Mind the Gap – A Day at the London Transport Museum

RTBU members travelling to the Old Dart should keep in mind a visit to the London Transport Museum.

The Museum, centrally located in Covent Garden, contains a treasure trove of public transport memorabilia, and explains the history of one of the world’s most iconic transport networks.

Did you know, for example that London’s original bus drivers in the 19^th century were called ‘hackneys’, and drove horse-drawn carriages?  Over time, the hackneys were replaced by London’s first omnibus services, which were also pulled by horses, but went along set routes – a type of service that was all the rage in Paris.

London’s transport network has come a long way since then – through the introduction of the first horse-drawn trams, the development of the first rail lines, the construction of the London Underground (‘the Tube’) to link up the major train stations, the rise of the motor car and now the renaissance of light rail.

The Docklands Light Rail project will be a vital part of the transport equation for the Olympic Games next year – taking people from the city to the main stadium and sporting venues in North East London.

Buses, of course, have remained a central part of the transport system in London and across the UK, and just recently the UK’s largest guided-busway was opened in Cambridgeshire – with several more planned or being built around the country.

For more about the London Transport Museum, go to ltmuseum.co.uk