The Tube: an Underground History

[salymap]

At 9pm tonight, 16th May on BBC 2.

Celebrating the London Underground, in the year when it reaches its 150th birthday.

Iwill never forget the shock when I heard G&S's Iolanthe and the nightmare song, where the unfortunate Lord Chancellor dreams about Sloane Square and South Kensington Stations. Could it be as old as that?

Well, this could interest those who know the system as I used to.

[vinteuil]

'Iolanthe' is from 1882 ; Sloane Square and South Kensington stations were opened in 1868, so sufficiently well-established for people to know of them, but also recent enough to have some novelty value.

Looking forward to this programme. I think most Londoners have an affection for the tube, even tho' we often curse it...

[Thropplenoggin]

'Iolanthe' is from 1882 ; Sloane Square and South Kensington stations were opened in 1868, so sufficiently well-established for people to know of them, but also recent enough to have some novelty value.

Looking forward to this programme. I think most Londoners have an affection for the tube, even tho' we often curse it...

It's certainly cleaner than its Parisian cousin (Ça pue!), though its trains are narrower and the ambient sound lacks the bone-crunching judders and squealing breaks that bring to mind the netherworld and souls being scraped clean of sin.

[Padraig]

Well, this could interest those who know the system as I used to.

Yes, I'm a bit of an expert myself.

The first time I was in the Underworld - I was there twice - I panicked when a train arrived, and did not want to be swept inside by the huge crowd waiting, as I was not sure if it was the one I wanted. I grabbed the arm of the person next to me to ask directions, and who should it be but a pupil I had taught the previous year! Of course, we both missed that train; it was the wrong one for me anyway.

That was the only time I got confused. I reflected that London was not such a big place after all; but so efficient did I find the Tube system, and so expert did I become in using it, that I never again had to risk meeting by chance a familiar face. Nor did I.

[Sir Velo]

Another dire punning title beloved of the BBC for all its documentaries, for some god only knows reason. Suppose it could have been worse: "Down the Tube" or "Off the Rails" spring to mind.

[Gordon]

Thanks Sal for that reminder - must watch. The "Tube" is a reference to the deeper lines, made of genuine circular metal section tubes and newer than the old cut and cover which the S Ken & Sloane Sq section [ref G&S] is part.

The deep Piccadilly runs eastwards from S Ken of course and was intended to go further east. Similarly there was a separate line promoted following the "overground" lines into Kings Cross and intended to go via Bloomsbury and then south of the river. Financial restraints saw both lines merge with the result of an awkward junction at Holborn where the Piccadily, following Gt Queen Street, turns sharply northwards - just underneath Kingsway Hall!! I wonder if they'll mention that? There was also a short spur to Alwych which was the remnant of the projected southbound line from KX. Travel westwards from Leicester Sq on the Piccadilly today and feel the kink underneath the Long Acre/Drury lane junction and then the sharp bend approaching Holborn from the west.

Perhaps it's called the "tube" because:

Tuba mirum spargens sonum per sepulcra regionum

The trumpet will send its wondrous sound throughout earth's sepulchres

[Mr Pee]

Another dire punning title beloved of the BBC for all its documentaries, for some god only knows reason. Suppose it could have been worse: "Down the Tube" or "Off the Rails" spring to mind.

There's probably a room full of overpaid Tristrams somewhere in the BBC who spend their time thinking up such witticisms.

One of my mates from way back left the RAM back in the early 1980s and promptly got a job as a Tube driver. I was waiting at Kilburn station once when he drove a Jubilee line train in, saw me on the platform, and gave me a ride in the cab as far as Baker Street. Probably against all the rules, but it was fun- and certainly made the journey more interesting than usual!

Oh, and I was once travelling into town via the Metropolitan Line on a Saturday night when the driver came over the intercom and read out that night's winning lottery numbers, adding " And if any passenger on this train HAS those numbers, please remember, your driver loves you."

On the same subject although not really to do with the Tube, I do enjoy travellling on the Docklands Light Railway and sitting at the very front. It must be those childhood dreams of being a train driver resurfacing.....and it's even more appealing now I know how much they get paid...

[Serial_Apologist]

"Follow the lights".

Anyone old enough to remember the three coloured lights in glass boxes on some of the passenger interconnecting tunnel walkways?

Mum always used to get lost travelling on the tube; at age 5 I used to have to grab her by the hand, and say "Follow the lights!" That was when there were only about seven main tube lines in all - nowadays it's all so complicated even I get lost! You wouldn't know what used to be the East London Line - grimy as it always used to be - though it still passes, renamed The Overground, through Brunel's original twin tunnels. Whenever I see news of the new line connecting the Great Western (or whatever it's called!) and Eastern region, I wonder, how the hell the tunnelers manage to avoid existing lines, sewers, underground rivers etc.

[salymap]

My first memory of the 'Tube' as we called it was a deep station somewhere in South London where the lift had a terrifying space to cross when getting out of it. We left London when I was seven, so it must have really frightened me as a child. And the wind, blowing along the platform, wow.
Later, think it was a walkway to South Kensingon Station that always seemed awash with water.

And yes, I remember the coloured lights,S_A.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It's certainly cleaner than its Parisian cousin (Ça pue!), though its trains are narrower and the ambient sound lacks the bone-crunching judders and squealing breaks that bring to mind the netherworld and souls being scraped clean of sin.

I first travelled on the Paris Metro in 1965. The first few trains were amongst the most uncomfortable I've ever been on. Then I transfered to a different line. I was amazed to discover there were no railway tracks, just a concrete road. Then along came a train with rubber tyres, guided by the concrete. The train was very quiet and comfortable, but it must have required new tyres on almost a daily basis. It was an interesting concept, but it never caught on.

[Thropplenoggin]

I first travelled on the Paris Metro in 1965. The first few trains were amongst the most uncomfortable I've ever been on. Then I transfered to a different line. I was amazed to discover there were no railway tracks, just a concrete road. Then along came a train with rubber tyres, guided by the concrete. The train was very quiet and comfortable, but it must have required new tyres on almost a daily basis. It was an interesting concept, but it never caught on.

Given the average Frenchman's hate-hate affair with investing in infrastructure, and love-love affair with cheap fares, I expect those '65 trains are still running, EA.

Actually, just as I left, they began rolling out new stock - and very nice, spacious, nasty niff and graffiti-free it is too. For now.

[amateur51]

Given the average Frenchman's hate-hate affair with investing in infrastructure, and love-love affair with cheap fares, I expect those '65 trains are still running, EA.

Actually, just as I left, they began rolling out new stock - and very nice, spacious, nasty niff and graffiti-free it is too. For now.

Are you trying to take the credit Throppers - or are you suggesting that you abandonment of Paris is cause for celebration

[Thropplenoggin]

Are you trying to take the credit Throppers - or are you suggesting that you abandonment of Paris is cause for celebration

To barabarise Aleister Crowley, Think what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Given the average Frenchman's hate-hate affair with investing in infrastructure....

I can answer that one in 3 letters:

TGV

[Thropplenoggin]

I can answer that one in 3 letters:

TGV

Have you travelled on one recently? Old stock looking quite shabby now, though Paris to Marseilles in 3 hours still makes the average UK train journey look, well, quaint by comparison. Yet the Germans and Japanese of similar feats, and with cleaner, newer stock.

If you want the apex of French infrastructure investment, I suggest you take the RER from Charles de Gaulle airport into Paris, like most tourists do. The most foetid come-down from all those Hollywood paint jobs that have been done on the city over the years. In fact, if you make it out of CdG, you'll be doing well...