Editorial Design:

A Hidden World

A Hidden World

From its beginnings in 1863, the world’s first Underground railway has played a major role in developing the Capital. Perhaps you’re aware of its rich art and design heritage and that it has led the way in technological innovations; but did you know it has saved lives and is

even part of a soap opera?

In the soap, Eastenders, the Tube map on the station wall puts it on the District line where Bromley-by-Bow should be. While Walford is not based in reality, it is inspired by it, with the name ‘Walford’ being an amalgamation of Walthamstow and Stratford in East London. All the props and paraphernalia inside the Eastenders station have been provided by London Underground to give it an authentic look.

The Tube’s star quality doesn’t end there – the Underground has featured in many films including 28 Weeks Later, Harry Potter and Atonement to name a few. The disused areas of the stations at Aldwych, Charing Cross, and Earl’s Court are favourite filming locations for music videos, video games and film and TV.

During the Second World War, they even survived the devastation of the Blitz. Interestingly, very many Tube stations preserve their own bit of history in their own unique way. For example, Bounds Green’s recent re-furbishment has conserved the Holden-style historical features and was awarded Grade II listed status by English Heritage. Finsbury Park sta-tion features murals that show a pair of duelling pistols, a reminder of the days when gentlemen would visit.

A small se

ction of the Roman City wall st

ill survives in

the tracksid

e walls of Tower H

ill station

at platform level. O

ne of the largest f

ragments of th

e London Wall also

stands ju

st outsid

e this

station. These walls w

ere built to last a

nd remained in active use for over 1,000 years afterwards.

There are now over 400 escalators on the network which run for 20 hours a day, 364 days a year - so you can imagine how they can achieve such great distances.

And it’s not just the escalators that run on for miles; the total length of track is over 250 miles long making it the second longest metro system in the world after Shanghai. Our Tube trains travel a distance of approximately 43,000,000 miles in a period of just 12 months. That’s the equivalent distance of 1,735 times around the world or 90 trips to the moon and back.

True to London Underground’s tradition of innovation, a spiral escalator was installed

in 1907 at Holloway Road station, but despite such inventiveness,

conventional linear escalators were favoured for the rest of the network.

Only a small section of the spiral escalator now remains in the custody of the

London Transport Museum at Acton Depot.

Believed by some to be creeping around the tunnels and platforms of Covent Garden in his frock coat, tall hat and gloves, you’ll find the ghost of William Terris who met an untimely death near the station in 1897. Or, if you keep quiet for long enough, you may just make out the cries of the Screaming Spectre