The Metropolitan District Railway first opened to passengers travelling between Westminster and South Kensington on 24 December 1868. 150 years later, the District line as we know it today, continues to keep London moving. Read on to find out more about the history of London's green line.
Stained glass window from the board room of the Metropolitan District Railway (circa 1900) by Metropolitan District RailwayLondon Transport Museum
Where it all began...
The first section of the District line opened 150 years ago on 24 December 1868. Then known as the Metropolitan District Railway, it ran services from South Kensington to Westminster. This stained
glass window is from the board room of the Metropolitan District Railway offices. It features the Metropolitan and District coat of arms.
Construction begins
Construction started in March 1865. As planned by the engineer John Fowler, stations were positioned in the open where possible, although work at Westminster involved displacing slums and widening Tothill Street.
Construction work at Queen's Road (now Bayswater) Underground station, District Railway (1868) by Henry FlatherLondon Transport Museum
Construction of the Cromwell Road section of the District line (circa 1867) by Henry FlatherLondon Transport Museum
Tunnels were mainly built using the cut-and-cover method, as visible in this photograph of construction of the Cromwell Road section in 1867.
District Railway construction (1869) by Henry FlatherLondon Transport Museum
Cut-and-cover construction was the method used to build the first underground railways. Shallow cuttings were dug along a street, which were then roofed over. Cut-and-cover construction created chaos in London's streets.
Staff at Earl's Court
At first, services were operated by the Metropolitan Railway using wooden carriages hauled by steam locomotives. But by 1871, the District Railway began operating its own trains, and services were extended to West Brompton and Mansion House. This photo shows District Railway steam locomotive No 4 and staff at Earl's Court Underground station. The man pictured second from the left is believed to Mr T C Speck, the first locomotive superintendent of the line.
Miss Armstrong, typist at Ealing Common Depot, District Railway (1905) by UnknownLondon Transport Museum
This is a portrait of a Miss Armstrong, taken in 1905. She was the first typist at the Ealing Common Depot, District Railway.
The District line is born
In 1933, all the Capital’s bus, tram and railways operations were brought together under London Transport. In the same year the District Railway became the ‘District line’. See what life was like for passengers and staff on the District line.
Second World War women car cleaners cleaning the exterior of a District line car at Ealing Common Works (1941) by Fox PhotosLondon Transport Museum
View looking westwards from the Passenger footbridge at Earl's Court station (1980) by Peter WilsonLondon Transport Museum
Mapping the history of the District line
The original aim of the District was to work with the Metropolitan Railway to operate trains in a continuous ring connecting all of London’s mainline railways. This map, from 1868, was hand-drawn as an exact record of the railway and where it ran. See how its geography has changed over the years...
District Railway Map Of London, Second Edition (1876) by District Railway and Waterlow & Sons LimitedLondon Transport Museum
This map shows the geographic features of the central London area with the District Railway and Metropolitan Railway in red and other railway lines in black.
You can see journey times printed on the lines between stations, and places of interest highlighted in red.
This map shows the incomplete inner circle, with the section between Bishopsgate and Mansion House stations still to be built.
Improved District Railway pocket map, 3rd edition (1884) by W J Adams And SonsLondon Transport Museum
This map from 1884 shows the completed circle with the extension to Whitechapel and New Cross now open.
Zoom in and see how the geography of London has changed in the last 135 years.
Pocket maps: helping people find their way around London
This map was produced in 1887 in honour of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, and features illustrations of the British Empire - India, Canada and Africa on the front cover.
This map shows how the District line was connected with London's other Underground railways.
This pocket Underground map shows the Piccadilly line extension to Northfields and Cockfosters under construction. The proposed station name of Lordship Lane has been changed to Wood Green.
Map of the Underground (1933) by Henry C BeckLondon Transport Museum
1933: The first 'modern' map
This is the first pocket edition of the diagrammatic style of the Underground map designed by Harry Beck. All the lines are shown in their entirety except the District line which is only shown as far as Mile End - with eastbound stations listed to Southend.
Pocket Underground map (2018) by Art on the Underground and TfLLondon Transport Museum
Today, the District line serves 60 stations - the most of any Tube line.
Today, the District line serves 60 stations - the most of any Tube line.
Today, the District line serves 60 stations - the most of any Tube line.
District line designs
Moquette is the durable upholstery fabric used on public transport across the world. Which patterns do you recognise from the District line?
Shield' design moquette sample, as used on the refurbished 1938-tube stock (circa 1948) by Enid MarxLondon Transport Museum
1949
This moquette sample was designed by Enid Marx during the 1930s. It was widely used on the refurbishment of the 1938 Tube stock from 1949. It was used with green leather armrests on cars for the Bakerloo, Northern and District lines.
Moquette sample as used on Metrobus, Titan type buses, D78-stock and 1983-tube stock (circa 1975) by Design Research Unit (DRU)London Transport Museum
1970s
When the District line trains were renewed in the 1970s, the mainly grey finishes were replaced by brighter designs. The internal doors were also painted orange. This pattern was also used on the Metro and Titan buses, which were introduced about the same time as D78 stock.
Interior view of a D78 District Line carriage (circa 1980) by UnknownLondon Transport Museum
Moquette design sample for the D stock, used on the District Line, design number 26821 (circa 2003) by UnknownLondon Transport Museum
2003
This moquette was used on the D stock circa 2003
Design for the S stock (circa 2011) by UnknownLondon Transport Museum
2011 - Today
This design is used on the District, Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines. It was introduced on 2011 and is still in use today.
Art on the District line
Our poster collection contains some of the best examples of posters as an art form anywhere in the world. The tradition of employing both established and emerging artistic talent to promote public transport was started by Frank Pick in 1908. Since then, posters have played a key role in the wider vision of corporate transport design and aim to inform, educate, reassure, entertain and inspire. These next slides show all kinds of posters passengers on the District line will have seen over the years...
To find out more about our District 150 celebrations, please visit our website.
With thanks to Simon Murphy.
