Secrets Of The London Underground.

[Cowley]

Thread reopened for @timmydunn to add to.

 

[davews]

We will have to wait to see which lost river they have chosen in Episode 1. The well known ones are Baker Street (Tyburn) and Westbourne (Sloane Square) but there are others. The Falcon runs right under Clapham Junction. Whatever, good to have another series.

 

[Jimini]

**drumroll**

 

[Cowley]

**drumroll**

I can’t take the tension!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I can’t take the tension!

I think someone's beaten him to it anyway...?

 

[Cowley]

I think someone's beaten him to it anyway...?

View attachment 137893

Ah yes quite possibly Peter. So that’s this then:

Secrets of the London Underground new series announced

A new series of Secrets of the London Underground has been announced with a start date of 4th July 2023.

www.railforums.co.uk

Tim contacted us via email to open the thread and although I replied this afternoon it’s probably worth me saying (for those that don’t know) that it’s always better to hit the report button on the last post in a thread if you want something reopened because we’ll see it immediately when it pops up in our reports area…

As an aside, I haven’t seen any of these. Are they worth a watch?

 

[PG]

As an aside, I haven’t seen any of these. Are they worth a watch?

Depends on the asking price of your watch

In all seriousness - you're in for a treat if you've got two complete series of highly informative and well presented episodes with behind the scenes access to catch up on

 

[Cowley]

Depends on the asking price of your watch

In all seriousness - you're in for a treat if you've got two complete series of highly informative and well presented episodes with behind the scenes access to catch up on

Ok that sounds like a good recommendation @PG (I don’t wear a watch as I don’t like to be a slave to the man ).

I’ll give it a try next week.

 

[PG]

Ok that sounds like a good recommendation @PG (I don’t wear a watch as I don’t like to be a slave to the man ).

I’ll give it a try next week.

I might add that Tim's partner in crime aka Siddy Holloway is easy on the eye too

 

[Mikey C]

I was really impressed with the last series of his "other" programme, The Architecture the Railways Built, as I'd have expected them to start running out of interesting places to visit, but they didn't!

 

[timmydunn]

Sorry, I was busy up at the Welsh Highland Railway over the weekend! SO.
Hullo. You may be pleased to learn that we have managed to enable free access to the following LT locations, for the entire UK population as long as they have access to the web or possess a TV with a TV licence. Yes, "Secrets of the London Underground" is back for a third series, bringing more people to the things that you and I have adored for so long

Starting on UKTV's Yesterday channel on Tues 4th July 8pm. each of the ten episodes runs for an hour. If you'd like it in HD, you may care to enjoy it on the UKTV website or app free streaming service. https://uktvplay.co.uk/shows/secrets-of-the-london-underground/watch-online

Episode 1 – Camden Town station, and the forgotten wartime shelter built beneath. Plus a station which hides a "lost" river.

Episode 2 – South Kensington and Marylebone:
A look at the disused areas of South Kensington station, and a visit to Marylebone to view the tube infrastructure hidden within the walls of a hotel.

Episode 3 – Green Park (Dover Street) and Down Street:

Episode 4 – British Museum and Leinster Gardens:

then in no particular order:

• acton works inc traverser and bunker / former model railway
• ashfield house sims, model railway etc
• shepherd's bush
• leicester squarr
• heathrow
• archway

Then there are the 10 places that Mrs Sid Holloway does a tour of (in which i am sometimes actually there but off camera; technically my day off) and then a good 10 or 15 stories with me about things like Art on the Underground, Morden station gardens, Labyrinth, Q stock resto, met tank at covvy g, etc.

The fact checking as ever was diligent as can possibly be - paid LTM research staff, me, TfL, tv company, all run our checks as professionals in our fields. But then i am sure someone will find something that someone says to contest like telling me that it's car not carriage or loco not train or turnout not points or... etc.. TBH, no idea why they feel compelled to tell me, or expect me to do about it... - But if you do have constructive feedback, then please do let me know.

Finally. One of the things I didn't really expect about fronting TV programmes is that people often now strike up conversations in the street, or pub, or station etc unnannounced. And that it's really nice* when it does happen: it happens with my things probably more than for other folk because people know that this stuff was my life long before I grabbed a production company to say "hey, come look at this; we can show everone else and do it in ways that other companies wouldn't" -- and that it'll be my life long after the TV cameras and audiences get bored and move on. I'll tell yer this, even with all my years as a marketing communications professional I never would have expected the breadth of audience type and depth of interest for the London Underground and indeed railway architecture across the UK. It means that people, outside the trad enthusiast bubble, have an interest in the stories of the tube and the railways when given the right context.

I get people every week telling me that they're now looking more closely at the tube/rail heritage features, booking LTM trips, off to Wemyss Bay to learn about James Miller, going to Acton or in the case of the lady of advanced years I met in north Wales on Sunday, going down to see the Elizabeth line stations because we've inspired them to do it. It might not be as all-consuming as it is for many of us who frequent these forums, but the programme is, I am pleased to say, bringing in the people to the topics that we hardcore enthusiasts already have the books on. It is the gateway drug, and with luck the next 10 episodes will both satisfy the cravings of addicts and get new folk hooked too



*apart from when i am falling over myself whilst running late for a train. i may be less keen on a chat at this point

 

[Mikey C]

Looking forward to it! You and Siddy do a great job.

 

[75A]

Probably my favourite programme on TV, well apart from the cricket.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

We will have to wait to see which lost river they have chosen in Episode 1. The well known ones are Baker Street (Tyburn) and Westbourne (Sloane Square) but there are others. The Falcon runs right under Clapham Junction. Whatever, good to have another series.

Well sleuthed. The programme does indeed feature the platform overbridge containing the culverted River Westbourne (at Sloane Square station).

 

[Magdalia]

I enjoyed learning about the Westbourne River culvert but more interesting was the 1940 bomb damage at Sloane Square, with restoration of trains and a temporary station done in just 12 weeks while a war was going on.

 

[davews]

Great start to the series. Sloane Square, yes been there, done that, but the view behind scenes was an eye opener. I hadn't realised that they pump the river up through it, I assumed it just flowed through it.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Sloane Square, yes been there, done that, but the view behind scenes was an eye opener. I hadn't realised that they pump the river up through it, I assumed it just flowed through it.

How does the pump cope after prolonged heavy rainfall?

(If it was actually explained, must have missed that bit).

 

[Falcon1200]

I hadn't realised that they pump the river up through it, I assumed it just flowed through it.

I was the same, and couldn't helping thinking that a) it was an elaborate solution and b) what happens if the pumps fail?!! Presumably there is a degree of redundancy.

But as always, a fascinating episode.

 

[edwin_m]

I was the same, and couldn't helping thinking that a) it was an elaborate solution and b) what happens if the pumps fail?!! Presumably there is a degree of redundancy.

But as always, a fascinating episode.

Indeed. As someone pointed out above, the air raid didn't damage the river conduit, but did it stop the pumps? I guess after a fairly short time it would start flooding either within the station or somewhere upstream.

 

[Lost property]

For those of us from that mythical land "The North ", and for whom LT is just a means of transiting London, this series is fascinating to watch.

The number of tunnels alone, and their past / present uses is a revelation we would otherwise be unaware of.

The restoration project was equally interesting, especially the current draw from the "old " lights, compared to the modern types, but, as was mentioned, they won't be repeating the nicotine content for authenticity....thankfully !

Out of interest. how deep is the river in the access shaft ?

 

[Basil Jet]

I was also surprised that Sloane Square had a roof when it had steam trains but has no roof now it's all electric. The other way round seems smarter.

 

[edwin_m]

I was also surprised that Sloane Square had a roof when it had steam trains but has no roof now it's all electric. The other way round seems smarter.

Most of the original Met and District sub-surface stations had roofs, but many have lost them over the years. As explained in the programme, the one at Sloane Square was destroyed in an air raid.

 

[davews]

Interesting that the showed the Leinster Gardens 'house' in episode 3. This one is certainly not a 'secret' as it has been on tourist rounds for years and featured on the Jubilee Greenway walk. When I did that in 2019 I encountered the same problem as Siddy did on Tuesday. There is a huge wall at the back so it is not easy to see the trains passing below. I took a photo which wrongly showed the next door's driveway which gave the illusion that he had covered over the tracks. But Siddy like me would have needed stilts to get a proper shot, which it looks like their cameraman did.

(my photos)

 

[John Webb]

Interesting that the showed the Leinster Gardens 'house' in episode 3. This one is certainly not a 'secret' as it has been on tourist rounds for years and featured on the Jubilee Greenway walk. When I did that in 2019 I encountered the same problem as Siddy did on Tuesday. There is a huge wall at the back so it is not easy to see the trains passing below. I took a photo which wrongly showed the next door's driveway which gave the illusion that he had covered over the tracks. But Siddy like me would have needed stilts to get a proper shot, which it looks like their cameraman did.

(my photos)

A drone was used for those shots but kept over the roadway rather than the railway track for safety, I think.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Interesting that the showed the Leinster Gardens 'house' in episode 3. This one is certainly not a 'secret' as it has been on tourist rounds for years and featured on the Jubilee Greenway walk. When I did that in 2019 I encountered the same problem as Siddy did on Tuesday. There is a huge wall at the back so it is not easy to see the trains passing below. I took a photo which wrongly showed the next door's driveway which gave the illusion that he had covered over the tracks. But Siddy like me would have needed stilts to get a proper shot, which it looks like their cameraman did.

(my photos)

IIRC this also featured in Tim’s Architecture series.

 

[75A]

I thought last nights episode was the best one yet, what a superb Training School.

 

[londonbridge]

After watching this weeks episode, was quite surprised to discover that “West Ashfield Tube Station” is actually mentioned on Apple Maps app…..

 

[BoroAndy]

Just seen episode 1 of series 3 on catch up. All very interesting as usual, but one thing is bothering me. On the item of Sloane Square and the river being pumped up and over that bridge looking thing.... What happens if the pumps fail, e.g. From a major power cut, and no generator cuts in. Looked to me like that well chamber would quickly fill up and then probably flood the station.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

On the item of Sloane Square and the river being pumped up and over that bridge

That scenario was touched on if I recall, but can't for the life of me remember the answer just now. It's not the only location where such a scenario applies, there is also the Tyburn stream at Baker Street and Victoria stations ('Lost Rivers of London' Barton 1962/1992 & various reprints in between).

 

[REVUpminster]

I thought last nights episode was the best one yet, what a superb Training School.

White City was very good and did not have to use lightweight materials as it was on ground floor. I think the train they had there is elsewhere now. The land was too valuable to keep.