Free WiFi on the London Underground - Who's Used It?

After recent tests, Virgin Media's Wi-Fi has finally been rolled out onto some London Underground platforms and stations.  The BBC's Rory Cellan Jones tested it couple of weeks ago and wondered what the service would be like when thousands of people were using it.


London Underground Wi-Fi Poster by Trowbridge Estate I've seen the Wi-Fi sign pop up whilst underground but wasn't fast enough to register with Virgin to see if it worked, as I quickly went "out of range".

Like many other Oystercard holders I received an email from TfL yesterday which said
"I am writing to let you know that WiFi services are now available at the following Tube stations: 

Euston 
Green Park 
King’s Cross St. Pancras 
Oxford Circus 
Victoria 
Warren Street 

If you have a WiFi enabled device, you will be able to check for the latest travel information online and for example access your emails. The signal will be available in ticket halls, corridors and on platforms. A one-off registration is required to access the online service which will be free during the summer. Access to travel advice will remain free after the Games. We plan to have 80 Tube stations WiFi enabled before the Games. For more information, please visit tfl.gov.uk/wifi ."

I haven't been at any of the above stations long enough to see how the Wi-Fi worked, have you?  I'd been keen to hear what experiences you've had accessing the free WiFi at stations and whether it's worked at deep level platforms.  Thanks.

Related posts
First WiFi Tube Stations Announced
Wi-Fi Tests at "Secret" Tube Station
London Overground Stations to get WiFi in time for Olympics
Virgin Media win London Underground wi-fi contract
TfL say on track for Tube Wi-Fi to be enabled for Olympics
WiFi Tests on London Underground 

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Thursday, June 14, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/06/wifi-london-underground-whos-used-it.html

Waterloo & City Line running Sunday Service for London Olympics

Those with the brand new London Underground Map may have noticed that the "dagger" by the Waterloo & City Line shows a different description for the Olympics. "During the London 2012 Games the line will operate 0621-0100 Mondays to Fridays and 0802-0100 Saturdays and Sundays."  So for the first time since 1947 the line will be open on Sundays!  I also discovered that it will run until 2am for the opening ceremony.


Photo by whatleydude
As Mark Morris who brought this to my attention said, "I don't know why TfL haven't publicised this yet, but for once a positive story around transport over the Olympic Games".

You might also like
Tracey Emin designs Tube Map Cover for Olympic Games period
TfL Publish Tube & Train Stations to avoid during Olympic Games
Olympic Tube Map Renames Stations with names of Sporting Celebrities
Olympics Tube Map Cover we'd like to see 
Can the Tube cope with the Olympics?
£2.5 million to show Tube Staff Olympic Park 
30 minute wait for Tube trains during 2012 Olympics
Olympics chiefs say avoid Tube 

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Tuesday, June 12, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/06/waterloo-city-line-sunday-olympic.html

Tube Staff Vote for Strike Action

Following a ballot at the end of May the RMT have announced that key control centre Tube staff have voted in favour of strike action.  The row is over over jobs and conditions of service.


Bob Crow by njbarnett
Bob Crow of the RMT said “This group of workers are absolutely key to delivering the service on the Piccadilly line and sub-surface railway and the way that they have been treated by the management at a time when the system is under intense pressure is nothing short of shocking. 

“These are the same key staff who keep services running when demand is at a peak and they are the same staff who manage the problems when the lines are hit by breakdowns and failures. They deserve respect for the job that they do and not the imposition of inferior working conditions and the threat to jobs. 

“RMT executive will consider this result and the union remains available for meaningful talks.”

Nigel Holness London Underground's Operations Director believes that all the issues have been addressed and said "We have been in discussion with the unions across the entire Tube network, including the sub-surface lines, since 2007 on the impact of changes arising from our upgrading of signalling systems.


We have already addressed nearly all of the issues raised by the RMT, and I would urge the RMT leadership to continue working with us to help staff prepare for these changes, which will be implemented in five years' time."

As with most strikes there's still room for talks, so keep an eye on the news for updates.

Related posts
Tube Workers in Two Summer Strike Ballots
London Underground will "burn midnight oil" to agree union Olympic Pay Deal
Tube Union RMT reject Olympics Pay Offer as Mayor Launches Get Ahead of the Games Campaign

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Tuesday, June 12, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/06/tube-staff-vote-for-strike-action.html

Tube Lines with most complaints - Jubilee wins

If you're one of those people who thinks the London Underground line you use is the most complained about, if you use the Jubilee Line, you now have figures to back this up.  Obviously we don't all go to the trouble of physically complaining about the service (if you're like me submitting a Customer Charter form to get your fare refunded may be enough)

However,  the Mayor recently got back to Val Shawcross (Deputy Chair of the London Assembly's Transport Committee) on a number of unanswered questions that she had posed to him.



photo by version3point1 One of those questions was how many complaints were received about London Underground services, by line and in total, for the latest available reporting periods?" Boris' response from the question asked on May 23.  "A record 1.171 billion journeys were made using the Tube in 2011/12. During Period 13 (4 - 31 March) of this year, LU carried 92.7 million passengers. 

	P13
Not Specified	666
Bakerloo	20
Central	106
Victoria	71
Jubilee	145
Northern	91
Piccadilly	95
Hammersmith & City & Circle	49
District	100
Metropolitan	89
Waterloo & City	2
Total	1434

During Period 13, there were 1.54 complaints for every 100,000 passenger journeys. These figures compare with an average of 69 complaints for every 100,000 journeys, recorded across the Train Operating Companies.

For the year 2011/12, LU recorded its lowest ever level of Lost Customer Hours since the measure began in 1999. Those travelling on the Bakerloo Line seem relatively happy with their lot & those on the Waterloo & City hardly think of complaining about their one stop journey at all.

During the Olympics the Jubilee Line is going to be one of the most used lines, so it will be interesting to see what happens to these figures over the summer months.

Thanks to Val's press office for sharing these figures.  I'm sure TfL will tell us they can probably be found somewhere in the depths of TfL's website, but it's interesting that Val had to ask (a number of times) for these figures.  I certainly join her & Caroline Pidgeon in thier campaign to make TfL and the Mayor more accountable for publishing stats like this (Caroline's campaigned for more accountability on stations which overcharge the most on Oyster cards too)  

You might also like
Caroline Pidgeon calls for greater transparency on Tube overcharging  
Latest Figures show Tube Delays at their ‘lowest since 2003′  
Tube Alarm Clock Android App - Wakes you up earlier when Tube Delayed  
Tube Refund apps for your iPhone

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Friday, June 08, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/06/tube-lines-with-most-complaints-jubilee.html

Flood disrupts Central Line & Hosepipe Ban Lifted

Last night passengers were led off a London Underground Central Line train. A Thames Water pipe burst and litres of  water poured down a ventilation shaft and flooded tracks at Stratford station.

Photo by Tom Edwards

Today the line is still suspended between Bethnal Green and  Leytonstone.

Nigel Holness, LU's operations director, said: "The Central Line is currently suspended between Bethnal Green and Leytonstone due to flooding in the Mile End area, caused by works taking place to a Thames Water main at street level. 

"Water has come through a nearby Tube ventilation shaft, flooding the track, and leaving us unable to run services. London Underground is pressing Thames Water to resolve the situation as soon as possible to enable us to get services back up and running, but it is likely the suspension will be in place for some time."

Londonist note that somewhat ironically, that Thames Water have decided to lift the hosepipe ban "As if by way of an apology, Thames Water also announced this morning that it could lift the hosepipe ban imposed earlier this year; we assume that the rainfall during the Jubilee celebrations makes up for the 2m litres lost in Stratford."

It's like that the disruption to the Central Line will continue throughout the day, so it worth following TfL’s live service updates if you need to use the Line further east than Bethnal Green.

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Thursday, June 07, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/06/flood-disrupts-central-line-hosepipe.html

Model Steam Train Rides at Brunel Museum - Open Garden Squares Weekend

As part of the Open Garden Squares Weekend from 9th - 10th June 2012, The Brunel Museum will be organising rides on model steam trains along Railway Avenue.  The Museum stands in some lovely riverside gardens planned & planted by the local community.  Also for the weekend, and for the first time since London Overground have taken over the area's Thames Tunnel, they will be switching on the Tunnel lights for floodlit train tunnel tours.



Robert Hulse from The Brunel Museum said: "From the station platform visitors can see the pillars and portico of Brunel’s magnificent grotto, stretching under the river. The archways are now empty, but they once held shops, tightrope-walkers, sword-swallowers and fire-eaters in the world’s first underwater fair!"



Both the steam train rides and floodlit tunnel tours are free. Brunel Museum are also holding £5 tours of the Grand Entrance Hall, a secret underground chamber, where you can descend a temporary staircase into a huge underground space half the size of Shakespeare’s Globe. For more information on all these events, visit the Museum's website.

You might also like
Eighth wonder of the world - Brunel Thames Tunnel talk 
Brunel Thames Tunnel Tour in Words & Pictures

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Tuesday, June 05, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/06/model-steam-train-rides-brunel-museum.html

First WiFi Tube Stations Announced

After yesterday's successful trial at a "secret" location TfL have announced the 80 London Underground stations that will receive Wi-Fi by the end of July.  Virgin Media’s Jon James said: “We’ve been working round-the-clock to install and test the WiFi and are about to connect some iconic and world-famous stations to the internet.”  The stations include Angel, Barbican, Covent Garden, Charing Cross, Green Park,  Hammersmith, Finsbury Park, Kentish Town, King's Cross, Leicester Square, Liverpool Street, Oxford Circus, Old Street, Oval, Paddington, Seven Sisters, Swiss Cottage, Stratford, Vauxhall, Victoria, Warren Street, Waterloo and Westminster.


London Underground's strategy director Gareth Powell said: "The first stations include some of our busiest and most well-known destinations and we're on track for a successful launch this summer, all delivered at no additional cost to fare-payers or taxpayers."

Yesterday the BBC's Rory Cellan Jones was filmed using the Tube Wi-Fi service at a secret location and said it  was "pretty fast" and added "let's see how it goes when thousands are using it".

Currently The Virgin Media contract is only for ticket offices, escalators and platforms because it would have required major construction work to have added connectivity to the network's tunnels. But if you are on the Tube in an area within the stations covered, there may be enough range to pick up a connection on a train itself. 120 stations will be fitted out by the end of the year.

You can see a  full list of stations at Londonist

Related posts
Wi-Fi Tests at "Secret" Tube Station
London Overground Stations to get WiFi in time for Olympics
Virgin Media win London Underground wi-fi contract
TfL say on track for Tube Wi-Fi to be enabled for Olympics
WiFi Tests on London Underground 

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Friday, June 01, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/06/first-wifi-tube-stations-announced.html

Wi-Fi Tests at "Secret" Tube Station

The BBC were doing some tests of  Wi-Fi on the London Underground today at a secret location.  It seems to be "pretty fast" right now, but Rory Cellan-Jones said "let's see how it goes when thousands are using it".  He also had the privilege of sending the first tweet, saying, "Historic first tweet from deep under London using @TFLofficial @virginmedia new tube wifi service - testing, testing."



Guesses on the "secret location" appear to be favouring Warren Street.  So if you're travelling through the station today on the Victoria Line look out for the sensors on the tunnel roof.

Wi-Fi has been promised at 80 stations. The Virgin Media contract is only for ticket offices, escalators and platforms because it would have required major construction work to have added connectivity to the network's tunnels. But if you are on the Tube in an area within the stations covered, there may be enough range to pick up a connection on a train itself. 120 stations will be fitted out by the end of the year.


After the period of free access to all during the Olympics, Virgin Media's broadband & mobile customers will get continued access as part of their subscriptions. Other non-paying users will be limited to a site showing online travel information.

Thanks to Lloyd Davis for alerting me to this.

Related posts
London Overground Stations to get WiFi in time for Olympics
Virgin Media win London Underground wi-fi contract
TfL say on track for Tube Wi-Fi to be enabled for Olympics
WiFi Tests on London Underground  

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Thursday, May 31, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/05/wi-fi-tests-at-secret-tube-station.html

Re-naming Jubilee Line & Signs of the Diamond Jubilee on the Tube

Did you know that a group of  Labour MPs have signed a Parliamentary motion urging that the London Underground Jubilee line - should be re-named the Elizabeth Jubilee Line to mark the Diamond Jubilee?

Here's what they said "this House expresses its profound gratitude to Her Majesty The Queen for her dedication to public service; welcomes the opportunities over the coming months that the nation will have to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee, a landmark that only Her Majesty and Queen Victoria have reached out of the 41 monarchs who have reigned in England and the UK since William the Conqueror; notes that the Jubilee tube line is so named in celebration of Her Majesty's Silver Jubilee in 1977; and, in celebration of Her Majesty becoming only the second Monarch to reign for an exceptional 60 years, calls for the Jubilee Line to be renamed the Elizabeth Jubilee Line, to commemorate the great occasion of this Diamond Jubilee year."

It has been signed by six MPs. Ermmm, I can't really see them having much luck with that. What do you think?

On the subject of Jubilees, even though the Queen's Golden Jubilee was only 10 years ago, I have very little recollection of it. It was the year before I started blogging, I wasn't exactly cataloguing my thoughts and sights on the Tube in the same way I do now. I'm struggling to remember if there were any posters on the London Underground relating to the event. I'm guessing there must have been. This got me thinking about the Diamond Jubilee and TfL's efforts to "publicise" it.

I'd blogged before about the posters around the system advising us to check TfL's website for any special travel arrangements over the Jubilee weekend
 
My favourite is one with a pair of corgis looking into a laptop. You'll also see the Queen peering into her laptop and one of her Maj's guardsmen in a bearskin checking out the travel plans too. So far so Jubilee.


  

Slightly more puzzling is TfL's attempt to cash in on Jubilee parties.

They're selling a host of "party packs" - cake decorations and tea stands with no relation to transport at all. However, some Jubilee travelcard cushions, cups and tea towels are also added to the poster, for those who think that TfL actually ought to sell transporty things.

However, TfL aren't the worst people trying to cash in on the Jubilee. I've seen a number of posters on the Tube with crowns, Union Flags and the words "Right Royal" randomly added to them. My favourite of these "Let's try to Jubilee Up our products" is this poster for that well known British Food - the Mexican wrap.




Obviously your first choice of grub when throwing a Jubilee party.

Related Posts
Jubilee Wrapped Tube Trains launched for Diamond Jubilee
Limited edition Jubilee & London 2012 Olympics Oyster cards
Jubilee Line Pictures to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Thursday, May 31, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/05/re-naming-jubilee-line-tube-diamond.html

Tube Workers in Two Summer Strike Ballots

London Underground workers are to be balloted for strikes in two separate disputes over jobs, pay and conditions.  The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said scores of control centre and maintenance staff will be encouraged to back industrial action.

Bob Crow on  Bakerloo train photo by Mags Halliday

There will be two ballots, one among service control centre staff employed by London Underground and another with ticket maintenance workers belonging to private contractor Cubic Transportation Services.  Apparently Cubic have rejected a claim for an Olympic bonus payment.  They have "point blank refused to discuss RMT’s pay claim and an Olympic bonus. The company have instead said that they are not prepared to give an Olympic bonus, have offered a paltry 2.5 % pay rise and have total rejected totally RMT claims for a shorter working week"

Bob Crow of the RMT said: "Both of these disputes are about protecting our members' jobs, working conditions and standards of living in the face of aggressive and bullying management tactics that leave us no choice but to ballot for action.

"RMT remains available for talks but no-one should under-estimate the level of anger amongst both of these groups of workers."

The ballot result will be announced in June with the RMT expecting members to back the strike call.

Update 30th May 2012 -  RMT & London Underground have agreed an Olympic pay deal. The RMT union said drivers could receive up to £1,000, with other members of staff in line for up to £850 for the 'massive additional pressures' they will face during the period around the Games.

However, the union says it is still balloting control staff and maintenance members over the possibility of strike action on over other pay and condition issues.  Also the RMT are to ballot “Boris Bike’s” operational staff for action over an Olympics reward and working conditions

Howard Collins, London Underground chief operating officer, said: “I am pleased that we have now got agreement from all four unions on our proposals for how we can fairly reward staff over the London 2012 Games".

Related posts
London Underground will "burn midnight oil" to agree union Olympic Pay Deal
Tube Union RMT reject Olympics Pay Offer as Mayor Launches Get Ahead of the Games Campaign

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Tuesday, May 29, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/05/tube-workers-two-strike-ballots.html

Bank Station Upgrade Exhibition - Have Your Say

London Underground have unveiled more proposals to relieve the congestion around  Bank station. They are on public dispay from Monday 28 May 2012 and will run until Friday 1 June inclusive from 8am - 6pm.

Bank and Monument, is the fourth busiest interchange on the Tube network and this proposed scheme, with a range of suggestions to ease overcrowding includes the following:

• A new Northern line concourse with additional interchange passageways and escalators to the DLR and Central line
• A new southbound Northern line running tunnel that will create extra space to reduce crowding on the platforms
• Lifts to a new ticket hall in King William Street to provide step-free access between street level, the Northern line and DLR

TfL received more than 200 responses to a consultation, and these have been used in the project now on display.  They're investigating two options for acquiring land to build the project and three options to locate a new station entrance.

David Waboso, London Underground's Director of Capital Programmes, said: "Bank is one of the busiest stations on the network and we've been working closely with the City of London Corporation on plans to create more capacity at this important interchange.

"Most of the work will be below the ground and we'll keep disruption to a minimum during construction, but it's important that the public have the chance to comment on what we're proposing to improve their Tube network."

3D cutaway illustration of Bank and Monument stations found via skyscrapercity

Members of the project team will be available to answer any questions about the proposals at an exhibition at the Guildhall Ambulatory, corner of Aldermanbury and Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HH.

To find more information about the project and contact the project team, visit the project website.

Update - London Insomniac went along to the exhibition and took some photos of the 3D model & wrote a blog post of his thoughts -

He said "I really hope that people will vote for the 3rd option (large building with escalators) - I can't imagine anything else being suitable for the future. The project will be completed in 9 years - who knows how much more people will be in London by then!"

Related posts
Bank Monument interchange in photos
3D Tube Maps & 3D Cutaway Tube Station Diagrams  

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Monday, May 28, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/05/bank-station-upgrade-exhibition-have.html

Epping Ongar Steam Railway Service on Tube from 25th May 2012

Don't forget that the Epping Ongar Railway will be resuming steam and heritage diesel hauled passenger trains on the former end of the London Underground Central Line from today Friday 25th May 2012 and over this weekend .  For the first time in 55 years you'll have the chance to travel on a steam train on the Epping Ongar branch of this Tube Line.  Volunteers have been working towards restoring on the track, signals, buildings and rolling stock.  They'll also be running this service, throughout the summer on every weekend and Bank Holidays (including the Jubilee bank holidays) and also daily during the Olympics at nearby Stratford.


The main locomotive by IanVisits


Photo by IanVisits
The railway will operate steam hauled passenger services between Ongar and North Weald, a diesel shuttle from North Weald into Epping Forest, and a heritage bus service connecting to Epping LUL Station and High Street.

London Transport - Central line extension leaflet - 21 November 1948 by mikeyashworth

The photo above shows a leaflet issued by London Transport for when the Underground was originally extended on the Central line - west to West Ruislip and eastwards to Loughton on the way to Epping & Ongar.

The last Epping-Ongar service ran in 1994.  At the time the line was only carrying a mere 80 passengers a day. However, the train that ran the final London Underground service on the line, a three-car unit of 1960 stock, has been preserved by Cravens Heritage Trains.  After a variety of special opening days, at the end of 2007, the railway was sold to a new private owner who was committed to bring steam back to the line. 

You can book your tickets from this website and the full timetable & fares are here.  Follow @eorailway on Twitter to keep up to date. Advanced booking for the first weekend is strongly recommended. Many thanks to Shell for initially telling me about this.

You might also like
Steam Train on the London Underground - Video - Test Run for 150th Birthday Celebrations
Tube Station Cinema at Snaresbrook London Underground - Is this first Tube Cinema?

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Friday, May 25, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/05/epping-ongar-steam-railway-service-on.html

Tube staff direct commuters to new Banksy at Turnpike Lane

Looking for Banksy? Helpful London Underground staff are pointing out the way to Banksy's new "artwork" on the side of Poundland in Turnpike Lane.  Possibly tired of being constantly asked where the Banksy is, station staff are using the whiteboard to act as an "art guide".

Photo by Seanbastard1

The street art believed to be a genuine Banksy will not be removed from Turnpike Lane. The image popped up on the side of a Poundland store in Whymark Avenue last week.

It shows a young boy using a sewing machine, and has been covered with a sheet of clear plastic to protect the work from damage. The Olympic Torch Relay will travel past the picture as it travels through Haringey on July 25.

You might also like
Tracey Emin designs Tube Map Cover for Olympic Games period
Station Whiteboard Message Wars
Artists working for London Underground stage second exhibition
Cally Road Tube Artist Inspires Song

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Friday, May 25, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/05/tube-staff-banksy-turnpike-lane.html

This Station will be exceptionally busy during the Games - Guess Where Tube 19

Time for another Guess Where Tube. For visitors unfamiliar with the "Guess Where Tube" game it's where I ask you to guess from exactly where on the London Underground, certain pictures from the London Tube Flickr group were taken from. Worryingly, I've seen posters like this on a number of the stations that I use on a daily basis. So me and all the passengers using 88 of the "hotspot" stations aren't going to have an easy time during the 2012 Games.


Obviously it's one of the 88 stations we've been advised to avoid and I'm guessing all regular London commuters are going to be seeing these posters popping up on all of those stations.

There's no prize for getting it right (mainly because I think it's pretty easy), just the satisfaction of knowing you were right.

You might also like
TfL Publish Tube & Train Stations to avoid during Olympic Games
Guess Where Tube 18
Guess Where Tube 17
Guess Where Tube 16   
Guess Where Tube 15
Guess Where Tube 14
Guess Where Tube 13
Guess Where Tube 12
Guess Where Tube 11
Guess Where Tube 10
Guess Where Tube 9
Guess Where Tube 8
Guess Where Tube 7
Guess Where Tube 6
Guess Where Tube 5
Guess Where Tube 4
Guess Where Tube 3
Guess Where Tube 2
Guess Where Tube 1
Guess Where Tube Quiz
Guess Where Tube Quiz Round Two

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Wednesday, May 23, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/05/station-exceptionally-busy-games-guess.html

Paul McCartney's Ewe Tube Map

Tube Map "mash ups" are so popular that even people like Paul McCartney are getting in on the act. To celebrate the release of the re-issue of Paul and Linda McCartney's 1971 album 'RAM', Paul McCartney has renamed a number of London Underground stations. He's given a number of Tube stations some sheep-tastic names including Baaabican, Eweston and my favourite Rammersmith.

 

Paul McCartney tweeted a 'Ewe Tube' map pointing out the stations that were going to be rammed!

Tottenram Court Road and Sheepherd's Bush Tube stations are also highlighted.

You might also like
London Underground Tube Map of Music
Madness Tube Map
Photos from Mind the Map Exhibition at London Transport Museum

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Tuesday, May 22, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/05/paul-mccartneys-ewe-tube-map.html

Alexandra Burke on the Tube

Remember when Alexandra Burke got thrown off the London Underground for not having a licence to film the video for her new single there.  A source had told The Sun (so it must be true) : “The Tube manager kept making announcements over the Tannoy that the filming had to stop.

“When he was ignored he came downstairs and shouted that Alexandra didn’t have the right permit to film. At first Alex thought he was joking. But when he said she’d be arrested, she realised things were more serious and hurried out.” 


Well it looks like her record company must have gone to some expense hiring a Tube carriage somewhere as thanks to IanVisits spot, she appears to be encouraging a mass party on the system .


Did TfL give in? Did she eventually get the right pass? Did the record company find someone happy to lend them a Victoria line carriage for an evening? Was the whole initial story made up by The Sun or "the source" in an attempt to gain early publicity for Ms Burke? Who knows?

You might also like
Tardis or Tube? Alex Kingston spotted on the London Underground
Rihanna on the Tube
The Sun says Rihanna's becoming "greasy haired trainspotting Anorak" & obsessed with the Tube

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Monday, May 21, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/05/alexandra-burke-on-tube.html

Photos from Mind the Map Exhibition at London Transport Museum

London Transport Museum opens its new exhibition - Mind the Map to the public today - 18th May 2012 which is running until 28th October. I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch party last night and took a number of pictures while I was there.


The Museum describe the exhibition as follows "Mind the Map: inspiring art, design and cartography will draw on the Museum’s outstanding map collection to explore the themes of journeys, identity and publicity. The exhibition will be the largest of its kind and will include previously unseen historic material and exciting new artworks by leading artists including Simon Patterson, Stephen Walter, Susan Stockwell, Jeremy Wood, Claire Brewster, and Agnes Poitevin-Navarre."

I really enjoyed it (admittedly not as much as Sense in The City - which I think was the best exhibition London Transport Museum had ever put on) and there are some very interesting posters, scupltures, artwork and even interactive displays.

The picture above is a cartoon from 2009 where you may remember the River Thames was left off the Tube map for the first time causing some uproar and Boris Johnson, demanding it be put back

Simon Patterson revisited his famous "The Great Bear" first designed 20 years ago with a new piece called Saptarishi - another constellation within The Great Bear


I've grown quite fond of The Great Bear now and it's led to a number of Tube Map "mash ups" where station names have been replaced by a whole host of things - anagrams, film titles, song titles, fonts, Dr Who characters - you name it. However I found Saptarishi quite puzzling. As did many others viewing it. But I suppose that's the point of it. You'll be saying "Why has he dedicated a line to The Murdochs?", "What's their connection to the spies line?" "Why aren't Jedward on the Musicians Line?"



The more historical maps and map covers are equally fascinating



I loved the Jubilee Line edition of the District Railway map for 1887 and the maps promoting travel to the British Empire Exhbition by Underground

These are amazing posters that you could get lost in for hours

 
Look out for a new poster display on the other side of the main exhibition space at London Transport Museum. You'll see a playful poster from when Night Buses were extended to outer London to "Boldly go where no Night Bus has gone before"



TfL were keen to promote that the buses extended to outer limits - even "to the furthest reaches of the Known Universe: Dagenham"



A map made out of transport tickets - Momemento by Susan Stockwell was one of my favourites of the modern pieces.

  

I was also fascinated to see the video of Tracey Emin explaining her thought processes behind The Central Line - her new artwork for the June 2012 Tube Map cover (see my earlier blog post on this)



This sculpture also gave an alternative look at the Tube Map that was quite hypnotic



You can see the rest of my photographs from Mind The Map in this Flickr set. I will definitely make another trip to the exhibition if only to look the wonderful MacDonald Gill pieces from the 1940's and ponder more on the connections between people on Simon Patterson's map.

You might also like
Tracey Emin designs Tube Map Cover for Olympic Games period
Sense and the City: Dan Dare on the Tube
Roundels on the River: Serco Prize For Illustration
River returning to the Tube Map

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Friday, May 18, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/05/photos-mind-map-london-transport-museum.html

Tracey Emin designs Tube Map Cover for Olympic Games period

Tracey Emin's design of a bird on a "branch" of the Northern Line intersecting with the Central Line, will be the Tube Map cover we'll be seeing over the London Olympic period this year.  She's the latest artist whose work will now be seen by millions picking up a London Underground pocket map.  Around 18 million in fact, one of the largest print runs the pocket map has seen.  It will be available from stations from June 2012.


Those who might have been expecting something more ... err... Olympic themed will be disappointed. But it's certainly a bit of a coup for TfL to get one of the most talked about British artists to produce the map cover. The design is in a video at London Transport Museum's new Mind the Map exhibition which opens to the public on 18th May 2012.  I was invited to the launch of the exhibition tonight, where there is a video of Tracey talking about her inspiration for the design and what she wanted to achieve.



For some reason in the video she is holding the design the wrong way around and says that the Central Line is a Tube Line she uses a lot "The Central Line has big landmark stations, so I used that, so that people would have an idea of going from West to East."  She's cottoned on to the fact that tourists can find the Tube map confusing and felt a bird would help to make it feel "friendlier".

 

She said “I don't want them to think "Oh, I'm in this massive big city and I'm lost and I don't know where to go.  When people look at the Tube map I want them to smile and feel reassured.”

The Map cover's title is 'The Central line', but the only stations marked on the line are Liverpool Street, Oxford Circus and, I imagine with some artistic licence, Shoreditch High Street.  It shows Tracey's personal use of the line to taking her from her home in the East End home to the West End.  

Tracey is used to people paying to see her art and found the concept of producing something that will end up in bins or on the floor quite daunting.

 

TfL have praised Emin’s artwork for adapting “the iconography of the original map to reflect her personal experience of the network and her ideas and experience of place.” Tamsin Dillon, head of Art on the Underground said the design is “a moving and unique interpretation of the Capital” .

That's certainly one way to describe it.  Like much of Tracey's work it will be talked about. Whether the maps end up becoming collectors items or as Tracey herself says "in bins or on the floor", this is one Tube Map cover that many people will have firm opinions about.

What do you think of it?  Particularly as a choice for a map that will be used over the London Olympics.

Related posts
Photos from Mind the Map Exhibition at London Transport Museum
Olympic Tube Map Renames Stations with names of Sporting Celebrities
Olympics Tube Map Cover we'd like to see
Rejected Tube Map Cover Designs 

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Thursday, May 17, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/05/tracey-emin-tube-map-cover-design.html

Jubilee Wrapped Tube Trains launched for Diamond Jubilee

Look out for the first of two new Jubilee line London Underground trains, which are wrapped in "decorative Jubilee livery" to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, going into service this week.


The trains will run along the Jubilee line up to and during the Diamond Jubilee weekend.  The first wrapped train went into service on Monday 14 May 2012 and the second will be from 21st May.

TfL have pointed out that the decorative wraps have been funded by Tube Lines "at no cost to the tax payer". 


You've probably also spotted a number of posters around the system advising us to check TfL's website for any special travel arrangements over the Jubilee weekend. My favourite is one with a pair of corgis looking into a laptop. There's also images where only a guardsman's bearskin and the Queen's crown can be seen over the top of the "royal" laptop.

You might also like
Limited edition Jubilee & London 2012 Olympics Oyster cards
Jubilee Line Pictures to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Wednesday, May 16, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/05/jubilee-wrapped-trains-for-diamond.html

Spotted at South Kensington Tube

Looks like staff at South Kensington Tube have found a novel way of trying to get people to walk on the left at the underpass on the way to the museums. Great spot by @SebWhite of a sign attached to the walls aimed at parents taking their kids on an educational visit


Has the perfect London Underground passive aggressive tone but with a bit of middle classed humour thrown in. Let's hope all the mums and dads with Little Hugo's follow the note and keep to the left.  School parties with "walking buses" (bonkers phrase!) are hopefully well trained enough to do this already.

Hat tip to @AboutLondon who alerted this to me on Twitter.

You might also like
Watch out for children on the Tube
How well do kids know the Tube? 

London Underground; Tube Posted by Unknown Tuesday, May 15, 2012 Permalink COMMENT HERE
Tweet http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2012/05/spotted-at-south-kensington-tube.html