A thread for mumsnet nerds to talk about the history of the London Underground (aka what's your favourite tube station)

[GetOrfMoiIand]

I spent a happy hour looking at this site www.abandonedstations.org.uk/

The history of the tube is fascinating, and I love travelling on it, it is so atmospheric (apart from when I am commuting within London and then I hate it with a vengeance like any normal person reserving special ire for the wanking Circle line).

Some stations feel really evocative - for instance Lambeth North looks as if it hasn't changed since the second world war.

Oh an my nan was there the night of the Bethnal Green Tube disaster, I just dug out her "memoirs" (not sure of the best word!) and she wrote "We were getting ready to leave home and I went with my mum to Bethnal Green to get some bits and pieces when the siren sounded so we made our way to the underground for shelter but we couldn't get down the steps because we were told someone had fallen down with a pushchair and a baby so we went to the church. When we came out we were told that pickpockets were at work in the station and that they had caused an accident that had killed many many people."

Agree that the public are generally hideous.

I like the tube drivers/ announcers with a sense of humour. I was at London Bridge a few years back and a load of Japanese tourists excitedly took photos (with flash) of a Northern Line train as it pulled into the station.

We all boarded the train and the driver (female) announced
"Ladies and gentlemen... may I please remind you that flash photography is not allowed anywhere on the London Underground system"

then she sucked her teeth and changed her accent to pure Jamaican
"is you lot tryin' to blind me or sumtin"?

FAOD she was black and not being racist.

Anyhoo, this site is quite funny. Don't know how much of it is genuine.

Ooh was he rachelfruitloop, was he someone memorable in it? I deal with the public in my job and think it's hard sometimes but no where near as hard as working on the Tube!!

IF you go to 28dayslater website and type in london underground, all the previous 'splores come up. There is a good report and excellent photography from markR of disused Aldwych station.

I couldn't do DH's job, I like to avoid confrontation! That's why I'm rarely on AIBU!

Should I really rachel? It was about 18 months ago I last used the station regularly and I always thought it was a bit odd to try and thank the 'skinny black guy who makes me smile with his announcements'.

bluebump DH is "brains" not "brawn"

you'llwin yeah, 18 months isn't that long ago really, most people stick around on the job for a while. It's nice praise for Southwark in general as well. Sometimes they give awards for lots of good customer feedback, too.

ok. I might just do that!

lula that link to the driver's quotes is great! I love the one where he said if the person smoking on the train is smoking a joint, they should pass it around!

Forgot to say earlier, too. I was born in 1988 and had no idea that there were ever wooden escalators

Hmm a controller or organiser of some sort maybe? I can't picture faces now of course Rachel! An interesting job i'm sure though.

I used to love Mile End when a train pulled out and it was silent for a few seconds until you heard the scurry of mice/rats start up again until the next train pulled in. I'm always wowed by the Canary Wharf glass canopies too.

The drivers to Mill Hill East tended to be great - often no passengers going there, so at Finchley Central late at night they'd walk down the train telling everyone to get off and waking up the sleeping ones, and it often took a lot of persuasion for me to convince the driver that yes, I was of sound mind and really did want to stay on the train to MHE!

One driver in particular used to do comedy announcements, like in the style of an airline pilot: [nasal voice] "Welcome to today's 21:48 Northern Line flight to Morden. We will be cruising at an altitude of approximately zero feet, under the delights of the West End and Charing Cross, arriving at Morden around 22:50. I'm afraid we have a lack of stewardesses and no life vests under your seats. A light meal will not be served unless you have brought your own with you." Etc.

And in the rush hour, 'stand clear of the doors - for the muppet trying to squeeze into carriage 3, yes you with the ugly yellow jacket, the big slidy things you are failing to get through are called "doors". Please mind them and let the rest of us get to work, OK?'

If I ever drive trains I'll definitely do comedy announcements! Seems like it would keep the job fun. Don't really think I could do that job, though. I'd probably space out and not stop at all the stations!

bluebump DH was with "flat cap guy" shouting in his face!

My favourite station as Aldgate as it seemed so old fashioned and glamorous. It was also where I used to get off to walk up to Covent Garden when I first worked in London in the early 80s. I always associated it with the start of a good evening out!

I hate hate hate the changes to the Circle Line, so much so that I no longer use it. Imvho the service has deteriorated and the gaps between trains has got longer since the change. The platform at Paddington going clockwise isn't wide enough to accommodate all the people trying to get down to it so you end up with a massive queue that snakes around the top of the rail platforms and then they have to shut access to the tube platform to stop overcrowding. Really rubbish idea poorly thought through.

I work in the City so when the Circle line was a circle it didn't matter which way round I'd go, I'd just go to the platform that had the first circle line train. Can't do that now one of them is next to platform 14.

notcitrus I remember that northern line driver?

There was also a man who did poetry at canary wharf about "feel the breeze" - which was a bit odd tBH

Oh oh and the best tube thing ever was on my way home after work (northern line again - always been a northern line person!) and god knows who had decorated the whole carriage! They had covered all the ads up with pictures and hung origami and coloured tissue animals and things from the ceiling - just loads down the whole carriage so all the ads gone and al these creatures sharing handrail space with the commuters - and it looked fantastic! In true commute style everyone pretended not to notice but by the time we got past zone 3 people started smiling at each other a bit and taking photos and stuff. it was brilliant

I had a Jamaican driver one time and he sang along the whole route and recommended things to do at the stops. I stayed on past my stop just to listen!

notcitrus that should be a ! not a ? at the end of my first line there!

Paddington waiting for a circle is so grim in the morning, so I get on the bakerloo and either change at baker st for the jubilee or embankment for the district. It probably takes longer than just waiting for the circle in the first place but less soul destroying.

My first underground experience was when I landed my first job in London at golders green. Nearby is a partially built station which was at north end right by the bull and bush pub. The war must have stopped it being completed.

Think an urbexer went down for a look and did a report.

Oh and ALSO when I was a kid I always wnated to press the buttons the conductor (?) pressed to open and close the doors and signal the driver to go and go along with the door open a bit leaning out after the other doors had shut.

And when I was about 16 I was on the tube with a friend and some cider and managed to persuade him to let me have a go! i opened and closed the doors (when he said obv)! I signalled the driver! It was utterly fantastic!

I am doing a lot of !!! now and also didn't realise how much i love the tube

My best tube story happened a few years ago, on the Piccadilly line late one night. A glamorously dressed girl got on and proceeded to do a strip routine, twirling around the handrails until she was wearing nothing but some sparkly knickers and a pair of nipple tassels. Of course all us passengers averted our eyes in a terribly British fashion, though it was quite hard to fake nonchalance with someone waving her stockings around her head about two feet away.

GetOrf that's exactly what I do even if my train has come in on platform 13, it is quicker to walk to the Bakerloo line.

And can I just say...
Tube mice! I love them! They must be deaf though

Heh@ tube stripper! Did she have a pint glass for pound coins?!