London’s Underground railway is not only the oldest system of its kind, it’s also the world’s most famous. The Tube, as it’s also known is more than just a way of getting around the capital, it is also a symbol of the city. More than four million people use it everyday.

On Tuesday this week more than 130,000 passengers piled aboard the first trains running on the new £18.9bn Elizabeth line within hours of its launch. Transport enthusiasts gathered at Paddington station and Abbey Wood, in south-east London, to be on the first morning services.

The Elizabeth line is believed to help transform life and travel in London and the South East and will increase central London's rail capacity by 10 per cent.

With history being made this week I thought it would be the perfect time to look at London's very first underground line and that means going back to Victorian London, Lord Palmerston is prime minister and Charles Dickens is alive.

Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minute espresso shot episode of London history with a splash of personality. There's so much we can't fit into our tours, no matter how hard we try. This London history podcast is where we can get down and dirty with the detail! You're not going to find this level of detail in any guidebook.

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Show notes, including transcript, photos and recommended reading: https://londonguidedwalks.co.uk/podcast/episode-88-the-worlds-first-underground-railway/

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