Transport stories
Introduction
Read about all of London’s modes of transport from riverboats in the 1800s to Tube trains, buses, bicycles and even cable cars of today
Discover more through our collection
Stories
Our Metropolitan Railway coach dates from 1900. Read more about one of a group of coaches designed to be hauled by steam locomotives on the Metropolitan Railway.
Our West Ham Corporation electric tram dates from 1910. Learn how electric trams operated in London from the early 1900s to the 1950s.
Our Leyland X2 type bus was one of the ‘first generation’ of motorbuses to run on London’s streets. Learn more about one of the earliest surviving motorbuses in the country.
As well as the red bus, the other iconic vehicle of London’s streets is the black cab. Read a short history of the Carbodies FX4S Plus taxi.
London’s public transport system is known the world over. Learn how and why posters were first commissioned by the Underground.
A look back on the occasions when King Charles visited and travelled on London’s transport network.
A visual tour through the changes in ticketing and fare collection on London's public transport since the nineteenth century.
The John Hampden was one of 20 locomotives built for the Metropolitan Railway Learn about the loco built for service between the City and Metro-land.
The Elizabeth line, originally known as Crossrail, opened in May 2022. Read more about ten of its brand new stations.
This locomotive and coach are the only surviving vehicles from the first electric underground railway in the world. Read more about the the beginning of the London Tube system.
Learn more about how during its heyday, London had the largest tram and trolleybus system in the world.
Discover the quirky hidden history of three former stations that formed the most remote and easterly portion of the London Underground network.
Learn more about the Elizabeth line, London’s first accessible railway and the result of the biggest infrastructure project in a generation.
Discover the hidden history of a station that was once part of London’s very first section of deep-level tube in 1890, but was abandoned less than ten years later.
Since 1933, the Lost Property Office has tried to reunite passengers with lost belongings - including thousands of umbrellas and even a kitchen sink. Find out more about this fascinating part of TfL's history.
Since 1932, Victoria Coach Station has been a busy hub of coach travel in and out of the Capital. Learn more about its history here.
The Stephenson horse tram in our collection was built in the USA. Read more about tramways and Stephenson's who were considered the most experienced tramcar builders in the world.
The RT type bus formed London’s largest ever standardised bus fleet. Learn more about the bus which served London for 40 years.
Our Metropolitan Railway steam locomotive dates from 1866. Read more about the only surviving steam locomotive from the early years of the world’s first Underground.
From 'safety bicycles' in the late 1800s to the familiar red Santander cycles on the roads today today, discover the history of cycling in London
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Other stories
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From the logo to the map and posters to moquette, London’s transport design is known across the world. Discover the stories behind them here.
Stories about the marvels of engineering that have kept Londoners moving - from buses and trains to escalators and ticket machines.
Discover the fascinating stories of the people behind London’s transport – including directors, drivers, canteen workers, architects and designers.
London’s transport played an extraordinary part in both world wars. Find out more about the efforts of staff at home and overseas.