhamen's display at the British museum. But I do enjoy learning about London. Thank you.
Lovely comment Dee, thank you so much. When I was researching this video, I discovered that Londoners started calling the line ‘the underground’/‘underground railway’ pretty much immediately! Thanks again and stay well 😉
Sir Rob,,, you gave an excellent lecture which included my hero John Harrison, many thanks. ,,, the railways,,,, well the Victorians would be turning in their graves at our bad management of such. Balzelgette's sewer systems - which was mind bending forsight of the future yet to be accommodated. Seriously,sink holes in middle of road where I live,, you can see a coke can the size of a box of matches ( you can fully stand in them. Just crying.
The Meropolitan Line has never been my stomping ground but those 'cut and cover' walls and open areas are well known to me from South Ken/Gloucester Road/BaronsCourt and so on. When you are small you become very aware of odd 6'6" plain walls near tube stations in otherwise heavily residential areas. Great work as always.
Excellent video Rob.. I was subscribed ages back but u tube appears to have unsubbed me. . So I've subbed again . Been getting your vids in my feed though so it's a mystery. Cheers for all the hard work you put into these vids. Mitch
Great to have you back Mitch, and thanks very much for the kind words; really appreciate it. It’s strange, but sometimes when I publish a video the subscriber number dips… no idea why, but it’s really frustrating- seems like some sort of automated thing. Anyway, thanks again mate; as I say, good to have you back on board! Cheers and stay well.
I love these videos about London. I live in Australia and may never get over to see it in person. Charles sounds like a decent chap. I wonder if John Cummins, in relation to disturbing Satan, thought the same about coal mines which can be much deeper than the railway.😄
Fascinating video once again I really am blown away by the ingenuity of our Victorian ancestors They did all this without any computers, heavy lifting equipment and a complete lack of overspending on consultation! They just got on with it Remember this, the bulk of infrastructure still in use today in 2024 is Victorian. Simply mad. Severn Tunnel, Box Tunnel Both Brunel. As well as the whole of the GWR! These days we cant even build a motorway junction (see M49 junction) without connecting it up properly!
Did they find any archeological remains? I’ve seen the archeological works when building HS2 so I wonder what the procedure was back then? Great video- I love them!
Thank you so much 😊 That’s an excellent question, and the answer is that they didn’t find much at all- and were surprised because of it. The main items found were various coins dating back a few centuries.
Hi Rob, really enjoyed this piece of history en the following up episode. Although briefly mentioned there is little been sad about the signaling system they used, maybe an idea for a follow up…
Thanks Danny, that's really kind of you. Yes, the signalling is an interesting subject although I've not seen much written about it... would need a deep research dive!
@@dannyvanstraelen3273 Same... I guess it's because there were no railway magazines in those days, only newspaper reports really which would't go into such detail.
I think my eyes are playing tricks on me. But the opening of this video of the Underground train passing by. It looks like a model, so does all the bits around it. But then in the edge of the screen you can see cars/motorbike moving along. Is this real or a trick of editing?
Brilliant show, great to see how things started. But Leinster Gardens gets the makeup and poor old Porchester Terrace get the ugly bit. Porchester Terrace can be tarted up and made to look respectable. I reckon it’s a very poor show.
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