Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Metropolitan and District Electric Traction Company
Metropolitan District Railway
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The Metropolitan and District Electric Traction Company was formed in 1901 to electrify the Metropolitan District Railway (now the District Line). This included the construction of the Lots Road Power Station to supply electricity. The American investor who owned the Metropolitan District Railway, Charles Yerkes, favoured using DC power with third rail pick-up; while a joint committee of the Metropolitan Railway and the Metropolitan District Railway had favoured AC traction. A Board of Trade ruling led to the use of DC. The District Railway was electrified by 1905.