Take Part In A Central Line Treasure Hunt

By M@ Last edited 9 months ago

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Last Updated 15 September 2025

M@ Take Part In A Central Line Treasure Hunt

Coloured shapes at tottenham court road — TfL is inviting you to take part in a central line treasure hunt. Image: Matt Brown

Transport for London embraces Open House, with an architectural treasure hunt.

The Central line is 125 years old, and TfL is celebrating with a treasure hunt. It's free, you can take part, and it's happening on Saturday 20 September.

All you need to do is go to Shepherd's Bush station between 10.30am and 3.30pm to pick up a clue pack. The idea is to hop from station to station, solving the clues, and use the experience as "an opportunity to discover more about [the Central line's] history and heritage as well as design and hidden stories past and present". It's billed as 'free', but you will of course need to pay for your Tube fare.

The central part of the line, from Shepherd's Bush to Bank, actually opened in July 1900 (and got a royal 'pre-opening' in June 1900). So why is TfL celebrating the anniversary in September? Possibly so it can hitch a ride on the Open House programme — the great architecture festival, always held in this month.

A compass in mosaic form — An unusual feature on the Central line. We won't say where, in case it spoils a clue. Image: Matt Brown

This could be a fun way to spend the afternoon, especially for families looking for a slightly unusual and educational treasure hunt. One drawback to the plan is that the Central line's most thrilling architecture is all outside the central zone. Places like Gants Hill, Perivale and Newbury Park (for the adjacent bus station) would be a real hit. These bits are not celebrating a big anniversary, so aren't on the official treasure hunt.

In contrast, many of the 'central Central' stations have no entrance building to speak of (think Notting Hill Gate, Chancery Lane, St Paul's...). Which actually makes us all the more intrigued to take part. Presumably, many of the features will be inside the stations.

A 1912 tube map — A map of the Central line from 1912, by which time it had been extended at either end. Image: TfL

The best thing to know about the opening of the Central line in 1900 is this: one of the first passengers, riding on the royal opening in June 1900 a month before the public got to do so, was the American author Mark Twain. I hope we haven't just spoiled one of the treasure hunt clues.

TfL's Central Line almost-anniversary treasure hunt takes place 20 September 2025, Shepherd's Bush to Bank.

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