Phew, what a weekend... The Ric Rack Club and my good friend Claire's 30th on Saturday... and a Sunday full of 1938 tube trains, RM1 buses and The Sarah Siddons (an early electric loco).
I haven't get gathered all the photos of Saturday, so I shall do a separate Birthday and Ric Rack post. In the mean time, here is a postcard from...
Metro-Land
The Metropolitan Railway opened in 1863 and was the world's first underground line. The name "Metro-Land" was the brainchild of James Garland, who worked for the Metropolitan Line's publicity department. Used to promote what the company first called its extension line, and later its main line, the term was featured in advertisements and promotions from 1915 to 1934.
Metro-land lies in north west London, with it's tracks sprawling into Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Middlesex. This expansion into the "suburbs" began early in the 20th century and the Metropolitan Railway provided local transportation. This was an independent company until the London Passenger Transport Board, or LPTB, took over in 1933 (in 1934 the name Underground was taken on... see this post for more).
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| Miss G in Metro-Land |
The Metropolitan Railway opened in 1863 and was the world's first underground line. The name "Metro-Land" was the brainchild of James Garland, who worked for the Metropolitan Line's publicity department. Used to promote what the company first called its extension line, and later its main line, the term was featured in advertisements and promotions from 1915 to 1934.
Metro-land lies in north west London, with it's tracks sprawling into Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Middlesex. This expansion into the "suburbs" began early in the 20th century and the Metropolitan Railway provided local transportation. This was an independent company until the London Passenger Transport Board, or LPTB, took over in 1933 (in 1934 the name Underground was taken on... see this post for more).
Initially, in 1868, the line ran from Baker Street to Swiss Cottage. It ventured into Harrow by 1880, onto Rickmansworth in 1887, Chesham in 1889 and furrowed even deeper into the Chiltern Hills by arriving in Aylesbury by 1892... that's a lot of track!
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| A map of Metro-Land's lengthy tracks |
"Live in Metro-land" was an idea developed in 1903 by the Metropolitan Co. who developed a housing estate at Cecil Park in Pinner... the first of many enterprises over the next 30 years (other estates cropped up in places such as Rickmansworth, Amersham, Croxley Green, Wembley Park, Hillingdon and Ruislip. Many were conceived during the 1930s housing boom, as briefly looked at here.) By 1919 the company was thriving with it's own Country Estates Company, with the "Live in Metro-land" slogan... such a popular catchphrase it was even etched on the door handles of Met train carriages!
It even reared it's head in literature... before the end of WWI George R. Sims had incorporated the term in verse...
"I know a land where the wild flowers grow,
Near, near at hand if by train you go,
Metroland, Metroland".
By the 1920s, the word was so ingrained within the public consciousness that Evelyn Waugh mentions the locale... in "Decline and Fall" (1928) the Hon Margot Beste-Chetwynd marries a certain Viscount Metroland.... Lady Metroland then reappears in his 1930's book "Vile Bodies".
Most notoriously the poet, writer and broadcaster, Sir John Betjeman penned many a verse with Metropolitan turf as his muse...
"When melancholy autumn comes to Wembley,
And electric trains are lighted after tea"
(except from the poem "Harrow on the Hill" by John Betjeman)
It isn't just literature into which Metro-Land has crept. Because the film production studios of Borehamwood and Pinewood were in easy reach, the area was often used as a setting for TV programmes... especially in the '60s. To the extent that it is also known as "Avengerland". Programmes such as The Avengers, The Saint and Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) were all shot in the locale, so if you watch one of them you'll often see archetypal Metro-Land railway stations and quiet suburban streets home to conspiracy, action and espionage!
Rather amazing to think really, that what began as a small suburban railway area, grew to such an extent that it inspired a Poet Laureate and was home to Honor Blackman's cat suit!
But enough of the waffle... here are some snaps from our day out...
But enough of the waffle... here are some snaps from our day out...
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| In the 1938 tube stock at Amersham |
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| Chris inside the '38 stock |
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| Me inside the '38 stock... those seats are comfy! |
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| Even the lighting was stylish in art deco glass! |
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Vogueing on the Metro! |
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| Up to no good inside the drivers cab on the Sarah Siddons. This was great! What a feat of engineering |
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| At the wheel of RM1. The cab is at least 4 ft off the ground so getting in was tricky... getting out even more so! It must have been quite a sight! |
If you get a chance to go on one of The London Transport Museum's Heritage days it's well worth a visit, such a wonderful way to spend a day out, and a great way to get up close to some marvellous machinery... also, one can wear a hat and gloves in stylish surroundings!
18 comments:
I love this! Your outfit is amazing, that coat is so lovely, and I want that hat in a about a dozen colors. Your fella is quite dapper too!
Thank you so much for your lovely comment Emily&Gracie... it was the coat's first outing, I love the pockets, they can fit a small house inside! The Chap... well, he's a good fashion accessory y'know ... He also make a smashing cup of tea ;)! xxx
What a day out, wish I'd been there! Loving the coat, is it original? xx
As soon as I stumbled across the news of Sunday's Heritage run (while researching for my post on '20s New York subways) I thought to myself - "I'll bet Gemma from Bake Do & Mend will be going to that."! ;-)
Some great pics, as ever. Gives me a chance to see what I'm missing!
Surely you're a shoo-in for the best dressed Gal (& Chap)? You really ought to enter the competition!
http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/events/vehicles-on-the-move
Ah, you have entered the competition I see. Best of luck! (Should be a walkover... ;-))
Fantastic coat, pics, day out, everything in fact!
Looks as if you had a spiffing day our and both of you looked every inch the couple about town.
Your hat is beautiful, is that a little buckle on it?
Harriett x
Allo All...
JENNIE: Thank you for coat love, I love said item too... it's a 40s coat, there were two of them made for some sisters. The larger one was for sale... it's actually double breasted, but I've tacked that part inside to create a '30s line.
BRUCE: I giggled when you said that you thought of me when you saw the ad as I was sent a link about the evnt at least ten times... it's nice to be thought of :D. I do hope we win, I'd love to have free entry to the LTM all year!
STRAIGHT TALKING MAMA: :D Thank you... I'm loving the fact people love the coat as much as I do!
TALLULAH MAY: Thank you for your kind comments, we did feel rather spiffing, Chris went especially to trouble by dusting down his collarless shirt... alas a small tantrum esued as he had no shirt studs!
BRIGHT YOUNG TWINS: It is indeed a little buckle, I think it's backelite.. the band is half felt and half grossgrain ribbon, I think it's my favourite hat
xx
HAT + Coat + Gloves = so elegant!!!
I was looking at Penalton jackets yesterday at the flea market, but with the tempt being 100 here in Southern California, I couldn't bear putting one on to see if it fit. ;)
Ahh will have to come back to read this post properly when I haven’t got a temperature and a hankie welded to my nose as it does look interesting! But for now it was nice seeing your scrumptious clothes! To see a nice hat and coat always cheers the heart of this girl! Tupps x
what a lovely day! I love your hat!
What a fab day out! And a gorge outfit to boot :)
I've just moved away from Ruislip - a station so unchanged it is used for filming to this day.
The Metropolitan line is one of my favourite tube lines- from virtual countryside 10 min walk from Eastcote or Ruislip stations to the very centre of London in under half an hour! Wow! That's super now... in the 20s-30s it must have been a revealation.
This outfit is just perfect!
-Andi x
I love this outfit!
Amazing pics... I love your hat especially! You look like a film star :)
My goodness, these pictures are just perfection! What an interesting outing.
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