Northern Line in the House....

Misery Line in Big Brother House

Why does the Northern Line have not just one, but two "love" songs written about it? We have the excellent Schmoof's electro-pop version (blogged & lyrics here), but I was horrified to discover that Zippy or Ziggy or whatever his name is, the only guy currently in Big Brother was responsible for another version. Here's Northern Line with their eponymously titled single Northern Line:


Schmoof's Northern Line is far superior with a hint of metro double-entendre at the end of the second verse:

"And our fingers touched at that moment
Causing both of us to quiver
And we rode the tube until Morden
I don't go south of the river"

And I particularly like the spoken chat up lines towards the end

"what do you stars say today love?
don't know, haven't read em yet,
meet a handsome stranger on the Tube,
yeah right"

Ziggy and co's Northern Line is more boy band song by numbers - with its chirpy chorus:

"What do I have to do
To get closer to you?
Cos I would do anything to make you mine
Near or far just to be where you are
Tell me
Who would have thought,
I'd find love on the Northern Line"

Theirs closes with more turn of the century boy band warbling / white rap "Nah, nah, nah, Northern Line, bring it on, bring it on, Bring it on Baby. Northern Line one time etc etc"

But both end with a sort of Tube noise reference. Schmoof's lulls you with the gentle rocking of "Northern Line, Northern Line, Northern Line," repeated to fade. Ziggy's ends with a static crackle caused by a woman in a white coat unplugging a lead from a giant computer. Possibly the power socket which runs the entire Misery Line.

And speaking of love on the Tube, Adam Gichie from TV production company Drive Through Pictures, is researching for a program based on finding love on the underground. He's looking for some real life stories, "everything from funny flirt stories to fully-fledged dating success stories." Please email him - adam.gichie@drivethrupictures.com if you've got anything that fits the bill.

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Thursday, June 07, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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Driver's eye view

Sunset on the Central Line

Richard (traindriver's) snowy view was popular with the Flickr folk and he's kindly sent in another "driver's eye view":


Certainly beats the view of train drivers on the Victoria Line. I wonder if they get paid more or did they just draw the short straw if there's a Tube drivers line lottery?

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Wednesday, June 06, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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Stockholm Metro Literally

Some of you might be familiar with the "If Germany had won the war" Tube map, which takes the London Underground Map and translates station names to German. Mile End becomes 2.4Km Ende, Elephant and Castle, becomes Elephant und Schloss and sadly Piccadilly Circus, remains Piccadilly Circus. Surely there was an opportunity to make it Piccadilly Zirkus.

But what happens when you take another subway map and translate to English? Strangemaps found that if you take the Stockholm Metro map and translate to English you get some very 'Allo, Allo' style translations such as Baker's Bog, Bog Cottage, Suspenders Pen, Gruel Village and Awful Village Hospital


As the map was sent to the blog by a Dane, they may not have been totally fair with some of the translations as the blogger at Strangemaps says "As is well known, Danes will grasp every opportunity to ridicule their Swedish neighbours". So if you can speak Swedish and think you've got a raw deal, please get in touch to correct.

Cheers to Jon for the heads-up on this.

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Tuesday, June 05, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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But is it art?

Thanks to Michael W who sent me a picture of half a caravan and some mattresses at Gloucester Road Station.



If it wasn't at Gloucester Road you'd be forgiven for thinking there were some very weird campers or that the German woman who mistook the subway for an underground car-park had made her way over to London.

We're not so lucky. Gloucester Road is one of Platform for Art's showcase stations and the caravan and mattresses are art installations. As it's quite a recent installation, currently there doesn't appear to be any information about the artist or the statement that the installation is making. As Michael said, it's all a bit Tracey Emin with her un-made bed and tent. Way too derivitive in my opinion. Or maybe that's the point. Perhaps we're being asked to question Emin's art. Maybe it's a playful pun on the signifcance of travellers exchanging a commuter lifestyle for one that's more free and innocent.

In any case, I wonder how many enterprising homeless folk will try to nab the mattresses during the installation's run?

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Monday, June 04, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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Baby on Board Badge Spotted

Yesterday for the first time I saw someone wearing a "Baby on Board" badge on the Tube. I say wearing - she actually had it pinned to her bag which wasn't neccessarily the most prominent place to display it.


This initative has been around for a number of years now and is supposed to help pregnant women get a seat on the Tube. According to London Underground: "Research shows that Londoners agree that pregnant women should be offered a seat but also reveals that men are afraid to act on their chivalrous instincts in case they give offence." Personally I think that's a sad statement. Firstly, why should only men be expected to give up their seats? Also shouldn't we be happier being "chivalrous" rather than worrying about someone fat thinking that we thought they were pregnant?

The research also showed that:

* 92% thought that people sitting down should offer the seat to a pregnant woman without having to be asked;
* 85% think pregnant women should ask for a seat if she needs one;
* 78% of currently pregnant women stated that they never ask for a seat when they need one.

Crikey, if I was pregnant I'd be sticking my child to be in people's faces on the Tube at every opportunity. But that's just me. Also if a bloke's kind enough to offer me a seat I take it.

What are your thoughts on seat offering in general?

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Friday, June 01, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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Tube cooling plans announced

London Underground must have been cursing the timing of yesterday's plans to install a giant chiller in Oxford Circus, when we've had an incredibly cold Bank Holiday weekend with claims that Britain was colder than the Artic Circle.


The chiller unit at Oxford Circus – a major hub which serves 63 million passengers on the Central, Bakerloo and Victoria lines every year – will blow cold air into the ticket hall. Similar chillers are also planned for Euston and Waterloo stations.

London Underground has also been working with Tube Lines and Metronet to upgrade the existing station ventilation fan network. 50 fans, which had been allowed to fall into disrepair, are now back into operation – doubling the capacity of the fan network and apparently giving us cooling benefits at a number of stations across the network.

Additionally temporary portable industrial fans will be trialled at Seven Sisters and Chancery Lane stations this year to increase air circulation and if successful will be rolled out to a number of stations in 2008.

But this still means we're being given the classic "hot weather advice" from TfL "Carry a bottle of water with you and, if you are feeling unwell, contact a member of station staff who will be able to help. Water will be available to passengers if it is needed."

Last summer temperatures on the Tube were as high as 47C (116F) and a bottle of water doesn't feel like the ideal way to tackle that sort of heat.

Check out Undergroundcooling.net a newish site which aims to "bring coolth and relief to overheated travellers and workers worldwide, on the Subway, The Metro or the Tube. We hope to 'hear' from people from around the world with ideas to make life easier for those of us who have to venture into the bowels of the earth to earn our daily crust."

Coolth is not a typo but appararently the opposite of warmth.

The site looks like a place to get heated without getting er... heated. "Political Panjandrums and even those who have never suffered the merciless heat and crowding of a subway in summer are also invited to have a say. Silly and 'off the wall' ideas are welcome."

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Wednesday, May 30, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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Tube with ageing rockers at the helm

Apparently Mike Read the Smashy / Nicey DJ, former Top of the Pops presenter and all round Cliff Richard impersonator has made an unofficial shortlist of Tory candidates standing as Mayor for next year's elections. Infamous nightclub owner Peter Stringfellow is also thinking about it.

Neither have been particularly forthcoming about their transport policy. Mike Read said that bendy buses are a "crazy" idea as they clog up roads and that the congestion charge is "unfair" on people who forget to pay. Stringfellow isn't as developed as Read with his thoughts yet and only said "I feel so strongly that Livingstone has to be stopped from destroying London with his mad schemes that I have been giving a lot of thought about running".

In the unlikely event of either of them becoming Mayor I wonder what this would mean for the Tube.

Of the two I'd be more in favour of Read, as I hope that he'd be leniant on people who "forget" to pay for a ticket on the Tube. He might also think that tourists are a crazy idea as they clog up the wrong side of escalators. I imagine he'd probably kick Johnny Vaughan out of the Covent Garden lift voiceover gig and take on all the announcements himself.

Then again if Stringfellow came on board, he'd find it hard to stop himself putting poles to good use in non peak periods. Instead of buskers I'm sure we'd see more raunchy entertainment a la the subway pole dancer in Milan.

Any other celebrities who you'd like to see stand against Ken? What do you think they could offer to the London Underground?

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Friday, May 25, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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Brown Punk Station

An alternative to Brooke Shield's Alphabet


Many thanks to Tom L who sent me the following picture and said "Whilst travelling on a Hammersmith and City line on the 19th May (which was incidentally retired 4 stops later due to 'brake defects') I noticed that somebody had added a new station, called 'Brown Punk' to the line on the in-carriage line maps, between Royal Oak and Paddington. It seems a bit elaborate for graffitti. Some kind of subversive art perhaps, or a new station thats been well-disguised?"

Any ideas? Or will this be like Brooke Shields' Alphabet graffiti and remain a mystery?

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Wednesday, May 23, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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Tube Twitter Updated

Stalking the Piccadilly Line

A month or so ago, I mentioned Twitter in passing, as Tom Morris had created a London Underground feed for it.


Now seems to be a good time to mention it again, firstly because I've got into Twitter a bit more and it's one of those things that you'll gradually begin to hear more people talking about (the FT even mentioned Twitter on its front page). Secondly because Tom's Tube Twitter feed is working again after TfL revamped their website.

In a nutshell, Twitter lets you tell everyone what you're up to in 140 characters, from either the web, IM or your mobile phone. You can also "follow" people or add friends and catch up with their various goings on (good way of finding out what people are having for breakfast if you're that way inclined).

Thanks to Tom you can stalk your Tube line. He said: "Every fifteen minutes, my server will check the Tube status and send any delays to the relevant Twitter accounts. You can then quite easily subscribe to individual Tube lines and get updates via whatever means you deem appropriate as you would as a Twitter user.

A neat side effect of this is that there is now Atom and RSS feeds for each Tube line which you can subscribe to and get these updates sent directly to your RSS reader too. Twitter can also serve as a historical home for Tube problems from now on."

BTW my twitter account is here. As I'm not (quite) addicted to it yet, it's mostly updates on when I go to pilates, what I'm having for dinner/lunch, but also will give you a tweet with any other random thought I have.

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Tuesday, May 22, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2007/05/tube-twitter-updated.html

Tube Photo of the Week

Was this a stage direction? Perhaps some filming taking place that we didn't know about. Or maybe it was addressed to some other kind of artist on the Central Line?


Either way, it was very well caught by Loopzilla.

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Monday, May 21, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2007/05/tube-photo-of-week_22.html

Not on the London Underground

Eagle eyed visitors to the blog have spotted some more Tube roundels not in their natural homes on the Tube.

The roundel often seems to be appropriated by fashion outlets and here's a couple more examples. One very close to home taken by Michael W in Jermyn Street:


He said that the whole window had Tube lines running across it as well. I'd be surprised if Charles Tyrwhitt hadn't got permission from TfL to do this as they're a reputable brand, but you never know perhaps the Tube's lawyers will be paying a visit.

The next shop's a bit further afield, so the lawyers might be a bit more keen to visit. Allan W said "I spotted this shop in Dubai yesterday. They had themed the entire shop on the Tube including the pointless inclusion of a travelator in
the store and some Tube maps with no station names."


Finally we jet over to Bangalore


Callum says "Not sure if the Tube roundel is common on Indian railways, but if it is, then TfL only has to sue the second-largest organisation in the world (after the Chinese army....)"

Actually I think this must be a legitimate use as the jet setting Allan W had sent in one of the first pictures in the series from Tirusulam


Anyway, keep sightings of the roundel coming in and I'll add them to the Flickr set. Thanks again to Callum, Allan and Michael for the latest round.

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Sunday, May 20, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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Relief from leaves

No more leaves on line?

We could be seeing an end to the age old problem of dreaded leaves on the lines causing Tube delays thanks to some nattily named software.

The Adhesion Controller's Condition Assessement Tool (try saying that after a few beers) "calculates the likelihood of leaf fall problems, by examining data such as the risk of leaves falling, the quantity and condition of leaf litter and the resultant leaf litter mobility, moisture levels, and a real-time update of general weather conditions – in particular those which lead to light rain and moisture." Not sure what would happen to the software if there was the wrong type of wind, or wrong type of rain, or stickier than usual leaves though.

But even when bad weather is predicted will anyone from London Underground take any notice? Remember the very accurate snow forecast that still caught the Tube out earlier this year. Engineers will still have to decide whether to mobilise early morning "leaf squad" - a team of engineers who spray a gritty substance to break down the leaves.

ACCAT will initially be used on the Central Line "70% of the 74 km Central line is in open sections where leaf fall is a continuous threat to the smooth running of the line during the autumn 12-week period from October to December.

The problem arises when fallen leaves are rolled into a layer of crushed debris forming a coating as tough as Teflon. When damp, the layer is extremely slippery and adhesion is reduced below the levels on which signal braking distances are calculated, so ATO (automated train operating) has to be suspended." said Metronet

However the predictive system may be extended to the Metropolitan line, and mainline train operators have expressed interest in using the system as well.

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Thursday, May 17, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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Where on the Tube?

One of my favourite photo sharing sites (not hard to guess which one) runs a group where you have to guess where certain shots in London were taken. I'm not sure how often London Underground related ones are featured but I love the picture from Mags below


Have a guess at where it is (easy if you search), but more importantly any guesses as to who or what Stanley Hunt Ltd did or do?

And just in case that's too easy. Where did I take the picture of the following clock?

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Tuesday, May 15, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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Commuting Meditation

Is it possible to relax on the Tube?


Apparently the UK has the longest average daily commute in Europe - 45 minutes. Rather than this being the cause for stress some researchers have suggested that we try to embrace our commute and use it as a chance to unwind.

Thanks to Matthew K for giving me the heads up to a feature from the BBC, which states that "for some, having a regular slot away from the pressures of home and work allows them time out to meditate."

A number of suggestions for commuting meditatation are given, with my thoughts in brackets

* Listen to light music or meditation commentary (this is only possible if some little oik next to you isn't listening to heavy music or hip hop commentary)
* Take slow, deep breaths (not too many on certain lines otherwise you'll end up with Tube snot)
* Imagine a relaxing place (difficult without noise reduction headphones as even if you're not sitting in a carriage with tourists or school kids, it's hard to relax with the constrant stream of blaring PA announcements both inside and outside of your carriage)
* Accept noise and confines of your journey (accepting confines during the rush hour when you are standing under someone's armpits would take the meditative skills of an experienced yogi)
* Write positive affirmations (such as 'the Northern Line being consistently rubbish is good for my mental health')
* If standing, put bag down and relax body and mind (just pray it doesn't get nicked or nudged out if you're near the doors)
* On bus or overground train, take in the view (this is about the only thing that works for me, but it helps that for about four minutes I have a view of a nice part of the Thames, when on the rest of the overground part of my journey, the 'view' to take in is the backs of people's house and offices and some hideous looking car parks - which don't really portray lovely open space)

Does any of the above work for you? Or would you like to share alternative commuting meditation or mantras and positive affirmations you use?

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Monday, May 14, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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Tube Kitchen?

Can anyone help Jim M with this:

"A couple of weeks ago I was waiting for a tube at Whitechapel when the oddest train pulled into the station. It was much lower than a normal tube, the carriages seemed the right height but it appeared to be running on smaller wheels, so the doors sank below the level of the platform. It was about 3 carriages long and inside there was a kitchen, some seating/sofas and what appeared to be lots of storage. I'm guessing that this is a mobile unit for drivers/line workers to rest/have a cup of tea - anyone know?"

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Monday, May 14, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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London Underground Fashion Victims

Fashion Victims on the Tube

It's Friday's look at Tube Fashion Victims, TFV's or commuters spotted on the Underground where the fashion police should have been following them, or those who've got a distinct sense of err style.

Punk Builder

First a guest spot from Michael W, who said "Some very strange dude, I'm hoping it was a fancy dress party, but in a leather top, collar and wrist spikes and very tight blue pants looked v.dodgy!"


I think he's a builder though, that's if the bucket with the blue bag inside belongs to him. The shoes look like worksite boots, but I'm very puzzled about the blue harnessy / lace up thing he's carrying. Any other theories?

Pretty in Pink

I didn't need to blur this picture as I was rushing when I saw this very pink lady complete with pink platform wedgies



Short Uggs

Summer's on the way, but there's still an opportunity to wear Uggs


I'm not sure if you can buy ankle Uggs, or if these have just been forced down by her jeans.

Fashionista

Finally someone ticking all the right TFV boxes


Bright patent red fugly bag, check. Flourescent yellow nails, check. Copy of Now / Heat / Closer / Whatever so she can work out what to wear next week, check

That's it for now. The previous victim can be found here and the complete picture gallery can be seen on the following Flickr set.

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Friday, May 11, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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Tube Photo of the Week

Ken Livingstone on the Tube

You can say what you like about Sheriff Ken but he certainly seems to "drink the kool aid" or practice what he preaches. I remember getting REALLY excited when I snapped a picture of him on the Tube many moons ago, but it seems he's now getting into fashion victim mode too - or is this a way of making sure he's not spotted


Excellent picture by Sergio Montini who spotted him behind his snood. Sergio says he spots him almost every day on the Tube now. Which I reckon is something you wouldn't be able to say about many celebrities. Or is it?

I used to see Rob Brydon fairly frequently at Richmond and I still see Geeta / Gita out of EastEnders & Jack Doherty at least a couple of times a month, as they live near me.

Are there any "regulars" you see?

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Thursday, May 10, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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Arty Tube Maps

What's the key to this map?

Thanks to Geoff for sending me in the direction of yet more looks at the Tube Map.

Can you work out the key to the following map from designer, David Linton?


"Four years in London, geographically summarized. The Tube is London in miniature: an organic being, a glorious mess of coincidences, and our attempts to organize it with coloured lines, way out signs, and gaps to mind, ultimately only add to the chaos. I'll leave it to you to figure out the key."

Also as we all know Harry Beck was challenged with straightening the lines and making the distances between more even.


"A drawing for those of us who think Mr Beck just didn't go far enough. Every station is exactly 1 unit away from four other stations. By necessity, these aren't often the stations which are actually connected to it, but I have tried to make all the interconnections as short as possible. Naturally, no interconnection passes through a false grid point on the way."

Bizarrely soothing to look at, but pretty impossible (for me anyway) to follow.

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Tuesday, May 08, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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Moving Trains on TV

Remember when they moved the new trains into the Waterloo & City Line last April


Ian's given heads-up about a TV programme on National Geographic tonight that shows how they did it. It's part of a series called "Monster Moves".

The Waterloo and City line doesn't have a rail connection to any other part of the London Underground or mainline network, so the only way of moving the 20 carriages and equipment was via a shaft on Spur Road.

So if you've ever moaned if you had to take out doors and windows to move large sofas, you've had it relatively easy. Also hopefully those Laurel & Hardy stylie piano movers from Chiswick might be able to take some lessons too.

Monster Moves is on National Geographic this evening at 8pm.

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Monday, May 07, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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Wapping Ghost Tour

7th May Thames Tunnel Tour


For anyone who's not had the opportunity to go on one of innuendo ridden Thames Tunnel Tours between Wapping & Rotherhithe London Underground stations, there's another on Bank Holiday Monday. The theme is "Haunted By Brunel" and remembers May, as the month when the tunnel was first flooded.

Curator Robert Hulse's normally chirpy comments are appropriately sombre for the occasion. When describing the digging of one of the oldest tunnels on the London Underground, Robert wrote: "The project took 18 years to complete, ruined Marc Brunel's health and nearly killed his son. There were five terrible floods, and some men died under the river, but drowning is quick. Some unfortunates succumbed to 'Tunnel Sickness' and were carried out, raving, to be locked in another cage at the local asylum. For some death was slow, painful and wasting: cholera, typhoid and worse. We will never know how many brave men died here."

Brunel Engine House Museum will also be holding a "Haunted London" display by artist Ksenia Dudareva. The Ghost Train tours leaves Rotherhithe Tube station at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, and 4pm. Tickets cost a fiver each. For more details and to book online visit the Brunel Engine House Museum.

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Thursday, May 03, 2007 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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