destination plate; Underground destination plate for "Aylesbury" & "Rayners Lane", 1920-1960

From the early 1890s through to 1961, the Metropolitan Railway (Met) extended as far north as Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. This destination plate would have been fitted on to the front of the train. Plates were often re-used for different destinations. In this case, 'Aylesbury' has been painted over the original destination of Edgware Road. Aylesbury station was built by the Great Western Railway (G.W.R.) but became a 'joint' station reflecting the fact other railway companies had rights over the use of the tracks and the station. As the Metropolitan Railway expanded, new suburban communities evolved. From 1915 these new suburbs and housing developments were referred to as Metro-Land.