Dream of travelling to a bygone London? This summer you can do just that, thanks to a series of heritage rides on a 1938 Tube train.
The burgundy-hued art deco style train — consisting of four carriages, and replete with wooden frames windows, sleek light fittings, and a sumptuous red and green cut and loop wool moquette — is running heritage trips on the Piccadilly line this July.
These 'Piccadilly Medley' trips take place between Friday 11 July (from Northfields), Saturday 12 July (from Acton Town) and Sunday 13 July (from Ealing Broadway, and from Cockfosters). There are multiple trips on each day.
Though you can't reserve individual seats, carriages are divvied into 'Gold', 'Silver' and 'Bronze'. Fittingly, early London Underground trains were actually split into classes.
In all, over 1,100 of these 1938 cars were built — with some still in use in London up until 1988. A handful of the trains were recycled on the Isle of Wight's Island Line, but in 2020 these were replaced with 'new' (aka 1980s) London Underground stock.
Nowadays, you can see these beauts in museums and depots, but only occasionally get a chance to ride on one.
Unfortunately these heritage rides are very much NOT at 1938 prices: tickets cost between £25-£30 (there are discounted rates for kids).
If you're looking for a thriftier heritage Tube experience, you can always hop on the Bakerloo line, the stock of which which is half a century old and counting.
Heritage Tube rides, 11-13 July 2025.
