Central London Railway (The Central Line) interest; a very r...

Hammer

£320

Central London Railway (The Central Line) interest; a very rare single 2d journey ticket, number 00002 issued on the 30th July 1900, a return 1 1/2d ticket (after 7.20am) numbered 00019, a single 1 1/2d ticket (between 5am and 7.30am) numbered 00034 and a single 2d ticket numbered 62123, from 2nd August 1900 (the first owners first trip on the train). Sold with a letter from the Central London Railway, dated the 7th August 1900, enclosing two tickets which were used and cancelled on the opening day.
The Central London Railway (CLR) was first proposed in 1889, Parliamentary approval took three years, and raising money took four more. In April 1896 work started, using the same Greathead shield technology as the City & South London Railway (C&SLR), the first deep tube to open in 1890.
The CLR opened on 30 July 1900 as a cross-London route from Shepherd’s Bush to Bank. It was extremely well used from the outset, partly because of the flat fare of two old pence (2d), which inspired the name the ‘Twopenny Tube’. The fact that it appealed to shoppers as well as commuters was also crucial. In 1908, the line was extended west to Wood Lane to serve the White City exhibition site, and four years later was extended eastwards from Bank to Liverpool Street. In 1920, the line was further extended west to Ealing Broadway. (London Transport Museum)