The
Metropolitan District Railway (commonly known as the
District Railway) was a passenger railway that served London from 1868 to 1933. Established in 1864 to complete the
inner circle, an underground railway in London, the first part of the line opened using gas-lit wooden carriages hauled by steam
locomotives. The
Metropolitan Railway operated all services until the District introduced its own trains in 1871. The railway was soon extended westwards through Earl's Court to
Fulham,
Richmond,
Ealing and
Hounslow. After completing the
inner circle and reaching
Whitechapel in 1884, it was extended to
Upminster in East London in 1902.