Central line’s 125th anniversary marked with TfL treasure hunt

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TfL A historic map of the route of the Central line from Ealing Broadway in the west (on the left of the map) and Liverpool Street in the east (on the right of the map). The line is shown with a thick red line, with large red dots to indicate the terminus stations at either end, which are labelled in black writing. Smaller red dots symbolise stations along the route, which are labelled with smaller black writing. Key London landmarks such as Regents Park and the River Thames are visible. A reference legend is shown in a white box in the top left and top right of the map.TfL

The Central line opened in 1900 from Shepherd’s Bush to Bank, and was extended to Liverpool Street in 1912 and Ealing Broadway in 1920

A treasure hunt is being held on 20 September to mark the 125th anniversary of the Central line, as part of London’s Open House Festival.

The free drop-in event starts at Shepherd’s Bush station, running along the line’s original route to Bank, and will run from 10:30 to 15:30 (BST).

The Central line opened as the Central London Railway on 30 July 1900, and is the longest line on the Underground.

The treasure hunt, held by Transport for London (TfL), harks back to the line’s history, with answers at each station found in posters, plaques and artwork.

Participants will pick up a clue pack at Shepherd’s Bush station, which they follow through several stations to the finish line at Bank.

Each station will have its own page in the clue pack, listing several questions which encourage participants to pay attention to the line’s architecture, design and history.

The stations will have a TfL Ambassador to check participants’ progress and offer hints.

The route will pass some of London’s most famous landmarks, including Oxford Circus, St Paul’s Cathedral and Hyde Park.

TfL A black-and-white photo of Gants Hill tube station concourse. There is a wide, sweeping tunnel, with platforms 1 and 2 on either side. These are labelled with overhead signs, with arrows pointing to the platforms. There are also route maps on the walls to the side of each platform.TfL

TfL is encouraging commuters to pay attention to the line’s architecture, including at Gants Hill, which is inspired by the Moscow subway

After the Central line opened in 1900, it was extended eastwards to Liverpool Street in 1912 and westwards to Ealing Broadway in 1920.

Following World War II, the line was extended even further to West Ruislip in the west, and Epping in Essex in the east, making it one of only two Underground lines to run beyond Greater London.

Nowadays, it is the third-busiest line on the network, with over 300 million journeys in 2019.

Many of the line’s historic stations are listed buildings, including the Grade I listed entrance to Bank, and the Grade II listed train shed over the platforms at Notting Hill Gate.

Newer stations are also architecturally significant, such as Gants Hill, inspired by Moscow’s subway system, and White City, which won the Festival of Britain design award in 1951 for its modernist design.

Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor for Transport, said the anniversary marked a “really special milestone”, adding that “the Central line has played an important role in connecting key landmarks right in the heart of our city, ever since it opened as ‘the Twopenny Tube’ in 1900.”

TfL The inside of a Central Line tube carriage. Patterned red and blue seating runs along either side of the carriage, with windows above showing darkness outside. Red poles run from floor to ceiling in the middle of the carriage seating area, and in the standing areas by the doors.TfL

The Central line is the longest line on the London Underground network, at 46 miles (74km) long

The Open House Festival is held every September to celebrate London’s architecture and neighbourhoods, with open days and tours across the city.

Manijeh Verghese, CEO of Open City, the charity which organises the Open House Festival, said: “TfL’s treasure hunt invites people to discover the architecture, design and hidden stories that speak to the London of the present, and anchor the city in its long and storied past.”

The festival runs from 13 to 21 September.

Other events include a drop-in to watch live training at the Lee Valley VeloPark, and guided tours of the new entertainment hub at Olympia.

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