With Thanks to The Evening News: The Bakerloo Line
The history of the Bakerloo line is linked to both the oldest line on the Underground, the Metropolitan, and the youngest, the Jubilee. Join us to find out how...
After no fewer than 10 Acts of Parliament (starting in 1883) and a financially turbulent construction phase, the Baker Street and Waterloo Railway opened on 10 March 1906
Map of Baker Street and Waterloo Railway and its connections (1906-03-10)TfL Corporate Archives
This map is from 1906, the year the line was opened
It shows the original route from Baker Street to Kennington Road (now Lambeth North). It was soon extended in stages to Elephant and Castle (August 1906), Marylebone (March 1907) and Edgware Road (June 1907)
Originally called the 'Baker Street and Waterloo Railway', a journalist for the London Evening News used the term 'Bakerloo' in an article shortly after the line opened. The name caught on and by 1908 it was being used on maps.
Further extensions followed, to Paddington (1913) and Queens Park (1915). Paddington was the first station to open with escalator, rather than lift, access between platforms and street
At Queens Park, the Bakerloo had cross platform interchange with the London and North Western Railway, who owned the station. Using connections just north of the station, the Bakerloo provided a 15 minute service to Willesden Junction from 1915. This was extended to Watford Junction from 1917.
Proposed Bakerloo Line Extension to Camberwell and Beyond (1937-02-01) by London Passenger Transport BoardTfL Corporate Archives
The next proposed extension would extend the line from Elephant and Castle to Camberwell. The idea was abandoned in the post war austerity of the 1950s
Map of Underground Lines 1939 (1939-06-15) by London Passenger Transport BoardTfL Corporate Archives
Instead, the next major expansion was in 1939
A connection was built between Baker Street and Finchley Road stations, and former Metropolitan line tracks to Stanmore were taken over. The connection included new stations at St John’s Wood and Swiss Cottage
Google Streetview captures of St John's Wood and Swiss Cottage Underground stations
Map of Underground Lines 1939 (1939-06-15) by London Passenger Transport BoardTfL Corporate Archives
Interior of a Bakerloo carriage
The moquette was designed by Enid Marx, and was widely used on the refurbishment of the 1938 Tube stock from 1949
The 1970s saw more change
The new Jubilee line took over the section between Stanmore and Baker Street, officially opening to the public in 1979
Another Extension?
In 2019, Transport for London (TfL) conducted consultations on a proposed future extension to Lewisham via Old Kent Road, to open in around 2030 and potentially link to Hayes and Beckenham
Map of Land Safeguarded for Bakerloo Line Extension (2021-02-09)TfL Corporate Archives
The Secretary of State for Transport issued directions to safeguard land needed to build the proposed Bakerloo line extension. At present attempts are underway to put together a viable funding package for the extension
Story compiled by TfL using information in records at the Transport for London Corporate Archives. The Corporate Archives seeks to preserve and make accessible records, not to interpret them. A wider range of material is available for physical consultation.
Permission is granted to reproduce for personal and educational use only.
This story has been enhanced using images from the collections of the London Transport Museum. All enquiries regarding these images should be made directly to that institution.
