How the world's first metro system was built - Christian Wolmar

It was the dawn of 1863, and London's not-yet-opened subway system — the first of its kind in the world — had the city in an uproar. Most people thought the project, which cost more than 100 million dollars in today's money, would never work. So how did they do it? Christian Wolmar explains how the London Underground was built at a time when no one had built a railway under a city before.

Lesson by Christian Wolmar, animation by TED-Ed.

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[Bastogne]

Also the London Underground map was arguably a revolutionary design in of itself. Great upload TED Ed.

[akbrahma]

1863 London had commuters, street vendors and cows. Wonder how London dealt with that problem. Multiple lines of tube transport a 140 years ago. London was the truly the Rome of 19th century.

[TEDEd]

For everyone who got two notifications about this lesson, sorry about that! We had a glitch in the original video and had to remove it and re-upload. Thanks for sticking with us, we hope you enjoy the lesson!

[alexanderpbyron]

For anyone wondering, the Metropolitan Railway is now the Metropolitan Line on today’s London tube map, and the station they animated is now part of the Circle Line, at Baker Street

[sagarkamble]

I just love ted-ed they explain very easily....❤

[mrrolandlawrence]

0:58 and that is why many countries call their underground trains "metro" - named after the 1st underground train the metropolitan line.. useless fact: i used to take that train from moor park to baker street every day for work :P

[Andrewjg_]

London does love its own transport. Including the London Underground, London Overground, Emirates Air-Line cable car, Docklands Light Railway, Tramlink, Buses, Taxis, Santander bike hire, TfL Rail, National Rail (including Thameslink) and of course the Elizabeth Line which is to open next year.

[TommoCarroll]

Have lived in London for our entire lives and did not know that about the metropolitan line! It's weird to consider that gridlock could still occur back then simply with carts and the like! Great video as always Ted-Ed!

[danienordin]

The weird part is that even in 2018, I'm still amazed with this innovation that dued in the 19th century!

[mona]

Even as a Londoner I am always fascinated by the underground map

[theungivn]

I would have thought Glasgow, the third subway system in the world, would have been mentioned in that list. Great video. Would love to see one on the various ways used to move the carriages.

[HistoryHouseProductions]

I really like the way they animate these videos. It must take so much time!

[derpboi]

I recently took a trip to Europe form the USA. I went to London and was amazed at everything. One of my favorite things was the London Underground station that was directly under our hotel, St. Pancras. The trains go extremely fast and you will get to your destination quicker than a car shoots out exhaust. Seriously, if you’ve never been out of your country, you will love London. Please like this comment! And by the way, I am the youngest person for 5 generations back to go to Europe. Yes, I’m 10 years old. Boo-Yah! Man, was that fun!

Just saying: Budapest is way out of place on that map.

[jeffallinson]

Great upload, thank you for this. Been on the London undergrouind many times (I live a long way up north in Yorkshire) and it is always exciting and a great way to move around the city without using congested roads.

[딴따라-kf]

While London built a subway, my country, Korea, was designing a first national map.
What a great city, London.

[spatzvomalexanderplatz]

Pretty cool! But let me say, the Londoner`s call their subway "underground"... The word subway is more american style, not british

[EthanPricco]

Visited London for the first time earlier this year, great city!!! I’m not sure why but during my time there I grew very fascinated with the Underground and now I want to learn everything about it.

[trevordance]

The first deep level underground railway stations in the world opened to the public in 1886 were Liverpool James Street, and Birkenhead Hamilton Square, in the UK. These stations are still in use today and together with other underground stations in central Liverpool form part of the Mersey Rail network.

[thinaphonpetsiri]

The Fireless Steam Locomotives and Condensed Steam Locomotives they used to ran the early London Tube was also fascinating. It shows that people will always found a way to get something to work.