The London Underground presented itself in an extraordinary manner last Sunday. A locomotive more than 100 years old steamed on the lines from station to station. The reason: The London Underground is celebrating its 150th anniversary with a historical trip. The celebration with London Mayor Boris Johnson marks the start of a series of events to commemorate the world's oldest undergound. Siemens, one of the major sponsors, is also celebrating the 170th anniversary of its subsidiary in the United Kingdom this year. The restored steam locomotive was in service on the line between Kensington Olympia and Moorgate. On the tracks of history the old locomotive also ran on sections of the original Metropolitan Line which dates back to 1863. At that time the "Tube," as the Londoners lovingly refer to their underground, traveled on 5.6 kilometers of track. It connected Paddington Station in the west to Farrington in the city center. Today the Underground is more than 400 kilometers long and transports 1.2 billion passengers annually. With more than 3 million passengers per day, as many passengers are transported through the subterranean tubes as on the entire British railway network. The Tube is by far the most important traffic infrastructure in the United Kingdom.

In addition to London Mayor Boris Johnson and other dignitaries, several Siemens managers took part in the historic trip, including Roland Busch, CEO of the Infrastructure & Cities Sector; Jochen Eickholt, CEO of the Rail Systems Division, and Sandra Gott-Karlbauer, CEO Business Unit Urban Transport. Also present was Steve Scrimshaw, Managing Director of Rail Systems in the UK, who commented, “The iconic and unique Tube is a transportation system that is held in high regard around the world. No matter who you are, or where you come from, a visit to London for either business or pleasure is made easier thanks to the network of underground trains and tunnels running across our Capital city.“ Busch added: “The Tube not only plays a very important role in the lifes of Londoners, it’s also important for the city’s economic development. At the same time the London Underground is of great importance for us. Just last November, our Mobility and Logistics Division was awarded an order to supply the signaling and control equipment for Crossrail tunnel. We hope to continue our positive relations well into the future and develop further business opportunities.“

In fact, for 170 years Siemens has been active in the United Kingdom, and the relationship with the London Underground in particular dates back to as far as the 1890s when the first electric locomotive entered revenue service and thus heralded the end of the steam-powered era. In 1891 City & South London Railway awarded Siemens Brothers the contract for the delivery of two electric locomotives. “We are therefore delighted to be supporting the 150th celebrations,” Scrimshaw said, “with the year made even more special as it coincides with our own 170th anniversary in the UK.” The celebrations in 2013 are a perfect opportunity for all parties involved to not only revel in memories, but also to look ahead. Today London's metro network is the world's second longest, and it is scheduled to grow further.