The Metropolitan Railway, the world's first underground line, was opened to the public on 10 January 1863. It connected the mainline railway termini at Paddington, Euston and King's Cross to London's financial heart in the City using gas-lit wooden carriages hauled by steam locomotives. The railway was soon extended and completed the Inner Circle in 1884, but the most important route became the line to Verney Junction in Buckinghamshire, more than 50 miles (80 km) from London. Electric traction was introduced in 1905 and by 1907 electric multiple units operated most of the services. The Railway developed land for housing and after World War I promoted housing estates near the railway with the "Metro-land" brand. On 1 July 1933, the Metropolitan Railway was amalgamated with the railways of the Underground Electric Railways Company of London and the capital's tramway and bus operators to form the London Passenger Transport Board.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Railway

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1645:

William Laud (pictured), Archbishop of Canterbury and a fervent supporter of King Charles I, was beheaded in the midst of the English Civil War. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Laud

1776:

Common Sense by Thomas Paine, a document denouncing British rule in the Thirteen Colonies, was published. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Sense_(pamphlet)

1954:

BOAC Flight 781 suffered an explosive decompression at altitude and crashed into the Mediterranean Sea, killing everyone on board. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BOAC_Flight_781

1993:

The Braer Storm, the strongest extratropical cyclone ever recorded in the North Atlantic, reached its peak intensity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braer_Storm_of_January_1993

2007:

A general strike, an attempt to force President Lansana Conté to resign which eventually resulted in the appointment of two new prime ministers, began in Guinea. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Guinean_general_strike

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

zeptomole: (chemistry, physics) A small amount of a substance, especially a countable number of atoms or molecules. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/zeptomole

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

It is bad to be oppressed by a minority, but it is worse to be oppressed by a majority. For there is a reserve of latent power in the masses which, if it is called into play, the minority can seldom resist. --John Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Dalberg-Acton,_1st_Baron_Acton