Building the Metropolitan Railway.
This extraordinary photograph from 1862 captures a group of workers constructing the Metropolitan Railway, the world’s first underground railway, right in the heart of London. These men — with pickaxes, waistcoats, and flat caps — were the pioneers of a global revolution in urban transport.
The Metropolitan Railway officially opened in January 1863, running from Paddington to Farringdon. Built using the cut-and-cover method, it required the temporary removal of entire streets, disrupting city life but laying the foundations for what would become the London Underground — a system that today moves millions daily.
The men seen here, frozen mid-task or during a brief rest, remind us of the human effort behind the innovation. Their grit and labour made possible one of the most transformative engineering feats of the 19th century.
🚇 Do you have old photographs of industrial or engineering works in your area? Upload them to Oldpik.com and help us honour the forgotten faces of progress.
The Metropolitan Railway officially opened in January 1863, running from Paddington to Farringdon. Built using the cut-and-cover method, it required the temporary removal of entire streets, disrupting city life but laying the foundations for what would become the London Underground — a system that today moves millions daily.
The men seen here, frozen mid-task or during a brief rest, remind us of the human effort behind the innovation. Their grit and labour made possible one of the most transformative engineering feats of the 19th century.
🚇 Do you have old photographs of industrial or engineering works in your area? Upload them to Oldpik.com and help us honour the forgotten faces of progress.
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Contributed by OldPik on August 22, 2024
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