LONDON TRANSPORT

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0074 ACC/1297
Held at	: London Metropolitan Archives   Click here to find out how to view this collection at https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma ›
Full title	: LONDON TRANSPORT
Date(s)	: 1853-1934
Level of description	: Collection
Extent	: 76.43 linear metres
Name of creator(s)	: Various

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

In 1929 the London County Council tramways, the Underground railways and the London General Omnibus Company proposed to coordinate their services. It was not until 1933, however, that the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB) was established by law. During the Second World War the government assumed control of the LPTB, and remained in charge until 1947. In that year the Transport Act set up the British Transport Commission, which appointed executive bodies to deal with transport throughout the country. One of these took over the whole of road and rail transport in London, while the LPTB became the London Transport Executive in 1948.

Between 1970 and 1984 the Greater London Council (GLC) was responsible for the overall policy and finances of London Transport, while the London Tranport Executive was responsible for the day-to-day management and operation of services. On the abolition of the GLC in 1984, London Regional Transport was formed as a statutory corporation responsible to the government. It set up a number of wholly owned subsidiaries, including London Underground Limited and London Buses Limited. In 1990 London Regional Transport became known again as London Transport for all but legal purposes.

The Metropolitan Railway Company was responsible for the construction of the world's first underground passenger railway. Work began on the line in 1860, running from Paddington to King's Cross and then on to Farringdon Street. The first trial journey was held in 1862, with the line opened to the public in January 1863. The railway proved popular and extensions were constructed, the first being to Hammersmith by 1864 and Moorgate by 1865. In 1905 an electric service was introduced. In 1933 the Metropolitan Railway was taken over by the London Passenger Transport Board.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Papers of predecessor companies of London Transport. More information regarding each company can be found in the separate sub-fonds entry for that company.

Companies:
Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway
Baker Street And Waterloo Railway
Central London Railway Minutes
Central London Railway Correspondence, Contracts, Reports, Etc.
City And South London Railway
City And South London Railway
Charing Cross, Euston And Hampstead Railway
Earls Court Grounds Limited
Edgware And Hampstead Railway
Great Northern And City Railway
Great Northern Piccadilly And Brompton Railway
Hammersmith And City Railway
Hounslow And Metropolitan Railway
Harrow And Uxbridge Railway
Hammersmith And City Railway
Kingston And London Railway
London Electric Railway
London General Country Services (Buses)
London General Omnibus Company
Lots Road Power House
London Passenger Transport Board
London And Suburban Traction Company (Tramways)
London Transport Board Reports And Accounts
London Transport Executive Files
London United Tramways
Metropolitan And Metropolitan District Joint Railways
Metropolitan And District Electric Traction Company
Metropolitan District Railway
Metropolitan Electric Tramway
Metropolitan And Great Central Joint Railways
Morden Station Garage
Metropolitan And St Johns Wood Railway Company
Metropolitan Tower Construction Company
North Metropolitan Tramways
Railway Equipment And Construction Company
South Metropolitan Electric Tramways
Tramways M.E.T. Omnibus Company
Underground Electric Railways
Union Construction Company
Union Surplus Lands Company
Whitechapel And Bow Railway
Watford Joint Railway Committee - Metropolitan And London North Eastern Railways
Watford And Edgware Railway
Wembley Park Estate Company

Also bus companies comprising:
A1 Bus Company
Acme Pullman Services (Buses)
Alberta Omnibus
Amersham And District Motor Bus And Haulage Company
Associated Omnibus Company
Atlas Omnibus Company
C W Batten And Company Limited (Buses)
Bracklin And Vandy Limited (Buses)
Britannia Traction Company
Brixton Motor Omnibus Company
Bucks Expresses (Buses)
Cambrian Coaching And Goods Transport Limited
Cambrian Landray Coaching Limited
Celtic Omnibus Company
Central Omnibus Company
Chesham And District Bus Company
Cosgrove Omnibus Company
Criterion Omnibus Company
Dangerfield Limited (Buses)
Direct Omnibus Company
District Omnibus Company
Dominion Omnibus Company
East Ham Omnibus Company
Empress Omnibus Company
Fleet Omnibus Company
Florence Omnibus Company
Gearless Motor Omnibus Company
Grafton Omnibus Company
Grangewood Omnibus Company
Green Line Coaches Limited
Haywood And Nowell Limited (Buses)
Horseshoe Traction Company
Invicta Traction Company (Buses)
Jockey Omnibus Company
Lea Valley Omnibus Company
Legion Omnibus Company
London Road Car Company
Lonsdale Omnibus Company
Loveland Omnibus Company
Mcmahon Omnibus Company
Marathon Omnibus Company
Mason Omnibus Company
Metropolitan Steam Omnibus Company
New Central Omnibus Company
Northern Omnibus Company
Nulli Secundus Omnibus Company
Olympic Traction Company
Omnibus Proprietors Limited
Overground Limited (Buses)
Edward Paul Limited (Buses)
Pc Omnibus Company
Priest Brothers (Buses)
Primrose Omnibus Company
Ra Motor Services
Charles Randall Limited (Buses)
Reburn's Motor Services
Shamrock Traction Company
Skylark Motor Coach Company
Silver Star Omnibus Company
Superbus Limited
T And W Omnibus Company
Tottenham Hotspur Omnibus Company
Tower Carriers Limited
Unique Omnibus Company
Victoria Road Car Company
Vivid Omnibus Company
W And P Omnibus Company
Watford Omnibus Company
Wellington Omnibus Company
Western Omnibus Company
White Star Omnibus Company
London And South Coast Transport Limited
National Omnibus And Transport Company

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

This collection is arranged in 44 sub-fonds, one for each predecessor company.

Conditions governing access:

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copyright 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.

Allied Materials

Related material:

For other records of London Transport please see ACC/1306, ACC/1687, ACC/1435, ACC/2398, ACC/2414 and ACC/3029. For other records of the Metropolitan Railway Company see ACC/1307 and LMA/4029.

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
July to October 2009