London Transport Museum has a really interesting selection of ‘Hidden London’ tours that give us occasional access to tunnels and stations on the London transport network that are no longer in operational use. The ‘Charing Cross: Access All Areas’ tour looks at the out of service Jubilee line platforms and construction tunnels left over from the excavation of the Jubilee line … [Read more...] about LONDON UNDER: Exploring Hidden London’s Abandoned Charing Cross Station
The Tube
A Guide to London’s Underground Abandoned Ghost Stations
There are 270 functioning stations across the 249 miles of Transport for London network. But more interesting to us for this article are the 40+ Overground and Underground stations still in existence that are no longer used for travel. Some people refer to these simply as abandoned stations and others use the name 'ghost stations' (my preferred name choice). All refer to … [Read more...] about A Guide to London’s Underground Abandoned Ghost Stations
HIDDEN LONDON: The Lost Tunnels of Euston Station
London Transport Museum’s ‘Hidden London’ tours are great to know about as you get access to tunnels and stations on the London transport network that are not usually open to the public. In Londontopia magazine issue #1 I reported back about the hidden tunnels at Charing Cross station. So it was a treat to join another tour, this time at Euston station. This one was a treat … [Read more...] about HIDDEN LONDON: The Lost Tunnels of Euston Station
Scenes from the Tube: A London Photo Essay
I am in love with The Tube. It's a magical thing, this network of underground (and overground) trains that can take you anywhere in London. London is a city that grew organically, chaotically, yet the Tube gives the city an order that is entirely unexpected. Just looking at the Tube map evokes a romance for London - the names of all the distant places on the Tube map are … [Read more...] about Scenes from the Tube: A London Photo Essay
Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the London Overground
A complement to the London Underground, the London Overground is the Tube’s lesser-known cousin, a network over commuter trains that rely on above-ground tracks. This is similar to the group of private-owned organizations that make up National Rail, though the Overground is a public service owned by Transport for London and is exclusive to the city. Today, the London … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the London Overground
The DLR: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About Docklands Light Railway
Like a little brother to the London Underground, the Docklands Light Rail transportation system was developed following the revitalization of the Docklands in East London. The DLR as it’s known opened in 1987 serving much of Eastern London like its own little Underground. While still under Transport for London, it’s run as a separate light metro rail service, though it does … [Read more...] about The DLR: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About Docklands Light Railway
The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the Victoria Line
Named for one of the greatest monarchs in British history, the Victoria line is one of the newer additions to the London Underground, if newer can be said to include a line that opened over fifty years ago. Of course, saying that it’s named for Queen Victoria could also be a stretch, since originally the line ran from Victoria station to Walthamstow. Of course, even though … [Read more...] about The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the Victoria Line
The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the Northern Line
Running from Southwest London to Northwest London on a crescent-shaped path, the Northern Line has an interesting history that separates it from the other Underground routes. Whereas most of the other original lines that made up the London Underground were formed out of complete, pre-existing railways when they merged as part of the London Transport Safety Board, the Northern … [Read more...] about The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the Northern Line
The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the Piccadilly Line
The Piccadilly Line is one of the most popular in the London, owing largely to the facts that most of the city’s greatest monuments fall along its route including the British Museum, Hyde Park, and Buckingham Palace. Running from Cockfosters, it spits towards its western terminus with one line going to Uxbridge and the other to Heathrow Airport, which helps to make it the … [Read more...] about The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the Piccadilly Line
The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts About the Metropolitan Line
The Metropolitan Line (or “Met” as it’s known) is the oldest line on the London Underground. It was founded in 1863 as the Metropolitan Railway and ran from Paddington to Farrington Street, mostly running goods as well as people. It expanded further shortly after it opened and today runs from Aldgate all the way out to Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. In all that time, the … [Read more...] about The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts About the Metropolitan Line
The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts About the Central Line on the London Underground
Earning its name by running through Central London, the Central Line is one of the most important lines in the London Underground. The Central Line started as the Central London Railway in 1900 running east to west through the city. In 120 years of its existence, the Central Line has built up a very interesting history and some great facts to go with it. Combing through the … [Read more...] about The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts About the Central Line on the London Underground
Terror on the Tube: A History of Disasters on the London Underground
First off, we should point out that despite the horrific title of this article, the Tube is an incredibly safe mode of transportation when you’re in London. However, no safety record is perfect, and the Tube has on rare occasions been the target of terror groups. In fact, the London Underground sees over one billion passengers per year and averages an accident per 300 million … [Read more...] about Terror on the Tube: A History of Disasters on the London Underground
London History: A Guide to Metroland – The Suburban Expansion of London Brought On By The Tube
Also known as Metro-land, this suburban area north-west of London was a major project by the railway to transform unused land into a series of residential communities. Metroland wasn’t the first time a rail company was instrumental in growing London. In truth, the continued influx of people from the countryside to London in the 19th Century had caused the city’s metropolitan … [Read more...] about London History: A Guide to Metroland – The Suburban Expansion of London Brought On By The Tube
Hidden London Announces New Tour: London Moorgate Disused Station Tour
The Hidden London tours run by the London Transport Museum are some of my favorite special tours to go on in London. We've been on several over the years, as has our London correspondent Laura Porter. Tickets will go on sale very soon for their next roster of tours, and this time around they have added a new one - an exploration of the Moorgate Disused Station. Details from … [Read more...] about Hidden London Announces New Tour: London Moorgate Disused Station Tour
London Tube: The Ten Busiest London Underground Stations and their Histories
Transport for London estimates that 1.37 billion people ride the Tube every year moving through the network’s 249 miles of track and 270 stations. And while thousands of people pass through every day going to work, home, out, or just sightseeing, they don’t often reflect on the history of the stations. If you stop for a moment, we think you’ll find that London’s ten busiest … [Read more...] about London Tube: The Ten Busiest London Underground Stations and their Histories
Exhibition Report: The New Hidden London Exhibition at the London Transport Museum
I'm fortunate to have been on all of the London Transport Museum 'Hidden London' tours of disused stations and tunnels but not everyone has had that opportunity. The tours are only available on certain dates (not all year round), and the (sometimes) long climbs may have put you off. Some say the tours are expensive (I think they are exceptional value) and also, children can't … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: The New Hidden London Exhibition at the London Transport Museum
London Alert: Tube Light is Back and Introducing the NEW Smaller Version
Big news! The most popular product we've ever offered - the LED Tube Light is back and we're excited to introduce a smaller version! If you felt the original Tube light was too large, then the mini-Tube light is for you. It's more suitable for bookshelves and desktops. It's powered by 2 AA batteries or the included USB Cable. The Mini Tube Light includes 3 signs - Underground, … [Read more...] about London Alert: Tube Light is Back and Introducing the NEW Smaller Version
It’s Official: Crossrail – Aka The Elizabeth LIne – Is Officially Delayed Until At Least 2020
The announcement has been made. Many suspected this would be the case. Crossrail, London's new underground railway, has had its opening delayed until at least Autumn 2020. The entire line won't open until 2021 at the earliest as well. The new cross-London railway line, which will slash journey times across the capital, was supposed to open last year, but at the last minute … [Read more...] about It’s Official: Crossrail – Aka The Elizabeth LIne – Is Officially Delayed Until At Least 2020
London Tube: You’ve Got to Watch This Amazing Mesmerizing Animation That Shows the Real Geography of the London Underground
I found this on Reddit the other day and knew I had to share it. Most first time travelers to London will quickly learn that the London Underground Tube Map is not designed with geographic reality in mind. It has almost no relation to geographic reality in London and you discover these quirks when you try to, for example, connect between lines at Bank. This dates back to when … [Read more...] about London Tube: You’ve Got to Watch This Amazing Mesmerizing Animation That Shows the Real Geography of the London Underground
London Alert: The Tube Light Returns for a Limited Time – 5 New Signs Included!
You've been waiting and we've been waiting and now the Tube Light is BACK for a limited time! We will be getting more Tube Lights in Late May 2019 but the manufacturer will have VERY LIMITED quantities, so we need to know exactly how many to order in advance, so we're going to take orders for ONE WEEK. The box now includes an additional FIVE signs: Arsenal / West Ham / … [Read more...] about London Alert: The Tube Light Returns for a Limited Time – 5 New Signs Included!
Check Out This Amazing Animated Visualization of London’s Tube Lines
I can't stop watching this animated visualization of London's Tube Lines. It first made the rounds on Reddit and then it went viral on Twitter. It was made by Twitter user Baggma and I've linked to the original Tweet below. My favorite bit is the Elizabeth line coming in at the bottom, then creeping back away (it's recently been announced its delayed, probably for several … [Read more...] about Check Out This Amazing Animated Visualization of London’s Tube Lines
The Sounds of London – From the BBC Archive
A couple weeks ago, we discovered this archive. The BBC has released thousands of recordings from their sound archive for free to the public to reuse. I've done a search through the archive and found a ton of great recordings of London. One of the things I love the most about London is the sounds. London is a noisy city, but many of its sounds are unique to London. The Tube has … [Read more...] about The Sounds of London – From the BBC Archive
London Alert! The LED Tube Light Is BACK! We’re Getting Just 100 More!
All right, the LED Tube Light is the most popular product we've ever offered. We didn't think we were going to be able to get more but got the great news this week that we have secured another 100 units! They will be arriving here at our office in early December. I can promise they will ship before Christmas (via Priority Mail as well, which only takes 2-3 days). So, the … [Read more...] about London Alert! The LED Tube Light Is BACK! We’re Getting Just 100 More!
LONDON Alert! It’s Back! The London Underground Tube Lightbox is Back With Limited Stock!
Due to popular demand, we've brought back the London Underground Lightbox that we offered back in July. We've worked with the company in the UK and we can offer another 100 units for you all. They should ship in Mid-October. If you intend to order this as a Christmas Gift, now is a good time. However, we're hoping to do one more round of sales before Christmas. The reviews are … [Read more...] about LONDON Alert! It’s Back! The London Underground Tube Lightbox is Back With Limited Stock!
Crossrail News: The Elizabeth Line Opening Has Officially Been Delayed
Big news in the London Transport realm. Crossrail, aka the Elizabeth Line, London's new east-west underground railway, has had its opening delayed. It was scheduled to start opening in stages in December 2018, but Crossrail (the company building the railway) has confirmed today that they will not meet that target. They have set Autumn 2019 as the tentative open date. From … [Read more...] about Crossrail News: The Elizabeth Line Opening Has Officially Been Delayed
Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!