Part 1 - What IS A "Metro"?
In 1863, the very first "Metro" was opened in London between Paddington and Farringdon, soon extended to Liverpool Street. It was operated by a company called the 'Metropolitan Railway Company'.
Trains were steam hauled and the line was built along main roads with huge disruption to traffic (horse drawn), pedestrians and property owners.
Whilst engravings of the early trains are 'optimistic' ...
... fbb doubts whether the ride would be pleasant.
Then 27 years later, something very different appeared. The City and South London Railway ran in a 'tube' from King William Street to Stockwell.
The stock was smaller even than today's 'tube' trains, later enlarged to be part of the Northern Line.
Both 'sizes' of underground then expanded rapidly, all as commercial businesses aiming to make a profit for their shareholders.
Most of the deep level 'tube' lines were bought out by Charles Tyson Yerkes (pronounced 'Yurk-ease ') who was an American go-getting entrepreneur, financier and crook!
Allegedly!
Meanwhile the other group of 'subsurface' big train lines, The District Railway was expanding rapidly. The big cheeses of the District and Metropolitan companies hated each other with an evangelical fervour despite being obliged to work the circle line jointly.
Bur the commercial operation if the capital's key transport service was beginning to show its weakness.
The whole caboodle became London Transport in 1933.
From then onwards Underground, buses, trolleybuses and trams became the first and still the biggest "PTE".
There was a programme of development of the underground, a massive task which was not completed until after WW2. The Northern, Central and Piccadilly were extended, several bits taking over British Railways (or predecessors') routes.
A few bits closed. The South Acton shuttle, the Aldwych branch and Epping to Ongar all vanished from the Underground map.
Part 2 - How Many Years?
Newcomers were The Victoria Line, Piccadilly to Heathrow, Jubilee to Stratford and Docklands Light Railway.
So far, all the above are happily part of a London "Metro". Now things get tricky definition-wise.
Thameslink is a National Rail service.
The Overground is a National Rail network, subcontracted to London Transport.
The Elizabeth Line line is a British Rail line branded as part if the Underground.
So how long has it taken for the current London "Metro" to evolve? It all depends on what to add into to Metro mixing bowl.
Confusing, innit?
For the purpose of this debate, fbb will allow the Elizabeth Line line because it has a traditional name, a traditional roundel and a traditional colour. Readers are welcome to accept or ignore the Overground; it's the end dates that matter!
The full Lizzy Line services began in 2023.
So, it has taken from 1863 to 2023, a total of ...
160 years.
... to create the London Metro that we know today.
Part 3 - How Long In Wuhan?
The first Metro in Wuhan was, surprisingly, LINE 1 ...
... but it is not quite as simple as that.
The latest Metro to open is LINE 12 which can be spotted in the centre of the full network map ...
... but it is not quite as simple as that! The line becomes a full circle later this year.
So, when did construction of the 2026 network of Wuhan Metro begin?
... but it is not quite as simple as that! The line becomes a full circle later this year.
Certainly NOT 1868!
The first section of Line 1 opened in ...
2004
... and just 22 years later we have the network seen above!
How's High Speed 1 going, UK?
How's the Bakerloo to Lewisham going?
What about Docklands to Thamesmead?
What about Crossrail 2?
Is it perhaps a "sad reflection on something" that it takes one of these ...
... to get things done; whlst one of these ...
... seems to struggle.
Or is the UK no longer economically strong enough to handle the big projects?
Tomorrow, no cynicism, just a better look a Wuhan and its Metro!
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For the next few days, in a snippet on each blog, fbb will outline the possible reasons, the experiences and the possible consequences of the last week or so. The squeamish or hospital phobic should not read this diary!
EIGHT DAYS INSIDE (Weds 27th May Part 1)
On 26th Dr Kar had d8scussed fbb's frail state, measured his blood pressure and, after three attemots at "perforation" had failed to take blood. Fortunately the surgery's phlebotomist was available and without an appointment bloods were successfully extrracted.
The results were back on 27th with Dr Kar having arranged an emergency admission to "Acute Medical" at Exeter.
That was the only tine that fbb felt fearful!
He remembers saying to Mrs fbb, "We may have to come to terms with the very real possibility that this might be the beginning of the end."
But then he no longer felt fearful.
Well FBB, which political system would you prefer to live under - the one that governs Wuhan, or the one that governs the UK?
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