At two metres in diameter, 400 metres in length and running seven metres beneath the bed of the River Thames, the Tower Subway is the world’s first deep-level underground ‘tube’ railway.
When it opened in 1870 the tunnel carried twelve people in an open-top carriage pulled by cables in each direction. However, after technical difficulties it converted to pedestrian use only, charging a halfpenny for each transit. It was a success only cut short by the free pedestrian crossing offered by Tower Bridge when it opened in 1894.
Built by James Henry Greathead using a pioneering circular cast-iron shield, it set the standard for future London Underground lines.
The tunnel runs from Tower Hill to Vine Lane on the south bank. Both termini are visible today, although entry is not possible since the tunnel now houses water mains and telecommunications cables.
Photographs (c) Essential History
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