Certified train buff or not, there’s something quite thrilling about speeding through London’s leafy suburbs in a vintage tube carriage. And later this month you’ll be able to do just that, thanks to a new experience on offer from the folk at London Transport Museum (LTM).
On Saturday July 25 and Sunday July 26, head all the way down to the end of the Metropolitan line to Amersham and you’ll be transported back to the 1930s and ’50s thanks to nostalgic tube and train services. Passengers have the rare opportunity of choosing between two beautiful vintage trains.
One option is to hop on board a 1938 Metropolitan line train, which has been elegantly restored in signature art deco style with red and green wool upholstery and retro light fittings. The London Underground’s 1938 stock were a big deal. It was the first of its kind to have all the electrical equipment underneath the floor, revolutionising capacity and customer space. The trains served the capital for nearly 50 years.
Or you can choose to be pulled in 1950s carriages by a 1920s Metro-land loco. In non-train-buff speak, the ‘Metro-lands’ were powerful electric engines used by the Metropolitan Railway in the 1920s, built to transport passengers between central London and the newly built, northern suburbs – aka, Metro-land. They were typically named after famous people and this one is called Sarah Siddons after the 18th century Welsh actress.
Sarah Siddons is one of the few electric locomotives still operating today. It’s now only usually seen at special events – so this is a rare chance to ride on train carriages hauled by it. The coaches are ex-British Rail 4TC carriages (essentially, ‘trailers’ that had to be pulled or pushed by a separate locomotive) and are all decked in stunning red upholstery.
Both of the experiences will depart from Amersham station, but you can choose from three different routes along the Metropolitan line. On Saturday, you can choose a return journey that takes you to and from Amersham via Watford. On Sunday, the return service will go to Harrow-on-the-Hill before travelling back to Amersham. Both Saturday and Sunday also offer single journeys to Harrow-on-the-Hill. The LTM notes that for return journeys on the 1950s train, Sarah Siddons will haul half of the journey, and a Class 20 locomotive will haul the rest.
Forget tapping in with your Oyster card for this one. Adult tickets start at £22, going up to £40, though there are concession rates for kids. You can find out more about ticket times and bookings on the London Transport Museum website here.
Did you see that this London tube line is officially the fastest – and it’s about to get even faster?
Plus: the London Transport Museum is getting a spectacular upgrade for its 50th birthday.
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