Original Central London Railway Map c.1900.
Issued by the Central London Railway. Lithograph on paper. 33.5cm x 15.5cm. Folded as issued. Guide book edition (Single sided). Excellent condition, one closed fold tear (2cm).
This is the first map issued by the The Central London Railway, upon opening in 1900. Prior to 1908, each of London's underground railways would issue their own maps.
The Central London Railway which is now known as the Central Line on the London Underground, was the first deep level "Tube" in London. London's first two Underground railways (The Metropolitan and then the District Railway) opened in the 1860s and were constructed using a "cut-and-cover" method meaning they ran just below the ground and caused huge disruption during construction. It took the over 3 decades for Parliament to approve another Underground scheme. Indeed in the 1890s, dozens of proposals were made in which just a handful were approved. The breakthrough came with the advancement in tunnelling engineering meaning that a railway line could be constructed through the centre of London without any surface disruption. Therefore, the Central London Railway was approved along with 3 other deep level schemes that would all be operating by 1908.
Famously, the CLR had a flat two-penny fare and earned the nickname "Tuppenny Tube".