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The Subterranean Railway
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351 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
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608 people want to read
About the author
Christian Wolmar
44Ìýbooks77ÌýfollowersChristian Wolmar is a journalist, focusing on the history and politics of railways.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
August 21, 2022
Very well researched, well written and informative. Recommended.
January 6, 2014
Well paced and readable, with enough nuggets to keep the half hearted tube geek engaged. NB as a republican I will henceforth refer to the Victoria line as 'Route C' and the Jubilee as the Fleet Line (sic). The most touching moments are - of course - those around dear old Metroland.
It's a massive microcosm, the Tube's history is. Of how the UK works (or - as is more often the case - how it doesn't work). Instigated by a few visionaries. Unplanned and improvised. Thought best left to the market - only to be tamed and nurtured later by the state.
And throughout, with social benefits that are massively undervalued and wilfully overlooked. And a debt burden that is nationalised - while the profit arising from it is - as ever in the UK - privatised (witness the way those cunts at Canary Wharf paid a mere 5% of the cost of bringing the Jubilee to their door. We paid the rest, according to this. Fuck them. Witness the millionnaire thirties land agent, cashing in thanks to a publicly-funded line that turned field into plot).
Plus ca change at Camden Town.
It's a massive microcosm, the Tube's history is. Of how the UK works (or - as is more often the case - how it doesn't work). Instigated by a few visionaries. Unplanned and improvised. Thought best left to the market - only to be tamed and nurtured later by the state.
And throughout, with social benefits that are massively undervalued and wilfully overlooked. And a debt burden that is nationalised - while the profit arising from it is - as ever in the UK - privatised (witness the way those cunts at Canary Wharf paid a mere 5% of the cost of bringing the Jubilee to their door. We paid the rest, according to this. Fuck them. Witness the millionnaire thirties land agent, cashing in thanks to a publicly-funded line that turned field into plot).
Plus ca change at Camden Town.
January 27, 2024
"Uniquely among transport systems, London Underground typifies the city itself."
Anyone living in and around London or visiting the city would have used the Underground or "Tube". The extensive system includes sections, which were the first underground railway system in the world and was even a model for other cities. Christian Wolmar has provided an excellent history of the railway. While it has expanded far beyond what was first envisioned, at a time when London, one of the world's largest cities and the capital of a colonial empire, it is interesting to see the ideas its creators had in mind shaped some elements of today's network. We see that not only did London create the Underground Railway, but the railway itself had a direct impact on the development of the capital.
This book is very detailed, covering the significant development of the Tube after the First World War, the creation of London Transport, which was very much associated with the system, and the decline after World War Two.
It is also interesting to note London Transport's role in encouraging overseas employment by opening an office in Barbados during the 1950s, resulting in many people from the Caribbean working on the Underground, Buses, and other areas of the transport system. Christian Wolmar also offers a view of Crossrail or Elizabeth Line, which opened in 2022 and, while not part of the Underground, has had a transformative effect on the city.
Having grown up in London and traveled on most of the network during my lifetime, I found this to be an interesting read. The photographs, illustrations, maps, and lists for further reading nicely supplement the subject covered.
Anyone living in and around London or visiting the city would have used the Underground or "Tube". The extensive system includes sections, which were the first underground railway system in the world and was even a model for other cities. Christian Wolmar has provided an excellent history of the railway. While it has expanded far beyond what was first envisioned, at a time when London, one of the world's largest cities and the capital of a colonial empire, it is interesting to see the ideas its creators had in mind shaped some elements of today's network. We see that not only did London create the Underground Railway, but the railway itself had a direct impact on the development of the capital.
This book is very detailed, covering the significant development of the Tube after the First World War, the creation of London Transport, which was very much associated with the system, and the decline after World War Two.
It is also interesting to note London Transport's role in encouraging overseas employment by opening an office in Barbados during the 1950s, resulting in many people from the Caribbean working on the Underground, Buses, and other areas of the transport system. Christian Wolmar also offers a view of Crossrail or Elizabeth Line, which opened in 2022 and, while not part of the Underground, has had a transformative effect on the city.
Having grown up in London and traveled on most of the network during my lifetime, I found this to be an interesting read. The photographs, illustrations, maps, and lists for further reading nicely supplement the subject covered.
April 22, 2021
I miss the Underground so much I decided to read a book about it. We all complain about it sometimes, but there's no doubt about how brilliant it is. I love it dearly and wanted to discover its history during this downtime.
This book was first published in 2004 and updated in 2020. It already feels weird to be reading something from summer 2020, when there was no end to the pandemic in sight and we didn't know when we could next use the Underground safely. "If many of these passengers fail to return to use the system, not only will it reduce the likelihood of further investment and perhaps a return to the dog days of the post-war period described in this book, but also it may result in a much wider loss: the vibrancy and buzz of one of the world’s most successful cities."
There is indeed much worry about the state of Transport for London and central London in general post-pandemic. No doubt I won't be using the Underground as much now that the pandemic has shaken up the status quo of the working in the office vs working from home. I guess we'll see what happens.
You would need to be either familiar with the Underground map, and even London in general, or at least be able to refer to maps as you read. I enjoyed checking Street View to see what the author is referring to, such as the fake façade houses built to cover a gap of uncovered tracks. It's a good example of the 'cut and cover' method if you've never seen it before. Generally I love referring to maps whilst reading, especially real ones for nonfiction, so this didn't bother me.
The book took me a while to read just because it's quite dense, but the author's writing style is very readable and his genuine love for the Underground shines through. It covers the full history from the Metropolitan Railway in 1863 all the way up to our current Transport for London services and its future plans. Along with the fascinating history, the book also discusses the impacts of the Underground on the wider transport network and London itself. I was glad because many other books focus on the engineering specifically. Areas that were previously villages, or even just fields, were built up because of the arrival of the Underground. I live in one of those areas that was developed because of the Metropolitan line (called Metro-land), so reading about the history was very engaging for me.
The book dives into general London history where appropriate as well, so you're provided with relevant context in a manageable level of detail. I learned a lot, and almost shed a tear seeing what the average London house price was in 1934: £500! Good fucking lord.
There's also some excellent quotes of what the Underground railway was like in the early days, which are brilliant and very Victorian: "I had my first experience of Hades to-day, and if the real thing is to be like that I shall never again do anything wrong."
Also, "The train plunges ‘into a black wall ahead with the shrieking of ten thousand demons rising above the thunder of the wheels.'" And it still sounds like that today!
The 2020 update adds future plans for TfL (which aren't likely to be seen until the 2030s) and the ongoing saga of Crossrail which, as of April 2021, still isn't open (the original deadline was December 2018). The 'current' sections of the book covering the delays and immense complexities of Crossrail are even more interesting. Maybe the author will add another update once it finally opens.
The book seems longer than it is because the last 30% is understandably filled with notes, an index, further reading. I was also delighted to find some wonderful photos, illustrations, diagrams and maps from the Underground's history.
I will say that the book would benefit from a simple timeline at the beginning, as the writing jumps around in some places and it would be good to visualise it all. It also requires significant prior knowledge, but it is a specific subject. As someone who very much enjoys the Underground and random London knowledge, I am absolutely the target audience for this book and found it to be fascinating and very engaging.
This book was first published in 2004 and updated in 2020. It already feels weird to be reading something from summer 2020, when there was no end to the pandemic in sight and we didn't know when we could next use the Underground safely. "If many of these passengers fail to return to use the system, not only will it reduce the likelihood of further investment and perhaps a return to the dog days of the post-war period described in this book, but also it may result in a much wider loss: the vibrancy and buzz of one of the world’s most successful cities."
There is indeed much worry about the state of Transport for London and central London in general post-pandemic. No doubt I won't be using the Underground as much now that the pandemic has shaken up the status quo of the working in the office vs working from home. I guess we'll see what happens.
You would need to be either familiar with the Underground map, and even London in general, or at least be able to refer to maps as you read. I enjoyed checking Street View to see what the author is referring to, such as the fake façade houses built to cover a gap of uncovered tracks. It's a good example of the 'cut and cover' method if you've never seen it before. Generally I love referring to maps whilst reading, especially real ones for nonfiction, so this didn't bother me.
The book took me a while to read just because it's quite dense, but the author's writing style is very readable and his genuine love for the Underground shines through. It covers the full history from the Metropolitan Railway in 1863 all the way up to our current Transport for London services and its future plans. Along with the fascinating history, the book also discusses the impacts of the Underground on the wider transport network and London itself. I was glad because many other books focus on the engineering specifically. Areas that were previously villages, or even just fields, were built up because of the arrival of the Underground. I live in one of those areas that was developed because of the Metropolitan line (called Metro-land), so reading about the history was very engaging for me.
The book dives into general London history where appropriate as well, so you're provided with relevant context in a manageable level of detail. I learned a lot, and almost shed a tear seeing what the average London house price was in 1934: £500! Good fucking lord.
There's also some excellent quotes of what the Underground railway was like in the early days, which are brilliant and very Victorian: "I had my first experience of Hades to-day, and if the real thing is to be like that I shall never again do anything wrong."
Also, "The train plunges ‘into a black wall ahead with the shrieking of ten thousand demons rising above the thunder of the wheels.'" And it still sounds like that today!
The 2020 update adds future plans for TfL (which aren't likely to be seen until the 2030s) and the ongoing saga of Crossrail which, as of April 2021, still isn't open (the original deadline was December 2018). The 'current' sections of the book covering the delays and immense complexities of Crossrail are even more interesting. Maybe the author will add another update once it finally opens.
The book seems longer than it is because the last 30% is understandably filled with notes, an index, further reading. I was also delighted to find some wonderful photos, illustrations, diagrams and maps from the Underground's history.
I will say that the book would benefit from a simple timeline at the beginning, as the writing jumps around in some places and it would be good to visualise it all. It also requires significant prior knowledge, but it is a specific subject. As someone who very much enjoys the Underground and random London knowledge, I am absolutely the target audience for this book and found it to be fascinating and very engaging.
January 23, 2011
This took me a little while to read. Non-fiction combined with long days at work tends to do that.
However, I have a fascination with London and books about London. So, almost inevitably I found this book to be well written, well-structured and full of interesting facts that I have an odd desire to know.
I would never live in London, preferring my countryside retreat at the other end of England, but I do like to wander about it, staring at stuff during my brief but regular visits. This sort of book just adds to my experiences.
I didn't know that the first real line was the Metropolitan. I didn't realise that the first 70-80 years of the underground used purely private funding. I didn't realise that Americans invested (badly) in our tubes. I loved the old photo of Sudbury Town and the thought of Golders Green being nothing more than a fork in the road made me happy.
My only problem is that there probably won't be a lot of others with quite the same taste in such things. So I couldn't recommend it.
PS Did you know that the Fleet River (OK it was a marshy ditch but river sounds nice) used to come down at the foot of Ludgate Hill just where Fleet Street ends? Nothing to do with this book but as far as I know the outfall is buried under the bridge. And if you like this sort of random London knowledge and like underground trains, then this book is for you.
However, I have a fascination with London and books about London. So, almost inevitably I found this book to be well written, well-structured and full of interesting facts that I have an odd desire to know.
I would never live in London, preferring my countryside retreat at the other end of England, but I do like to wander about it, staring at stuff during my brief but regular visits. This sort of book just adds to my experiences.
I didn't know that the first real line was the Metropolitan. I didn't realise that the first 70-80 years of the underground used purely private funding. I didn't realise that Americans invested (badly) in our tubes. I loved the old photo of Sudbury Town and the thought of Golders Green being nothing more than a fork in the road made me happy.
My only problem is that there probably won't be a lot of others with quite the same taste in such things. So I couldn't recommend it.
PS Did you know that the Fleet River (OK it was a marshy ditch but river sounds nice) used to come down at the foot of Ludgate Hill just where Fleet Street ends? Nothing to do with this book but as far as I know the outfall is buried under the bridge. And if you like this sort of random London knowledge and like underground trains, then this book is for you.
September 10, 2011
A well written and fascinating insight into how the London Underground came to be. This was an Amazon recommendation (presumably based on the fact I recently read "Brighton to London derailed) and I downloaded the sample chapter. It has an easy to read, fact-full but not too text book style of writing that interested me. The story progresses in great detail, highlighting some early speculation but including some wonderful tangents (the Empire exhibition in 1924 featured a life-sized model of the Prince of Wales made out of butter - thanks Canada) until shortly after the Second World War, when, like the network Itself, it runs out of steam leaving the final chapter being a bit of a chore. The Underground system is a wonderful piece of Victorian and Edwardian engineering, and it's stewards of Ashfield and Pick left a legacy behind them. Overall a well-written tale about the Underground system, and it's many amazing characters, that will prove interesting to those that have spent time travelling on the tube
November 10, 2022
i wanted to like this book so much more than i did ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ to be fair, parts of it were interesting, especially the chapter about world war 2, but i think most of it was so dry to me because i didn’t know much about london’s politics and that history of the city. it felt so long and drawn out, but maybe it would be more interesting to people who specialize in that sector of history.
June 13, 2024
Picked up this read in a small English bookstore in Portugal and it did not disappoint! A well-written read that injects enough humor to keep the topic from becoming boring. My only complaint is that I felt like this book wrapped up too quickly and didn’t focus enough on the subway from 1970 on. I would love an updated version to include the Elizabeth Line and COVID!
April 14, 2021
Fascinating book about the London Underground. This is the story about men who made the first and largest underground railway. Story goes back since the Victorian times till present day.
August 24, 2016
Fascinating book that goes further in depth than the previous book I read about the London Underground. There's more focus on the various developments, and as such the book bundles these together in a subject oriented way. This leads to a lot of repetition of certain elements, as well as foreshadowing, combined with a way of cherry-picking the relevant facts.
Nevertheless, it works well -- you get a good depth into the developments while learning of future consequences without having to go into depth *there* until it's due it's own chapter. I enjoyed that there was some insight into the PPP, and by now I'd love to see Christian Wolmar write some more opinion pieces in the Guardian regarding the PPP. Though it would be welcome if they were slightly more subjective.
Nevertheless, it works well -- you get a good depth into the developments while learning of future consequences without having to go into depth *there* until it's due it's own chapter. I enjoyed that there was some insight into the PPP, and by now I'd love to see Christian Wolmar write some more opinion pieces in the Guardian regarding the PPP. Though it would be welcome if they were slightly more subjective.
July 10, 2011
After a week in London, using "the tube" every day, I wondered how the heck this thing was built. Went to a bookstore in Holland Park where we were staying and voila - the perfect book. I will admit I skimmed parts of it but the descriptions of the various stages, how it all came together and how it created the city of London as we know it, were great.
December 27, 2020
I love the London Underground, and my knowledge and experience of it is pretty extensive - I lived in London for many years before moving to Scotland, and I worked on the Underground for eight years. As such, I'm a tough reader to please, but this turned out to be very enjoyable and informative, and for the general reader, it's a very accessible history of London's underground railways, how they came to be built, how they were run, how the system evolved and the difficulties it has faced over the years.
Although much of the book is good, it's not quite a four star read, and it certainly isn't a five, which I reserve for the truly exceptional. While much of it is excellent, I rate it down slightly for the following flaws:
First, I think too much of the book is devoted to the early development of the Metropolitan and District Railways, the first parts of the system to be built in the Victorian era, and as a result, we're way over a third of the way through before the first tube railway - the City and South London of 1890 - even gets a mention. Much of the development of the tube railways is glossed over a bit too quickly.
Also, the book progresses somewhat slowly along the chronological timeline, with the final chapter covering a very long period in the Underground's history. Too much of this final chapter is dedicated to slagging off the Public-Private Partnership of the Blair/Brown years, which I think demonstrates a lot of Christian Wolmar's political bias. He's been a highly outspoken critic of any form of private sector involvement in today's public transport industry, and I feel he's blind to the facts involved as a result. This final chapter is disappointing because it's light on detail, and heavy on opinion disguised as fact.
There's a few things missing here and there as well, such as key aspects of train design - the evolution of Underground trains is fascinating and an important part of the system's history, there's far too little on the 1935 to 1940 New Works Programme, which did much to shape the modern system, and there's little mention of the Metropolitan's far-flung corners, which closed shortly after the formation of London Transport. There are, therefore, some major holes, but as a starting point, it's generally pretty sound, and it's quite well-referenced too, so if you want to take a closer look at various parts of the network's history, it serves the reader fairly well. It could be better if it cut detail out in some places and included more elsewhere, though.
Those criticisms aside, there's a lot to like, and it's highly readable, with a lot to appeal to a wide audience. I'm admittedly tough to please, so don't let me put you off reading it.
Although much of the book is good, it's not quite a four star read, and it certainly isn't a five, which I reserve for the truly exceptional. While much of it is excellent, I rate it down slightly for the following flaws:
First, I think too much of the book is devoted to the early development of the Metropolitan and District Railways, the first parts of the system to be built in the Victorian era, and as a result, we're way over a third of the way through before the first tube railway - the City and South London of 1890 - even gets a mention. Much of the development of the tube railways is glossed over a bit too quickly.
Also, the book progresses somewhat slowly along the chronological timeline, with the final chapter covering a very long period in the Underground's history. Too much of this final chapter is dedicated to slagging off the Public-Private Partnership of the Blair/Brown years, which I think demonstrates a lot of Christian Wolmar's political bias. He's been a highly outspoken critic of any form of private sector involvement in today's public transport industry, and I feel he's blind to the facts involved as a result. This final chapter is disappointing because it's light on detail, and heavy on opinion disguised as fact.
There's a few things missing here and there as well, such as key aspects of train design - the evolution of Underground trains is fascinating and an important part of the system's history, there's far too little on the 1935 to 1940 New Works Programme, which did much to shape the modern system, and there's little mention of the Metropolitan's far-flung corners, which closed shortly after the formation of London Transport. There are, therefore, some major holes, but as a starting point, it's generally pretty sound, and it's quite well-referenced too, so if you want to take a closer look at various parts of the network's history, it serves the reader fairly well. It could be better if it cut detail out in some places and included more elsewhere, though.
Those criticisms aside, there's a lot to like, and it's highly readable, with a lot to appeal to a wide audience. I'm admittedly tough to please, so don't let me put you off reading it.
June 5, 2017
This book is mostly a history of the companies and agencies that built and run London's subways - which is actually fascinating reading; right until the Underground was nationalized, the construction of lines was financed through a medley of Ponzi schemes and assorted methods of creative accounting that generally left investors worse off than if they'd put their money in government bonds, when they didn't actually lose their shirts, while relieving congestion in London's overcrowded streets, providing a valuable service to millions of commuters - and vast profits to landowners in areas served by the Underground. I wish the author had gone into a bit more detail regarding the various schemes to partly privatize it from Thatcher onwards, as the reader only gets a general impression of incompetence, corruption, blind neoliberal ideology and sheer spite against the poors who use public transport.
The book gave me something to think about, re how mass transit schemes should be financed. Subways in particular are enormously expensive to build and hard to justify investing in if their only source of income is the tickets sold. They also go a long way to decongest city streets as well as increasing land value, so it seems fair and logical that they should be subsidized by people using those streets and profiting off that newly valuable real estate.
The book gave me something to think about, re how mass transit schemes should be financed. Subways in particular are enormously expensive to build and hard to justify investing in if their only source of income is the tickets sold. They also go a long way to decongest city streets as well as increasing land value, so it seems fair and logical that they should be subsidized by people using those streets and profiting off that newly valuable real estate.
February 16, 2019
This was a very enjoyable book about the history of the London tube. Having lived in London for close to a decade, I’ve always loved the tube and never quite understood why so many Londoners were constantly complaining about it (apart from the fare price � that is worthy of complaint). The system may not be perfect and it is overcrowded, but it is so efficient and expansive compared to public transport systems in other cities. I will always have a soft spot for the London tube, so I greatly enjoyed reading about its history. The book contains a wealth of information, is easy to read, and the author’s enthusiasm for the London underground transpires on every page. I would say though that the book might be a challenge for those who don’t know London as the author seems to assume that the reader is familiar with London’s geography. I also felt the book didn’t fully live up to its promise of exploring the impact of the development of the tube on London as a city. Though this is addressed I found that the book remained a bit superficial on this theme. But I did very much enjoy what the book had to offer, which is a history of the vagaries through which the London underground came to take the shape (and smell) it has today. And it has whetted my appetite for finding a book that explores more the social history of the tube.
April 30, 2022
Mostly a good summary history of the underground. The most obvious flaw is that after WW2 it suddenly goes at a galloping pace until the PPP fiasco of the 2000s, which does get a good bit of attention. The Victoria line is skipped over in a couple of pages, the Fare's Fair issue which brought down the GLC gets talked about but not really explained and the rest is just "there wasn't enough investment". The original Jubilee line gets mentioned only in passing. It's weird and I'm not sure why he approached it in that way. Otherwise the only mildly annoying issue is that he tends to mention plans and places without maps and you'll have to look them up online to understand the geography of a few bits even if you know the system well.
Otherwise it's enjoyable on the subject and even as someone who knew the basics there's a good amount of interesting details and stories. Does make you weep for what could have been if London had had consistent planning and investment of infrastructure and development though.
Otherwise it's enjoyable on the subject and even as someone who knew the basics there's a good amount of interesting details and stories. Does make you weep for what could have been if London had had consistent planning and investment of infrastructure and development though.
May 22, 2023
This's an able history of the London Underground, focusing on the period from 1860-1944 when it began, expanded, and famously sheltered Londoners during the war.
London was unique among world cities in having private investors who built underground railways even in the steam era - and then, multiple investors who built more underground railways in hopes of profit from commuters and other travelers. Economically, they failed; very few investors got substantial dividends, and none of them made back their money. But, in the era before the internal combustion engine, the pitches were plausible. It benefitted London by enabling much more development, some of which the railways recaptured by selling houses themselves.
And then came the internal combustion engine, and the merger of all London's railways into the government. But unlike most other cities, London had a quite substantial rail network that persisted.
London was unique among world cities in having private investors who built underground railways even in the steam era - and then, multiple investors who built more underground railways in hopes of profit from commuters and other travelers. Economically, they failed; very few investors got substantial dividends, and none of them made back their money. But, in the era before the internal combustion engine, the pitches were plausible. It benefitted London by enabling much more development, some of which the railways recaptured by selling houses themselves.
And then came the internal combustion engine, and the merger of all London's railways into the government. But unlike most other cities, London had a quite substantial rail network that persisted.
December 6, 2021
I'm a northerner fascinated by the London Underground. Stuck in the north east with slow buses edging though traffic at rush hour, I love being chucked through a tunnel, emerging somewhere exciting within only a few minutes when I'm in London.
This book is heavily weighted toward the early years of the underground system. These chapters are done very well, although they could be less dense.
The later years are glossed over, and we probably see a bit too much of Wolmar's political leanings. Most disappointingly, the 2012 update seems to have been thrown in here without being proofread. It's riddled with typographical errors.
Overall, I'd recommend for people who know London at least a bit, and have an interest in the underground. I do think that in recent years, TV and Youtube content have made this kind of information more accessible in a visual format.
This book is heavily weighted toward the early years of the underground system. These chapters are done very well, although they could be less dense.
The later years are glossed over, and we probably see a bit too much of Wolmar's political leanings. Most disappointingly, the 2012 update seems to have been thrown in here without being proofread. It's riddled with typographical errors.
Overall, I'd recommend for people who know London at least a bit, and have an interest in the underground. I do think that in recent years, TV and Youtube content have made this kind of information more accessible in a visual format.
June 12, 2018
Ultimately disappointing, even though I should be the target audience for this type of book. That's why it took me almost a year to finish it; I kept finding other books that were more interesting, and put this one down. Since I've never been to London, I don't know the geography well enough, but the book makes constant references to places and tube lines and stations, but with very few maps, they had no meaning to me. I did find the last chapter to be interesting (about the failed PPP projects), but otherwise, the constant place-names just made this book hard to follow for me. I guess it'd be more enjoyable for someone who knows London better than I do!
August 31, 2020
A highly readable and interesting history of the London Underground. I must admit that as a non Londoner I knew little of the underground or its history before reading this book. Happily I can say that reading this book has rectified that. I found the earlier chapters about the development of the Underground to be the most interesting.
Wolmar has a way with words, enabling even a novice like me to understand the intricacies of the system and its history with ease. I would highly recommend this book to someone who knows very little about the underground and its history, as it informs one about this in an entertaining and easily understood way.
Wolmar has a way with words, enabling even a novice like me to understand the intricacies of the system and its history with ease. I would highly recommend this book to someone who knows very little about the underground and its history, as it informs one about this in an entertaining and easily understood way.
September 8, 2022
Meticulously detailed but rather uninspiring history of the London underground system. Carefully researched, quite readable, if occasionally syntactically clumsy. As I read on, it kept my interest and I learnt a few things, though in the end I found it rather prosaic - competent, informative, but unexciting. I think the subject-matter would have been better served by a punchier presentation and sub-headed sections. I found I spent too much time trying to remember the links between various personalities, lines and dates - the narrative format didn't help. Respect to the work involved though.
Hovering between 3 and 4 stars.
Hovering between 3 and 4 stars.
April 27, 2023
Minute details about all of the rail lines and their historical development, and the many financing schemes employed. Was surprised to learn that major financing, somewhat controversially, came from Americans. Also addresses the politics of the rail planning process through to some discussion of the newest addition, the Elizabeth Line. Could be tedious in spots. Picked up,considerable when discussing financing schemes into early twentieth century.
December 27, 2023
This is a good history of the ground breaking (literally and figuratively) London Underground system. It covers the original Metropolitan line from the 1860s to just before the opening of the Elizabeth line. There is an emphasis on the political, business and social aspects of the system but technical details are not neglected. I would have liked more technical information, but this does not distract from the work. Interestingly, the paperback has excellent paper quality. Recommended.
May 18, 2023
An unsurprisingly interesting history of the Underground as far as the immediate post-War period, though I don't really understand why it then feels the need to rush through the remaining history of the system to 2004 (including at least two new lines) in the final chapter � I wanted a more detailed account of that bit too!
February 21, 2024
A comprehensive history (well, up to 2004) of the London Underground, in its heyday one of the marvels of Victorian engineering. The author has since written a later, still pessimistic book: Down The Tube, and his website at offers podcasts on this and other transport matters.
October 14, 2024
A little less fun facts and a little more politics and economics than I was expecting, but still quite interesting to read.
Christian Wolmar is the king of the run on sentence and large paragraphs, and that’s saying something coming from me, who loves to add as many clauses to sentences as commas will allow me, (case in point), so this was also a dense book to get to get through.
Christian Wolmar is the king of the run on sentence and large paragraphs, and that’s saying something coming from me, who loves to add as many clauses to sentences as commas will allow me, (case in point), so this was also a dense book to get to get through.
January 25, 2018
If you want to know more about the world's first underground railway, this is the book for you. How the Victorian private cvompanies did and didn't build it, what drawbacks that attitude had and who managed to overcome it all.
May 11, 2018
It was a joy to read. Not so much about the trains, the stations or the tunnels, although these too are dealt with, but rather about the politics of it all, with some additional social history. Wish it was longer
October 26, 2019
One of my favourite books, i keep going back to it ever since i got it back in 2007.
The depth of knowledge is astounding and it is written well, captivating and easy to follow. Would recommend for anyone with an interest in the underground.
The depth of knowledge is astounding and it is written well, captivating and easy to follow. Would recommend for anyone with an interest in the underground.
November 19, 2022
A fascinating delve into the London Underground divided into different periods. Lots I didn't know but it definitely felt like a book that kept my attention and didn't deviate into too much technicality!
May 11, 2023
This was interesting when it got going but so much of it felt repetitive but that probably says more about the subject matter than the writing. I did learn a lot about how the London underground so successful in that respect!
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