• The world's first underground railway, between Paddington (Bishop's Road) and Farringdon Street - with trains hauled by steam engines - was opened by the Metropolitan Railway on January 10th 1863. The initial section was six km (nearly four miles) in length, and provided both a new commuter rail service and an onward rail link for passengers arriving at Paddington, Euston and King's Cross main line stations to the City of London.
• The City and South London Railway opened the world's first deep-level electric railway on December 18th, 1890, from King William Street in the City of London under the River Thames to Stockwell.
• Today, the London Underground Limited (LUL) is a major business with 2.5 million passenger journeys a day, nearly 500 trains, serving over 260 stations, around 16,000 staff and vast engineering assets.
• Average scheduled train speed (including station stops) 20.5 mph (33 kmh).
• Maximum tunnel depth below mean sea level is 70ft (21.3m)
• Maximum tunnel depth below ground level is 221ft (67.4m)
• According to company lore, Ole Evinrude, a Norwegian immigrant, got the idea for an outboard motor while on a picnic with his sweetheart Bessie. They were on a small island in Lake Michigan, when Bessie decided she wanted some ice cream. Ole obligingly rowed to shore to get some, but by the time he made it back the ice cream had melted. So Ole built a motor that could be attached to his rowboat, and founded the Evinrude company in 1909.
• The first underground and underwater rail system in the world, the New York City Subway, began operating in 1904. Almost 8,000 men participated in building the 21-mile (33.6 km) route. The project's chief engineer was William Barclay Parsons.
• The safety pin was patented in 1849 by Walter Hunt. He sold the patent rights for $400.
• An Englishman invented Scotland's national dress - the kilt. It was developed from the philamore - a massive piece of tartan worn with a belt and draped over the shoulder - by English industrialist Thomas Rawlinson who ran a foundry at Lochaber, Scotland in the early 1700s and thought a detachable garment would make life more comfortable for his workers.
• It is recorded that the Babylonians were making soap around 2800 B.C. and that it was known to the Phoenicians around 600 B.C. These early references to soap and soap making were for the use of soap in the cleaning of textile fibers such as wool and cotton in preparation for weaving into cloth.
• Disc Jockey Alan Freed popularized the term "Rock and Roll."
• The patent number of the telephone is 174465.
• George Washington Carver invented peanut butter.
• The Roman civilization invented the arch.
• Benjamin Franklin was the inventor of the rocking chair.
• King Gilette spent 8 years trying to invent and introduce his safety razor.
• Thomas Edison had a collection of over 5,000 birds.

Ben Franklin Facts:

• He was the youngest son of a youngest son of a youngest son of a youngest son.
• He was the first American philosopher and the first American ambassador.
• He invented the harmonica, the rocking chair, the street lamp, the lightning conductor, and the Franklin stove - to name a few.
• He originated the first circulating library.
• He is the originator of Daylight Saving Time.
• He originated the first street-cleaning department.
• He was the first reformer of English spelling.
• He is the father of modern dentistry.
• He organized the first fire department.
• He was the founder of the Democratic party.
• He established the modern post-office system.
• He was a pioneer of the modern voting system for Congress.