Subterranean City Updates

Since Subterranean City was sent to the printers in May (it's supposed to be in the shops late August) a number of developments in underground London have inevitably taken place that I shall try to keep abreast of in this blog:

The death of the Moleman of Hackney has been mentioned in a previous blog.

The Shunt Lounge at London Bridge has closed - pity, as I was considering it for the book launch.

The name of the Cabinet War Rooms has been changed to the Churchill War Rooms (branding rules everything nowadays).

The North London and East London line works continue:

'By 2011, passengers will benefit from increased services with eight trains per hour at peak times between Camden Road and Stratford, and eight trains per hour on the new East London Line service that will terminate at Highbury & Islington Station.

The London Overground network between Gospel Oak and Stratford reopened on 1 June 2010 after a three month closure to carry out construction works along the line. During this period Network Rail renewed the tracks, installed overhead lines and signal cables and replaced the Victorian sewer. Refurbishment works have also been carried out at Caledonian Road & Barnsbury, Highbury & Islington and Canonbury Stations to support the new improved service and provide lift access to platforms.'


The long-running upgrade of signalling on the Jubilee Line looks set to overrun even more than I estimated in the book, according to a recent report.


No doubt the cruel cuts instituted by 'our' government will affect some of the planned improvements to London's transport system, although unfortunately it tends to be projects outside the capital that get cut first.