The Infamous Tube

All of you who have visited London, whether you actually used it or not, knows of the wonderful London Tube!  London’s underground train system, commonly called “The Tube” celebrated its 150th birthday in January of this year.

When the idea to put a train underground, moving along in a type of “tube”, was first floated in the mid-1800’s, as is usually the case with something new and innovative, there were many who poo-poo’d the idea.  An editorial in The Times of London at the time found the concept repulsive: “A subterranean railway under London was awfully suggestive of dank, noisome tunnels buried many fathoms deep beyond the reach of light or life; passages inhabited by rats, soaked with sewer drippings, and poisoned by the escape of gas mains,” the newspaper declared.  Now, of course, 150 years after it first started in 1863, we wonder how on earth London would run without it!

The Tube was the first underground system in the world to be engineered and the system is now huge.  It boasts many “lines” going all sorts of ways.

This system is printed on a little map and is very simple to follow making getting around London very easy and quick, despite the magnitude of traffic going on above!  The Tube is the fourth largest subway system in the world – Seoul’s being first, Shanghai second and Beijing third.  Interesting that the top three are in the Far East!

During the Blitz in World War II, the Underground was used by one and all as shelter from the shattering bombs.  Initially, the “higher-ups” tried to discourage it feeling that it would not be sanitary but, in the end, they realized that it was a safe place for Londoners to be during this terrible time.  They set up bunks and latrines down there and so brought people to safety who may otherwise have perished.

The good old Tube!  To Londoners it is very commonplace  – a way of life – it is the way most people get around.  It is not the ONLY way to get around but certainly is the quickest and, in most cases, the most convenient.  London also has a wonderful bus system but, of course, with buses, one has to put up with the traffic on the streets so your journey will probably take you a lot longer.

As a child living in London, when I was home for the weekend from boarding school, my father would love to take me all over to show me the sites and enable me to get to know London.  For the most part, we walked as he felt (and of course he was right – as ALWAYS!) that one saw much more and learned much more whilst “on foot”.   But on the odd occasion, after much pleading from me, we would take The Tube and, oh, how wonderful that was!

Wonderful because I could sit down and rest my feet!

“The Tube” is as English as a cuppa tea!