Next weekend (22nd-23rd June) there will be a chance to see a steam train running along part of the District line as part of its 150th anniversary.

The steam locomotive will be the restored Met No 1, which will haul carriages from High Street Kensington to Ealing Broadway. The reverse trip being powered by the equally amazing Sarah Siddons electric locomotive.

There will be three trips on both Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd June.

The provisional timetable is as follows – but could change on the day, but not by much.

Journey 1

11:11 – Ealing Broadway

11:36 – High Street Kensington (arrive – steam locomotive is watered)

12:07 – High Street Kensington (depart)

12:33 – Ealing Broadway

Journey 2

13:06 – Ealing Broadway

13:32 – High Street Kensington (arrive – steam locomotive is watered)

14:07 – High Street Kensington (depart)

14:33 – Ealing Broadway

Journey 3

15:06 – Ealing Broadway

15:32 – High Street Kensington (arrive – steam locomotive is watered)

16:07 – High Street Kensington (depart)

16:33 – Ealing Broadway

This will be the last time steam trains are expected to travel into central London on the Underground network, due to signalling modernisation that will provide more frequent services and improved reliability on the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.

If watching from the sidelines, the usual rules apply – no tripods or flashes to be used, and the common-sense rule, to respect other people who want to get a photo, or horrors, are just trying to use the modern trains to get around London.

Also, the boarding platform at Ealing Broadway will be for ticket holders only — so better to watch from another station.

Some good places other than at stations to watch would be:

The North Circular road at Ealing Broadway (wide footpath on eastern side by the Shell garage)

Creffield Road (wire fence over bridge, should be possible to shoot photos through, just)

Outside Acton Town tube station — facing westwards only.

Outside West Kensington station — facing westwards only.

There are also a handful of tickets (from £150) left on sale here.

London Transport Museum is also fundraising to restore a rare part of the District line’s heritage – the last three surviving 1930s Q-stock Underground carriages, which were in service from 1938 to the late 1960s. £200,000 is needed to complete the restoration work to make the trains operational.