Tfl celebrates 125 years of the Central line with weekend event

TfL are celebrating 125 years of the central line this weekend with a treasure hunt this weekend.

It starts at Shepherd’s Bush station on Saturday 20th September as part of London’s Open House Festival 2025.

The event aims to encourage customers to look out for architectural details at many of the line’s historic stations. The treasure hunt will run between from 10:30 and 15:30 and free to all on a drop-in basis.

Participants will pick up a clue pack at Shepherd’s Bush station, then follow it through several stations before finishing at Bank. At each station, they will be faced with several questions, the answers to which can be found by carefully observing the station and paying close attention to posters, plaques and artwork.

As TfL state in their press release the line contains a wide range of architectural styles including Charles Holden’s design at Gant’s Hill.

Just last week I was struck as I exited a lift at Stratford – something I rarely do there – to see one of the few remaining parts of the original station, though of course it not only services the Central line but many others.

Those tiles at Stratford used to adorn one of the station’s main entrance which closed before the millennium with some of the last remnants only being demolished in recent weeks.

Train upgrade

The Central line gained a breather when the Elizabeth line opened allowing trains to head off for refurbishment.

However it’s been very slow going with less than a handful so far complete.

The £500 million project sees new motors alongside wheelchair bays, customer information systems, CCTV in carriages and new seating which is expected to give another twenty years service.