London Underground trains are known for their functionality, with basic features such as seats, doors, and handrails. However, this wasn't always the case. In the 1930s, trains were adorned with plush deep-pile carpets.
This luxury began in the early 1900s when the Metropolitan Railway was competing with the Great Central Railway to attract passengers. The Metropolitan line had long journeys, running all the way to Aylesbury from Liverpool Street, which could take up to an hour-and-a-half. READ MORE: Small South London town set to be transformed by Crossrail 2 but people fear Croydon-like high rises To enhance passenger comfort, the Metropolitan collaborated with the Pullman company, known for its luxurious carriages.
They built two carriages for the Metropolitan, complete with deep-pile carpets, wood panelling, comfortable chairs, decorative lamps, and even a bar and restaurant facility. The first two coaches, named Mayflower and Galatea, were painted in Pullman's signature cream and brown colours, later replaced with a coat of red paint. They also had dining facilities where passengers could enjoy a full sit-down meal in tip top conditions.
There was an extra charge for using the Pullman carriages, which helped pay for them along with the sales of food and drink. They tended to run on the line between London and Chesham or Aylesbury, but occasionally went further north. Unfortunately the service did not sit well with plans to modernise the railways and the agreement with Pullman's was allowed to lapse when the Second World War broke out.
The carriages were sold off, and were then used as a timber merchant's shed at Hinchley Wood, before finally being scrapped. But they weren't the only Underground services to be carpeted. The first class compartments on Metropolitan services also had them until the Second World War when First Class travel on the Underground was abolished.
The only other time carpet has been used was in 1974 when it was fitted on a Piccadilly line train, but generally, it did not wear well given the amount of use it got in the dirty conditions of the the tunnels. You can sign up to get the latest London travel news, live updates and fun trivia sent straight to your WhatsApp from the MyLondon team. To get stories sent to you, you need to already have WhatsApp.
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Click here to sign up for WhatsApp alerts. Wooden floors were much preferred back in the day, as they could be easily cleaned. Nowadays, composite flooring is used for similar reasons.
But it's still nice to imagine that once upon a time you could kick back on the London Underground in a comfy chair and run your slippers across the carpet! Our London Underground newsletter brings you the latest travel updates to help you on your commute - as well as a weekly dose of Tube trivia! You can sign up HERE..
