Mail Rail is London’s newest subterranean heritage attraction. Open from 4 September 2017; the disused postal railway tunnels have been brought back to life as a visitor ride for the first time in their 100 year history. This miniature railway was the world’s first driverless, electric railway and was never intended for passengers. While The […]
London Alert: Hidden London Tours Are Back – Explore London’s Abandoned Tube Stations
Last year we explored Aldwych abandoned Tube station on a Hidden London Tour – and wrote about the experience here. Hidden London tours are a unique chance to explore the bits of London that have been closed off to the public. Most of these tours are run on a limited basis and sell out up to […]
Event Alert: Rare Chance to Ride Old London Underground Steam Trains This July and September
The London Transport Museum is offering up a rare chance to ride on old London Underground Stram trains this July and September. Here are the details: Step back in time and enjoy the nostalgia of travel in bygone times during London Transport Museum’s Summer Steam events at Epping Ongar Heritage Railway in July and in […]
London’s Newest Museum – The Mail Rail Experience – Opens July 28th
This one has been in the works for quite a few years and we’re glad to see that it finally has an open date. For those that don’t know, the Mail Rail was a secret underground railroad in London used to transport mail between London mail depots. It’s been defunct for quite a few years. […]
London Icon: A History of Harry Beck’s Iconic Tube Map
KEY FACTS Designed by Harry Beck in 1932 Set a style for transport maps around the world As instantly recognisable as the Union Jack Beck received little credit for his work during his lifetime London’s history is filled with historical figures who were just doing a job or once had an idea that turned into […]
The Tube: The Long Awaited Night Tube is Here
One of the biggest bugbears for travelers and commuters alike is that the Tube closes every night (usually at midnight) and doesn’t re-open until early in the morning. This is a lesson most travelers learn at 4:30am in the morning when they’re trying to get somewhere in London only to find the Tube closed (happened […]
Tube Alert: Rare Opportunity to Travel the Tube on a Steam Train for Teatime in September
The London Transport Museum has announced a fun new opportunity for Tube enthusiasts. For a limited time, you can travel on a Steam Train on the London Underground, to take it to a special pop-up tea shop to enjoy afternoon tea. Here are the details from the LT Museum: Hop on a steam train on […]
Funny Video: If Tube Lines Were People
This hilarious video showcases what the various Tube Lines around London would be if they were real people. As a Tube nut – it’s rather funny. Though I take a little umbrage with their personification of the Piccadilly Line (making fun of tourists is easy). Still, it’s a funny video!
Tube News: The Long Awaited Night Tube to Start in August… Maybe
The big news in London transport news yesterday was that a start date was finally announced for the start of the long awaited Night Tube service. Select Tube Lines will begin running 24 hours a day on the weekends. From the BBC: London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the Central and Victoria lines will start on […]
Hidden London: Your Chance to Explore Abandoned Tube Stations – Ticket Alert
A few months ago I had the rare opportunity to explore Aldwych Disused Tube Station and it was a fantastic experience(which you’ll be able to read about in the next issue of the Anglotopia Magazine in a few weeks). Many people asked how they can take a similar tour – well the London Transport Museum […]
Tube of Wonder: Top Ten London Underground Mysteries
The world below the surface has always been a place of mystery, and the same goes for the London Underground. Built in 1863, it was the first underground metropolitan railway in the world. Of course, over time, the Tube has developed its own sub-culture (pun intended), including many urban legends and forgotten lore. From wondering […]
Crossrail: London’s New Underground Line – Crossrail – Will Now Be Known as the Elizabeth Line
This news kind of came out of no where while we were in London. London Tube enthusiasts have been watching with eagerness as Crossrail has been digging a new Underground line across London. Crossrail has been called Crossrail since the project was proposed decades ago. Now, it’s going to be called the Elizabeth Line in […]
London’s Secret Tube: The Mail Rail Tube System Opening to Public as Museum and Ride in Spring 2017
Did you know that there is a secret Tube line running underneath London? Well, it’s not so secret anymore and it’s going to be opening to the public. The Mail Rail was used by the Royal Mail to transport mail across London and was in use until 2003. Since then it has been dis-used but […]
Future Tube: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures about Crossrail – London’s Newest Tube Line
Crossrail! The long sought-after solution to London’s commuter congestion, London Crossrail is a railway line that is separate from the London Underground east-to-west from Shenfield to Reading. The earliest proposals date back to World War II, but it wouldn’t be until 2005 that a bill passed Parliament that would form the basis for today’s central […]
Happy Christmas: The Christmas Tube Map
A Londoner has created a Tube map with a festive twist to help spread Christmas cheer. The man, who asked only to be named as Paul, created the innovative design as a Christmas card for friends. Stations include ‘We Three Kings Cross St. Pancras’, ‘Holyborn’ and ‘Myrrhgate’. Others listed include ‘Mornington Present’, ‘Charing Frost’ and ‘Winterloo’. Click the image […]
The Tube: 6 Fascinating Tube Station Names and Their Origins
London is full of interesting names, from streets to boroughs and extending even to the London Underground. The first of its kind in the world, the metro system in London has existed since 1863 and many of its stations have developed some pretty interesting names. Common knowledge of their origins may have been forgotten with […]
The Tube: Transport for London Releases Official Tube Map Featuring Walking Times Between Stations
It’s not secret here that we love the Tube and take it as often as we can. But there are many situations where it doesn’t make sense to take the Tube. To understand those situations, Transport for London (TFL) have released an official map showing the walking times between stations. It does not cover the […]
The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures about the Northern Line
A black line on the Underground map marks the Northern Line, it opened in 1890 and is the oldest of the deep-level lines on the map. Despite its name, it actually doesn’t have the most northern Underground station, even though it does run from north to south. The line was started from two separate lines, […]
The Tube: How the Different Tube Lines Got Their Names
Millions of Londoners and tourists use the London Underground every day. They travel from north to south, east to west, and back again along lines with some seemingly unusual names. Bakerloo, Waterloo, Hammersmith & City, the names for the lines on which Tube cars travel come from history, geography, and special occasions. Most people may […]
The Tube: 10 Interesting Facts and Figures about the Jubilee Line
The newest line of the London underground isn’t exactly young anymore. Added to the network in 1979, some of the tracks go back as far as 1932 and the stations to 1879. Today, it runs in a diagonal patter from Stanmore in Northwest London and curving up at the end to Stratford in East London. […]
The Tube: What’s is Like Working inside an old refurbished Tube train? Video
What is it like to work in a refurbished tube train car or carriage? For a group of people in Shoreditch, in east London, this is a daily reality, as they explain.
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!
