The Metropolitan Railway, a substantial part of which now forms the Metropolitan Line of the London Underground, once had a fleet of steam locomotives. The steam classes saw most use on surface lines, although trips underground were part of the daily routine for most types.

No. 1 is the only survivor of a class of seven engines designed by the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Met, Mr T. F. Clark, for use on the Baker Street to Verney Junction service. (Verney Junction was the Metropolitan Railway's furthest outpost, where it joined the LNWR Oxford to Bletchley line). No. 1, built in 1898, was the last locomotive constructed at Neasden Works. It was built as a replacement for "A" class 4-4-0T No. 1, which was broken up after an accident at Baker Street, at the junction of what is now the Inner Circle. Two identical locomotives, Nos. 77 and 78 were also built at Neasden, with a further four built by R & W Hawthorn Leslie of Newcastle in 1900-1. It seems likely that the class, designated "E", was to have been larger, as a gap was left in the list of locomotive numbers, the next number used being 90.

No. 1 and its classmates proved very successful and were more than capable of the work asked of them. On 4th July 1904, gaily decorated with flags and bunting it headed the first passenger train on the opening of the Uxbridge branch from Harrow on the Hill. The completion of the Metropolitan Railway’s electrification programme made more engines of the same type unnecessary and also led to the removal of the condensing apparatus which had been fitted for working in the underground tunnels. For over twenty years these locomotives were the mainstay of the Metropolitan services to Aylesbury, and still appeared after the introduction of larger engines, such as the "H" class tanks, in the 1920s.

From about this time the class was gradually used for less strenuous work on branch lines and freight and engineering workings, although all survived to be taken into London Transport stock when the Metropolitan was taken over by the London Passenger Transport Board on 13th April 1933. Met No. 1 became London Transport L.44, and it is known that by July 1936, though probably earlier, Met. 1 was repainted in London Transport livery. The duties of the class at this time included passenger services on the Chesham Branch, pilot engine at Rickmansworth, and goods transfer and engineering trains around Neasden.

Nos. 78, 79 and 82 were withdrawn in 1935, and No. 80 (L.47) in 1941, while the remaining three survived until 1963-4, when Nos. 77 and 81 (L.46 and L.48) were scrapped. No. 1 survived to work the last steam train on the Chesham Branch in July 1960 and the last steam-hauled passenger train anywhere on LT in 1961. But it was another two years before the locomotive was withdrawn, after a final moment of glory when in took part in the Metropolitan Centenary parade at Neasden on 23rd May 1963, where it hauled four bogie coaches and a milk van.

Following this, L.44 was purchased by the Society and delivered in steam on 26th March 1964 to the LRPS's temporary store at Skimpot Lane, Luton. Whilst at this depot an attempt was made to prepare the locomotive for a live steam appearance at the Bedford Centenary Exhibition in October 1968. Some defective stays were replaced and the Bedford shed boilersmith made plans for an hydraulic test, but unfortunately the locomotive was not permitted to be in action for the journey or in steam at the Exhibition.

The locomotive was subsequently moved to Aylesbury, where she was stored for two years. Transfer by rail to Quainton followed on 23rd September 1970, with a track slew from the mainline into the Downyard. Some initial preservation and investigatory work was done, but the first major overhaul started in earnest on 13th August 1975 with the removal of the tanks and cab, followed by a boiler lifted in February 1976.L44 has been extensively overhauled, the first overhaul starting in August 1975 with the removal of the tanks and cab, followed by a boiler lifted in February 1976.

For a number of years Met No.1 was maintained to the standard required of British Rail mainline running, and was periodically used for special steam trains organised by London Underground, over the old Metropolitan lines from its original birthplace at Neasden. Met 1 has also visited a number of other preserved railways, including:

• The Keighley and Worth Valley in April 1994 where it operated with the K&WVR's Dreadnought vintage coaches
• The Bluebell in July 2007 as part of the celebration of the completion of their rake of four Metropolitan Chesham vintage coaches
• Barrow Hill in August 2008 for their Rail Power 2008 event
• Llangollen Railway for their suburban weekend in October 2008

Met 1's last heavy overhaul was completed in 2001, with much of the work completed at Bill Parker's Flour Mill restoration base, with its boiler certificate expiring in April 2011. Recent maintenance work has included:

• Fitting of new springs
• Water Tank Repairs
• Steam Brake Refurbishment
• Replacement Ash pan
• Injector overhaul
• Front Tube Plate Repair

A number of years ago a QRS member funded the manufacture of a set of replacement builders plates for the locomotive. However, a number of years passed before they were fitted whilst the puzzling evidence of why there was no sign of the original fitting location was researched. As mentioned above Met. No. 1 was built to replace the original of that number, a Beyer Peacock similar to No. 23 in the L.T. Museum. It would appear that the Operating Department applied to the Metropolitan Railway Board for funds with which to replace No. 1. This was denied for financial reasons.

At about this time the small batch of the E class locomotives was being built at Neasden Works, together with spare parts to maintain them. The Operating Department was still desperate for another locomotive, so arrangements were made to manufacture one additional set of spares to repair the original Met No. 1. When assembled a new locomotive emerged, but on paper the original Met No. 1 had been repaired. The loco was given No. 1 and not a higher number for this reason. To have fitted builders plates with the date of "building" would of course been a giveaway - hence the inability to find the original fitting location.

Reference:
The Restoration of Metropolitan No. 1 - Quainton News No. 34 Spring 1978
Met No.1 - New Loco or Rebuild - Allan Baker - Quainton News No. 100 October 2008