Starlight Express Tickets

Just call us Francis Bourgeois, because we’re obsessed with trains. Though we prefer the singing ones to those on South Western. Our top tip for any budding spotters out there? Head to Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre. Not only is it a regular service unencumbered by delays and signal failures, you’re guaranteed a (emotional) journey of a lifetime. 

In an attempt to make everyday life as stagey as possible, we’ve reimagined the beloved trains and carriages from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical as underground lines. Well, you've got to have a hobby, right?

Greaseball (Northern Line)

Tricksy and domineering, Greaseball is the Northern Line. Contrary to its name, the Northern Line doesn’t serve the most northern stations on the network. In fact, 31 of its stops are south of the River Thames, including the most southerly station on the Underground system, Modern. Basically, you can’t trust it, much like the arrogant antagonist. 

Serving 206,734,000 passengers per year, the Northern Line is the busiest in the capital, and Greaseball is just as popular. Despite Greaseball's many flaws, they still have a legion of loyal subjects who will follow them wherever they go (and whatever track they’re on).

Just as the Northern Line stretches across many key parts of London, Greaseball's influence and confidence extends across the entire racetrack. Greaseball’s aggressive nature often leads to conflicts and crashes, while the Northern Line is regularly responsible for causing disruptions, delays and dizzy tourists (who realise they’re heading in the opposite direction to where they thought they were going…) 

Electra (DLR)

Is there anything more futuristic than a driverless train? No. Is there anyone more futuristic than Electra in Starlight Express? No.  

Both represent cutting edge technology and modernity. Electra, the sleek and futuristic electric engine, embodies speed, efficiency, and a forward-looking attitude. The DLR also looks ahead (as can the passengers on it, who are able to see through the front window, thanks to the train's automated, driverless nature). It’s always forward-thinking, with planning for the branch to Bank well underway before the other branches even opened way back in 1987. 

Just as Electra is a bit of an outsider compared to the more traditional engines, the DLR operates in areas not covered by the main Underground lines, carving its own unique path through the city. It not only serves above ground, speeding over the Thames (twice), but it also delves to the deepest platforms on the network, Bank. 

They’re also fashion conscious. Electra is one of the most striking engines on the circuit, and Langdon Park DLR has been decorated by three works of art by artist Kate Davis.

Rusty (Bakerloo Line)

Reliable, traditional, and with a rich sense of history, Rusty is the Bakerloo Line. Rusty, the steam engine, is the heart of the story, embodying an old-fashioned yet enduring spirit in a world rapidly moving towards high-tech speed. Similarly, the Bakerloo Line, which first opened in 1906 and has the oldest trains on the London Underground, serves as a steadfast link through key areas of the city, holding its own against the newer, faster lines. Although both are still appreciated and popular, (Bakerloo serves more than 111 million passengers each year), neither receive the maintenance they need. Rusty is mocked for being ‘obsolete’ and the Bakerloo line (unlike the musical) hasn’t been given an extension since the 1930s.

One of the youngest engines in the race, Rusty is often seen as a baby by Greaseball and the more mean-spirited engines. The first baby to be born on the London Underground was on the Bakerloo line at Elephant and Castle in 1924. Coincidence? Yes, but it’s an interesting fact.

Both Rusty and the Bakerloo Line may not be the flashiest or the fastest, but they are reliable, embodying a quiet strength that proves its worth over time. Just as Rusty’s persistence and belief in himself ultimately lead him to victory, the Bakerloo Line’s consistent service and historical significance make it a cherished part of London’s transport network, beloved for its reliability and connection to the past.

Starlight Express is rolling back to London in summer 2024! Three abandoned projects (including the book series that created Thomas the Tank Engine) later and Starlight Express was born. In spite of finding its beginnings in failed endeavours, the story of an obsolete steam engine named Rusty and his conquest to win the championships, and the heart of Pearl (a first-class observation car), has become the one of the longest running shows in the West End. It has also become Germany’s most successful musical and even reaped a mighty Guinness World record.

Get your roller skates ready for the Starlight Express revival at The Starlight Auditorium at London's Troubadour Wembley Park, a state-of-the-art cultural destination. Tickets are coming soon!