History
Opened in 1863, London has the oldest underground transportation systems in the world. It currently has 270 stations, 250 miles of track (source) , 11 lines , completes 3.5 million “passenger journeys a day” , with 540 trains carry passengers throughout central London during peak travel (source). As you might guess, when I first moved to London, I was overwhelmed by the complexity of the Tube Map. I bought a London A-Z ( Z said as Zed) pocket map to get around; however, I still got lost more than I liked. But thank God for technology! With my handy dandy IPhone, I had an array of map apps at my disposal of which I chose to use Citymapper.
Below are maps from 1927 & 2014
1927 Map Photo Source Photo Source
My Daily Commute
By now, the red, white and blue circle symbol for the Underground has become just as iconic as the Big Ben. Phrases like, “Mind the Gap” and “Stand clear of the closing doors” are all now etched into my mind. Traveling by the tube station has become the new way of life for me while here in London. It has been a significant change in my mode of transportation because I used to drive everywhere in the United States. In fact, for a few years, I drove 500+ miles a week commuting between my job and my church which were both in opposite directions from my house. The great part of traveling by tube is that I can actually capitalize on my time spent commuting. Since I don’t live near my university, I spend about 90 minutes a day on public transportation. This easily equates to reading a new journal article a day. However, on the days I didn’t bring an article, the overall underground environment can be entertaining. The following are corny yet funny ads that are posted throughout the underground system by the Transportation for London ( TFL).
The cost of commuting ( Underground or Overground train etc)
Transportation by tube can add up very quickly! The price of your journey will depend on the distance you are traveling. Travel destinations are broken down into zones (Range 1-6). Higher zone numbers reflect longer distances at a greater cost. Fortunately, students can get 1/3 off of their travel expenses which has been very helpful. For me, that means I spend around £97/ month versus around £120. However, if you travel through less zones than myself, it will probably cost you even less. Most commuters use an “Oyster Card” which you can use to load money or a travel card on. Each time you enter and exit the tube, you are expected to tap in and tap out so the correct funds will be deducted. See picture below ( although I did not tap in correctly here) :
A Few facts & An Exclusive Tour
Given its recent 150 year celebration of existence, I am enamored knowing that I am journeying through years of history that reflect cutting edge innovation and the spirit of pioneers. Luckily, as a student ambassador for my university and London Universities International Partnership ( LUIP ) , I received the rare opportunity to get an exclusive look at the London Underground. David Leboff, an author on several books concerning the Underground gave my group a revealing history lesson on the Underground. Then he took us to a “top secret” location to explore a disused underground station since the 1930’s.
Here are a few facts we received from David’s talk :
– During the 1920’s there were no platforms!
– Smoking only stopped in the underground in 1985
– In 1987, there was a major fire at King’s Cross underground. Since then, sensors and fire control panels were put in place.
– During the 1800’s, it cost 2 pennies to use the underground. However, like today, this was still more expensive than the bus!
– In the 1920’s, escalators were put into the tube stations. When an escalator was placed in the Angel tube station, it held the record for the world’s longest escalator. Now it’s just the longest in the Western Hemisphere. These escalators are so deep as some reach over 200 feet below sea-level.
Below is a picture of the London Bridge tube escalator:
Exploring a Disused Underground Station
Of the 200+ tube stations across the underground system, there are a small few that have been closed to the public for decades. The particular tube station I visited had been closed since the 1930’s. So, needless to say, it wasn’t the cleanest place in the world! However, given the history lesson we acquired, it was worth every dingy, grimy, dusty, musty moment. For security purposes, we could only take limited pictures and we were not given the name of the actual tube station. In fact, it is hidden in the public eye behind an inconspicuous door in the city.
Upon arrival, we were greeted with several flights of stairs following a circular pattern. In the middle of this circle was the former “lift” elevator. However, there was no escalator in sight as it had not been established at this station at the time. As we made our way down to the bottom of the steps, it became colder and darker. However, a twist was added to the story of this old tube station. Not only was it a former tube station, but it later became a safe haven for Prime Minister Winston Churchill during World War II. Therefore, as we proceeded, we not only saw signs saying ” To The Train” but signs giving direction towards meeting rooms for the prime minister and his cabinet members.
In many ways, this station was like traveling through a time warp. We came across an old telephone operator pull and plug work station, the kitchen and bathrooms (in disrepair) used by Churchill and his colleagues and architecture that was clearly dated. In all, I appreciated the experience as it was an opportunity to gain an “ground up” experience of London.
To close the day off with a little fun, our tour guide David attempted to spook us all while we were in the dark.
If you are or intend on studying in London, check out the London Universities International Partnerships program.
Learning English : My Fulbright year in England 