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The Subterranean Railway: How the London Underground Was Built and How It Changed the City Forever | 
 enlarge | Author: Christian Wolmar
Publisher: Atlantic Books
Category: Book
List Price: £9.99
Buy New: £5.48
You Save: £4.51 (45%)
New (21) Used (7) from £5.30
Rating:  9 reviews
Sales Rank: 1896
Media: Paperback
Edition: New Ed
Pages: 384
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 5 x 1.3
ISBN: 1843540231
EAN: 9781843540236
ASIN: 1843540231
Publication Date: September 15, 2005
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW and IN STOCK - dispatched within 48 hours from the UK
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| Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
 Creating The Gap of "Mind the Gap!" November 24, 2008
Joseph Haschka (Glendale, CA USA)
"The District (Line) ... attracted considerable negative (press) coverage with various mechanical failures and, in particular, its primitive air-operated doors which apparently had a tendency to tear off ladies' skirts, something particularly shocking to the Edwardian psyche." - from THE SUBTERRANEAN RAILWAY
Disclaimer: If you've never visited London and/or fallen in love with the Underground, or at least have no interest in how such mass transportation evolves, then you're likely to find THE SUBTERRANEAN RAILWAY excruciatingly boring. So, as is advised at the stations, just "pass along the platform", so to speak.
Having had the good fortune to enjoy Britain's capital many times, I've found the Tube to be both indispensable and an inseparable adjunct to any visit. Thus, for me, Christian Wolmar's volume about the evolution of this below-ground railway, from its inception in the mind of visionary Charles Pearson in the first half of the 19th century to the present day, was as enthralling as any couldn't-put-it-down thriller. OK, so I need to get a life.
THE SUBTERRANEAN RAILWAY includes two sections of black and white illustrations and photographs of the Underground both then and now, but mostly then. There's also a color section that comprises two route maps of the system from the early 20th century that are geographically correct - something I've never seen before - plus the more familiar schematic rendering of the network conceived by Harry Beck in 1931 and based on an electric circuit diagram. The version of the latter, current as of about 2006, spreads over two pages. Unfortunately the central fold of the volume rests squarely on the route of the Northern Line from Camden Town to Kennington and several stations are lost in the crease. Nevermind, I just pulled out my London Street Atlas to get my bearings. One thing Wolmar left unexplained, though, is the odd side-loop from Leytonstone to Woodford via Fairlop that the Central line takes near its eastern terminus. What's that all about? (The unredeemably curious must consult Wikipedia.)
The narrative focuses mainly on the construction, expansion and consolidation of the various lines - all originally under separate, private ownership - beginning with the opening of the Metropolitan on January 9, 1863 to the formation of the London Passenger Transport Board in the 1930s. The competition between the lines sometimes went to absurd length, e.g. the dispute between the Metropolitan and District over a siding at South Kensington, as reported in the West London Advertiser:
"The District ... have run and engine and train into a siding and have actually chained it to the spot ... A day or two ago, the Metropolitan sent three engines to pull away the train and a tug of war ensued in which the chained train came off the victor ..."
As a Yank, I was impressed by the hitherto unknown (to me) fact of the enormous influence U.S. entrepreneurship and money had on the final form of the Underground as we know it today. (Bleedin' Americans, "overpaid, overfed, oversexed and over here.") Well, you must admit that America's contribution was more substantive and useful than McDonalds.
Having finished THE SUBTERRANEAN RAILWAY, I'm inspired to contemplate further excesses, such as to go back to London, Travelcard in hand, and ride each of the thirteen lines from one end to the other visiting all 268 stations. Ah, now that would be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure!
 Potentially interesting - poorly executed November 16, 2008
Rogthedodge (London)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I know a little about the Tube, gleaned from websites and many years' use as a tourist and then commuter.
I expected an interesting read from this book - the reviews on here suggest it's well-written, insightful history provided in a well-constructed format.
It is none of the above.
This book needs a serious re-edit, the addition of many maps and diagrams to explain the development of the various railways over time and some judicious re-writing to explain many of the points alluded to.
There are many examples where the Author's writing abilities aren't up to the job - the result is a confusing and often contradictory account.
I suggest you ensure you have access to the internet and a copy of the standard tube map to help you follow the narrative.
This book can't even provide a decent modern tube map, half the Northern Line and the southern section of the Bakerloo are missing, swallowed by the gutter. A frankly pathetic production error in a book about the Tube!
The book also assumes you'll spend time working mnay things out for yourself (Bishop's Road was a station near Paddington - or perhaps it was a previous name for Paddington? who knows?) and have a working knowledge of mainline connections & termini (these are a fundamental part of the story, either as competition to the tube or as a driving factor for its development). Again no map is provided.
All in all this is a near miss. There is a truly fascinating story to be told but this author/edition isn't up to the task.
 Wolmar takes you down under. April 3, 2008
Daniel Storey (Rochester, England)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Christian Wolmar is a journalist who happens to have an interest in trains and this is one of many books he has written on the subject over the last 10 years.
Subterranean Railway focuses on the London Underground and how it grew to what we travel on today in our millions year on year.
Now personally I can just about tolerate the Underground in off peak times but when it comes to the peak hours it has to been one of the worse traveling experiences known to man or woman.
So with that in mind this book made me sit up and take notice of what a great feat on engineering the London Underground really is and still remains, the photo of Piccadilly Circus in chapter thirteen illustrates this point very well indeed.
In Chapters 1 to 13 Christian takes you on a journey from the Underground's construction during the 1850's and the subjacent creation of the first underground line the Metropolitan, then he goes on to explain the building and politics behind all the lines and finishes this part of the book with the story behind the creation of what is know as Metroland or to use another term, suburban London.
In Chapter 14 Christian goes onto explain the use of the underground during the war years and how it helped save many lives during the German bombing raids.
The London Underground is not without its problems by any means and in the last chapter Christian briefly explains why a lack of investment since the 1960's lead to a sad decline which was only turned around after the Kings Cross fire in the 1987.
Christian has done his research and because of this his book introduces and brings alive in your mind all the people that have played their part in the history of the Underground.
The reason I give this book a 4 star rating and not a 5 is I don't think there is enough pictures to compliment the Underground's early history and it can be sometimes hard to image what the old coaches and carriages use to look and feel like in them early years.
The book won't change your journey experience on the Underground but it will help you to appreciate and be proud of it.
A compelling account of a masterful creation March 22, 2008
Bones (High Wycombe, UK.)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This book looks at the creation of the underground from all angles: political, technical, social - and is interesting throughout. The author's sense of humour and well chosen quotes brings a sense of reverie to the experience, as one imagines what it must have been like at the beginning, and in comparison to the present day. It's nice to see a book which really underlines what a remarkable achievement the London Underground, was how important a creation it has proved to be.
surprisingly fascinating and readable history January 5, 2008
R. J. Brady (wallington, surrey United Kingdom)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Well researched lively and interesting history of the World's oldest and
most respected underground railway.
What amazing people the Victorians were in their vision and their incredible technological bravura.Also the many thousands of workers who built and ran the line are given due acknowledgement.
A great read.
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