On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 18:35:41 +0000 (UTC),
wrote:


Has anyone an earlier date than 1900 for the use of the expression
'the tube'?
I believe the 'Daily Mail' referred to the 'Two-penny Tube' on 4
August 1900; but was the Underground called 'the tube' before then?

You have to remember that "tube" is descriptive of the tunneling
method used for the deep lines, as opposed to the shallow
cut-and-cover of the early District/Metropolitan. Since the first
real "tube" was the City & South London Railway between Borough and
King William Street opening 18/12/1890, there's not going to be any
reference much earlier than that. The "Two-Penny Tube" was
specifically the Central London Railway which opened 30/07/00 (between
Shepherd's Bush and Bank), reflecting their flat-rate fare structure
that was an early marketing ploy, but it would have had to rely on
"tube" being a existing recognised nomenclature.
--
Nick Cooper

[Carefully remove the detonators from my e-mail address to reply!]

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