Just announced by the Transport Museum is a trip that is bound to excite a lot of people – a chance to take a trip in the museum’s 1938 art-deco style tube train down to Heathrow Airport.

This is the first time the 1938 tube train has run on the westbound end of the Piccadilly line, since it was withdrawn from service in 1975.

It is also its first trip to Heathrow.

Date: Sunday 19th June 2011

Regular readers will know I am quite a fan of these heritage trips, not just because the train itself is a delightful old thing, but mainly for the joy of watching the looks of total shock and surprise from passengers waiting for a normal train,  as the little old red train pulls into stations – and drives off without collecting anyone.

At High Barnet - 1

Leaving Northfields on the Piccadilly line the train travels into London, to High Street Kensington via Earl’s Court experiencing an unusual cross over from the Piccadilly line to the District line, from here you will travel back down the District line again changing onto the Piccadilly line at Acton Town.

The journey taking in all three terminals at Heathrow in a single trip is most unusual, from Hatton Cross it will take a left turn and run to Heathrow Terminal 4 and carry on to Terminals 1, 2 and 3 where will it will perform the Fish Hook Move and – subject to final approval – reverse down to Terminal 5 before the return journey to Northfields.

There are three trips on the day – starting at 9:10am, 11:26am and 2:10pm – trips last about 2 hours.

Cost: Adults £25; Children £15

You can purchase tickets for this special trip, by telephone on 020 7565 7298 or you can Book Online (caveat emptor – the website seems wobbly at times – I’d recommend phoning them).

Inside the carriages - 2

My previous trips:

A Trip on a 70 Year Old Tube Train

Another trip on a 1938 Tube Train

Heritage Train Trip to the Disused Platforms at Charing Cross

NEWSLETTER

Be the first to know what's on in London, and the latest news published on ianVisits.

You can unsubscribe at any time from my weekly emails.

Tagged with: ,
SUPPORT THIS WEBSITE

This website has been running now for over a decade, and while advertising revenue contributes to funding the website, it doesn't cover the costs. That is why I have set up a facility with DonorBox where you can contribute to the costs of the website and time invested in writing and research for the news articles.

It's very similar to the way The Guardian and many smaller websites are now seeking to generate an income in the face of rising costs and declining advertising.

Whether it's a one-off donation or a regular giver, every additional support goes a long way to covering the running costs of this website, and keeping you regularly topped up doses of Londony news and facts.

If you like what you read on here, then please support the website here.

Thank you

5 comments
  1. Ronnie says:

    Thanks for this info, Managed to buy a ticket on there site after sometime. Cant wait to finally get to go on this train.

  2. JohnnyFox says:

    Site is f*cked, Ian’s right. Phone.

  3. Ronnie says:

    Noticed it is gone from the site….

  4. Julia Fox says:

    I think £25 is far too steep. I’m struggling to see the art deco in the vintage tube train carriage above. Apart from the fact that it’s obviously clean, and has a wooden floor and window frames, it’s hard to distinguish it from the decrepit trains we travel on every day.

    • IanVisits says:

      It’s all down to how we perceive value.

      £10 per hour for a generally good fun trip in train that is NOTHING like the modern plastic trains we travel in normally is for some people good value for money. Others might disagree.

      Likewise, someone might think it is excellent to pay £30 per hour to stand in an auditorium to see a singer on a stage a hundred yards away. Again, others might find that a total rip-off.

      That both events will sell out tells us that there are enough people out there willing to pay a premium to attend a moderately rare event.

1 Pings/Trackbacks for "Ride in a vintage tube train to Heathrow Airport"
  1. […] may recall that the little red 1938 era tube train is going to take a trip along the Picadilly Line this coming Sunday – well, actually three trips in total, to run down to Heathrow […]

Home >> News >> Events and Tours