Laura Reynolds

How To Ride A Tube Train In The Channel Islands

The former tube carriages, pulled by a diesel locomotive. Photo: Dmartin@ukonline.co.uk

We've already told you how you can ride a tube train all the way out to the sea, and how to board a DLR train in Germany. But did you know that you can hop on the Northern line in the Channel Islands?

The only functioning railway in the Channel Islands (that is, one that acts as a method of transport, rather than just offering pleasure rides), is the Alderney Railway. The railway's route is only about two miles long, and it has a fascinating history (Victoria and Albert were the first passengers), but most interesting to us are the train carriages it uses — former Northern line tube stock.

Car numbers 1044 and 1045 are London Underground stock, formerly used predominantly on the Northern line. They now live out their time chugging across the island between Braye Beach and the Quesnard Lighthouse, covering just over half of the island, pulled by a diesel locomotive.

The former tube stock at Braye Road station. Photo: Dmartin@ukonline.co.uk

They arrived on the island in 2001, having been scrapped by TfL, and were chosen for their new life due to their aluminium bodies. This prevents them from eroding due to the effects of salt air, the way the their predecessors have.

Find out more on the Alderney Railway website.

Know of any other former London tube trains/transport that is in use elsewhere in the world? Let us know in the comments below.