Comments on: People’s Question Time: Building A Road To Economic Recovery

By: Helen

Helen — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:58:13 +0000

Yes, there are rather more than 10,000 tourists in London every day. I’m well aware that there was some scepticism about the viability of an underground steam railway, thanks, I used to work for the London Transport Museum. However, I’m not sure how this is relevant to the viability of conducting tours around the very few remaining disused stations – nothing like 40 in number and 40 stations didn’t suddenly close during WWII so I’m rather bemused by anyone who’d have faith in a business plan which is based on an erroneous premise.

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:01:24 +0000

Not sure what the 10,000 figure is supposed to be. Visit London reckon that London has about 26 million visitors a year (Excluding day trippers) so that works out at around 70,000 per day plus day trippers. I suppose that includes business travellers as well as tourists, but still…

These figures are freely available from Visit London: http://www.visitlondonmediacentre.com/facts_figures/media_facts_sheets/

By: charlie barbara

charlie barbara — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:46:38 +0000

may I add that I was at this meeting and that the figure of 10,000 tourists was a calculation of the number of tourists in london at any one time, not the amount of tourists to attend the old london underground tours. I will also mention to the person that has been so negative that when the original underground was built in the 1860’s there were hundreds of negative people who exclaimed about the ignorance of the original idea – On ‘day one’ of the opening of the underground 35,000 people travelled on it, INCLUDING the people who had protested about its unviability and exclaimed so strongly about the originators ignorance.
Isn’t there a famous quote relating to those who are commenting and how they shouldnt get in the way of those who are doing?

By: Helen

Helen — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 23:01:59 +0000

@darryl1853 – I’ve just freed your comment from the spam filter, sorry about the delay in it appearing. Great photos of Down Street!

Yes, maybe Aldwych alone would conceivably be feasible for visitor access, but as you say, why would it be an attraction?

By: john Band

john Band — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:24:10 +0000

So it wasn’t even terrorismphobia – interesting. Given how utterly weak the reasons cited on that link are (they clearly translate to ‘couldn’t be arsed’), it’s excellent news that Boris might now be prodding LU into restarting the tours…

By: Helen

Helen — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:40:48 +0000

@ajit chambers – I’d refer you to this website: http://underground-history.co.uk/faq.php#q2

By: Chris N

Chris N — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:25:55 +0000

“We . . . take down 10,000 tourists every day”. How can that be interpreted any differently than on the (fairly stupid) obvious meaning?

With respect, it doesn’t appear that you’ve thought this through very well and your website hardly inspires confidence

http://www.theoldlondonundergroundcompany.com

In summary – interesting (I love the Tube) but poorly thought out idea, makes Mayor (who doesn’t do detail) over excited.

By: ajit chambers

ajit chambers — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:49:09 +0000

actually it is my company that is presenting the proposal, the 10,000 number was the number of tourists in london, not the number that would enter the underground tours.

you are very nagative about this!

By: darryl853

darryl853 — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:53:26 +0000

As mentioned up the thread, Aldwych could open – in a smilar way to the New York Transit Museum at Court Street. But then with the London Transport Museum around the corner, why would you? And would it really be that interesting?

I was lucky enough to be shown around Down Street a few years ago, and once you get down to platform level you’re basically groping around in the dark – and turning all lights off when trains arrive. It’s a fascinating trip, but even then that’s partly because it’s an unseen part of a *working railway*, not a museum. Fine for occasional open days, but not as a day in-day out attraction.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/darryl_se7/sets/72057594079823352/

Same as for the abandoned bits of Euston – but these are still parts of a working station…
http://www.abandonedstations.org.uk/Euston_station.html

And, 40 stations?! What’s he proposing, an outing to the Brill Tramway?

By: Mark Lee

Mark Lee — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:05:26 +0000

I think in the majority of situations the idea can be written off, but as has been pointed out, there are probably a couple of viable possibilities, such as deep-level shelters, and the Aldwych spur. But it does beg the question.. how would you make an ‘Aldwych’ museum keep someone’s interest for more than 10 minutes. Once you’ve been down, had a sniff around, maybe ridden a train to Holborn and back… there wouldn’t be a great amount to do, and I can’t imagine there would be much exhibition space, etc.

Of course, fairly sure TfL would argue they need the space to do prototyping etc (I believe the projectors now being used for ads were trialled on the Aldwych spur, I think they’ve also trialled some of the station decoration techniques on the Holborn platforms…

Maybe using the deep-level shelter between Stockwell and Clapham north, where there is more space at surface for exhibition facilities etc, may be a more viable option – and draw money and tourists into a new area.

But yes… the guy probably had a challenge to engage Boris in a short period of time… although that probably doesn’t excuse the fact that he probably hasn’t thought through his ideas too well…