The London Underground's first ever escalator that was complete disaster because commuters were scared of it

The Tube, a staple of London life, has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a simple route between Paddington and Farringdon.

Nowadays, it's hard to imagine a station without escalators, particularly when tourists audaciously choose to stand - yes, stand, not walk - on the left side.

However, in the early 1900s, stairs were all we had.

It wasn't until 1911 that the first escalator was introduced at Earl's Court station in West London.

Initially, commuters were less than impressed with this new invention, fearing it was unsafe and preferring the traditional, non-moving stairs.

Engineers, however, had anticipated this reaction. One engineer, William 'Bumper' Harris, who had a wooden leg, decided to demonstrate the safety of the escalator by riding it up to the ticket hall.

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