Secrets Of The London Underground.

[londonbridge]

Six part series starting Monday 8pm on the Yesterday channel, looking at abandoned stations. Is this new or a repeat, I can’t remember seeing it listed before.

 

[James H]

It's new

 

[Whistler40145]

There's just been an interview with the presenters on BBC Breakfast programme

 

[Ken H]

Hope they put it on uktv play. No telly.

 

[londonbridge]

Thanks everyone, I’ll take a look at it.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

New series. First episode on Monday 19th July 2021 ("Yesterday" TV channel at 8 pm) sees presenters Siddy Holloway and Tim Dunn take a look at the defunct spur of the Piccadilly line that used to run from Holborn to Aldwych. And at Holloway Road they find out about the Tube's only spiral escalator.

Repeated at 10 pm on Friday 23rd July 2021.

Series will be available on UKTV Play.

 

[43055]

The Radio Times originally had it down for last Thursday at 8pm.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The Radio Times originally had it down for last Thursday at 8pm.

Not in my issue (North West/Yorks/N. East edition). Last Thursday (15th July 2021) the 8pm slot on 'Yesterday' was for "Secret Nazi Bases".

 

[LUYMun]

First episode primarily showcased the Aldwych branch, the London Transport Museum's poster collection and Holloway Road. One knows the programme is a good one if Tim Dunn's hosting it.

 

[londonbridge]

The programme is interesting enough and Tim Dunn is indeed a good presenter, unfortunately by the end of the episode Siddy Holloway’s voice and accent was getting on my nerves…..

 

[Ken H]

First episode primarily showcased the Aldwych branch, the London Transport Museum's poster collection and Holloway Road. One knows the programme is a good one if Tim Dunn's hosting it.

Episode 1 is up on UKTV Play. Here is a link to stream the program

Watch Secrets of the London Underground Series & Episodes on UKTV Play

Tim Dunn and Siddy Holloway explore the disused parts of London's tube network.

uktvplay.uktv.co.uk

 

[Lewlew]

It's also on YouTube

Edit: not anymore!

 

[High Dyke]

The programme is interesting enough and Tim Dunn is indeed a good presenter, unfortunately by the end of the episode Siddy Holloway’s voice and accent was getting on my nerves…..

Not certain why the ladies voice annoys you. There's far worse on TV and radio.

Having done a tour of Aldwych (Strand) I can say it is an enjoyable tour to undertake, purely for the history of the station.

 

[timmydunn]

The prog was indeed first slated for an earlier date - it was rescheduled to avoid some unexpected conflicts. Takes a while for the info to get filtered down to the set top boxes.

 

[londonbridge]

Not certain why the ladies voice annoys you. There's far worse on TV and radio.

I appreciate that, it’s just one of those things I guess

 

[Ianigsy]

Not in my issue (North West/Yorks/N. East edition). Last Thursday (15th July 2021) the 8pm slot on 'Yesterday' was for "Secret Nazi Bases".

If there was a secret Nazi base at Aldwych that really would be a turn up for the books!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

If there was a secret Nazi base at Aldwych that really would be a turn up for the books!

Suppose the former Down Street tube station, not a million miles away, might once have been described as a secret anti-Nazi base!

 

[Ken H]

hope they cover the deep level district line tubes made to be air raid shelters but could be joined up later to relieve the District Line.

 

[HamSandwich]

I really like this programme and both of the presenters - admittedly my favourite bits of Architecture the Railways Built was always the London Underground stuff, so it feels like this show was made just for me. Already hoping that they announce a second series!

 

[John Luxton]

Although it is many, many years since I visited London I have enjoyed reading on line various reports on abandoned sections of the Underground and this series is just brilliant! Tim Dunn is a great presenter.

 

[Busaholic]

If there was a secret Nazi base at Aldwych that really would be a turn up for the books!

Not completely beyond the imagination: my grandfather spent WW2 beavering away at Somerset House next door, the HQ of the Inland Revenue: by the way, he always maintained it was I.R.'s opposition that scuppered the extension of the branch to Waterloo, and he was high enough up to know!

 

[DelW]

The last episode was last night on broadcast TV (not sure about streaming as I don't use it much).

Unusually for a mainstream TV doc about railways, there was quite a bit that was new to me, and even the items that I knew a bit about, like the deep level shelter tunnels at Clapham covered last night, included quite a bit of information that I hadn't known, as well as the video footage of course - previously I'd only seen the odd photo or two.

It's been a really interesting series, and I hope the viewing figures will justify Tim and the rest of the team being allowed a follow up - I'm sure there's plenty more material for a least another series!

 

[John Luxton]

The last episode was last night on broadcast TV (not sure about streaming as I don't use it much).

Unusually for a mainstream TV doc about railways, there was quite a bit that was new to me, and even the items that I knew a bit about, like the deep level shelter tunnels at Clapham covered last night, included quite a bit of information that I hadn't known, as well as the video footage of course - previously I'd only seen the odd photo or two.

It's been a really interesting series, and I hope the viewing figures will justify Tim and the rest of the team being allowed a follow up - I'm sure there's plenty more material for a least another series!

Yes it was an EXCELLENT series - I didn't realise last night was the final episode ! I too would like more!

I have not been to London for nearly 40 years but did a lot of wandering around on the underground on visits from mid 70s to 1982 and have always been aware of the closed off bits and have read about them on line and in various books.

Overall I have found both Secrets of the London Underground and Architecture that the Railways Gave Us amongst the best railway orientated series to have been shown on TV in recent years. The pitch of presentation I have found to be just right for both enthusiast and general viewer without the dumbing down or glaring errors that have marred some offerings by the established mainstream channels.

Tim is a brilliant presenter as well.

All I will say is top railway TV!

John

 

[Ashley Hill]

Hopefully there will be a second series. Visiting the closed stations its fascinating to see what remains. Perhaps next time the makers will include stations that have not already been featured in similar programs or on LU's Hidden London tours.

 

[timmydunn]

Thank you - please be assured that I send all things I read online (good and bad) to the producers. It is a huge team effort.

I am allowed to say that the viewing figures made us all smile... a lot! There are many things that would need to happen for it to happen again, though. I def have a few places that I am desperate to visit for various reasons! Sadly one of the places I really want to get into (and therefore - take hundreds of thousands of people with us) is the Tower Subway - but that's not TfL, it's now Vodaphone. I am also allowed to say that there is another series of The Architecture The Railways Built - also filmed in the dead of winter lockdowns - due to air. More on that another time.

TATRB and SOTLU are both programmes made by Brown Bob Productions, in a delightfully collaborative process that (in my personal view) is rare. It is so nice to work with people who celebrate facts, passion and expertise and know how to make it accessible. I still recall the morning when I walked into the offices in 2019 and every single book I had recommended on railway architecture (plus a fair few more) were piled up and being cram-read by every person on the production. I still get texts from some of the crew from series 1 with a building feature they've seen, looked up and are very pleased to be able to explain it.

Best bit of SOTLU has been when TfL staff have approached me or Sid on the platform, or outside a station, recently to say that they're enjoying and learning from it too.

Idle question... where on the Underground is "hidden" but that you'd like to see, and why?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Idle question... where on the Underground is "hidden" but that you'd like to see, and why?

One obvious subject for a second series would surely be the three disused stations between Baker Street and Finchley Road...? Of these, Marlborough Road is even quite easily viewed from passing trains, so there must already be a large number of Metropolitan Line passengers who are aware of it and have seen it but are wondering more about it. That's a ready-made additional audience, so if it was put in the first of any series it should boost the viewing for the whole of that series as a result.

 

[John Luxton]

Idle question... where on the Underground is "hidden" but that you'd like to see, and why?

I can't make any suggestions about London as it is years since I have been there and my LU knowledge is very sketchy, but I really enjoyed what I saw.

Could there be scope for something like "Secrets of Britain's Railways"?

There must be many abandoned bits which are not accessible.

For instance where I live on Merseyside we have the Merseyrail system which is underground in the Birkenhead and Liverpool area. T

here is definitely an abandoned pedestrian subway from Shore Road, Birkenhead built to provide access to the docks down to Hamilton Square Station - normal access is via lifts. (Similar subway on Liverpool side exists but is still in use).

After watching a couple of episodes SOTLU I started thinking about the old Mersey Railway River Cabin signal box which was located under the River Mersey. There is a contemporary engraving which has been published a few times.

The box was abandoned when the Mersey Railway was converted from steam to electric and the signalling system automated in 1903.

Out of curiosity I posted a message on a local railway Facebook page and someone who works for Merseyrail had been down there and was able to provide a couple of phone photos the brackets which supported the box.

There must be many other nooks and crannies above and below ground all around the UK worth exploring. I must say I am hungry for more and I dare say many others are too!

John

 

[ashkeba]

Idle question... where on the Underground is "hidden" but that you'd like to see, and why?

I would like to see more of the Jubilee Line trains stranded on the roof in Shoreditch and inside the 1972 Fleet/Jubilee Line test tunnel in New Cross.

And is it true that the deep lines at Embankment would flood very fast if the pumps stopped? How much of the deep lines would fill in a worst case non terrorist scenario? Are any of the wartime flood gates still useful?

Maybe the most hidden is any control room or operations centre. How have they changed over time? Did the UERL lines have the first multi line control centre?

 

[EbbwJunction1]

On a lightly different aspect, are there plans for either or both of your series to be available on DVD, please? I haven't got UKTV Play, and I'd prefer to keep and watch them on DVD, so it would be helpful if they were.

Thanks, and best wishes.

 

[yorksrob]

An excellent series.

I've seen pictures of a lot of the sites on the internet before, however it was good to see footage of them.