IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0074 ACC/1297/M&DJ
Held at: London Metropolitan Archives
Title: METROPOLITAN AND METROPOLITAN DISTRICT JOINT RAILWAY
Date(s): 1868-1933
Level of description: Collection
Extent: 3.57 linear metres
Name of creator(s): Metropolitan Railway Company
Metropolitan District Railway Company
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
The Metropolitan Railway and the Metropolitan District Railway were two separate companies responsible for the construction of the first two underground railways in London. The Metropolitan Railway was begun in 1860, running between Farringdon and Paddington through Kings Cross. This was extended to Hammersmith in 1864 and Moorgate in 1865. Plans were made for an 'Inner Circle' which would link the two ends of the line. A line between Paddington and South Kensington was opened in 1868 and between Moorgate and Aldgate in 1876.
The line between South Kensington and Mansion House was constructed by the Metropolitan District Railway in 1871, which was founded to raise the capital needed to complete the Inner Circle. The expectation was that the two companies would merge once work was completed. However, they instead had a falling out over finances (and a personality clash of the two Chairmen) and began to run separate services using the same lines. Some agreement was eventually reached so that the final section of line, between Mansion House and Aldgate, was completed in 1884. Both companies continued to expand beyond the Inner Circle, thus laying the foundations of the modern London Underground Circle, Hammersmith and City, District and Metropolitan lines.
The two companies formed a joint committee from 1901 to work together on the electrification of the Inner Circle. The Metropolitan District Railway was subsequently purchased by Underground Electric Railways Company of London Limited (later the London Electric Railway). Both companies became part of the London Passenger Transport Board in 1933.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Records of the Metropolitan and Metropolitan District Joint Railway, including Joint Working Committee minutes and indexes; minutes of the Joint Committee (City Lines and Extensions), with reports and statements; minutes of the Electric Traction Joint Committee; minutes of the Joint Committee for working the District Railway, minutes of the Joint Consultative Committee; minutes of the City Lines and Extension to East London Railway Joint Committee; notes of meetings of Board of Works, Corporation of London, Commissioners of Sewers; and guard book of plans (44 feet to one inch) of Whitechapel, Cannon Street, Mansion House, King William Street (now Bank) and Trinity Square (now Tower Hill) Stations.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
ACC/1297/M&DJ/01: Minutes; ACC/1297/M&DJ/03: Plans.
Conditions governing access:
Available for general access.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Copyright to these records rests with the depositor.
Finding aids:
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
Received in 1975 as part of an accession of records from London Transport.
ALLIED MATERIALS
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Date(s) of descriptions: November 2009 to February 2010