Skip page header and navigation

District 150

District 150

On Christmas Eve 1868, the Metropolitan District Railway first opened. In 2019, we celebrated 150 years of the District line.

A steam train pulling into a train platform with two women dressed in Victorian outfits

Introduction

On Christmas Eve 1868, the Metropolitan District Railway first opened to passengers travelling between Westminster and South Kensington. 150 years later, the District line as we know it today continues to keep London moving.

In 2019, London Transport Museum, with Transport for London celebrate the past, present and future of this important Underground line.

The history of the District line

Last hurrah for steam travel in central London

As part of our celebrations with Transport for London to celebrate 150 years of the District line, we ran a special Victorian steam train on the Underground for the final time in central London.

On Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 June 2019, commemorative steam-powered journeys between Ealing Broadway and High Street Kensington were run, giving people the opportunity to experience what it would have been like to travel on the District line when it first opened on Christmas Eve 1868. 

It was likely the final time a heritage steam train will travel in central London on the Underground due to the installation of a new signalling system on the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.

A steam train pulling into a train platform with two women dressed in Victorian outfits
A crowd of people on a platform looking at Met loco No.1

Q stock

As part of our District 150 celebrations, we launched an appeal to preserve a rare piece of District line heritage, the last three 1930s Q stock Underground carriages.

Blog category
  •  Collections

Our Q stock story – Restoring three rare 1930s Underground train cars

By Katariina Mauranen, 13 December 2018, 3 minute read

Katariina Mauranen explores our ambitious project to restore three Q stock cars into operational condition and the history of these unique trains

Black and white photo of a woman getting off a tube in the 1930s

We're restoring a unique piece of the District line's history - the last three 1930s Q stock Underground carriages

Volunteers working in a train car, blending into a black and white image of the train

Other projects