Which London Underground line began as the Central London Railway in 1900?

The Central line began as the Central London Railway in 1900.

The railway opened on 30 June 1900, running between Shepherd’s Bush and Bank. It was built as a deep-level electric railway across central London and quickly became known by the nickname “Twopenny Tube” because of its flat two-pence fare.

The Central London Railway was absorbed into the London Passenger Transport Board in 1933. Its route and identity later became part of the London Underground’s Central line. The line eventually expanded far beyond the original central section, reaching western and eastern suburbs.

The Central line is shown in red on the Tube map. It should not be confused with the Metropolitan Railway, which opened in 1863 and was a different company and route. The Central line’s original railway was a deep-level Tube rather than a cut-and-cover railway.