Baker Street: The World's First Underground…

Opened on 10th January 1863 as part of the Metropolitan Railway, Baker Street was home to the launch of a revolutionary idea – carrying passengers beneath Victorian London’s congested streets. Glitzy those streets were not. 

Cutting a 90-minute journey to just 20 minutes, the ‘Met’ revolutionised travel in the city and provided the foundation for Metro systems across the world. 

Stuart and I explored closed-off parts of the station including original platforms, disused lift shafts and corridors that are hidden in plain sight - some of which were last accessed by the public over 75 years ago in 1945. 

We learned about the station’s history as the Operational Headquarters for London Underground, and heard first-hand accounts from those who worked (and played) there over the years. 

The tour, run by Hidden London, took us on a historical journey through the 160 years of the station, starting with the early days of Victorian underground steam travel and ending in the busy station of 10 platforms and five Underground lines that it is today. Along the way, we heard what the very first passengers thought of underground travel in 1863, how the Underground grew and expanded over the next 16 decades, and how Baker Street served not only passengers, but also London Underground staff.

Great fun.