- Hardcover: 224 pages
- Publisher: Sutton Publishing Ltd; 1st edition (23 Aug 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 075092585X
- ISBN-13: 978-0750925853
- Product Dimensions: 24.9 x 17.8 x 2.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 154,167 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Since Victorian times, London's Underground has made an extraordinary contribution to the economy of the capital and has played a vital role in the daily life of generations of Londoners.
From the Publisher
Stephen Halliday has once again written a book which combines original research with sharp insights and humour. In the words of Richard Morrison, in "The Times", (10th November 2001) "Halliday's detailed history, full of wit, anecdotes and fascinating social asides, is a superbly even-handed portrait of the transport of delight that has turned into the nightmare beneath our feet".
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The subtitle is deceptive; Stephen Halliday's book is less a social history of the London Underground than an overview of the development and management of the system. Amid copious illustrations, Halliday recounts its history from the development of the first lines in mid-Victorian Britain to the chronic challenges it faced at the end of the twentieth century. What emerges is a tale of ambitious schemes, extravagant promises, and a near-complete lack of coordination in its development. Originating as a series of private for-profit lines, the separate routes were consolidated into a single system by the mid-1930s.
Halliday presents the system's development in a clear and straightforward manner, though one that feels too cursory for the intricacies involved. Much of the text is supplemented with information panels that address sub-topics and summarize particulars about the individual lines; these are useful but often repeat information from the main text. More beneficial are the numerous pictures, including several color plates. These demonstrate the visual heritage of the Underground, both in architecture and the many posters created over the decades designed to advertise its services. They help to make the book a useful source for anyone seeking to learn about the 'Tube', though one that offers only the most basic of introductions to the history of this enduring London institution.
Halliday presents the system's development in a clear and straightforward manner, though one that feels too cursory for the intricacies involved. Much of the text is supplemented with information panels that address sub-topics and summarize particulars about the individual lines; these are useful but often repeat information from the main text. More beneficial are the numerous pictures, including several color plates. These demonstrate the visual heritage of the Underground, both in architecture and the many posters created over the decades designed to advertise its services. They help to make the book a useful source for anyone seeking to learn about the 'Tube', though one that offers only the most basic of introductions to the history of this enduring London institution.
22 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book gives a detailed account of the underground from the days in which steam trains ran on the Metropolitan line to recent economic structure changes. It is informative, but could perhaps add interest with more photographs and a section on the ghost stations no longer used.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4 reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Disaponting, and focused on the players
7 Nov 2003
Format:Hardcover
This attractive looking book was a disapointment for me. While it was clear the author had signifigant knowledge and invested time in researching the full history, the book focuses heavily on the politics and business planning of the underground - rather than the design and engineering, or the impact of the line on the urban planning of the city. I felt the book would be more accurately titled "The key players of the london underground".
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
A sweeping history of all aspects of the Underground
22 Oct 2003
Format:Hardcover
This is a sweeping, wide ranging history of the London Underground ('subway' to Americans), covering everything from station design to municipal politics to the choice of font for official signs. Halliday discusses how the development of London has affected the subway, and vice versa. One example will suffice: Many know that London's black population is centered in the neighborhood of Brixton, but few know the reason - a Brixton-area subway station, on which construction had stalled, was used as emergency housing for immigrants from the Caribbean after WWII.
The eight chapters cover: (1) steam era subways of the 1800s, (2) early electric deep-level tubes, beginning in 1890, (3) the Yerkes era (US entrepreneur takes over the system, 1901-05), (4) the Ashford era (1907-1948), (5) Metroland (subway-oriented suburbs north of London), (6) the artistic and architectural heritage of the system, (7) the two world wars, and (8) the post-WWII era up to 2000. Developments after 2000, such as the 'Public Private Partnerships,' are treated only in a two-paragraph Postscript. There are approximately 70 b&w photos and diagrams, plus eight pages of color illustrations.
A useful introduction to the history of the "Tube"
25 May 2009
Format:Hardcover
The subtitle is deceptive; Stephen Halliday's book is less a social history of the London Underground than an overview of the development and management of the system. Amid copious illustrations, Halliday recounts its history from the development of the first lines in mid-Victorian Britain to the chronic challenges it faced at the end of the twentieth century. What emerges is a tale of ambitious schemes, extravagant promises, and a near-complete lack of coordination in its development. Originating as a series of private for-profit lines, the separate routes were consolidated into a single system by the mid-1930s.
Halliday presents the system's development in a clear and straightforward manner, though one that feels too cursory for the intricacies involved. Much of the text is supplemented with information panels that address sub-topics and summarize particulars about the individual lines; these are useful but often repeat information from the main text. More beneficial are the numerous pictures, including several color plates. These demonstrate the visual heritage of the Underground, both in architecture and the many posters created over the decades designed to advertise its services. They help to make the book a useful source for anyone seeking to learn about the "Tube," though one that offers only the most basic of introductions to the history of this enduring London institution.
Halliday presents the system's development in a clear and straightforward manner, though one that feels too cursory for the intricacies involved. Much of the text is supplemented with information panels that address sub-topics and summarize particulars about the individual lines; these are useful but often repeat information from the main text. More beneficial are the numerous pictures, including several color plates. These demonstrate the visual heritage of the Underground, both in architecture and the many posters created over the decades designed to advertise its services. They help to make the book a useful source for anyone seeking to learn about the "Tube," though one that offers only the most basic of introductions to the history of this enduring London institution.
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