The Bakerloo celebrates its centenary today. After 40 years of ummming and ahhhring, the turd-brown line was finally opened on 10 March 1906. No word on whether the queen has sent a telegram.
To celebrate the anniversary, a special plaque will be unveiled at Baker Street today. Top Tube man Tim O’Toole will preside, while customers are assured an unforgettable spectacle.
Actors and staff in Edwardian dress will go on to entertain commuters as they travel on the trains.
Dear God, please, not Adam Hart-Davis.
It's also Osama Bin Laden's birthday today. He'll be celebrating his 49th with a cave party.
1906 saw the Underground in rampant mood. As well as the Bakerloo Tube, the central section of the Piccadilly also opened, in December of that year. While in May, a North-Westerly portion of the Metropolitan Line began operations.
To lazily round off the post, here are a few Bakerloo ‘facts’ for you.
Did you know? The Bakerloo is almost exactly the same length as the Circle Line, at 14.5 miles, but has two fewer stations.
Did you know? Baker Street station has more platforms than any other Tube station.
Did you know? Anecdotally, only one person has ever been born on a tube carriage. Thelma Eleanor was born on the Bakerloo Line at Elephant and Castle in 1924. Her middle names were allegedly Ursula Beatrice, giving her appropriate initials. Sounds like an urban myth to us, but it’s a nice story.
