The London Underground is the world’s oldest metro system. Starting with the Metropolitan Railway (now the Metropolitan line) which opened way back in the 1860s, it has continued to grow ever since. With such a long history, that makes the London Underground the perfect subject for a quiz!
Over the next eleven days I will be posting one quiz per day, each focusing upon a specific line on the Underground. First up is the aforementioned grandaddy of the network: the Metropolitan line.
Answers to the questions can be found at the bottom of the page.
Good luck and stay well!
The Metropolitan Line Quiz: Questions
Q1.
The Metropolitan line- originally known as the Metropolitan Railway- first came into service on 10 January 1863. How many passengers did it carry on that historic day? Your answer can be to the nearest 1000.
Q2.
The illustration above depicts the Metropolitan Railway being constructed. By what name was this method of engineering commonly known?
Q3. When it first opened in 1863, how many stations did the Metropolitan Railway serve? If you can name them you’re entitled to a bonus point for each, although original names must be used where applicable!
Q4. On the 14 November 1864 a certain event resulted in an early case of severe overcrowding on the Underground. What exactly were Londoners travelling to see?
Q5.
For some time in its history, the Metropolitan Railway stretched a lot further north than it does today, terminating at a station named Verney Junction. In what county was this station located?
Q6.
One of the Metropolitan Railway’s early electric locomotives was named after the famous actress pictured above. What was her name?
Q7. London Underground’s highest station above sea level is on the Metropolitan line. Which one is it?
Q8.
The brief clip above, which was filmed onboard a Metropolitan line A Stock carriage, is taken from which 1981 horror film?
Q9. Baker Street station boasts 10 platforms; more than any other Underground station. How many of those platforms are served by the Metropolitan line?
Q10.
On a black and white tube map (designed for colour blind passengers) which of the above represents the Metropolitan line; A, B or C?
Answers
Q1: 38,000.
Q2: ‘Cut and Cover’. This was the method use for London’s earlier lines which are closer to the surface than the later, deeper tube tunnels.
Q3: Seven: Bishop’s Road (now Paddington), Edgware Road, Baker Street, Portland Road (now Great Portland Street), Gower Street (now Euston Square), King’s Cross and Farringdon Street (now known simply as Farringdon).
Q4: The public execution of Franz Muller which occurred outside Newgate gaol. Muller was the first person to have committed murder onboard a train (his crime occurred near Hackney Wick on a service out of Fenchurch Street). Muller’s hanging was one of the last public executions to occur in England.
Q5: Buckinghamshire.
Q6: Sarah Siddons.
Q7: Amersham (147 m. above sea level).
Q8: The Omen III.
Q9: Four.
Q10: C.
How did you get on? Let me known in the comments! And if you enjoyed this quiz please share it with your friends.
Tomorrow’s questions will be on the Bakerloo line.
I’m no good at a quiz about the tube, as I rarely used it. I used to either drive, or get buses, depending where I was working. Every time I used a tube, even after 50 years of travelling around London, I had to look at the iconic map to see how to get anywhere.
My main experience with the tube was people jumping under trains when I was in the London Ambulance Service.
Cheers, Pete.
I bet you know more than you realise about the tube Pete…stay well 😉
50% hopefully do better tomorrow!
Not bad Kate 🙂 Thanks for trying.
5, and 3 of those were on Q3..
As was written many times on my school reports, ‘must try harder’!
Ha ha! Still a good effort in my book Graham 😉
Got the cut and cover and Amersham but not the rest hope to do better on the next one you are doing a great job keeping our old grey matter working stay safe and be lucky Rob
All the best Bill
Really appreciate that Bill, many thanks. Hope you’re keeping well- and best of luck for the next one!
4/10. correct were 2,5,7,10. Happy with that. 7 was 50/50 between amersham and Chesham as both are in the chiltern hills. I didn’t know the met went to verney junction but I knew that station was in Buckinghamshire so a bit lucky there. Should have got number 4 correct as I know a lot about the Franz Muller case but didn’t add 2 + 2 together to answer the question
Interesting thoughts Matt, thanks for giving it a go 🙂
5/10, happy with that as love the history of the underground but hopeless remembering numbers. Looking forward to the rest of the week!
Good attempt, Helen!
Hopeless scores, but found these quizes really interesting and the starting points for lots of pleasurable Googling while locked-down.
Hopefully I will do better on my most travelled line, Picadilly (if there is a quiz on that one)
Many thanks for taking the time to keep us entertained. It is greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your kind words Michael, that means a to to me. There will indeed by a quiz on the Piccadilly line- watch this space! Thanks again and stay well.
Thanks ,I found your quiz very interesting, I left the U.K. in 1959 so consequently my score was pretty bad.
Many thanks Clive.
Well, I got one right: cut-and-cover. Learned a lot though. These quizzes are brilliant!
Many thanks Roff 🙂 Much appreciated.