London's forgotten underground: The subway that sank before it swam
How the world's first underground railway beneath a river opened and closed in the blink of an eye
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How the world's first underground railway beneath a river opened and closed in the blink of an eye
The Tower Subway entrance... coincidentally next to a branch of Subway.
Photo from The Londonist
On August 2, 1870, Londoners witnessed a marvel of engineering as the Tower Subway, the world's first underground railway beneath a river, opened its doors to passengers. This pioneering tunnel, running under the River Thames, promised to revolutionize city transportation. Stretching a mere 1,340 feet, the subway connected Great Tower Hill on the north bank to Tooley Street on the south, offering a quick alternative to the congested London Bridge.
Despite its groundbreaking nature, the Tower Subway's glory was short-lived. The project, spearheaded by engineer Peter W. Barlow and his assistant James Henry Greathead, faced financial troubles from the start. Passengers were ferried across in a cramped wooden carriage pulled by a steel cable – a far cry from the comfort of modern tubes. The novelty quickly wore off, and with dwindling ridership, the subway was forced to close its doors to rail traffic after just a few months of operation.
Though its life as a railway was brief, the Tower Subway refused to fade into obscurity. Following its closure, the tunnel was repurposed as a pedestrian walkway, charging a halfpenny toll. This incarnation lasted until the nearby Tower Bridge opened in 1894, rendering the subway obsolete once again. Today, while no longer accessible to the public, the tunnel continues to serve London silently, housing water mains and telecommunication cables – a hidden testament to Victorian ingenuity beneath the bustling streets of the city.
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