Collection GB 0074 ACC/1297/MDR - METROPOLITAN DISTRICT RAILWAY

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 ACC/1297/MDR

Title

METROPOLITAN DISTRICT RAILWAY

Date(s)

  • 1864-1934 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

2.43 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The Metropolitan District Railway (MDR) was formed in 1864 in order to raise capital to complete the 'Inner Circle' railway being constructed by the Metropolitan Railway, who constructed the line between Mansion House and South Kensington via Kings Cross. The MDR completed the section of line between South Kensington and Mansion House via Blackfriars, finishing by 1871. The expectation was that the two companies would merge once work was completed. However, they instead had a falling out over finances (and a personality clash of the two Chairmen) and began to run separate services using the same lines. Some agreement was eventually reached so that the final section of line, between Mansion House and Aldgate, was completed in 1884, thus forming the modern day Circle Line.

In an attempt to improve their finances the MDR embarked on a series of line expansions, to Hammersmith in 1874, Richmond in 1877, Ealing Broadway in 1879, Putney Bridge in 1880, Hounslow in 1883, and Wimbledon in 1889. The Whitechapel to Upminster line extension was opened in 1902. The line was electrified in 1905, following the construction of a power station at Lots Road. The majority of the line cosntructed by the MDR forms the modern London Underground District Line, although some sections of line (Ealing to Uxbridge) are now on the Piccadilly Line. The MDR was purchased by Underground Electric Railways Company of London Limited and subsequently became part of the London Passenger Transport Board in 1933.

Archival history

GB 0074 ACC/1297/MDR 1864-1934 Collection 2.43 linear metres Metropolitan District Railway

The Metropolitan District Railway (MDR) was formed in 1864 in order to raise capital to complete the 'Inner Circle' railway being constructed by the Metropolitan Railway, who constructed the line between Mansion House and South Kensington via Kings Cross. The MDR completed the section of line between South Kensington and Mansion House via Blackfriars, finishing by 1871. The expectation was that the two companies would merge once work was completed. However, they instead had a falling out over finances (and a personality clash of the two Chairmen) and began to run separate services using the same lines. Some agreement was eventually reached so that the final section of line, between Mansion House and Aldgate, was completed in 1884, thus forming the modern day Circle Line.

In an attempt to improve their finances the MDR embarked on a series of line expansions, to Hammersmith in 1874, Richmond in 1877, Ealing Broadway in 1879, Putney Bridge in 1880, Hounslow in 1883, and Wimbledon in 1889. The Whitechapel to Upminster line extension was opened in 1902. The line was electrified in 1905, following the construction of a power station at Lots Road. The majority of the line cosntructed by the MDR forms the modern London Underground District Line, although some sections of line (Ealing to Uxbridge) are now on the Piccadilly Line. The MDR was purchased by Underground Electric Railways Company of London Limited and subsequently became part of the London Passenger Transport Board in 1933.

Received in 1975 as part of an accession of records from London Transport.

Records of the Metropolitan District Railway, including minutes of Board Meetings, General Meetings, the Traffic, Way and Works Committee, the Law, Parliamentary and Lands Committee, Stock Holders Meetings, Executive Officers Meetings and Standing Joint Committee; guard books containing copies of agreements with other railway companies and non-railway companies; volumes of statistics; financial ledgers; volumes of monthly reports; notices issued jointly with Piccadilly Line of London Electric Railway, concerning track and signal alterations and the bringing into use of new lines in connection with the extension of Piccadilly Line trains to Hounslow, South Harrow and Enfield West and Shareholders' Association circulars, newspaper cuttings and so on.

ACC/1297/MDR/01: Minutes; ACC/1297/MDR/02: Legal documents; ACC/1297/MDR/03: Miscellaneous documents; ACC/1297/MDR/04: Accounts and Statistics; ACC/1297/MDR/25: Valuation.

Available for general access.

Copyright to these records rests with the depositor.

English

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

A guard book (former reference ACC/1297/MDR4/15) containing a collection of photographs of stations on the undermentioned railways: Metropolitan District Railway (District Railway); Great Northern Piccadilly and Brompton Railway (Piccadilly Tube); Baker Street and Waterloo Railway (Bakerloo Tube); Charing Cross Euston and Hampstead Railway (Hampstead Tube) has been withdrawn by the depositor. Please consult the London Transport Museum Photograph Section.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

November 2009 to February 2010 Urban transport Organizations Transport organizations Information sources Documents Business records Transport infrastructure Railways Underground railway networks Enterprises Companies Transport companies Public transport Transport Transport planning Urban transport development Company archives Metropolitan District Railway Company London Underground , District Line London Underground , Piccadilly Line London Underground , Circle Line Underground Electric Railways Company of London Ltd London England UK Western Europe Europe

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Received in 1975 as part of an accession of records from London Transport.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the Metropolitan District Railway, including minutes of Board Meetings, General Meetings, the Traffic, Way and Works Committee, the Law, Parliamentary and Lands Committee, Stock Holders Meetings, Executive Officers Meetings and Standing Joint Committee; guard books containing copies of agreements with other railway companies and non-railway companies; volumes of statistics; financial ledgers; volumes of monthly reports; notices issued jointly with Piccadilly Line of London Electric Railway, concerning track and signal alterations and the bringing into use of new lines in connection with the extension of Piccadilly Line trains to Hounslow, South Harrow and Enfield West and Shareholders' Association circulars, newspaper cuttings and so on.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

ACC/1297/MDR/01: Minutes; ACC/1297/MDR/02: Legal documents; ACC/1297/MDR/03: Miscellaneous documents; ACC/1297/MDR/04: Accounts and Statistics; ACC/1297/MDR/25: Valuation.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Available for general access.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright to these records rests with the depositor.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

A guard book (former reference ACC/1297/MDR4/15) containing a collection of photographs of stations on the undermentioned railways: Metropolitan District Railway (District Railway); Great Northern Piccadilly and Brompton Railway (Piccadilly Tube); Baker Street and Waterloo Railway (Bakerloo Tube); Charing Cross Euston and Hampstead Railway (Hampstead Tube) has been withdrawn by the depositor. Please consult the London Transport Museum Photograph Section.

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area