London’s transport system has shaped the city’s identity for over 160 years, and now visitors can witness this remarkable transformation through the lens of a unique new photography exhibition at the London Transport Museum.
Opening on Monday, June 23, 2025, “Then and Now: London’s Transport in Photographs” offers a compelling visual journey through the capital’s transport history. The exhibition perfectly coincides with Transport for London’s 25th anniversary, making it a timely celebration of how far the city has come.
A Tale of Two Eras
What makes this exhibition particularly fascinating is its innovative approach to storytelling. Rather than simply displaying historical photographs, the museum has commissioned contemporary photographer Anne Maningas—who also happens to be a TfL train driver—to recreate scenes depicted in archival images from the museum’s collection.
The result is a striking visual dialogue between past and present. Visitors can compare a 1935 twilight scene of buses on Oxford Street with today’s Superloop buses at Ealing Broadway, or examine how the underground experience has evolved by contrasting a 1946 image of Tottenham Court Road station with the modern interchange concourse at Piccadilly Circus.
An Insider’s Perspective
Maningas brings a unique perspective to this project. As both a working train driver and an internationally published photographer, she understands London’s transport network from the inside out. Her dual role provides an authenticity that purely external observers might miss.
“As someone who works within the transport network, it was a privilege to document it from a different angle,” Maningas explains. “These photos are my way of showing the quiet beauty in the movement of the city.”
Her commitment to traditional photography techniques adds another layer of connection to the historical images. Using analogue film and mechanical cameras—including a vintage 1990s Bronica medium format camera previously used by museum photographers—Maningas creates contemporary images that feel timeless yet distinctly modern.
More Than Just Transportation
The 40 photographs featured in the exhibition reveal something deeper than mere technological progress. They capture the social changes that have accompanied London’s transport evolution, showing how infrastructure development has influenced the city’s growth and the daily lives of its residents.
From cashiers counting bus takings in unidentified garages around 1980 to modern ticket hall kiosks at Brixton Underground station, the images document not just changing technology but evolving work practices and social interactions.
A Window Into London’s Soul
Matt Brosnan, Head Curator at London Transport Museum, emphasizes the broader significance of these images: “Photography has played a vital role in documenting the lives of Londoners as they travel across the city and its transport workers as they keep our capital moving.”
The exhibition demonstrates how transport continues to shape London’s identity. As Emma Strain from Transport for London notes, “Anne Maningas’ photographs help to show how integral transport is to the daily lives of Londoners and visitors and how transport services are continually improving.”
Planning Your Visit
“Then and Now: London’s Transport in Photographs” starts June 23rd and will run until Spring 2026 at London Transport Museum in Covent Garden. The exhibition is included with standard museum admission, and adult tickets provide free return daytime entry for a full year—with children entering free.
The museum is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00 and is easily accessible via multiple transport links, including Covent Garden, Leicester Square, and Charing Cross stations. For those receiving Universal Credit or Pension Credit, special £1 tickets are available.
A Living Legacy
This exhibition serves as more than just a nostalgic look backward. It’s a reminder that London’s transport system remains a living, evolving entity that continues to shape the city’s future. Through Maningas’ lens, we see not just how far we’ve come, but how the fundamental human experience of moving through London remains both constant and ever-changing.
Whether you’re a transport enthusiast, history buff, or simply someone who appreciates the art of photography, this exhibition offers a unique perspective on what makes London truly London—its incredible ability to keep moving forward while honoring its past.
Here’s a gallery of some of the pictures shared with us by the Museum:
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