London’s ‘Tube’ celebrates 150 years of existence

London's 'Tube', the oldest underground railway system in the world, marks its 150th anniversary this week, with a number of events.

On 13 and 20 January, tourists and Londoners alike will be able to board classic period trains and relive the first Tube journey.

On these two days, passengers will be able to travel on historic restored trains including the No 1 Metropolitan steam engine and Metropolitan Railway Jubilee Carriage No 353, which are the oldest underground trains in the world that work.

Throughout the year, old trains, mainly running on steam, will be back on duty on other historic routes.

The London Underground began operating on 9 January 1863 between Paddington and Farringdon on the Metropolitan Line. Today, the network has over 270 stations and transports over a billion people every year.

It is now neither the largest nor its busiest subterranean railway system in the world. Yet the words 'the Tube' have come to represent a part of London that is known the world over. In fact it has become a lucrative part of the city's tourist industry.