On 13 and 20 January 2013, London Underground are running heritage steam trains and carriages along sections of the Hammersmith & City / Metropolitan line.
Phil and I went to catch the first run as it passed through Barbican station en route to journey’s end at Moorgate.
The 09:55 Kensington Olympia to Moorgate was a steam-hauled staff-only service comprising newly restored ‘Metropolitan 1’, Metropolitan Railway ‘Jubilee’ carriage No. 353 (built 1892, restored) plus the Chesham set of coaches (on loan from the Bluebell Railway), with Metropolitan Railway electric locomotive No. 12 ‘Sarah Siddons’ bringing up the rear.
The train passed through Barbican underground station a few minutes earlier than the advertised time (10:29). Fortunately for those of us on platform 2, there was no westbound service in the station at the time.
Metropolitan Locomotive No. 1 passes alongside Barbican platform 1
A snippet of history, courtesy of the London Transport Museum’s coverage of the 150th Anniversary of the London Underground:
“On 9 January 1863 the world’s first underground train pulled out of Paddington station to make the first passenger journey – 3½-miles under the streets of London from Paddington to Farringdon and into the record books.”
Ian Visits has Best places to photograph London Underground’s heritage steam train trips.