Tube map from 1986
Metropolitan Line AKA The Big Met
The Metropolitan Line is part of the London Underground, coloured magenta on the Tube map. It was the first underground railwayy (or subway) in the world, opening on January 10, 1863 (however, parts of that initial section are no longer served by the Metropolitan Line, but by the Hammersmith & City, District and Circle lines). The main line runs from Aldgate in the City of London to Amersham, with branch lines to Uxbridge, Watford and Chesham. For the initial section of the Line the rails are in tunnel for much of the way; beyond Baker Street, at Finchley Road the Line runs in the open.
The four-track layout for part of the distance — between Wembley Park and Moor Park — allows for the running of express or "fast" services to the outer suburbs. Baker Street is the terminus for many trains, but others complete their journeys into the City to either Moorgate (where there are terminal platforms) or Aldgate.
The current rolling stock in use on the Metropolitan Line is the sub-surface gauge A Stock built by Cravens in Sheffield, which is shared between the Metropolitan and East London lines. While it ran in service with unpainted aluminium bodywork for many years, since refurbishment the stock has received the now standard white and blue Underground livery, with red ends. Metropolitan Line services are usually formed of two four-car units coupled together for a total of eight cars, although the Chesham shuttle service and the East London Line are both served by four-car trains.
The A Stock trains were built in the early 1960s and are now the oldest trains operating on the London Underground. They replaced a wide variety of older rolling stock, including trains with hinged doors and compartments (T Stock electric multiple units for Watford services and locomotive-hauled carriages for Aylesbury services), as well as F Stock (built in 1920) used on Uxbridge services.
Graffiti on the Big Met
The metropolitan Line was one of the first to attract graffiti, the fact that it largely ran above ground and the ease of the rural depots meant it attacted those who wanted to recreate that New York feel. The big seats with large hidden away panels and plenty of empty carriages attracted taggers. Harrow-On-The-Hill station became the logical place to watch your name go by and it wasn't long before a regular writers bench became established at the end of the north bound platforms. There was a rumour on the line in the late 80s that Futura had pieced a Big Met at Rickmansworth yard on his visit to London in the early 80s. There was certainly what looked like a faded Futura tag in Rickmansworth under a bridge on the way into the 5's yard. Whether this was true or just a hoax I don't know. The Chrome Angelz member Zaki D also did a Big Met also at Rickmansworth quite early on.
Names I remember from the early days between 1985 to 1987 include Ink, Cast (also writing as Ran), Sirius, Sir Beau, Fly, Set 3, Elf, Yeseye (who later became Kasa), Kiss 42, Huz, Jano, Dizi, Tilt, Ence, Bud, Glory, Mane, Excel, Funbox, Tuff, Rel (Gunja), Key, Hard, Burn, Cade, Coad 5, Amo, Jap, Event 1, Rate, Envy, Dawn 2, Dye, Rize, Elc, Shame 181, Car 1, List, Aim, Myth 2, Taran, Deode, D-sire, Justice, Tame, Mas, Bos, Rite 1, Coma, Foam, Prime, Fuel, Robbo, PIC, Doze, Coap, Crude, Demo (Crame / Cade), Mean, Rich, Cane1, Rage, Chrome, Buf, Sir Sin, Ace 1, Bus, Decay, Drax, Drop 1, Bunk, Junks, Endure, Est 1, Sham 59 (Sham roc), Risk, Hit, Trance, Sir 5, Cuba, Rad, Kan-D, Lou (Kan-D & Lou where a couple of early female writers), Penfold, Choci, Seize, Drape, Hate, Dub, Mine, Fate, Sex 1, Melo, Karm, Chico, Hyde, Mise, Klue, Nice, Lisa, List, Hell, Data 27, Mig, Steam TU, Noire, Fast, Sneaki, Realm, Rade, Fone, Rade, Remix, Mint, Vogue, Sage, Mas, Cres, Ease, Eze 74, Joy, Wae, Depth, Quill, Cop, Colt 45, Cazbee, Rome, Acine, Noise, Tab,
Set 3 & Elf throw ups. Early names on the big met.
Tilt piece from about 1986. the dedication next to it reads "Tilt your hat with respect" & on the other side is a dedication to Lou, who I think was a female writer going out with Tilt at the time. Lou used to get up with another female writer called Kan D.
Tilt got a 2 year prison sentence (he was 21 at that time) in 1989 after a few writers got caught due to BTP raiding the house of some guy making a documentary about graf and finding photos of Tilt and others tagging.
Tilt & Coma getting buffed. Coma
Tilt, Ran (Cast), Reme & Coma bombing. The cleaners at Neasden get to work.
Dsire, Deino Tilt - from http://www.flickr.com/photos/80522216@N00/
Car
Set 3 Bos
Early Excel (NWA) staight letter on the Big Met, he had quite a few of these running and they left good stains which where visible for ages afterwards. I'd say this was from about 1986, possibly photographed by Est 1 at Uxbridge station.
Ran throw up getting buffed. Kis 42 throw up.
Ink 27 (Rio / Justice) - big thanks to Mark for sending me this.
Tuff
Nice 1
Hyde by Hyde
Ink 27 (Justice, Rio 2) Part of a whole train done at Rickmansworth in 1986. Mal by Jano, CD
Coma, DLZ, Kingz Of the Met
Coma Nice Arts
Cast
Rock the Met Like This by Set 3
Rite 1 (?)
Kis 42 piece & Sir Beau throw ups.
Ran, another name Cast used to write. Part of Sir Ran Rocks LRT window down wholecar.
Coma
Sage by Kis 42 Rem, with Cast & Coma
List, USM Cre8 & Sir Beau
Rise & Adic Sirius & Kis 42
Mane Paul by Dusk
(Thanks to Rise for the above 6 photos.)
Kis 42, Cre 8 - from Comp's Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/27543950@N04/ Envy, Kez
Coma, Rem, Cast
Kis 42
Mane
Merk, ACR -done at New Cross, 1987 Merky Xmas by Merk, ACR - East London Line rather than Metropolitan Line.
Cheeba by Kis 42 Rome, ACR
Coma Coma piece being buffed at Neasden.
Another shot of that Coma piece.
Kis 42 & Tilt unfinished pieces. unfinished D-Sire
unfinished kis 42 piece unfinished Kast piece.
Revenge by Coma Bus
Krush by Coad 5, ACR. Done in Uxbridge roundabout easter time 1987. Along with the Rebelz Rock Dudes window down wholecar by Merk & Crude.
Rebelz Rock by Merk
Rock by Merk Dudes by Crude
Set 3 Jano & Bud
Jeny by Rel SE Rocs
Jeny br Rel Crame 125, 1987 (thanks to Rise for these 2)
D-Sire, CD Kis 42, 1987
