From the author of the bestselling London: The Biography a poetic & powerful urban history of life & legend beneath London. This is a wonderful atmospheric historical imaginative oozing little study of verything that goes on under London from original springs & streams & Roman amphitheatres to Victorian sewers & gang hide-outs. The depth below is hot much warmer than the surface & this book tunnels down through the geological layers meeting the creatures that dwell in darkness real & fictional -- rats & eels monsters & ghosts. There is a bronze-age trackway under the Isle of Dogs Wren found Anglo-Saxon graves under St Pauls & the monastery of Whitefriars lies beneath Fleet Street. In Kensal Green cemetery there was a hydraulic device to lower bodies into the catacombs below -- Welcome to the lower depths." A door in the plinth of statue of Boadicea on Westminster Bridge leads to a huge tunnel packed with cables -- gas water telephone. When the Metropolitan Line was opened in 1864 the guards asked for permission to grow beards to protect themselves against the sulphurous fumes & called their engines by the names of tyrants -- Czar Kaiser Mogul -- & even Pluto god of the underworld. Going under London is to penetrate history to enter a hidden world. " The vastness of the space a second earth " writes Peter Ackroyd "elicits sensations of wonder & of terror. It partakes of myth & dream in equal measure."" ...

London Under" is an atmospheric imaginative introduction to everything that goes on under London from original springs & streams & Roman amphitheatres to Victorian sewers gang hideouts & modern Underground stations. This book tunnels down through the geological layers meeting the creatures both real & fictional that dwell in the darkness
- rats & eels monsters & ghosts. From the Anglo-Saxon graves under St Pauls to the hydraulic device in Kensal Green cemetery which lowered bodies into the catacombs below to the fossils uncovered when the Victoria Line was built & the gold bars within the Bank of Englands vaults " London Under" takes you into a hidden world beneath our feet."
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Celebrating 150 years of brilliant Underground history
- this book is packed with puzzles quizzes & games
- with cool things

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London Underground By Design is the beautifully illustrated new book from Mark Ovenden the acclaimed author of Great Railway Maps of the World published to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the Tube in 2013. Since its establishment 150 years ago as the world's first urban subway the London Underground has continuously set a benchmark for design that has influenced transit systems from New York to Tokyo Moscow to Paris & beyond. London Underground by Design is the first meticulous study of every aspect of that feat a comprehensive history of one of the world's most celebrated design achievements & of the visionaries who brought it to life. Beginning in the pioneering Victorian age Mark Ovenden charts the evolution of architecture branding typeface map design interior & textile styles posters signage & graphic design & how these came together to shape not just the Underground's identity but the character of London itself. This is the story of celebrated designers
- from Frank Pick the guru who conceptualised the modern Tube's look under the 'design fit for purpose' mantra to Harry Beck Tube diagram creator & from Marion Dorn one of the twentieth century's leading textile designers to Edward Johnston creator of the distinctive font that bears his name as well as Leslie Green designer of central London's distinctive ruby-red tiled stations & the Design Research Unit's head Misha Black who in the 1960s rebranded British Railways & created the Victoria line's distinctive style & Sir Norman Foster architect of Canary Wharf station. Fascinating.. .authoritative.. .bristles with photographs I've never seen before.. .the book does ample justice to a network that
- overcrowded & overpriced
- is a glorious palimpsest of design". (Andrew Martin Observer). "I wouldn't ordinarily enthuse about one book at such length but this is an important work.. .not because it's an entertaining read (it is) but because it identifies the birth of a brand.. .and records the birth of a new idea
- the transport interchange". (Kevin Mc Cloud Grand Designs Magazine). " Mark Ovenden has devotedly documented the designs associated with [the Underground].. ."addictive" for anyone interested in the look of everyday life". (Telegraph). " This beautifully illustrated history is a worth tribute [to 150 years of design]". (Shortlist). "A wonderful handsome book.. .it makes me want to nerd out get a travel card & whiz out to the strange ends of Metroland or the UFO shape of Southgate station". (Robert Bownes/ Andrew Tuck Monocle Weekly (Radio programme)). Mark Ovenden is a British writer & broadcaster. His previous books are Metro Maps of the World Paris Metro Style & Great Railway Maps of the World. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society & lives in London."



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By documenting & guiding us on the journeys we make every day maps influence the way we navigate & identify with our surroundings. The Underground London Transport & its successor Transport for London have produced & inspired maps which are navigational decorative forms of publicity & works of art. This book which draws on the rich collections of the London Transport Museum sets out to explore this unique form of visual communication. Covering the period from 1900 to the present day Claire Dobbin's fascinating narrative provides a chronological account of the mapping of London's Underground. Starting with the magnificent early twentieth-century decorative maps of Macdonald Gill the evolution of London's diagrammatic Underground map introduced by Harry Beck's iconic 1931 design is expertly told. The legacy of Beck's inspiring design is highlighted through selected maps artworks posters & merchandise. Incorporating design art cartographic social & transport history London Underground Maps provides a fascinating account of the capital's innovative approach to decoding & promoting its complex underground network. An accessible narrative coupled with first-class imagery make this book a must for lovers of art design & cartography as well as the history of London. ...

This book celebrates the many styles of station building on the London Underground. None of the original station buildings from 1863 remains but there are nevertheless some survivors from the time of the opening of the District Railway in 1868 such as Gloucester Road & Bayswater. ...

Welcome to the weird & wonderful world of Londons Underground or as it is affectionately referred to the Tube. Though this isnt the usual side of the Tube the tourists travellers & residents see. (Though of course they do see a great deal of strangeness in their daily commutes!). This is the real Underground the strange & twisted nooks & crannies of what happens hundreds of metres below millions of London legs
- from its peculiar past through to its paranormal present & looking forward to its fascinating future. Following on from the bestselling Portico Strangest titles now comes a book devoted to Londons globally envied & much loved public transport system. Located deep beneath the heart of Greater London the Underground is awash with more strangeness than you can shake your pre-paid Oyster card at. In 2013 the whole city will be celebrating the Undergrounds 150th birthday
- the oldest underground in the world. So pack up your old kit bag & travel stop-by-stop with us on this strange & fantastic journey along the Northern Picadilly Metropolitan Jubilee Hammersmith & City & District Line.. .and explore the Underground as youve never seen it before. London Undergrounds Strangest Tales is a treasure trove of the humorous the odd & the baffling
- an alternative travel guide to the Undergrounds best-kept secrets. Read on if you dare! You have been warned. Word Count: 35 000


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London is divided & united by its river; one of the few cities in the world to find its essence in two profoundly different yet nearly touching urban characters. So the Thames provides the perfect vantage point for telling the most comprehensive story of this complex city. Arriving with little previous knowledge of London Matteo Pericoli made an intensive twenty-mile journey along the river from Hammersmith Bridge to the Millennium Dome & back again. Over two years later he leaves behind the most astonishing document of his journey: two thirty-seven-foot-long pen-&-ink drawings depicting the citys north & south banks. Each drawing -- presented on one side of this beautiful single-sheet accordion-style book -- is rendered with loving & essay-like detail revealing a distinct profile of London in all of its diversity: a dozen boroughs nineteen bridges & hundreds of buildings including the Houses of Parliament Tate Modern Battersea Power Station & the Millennium Wheel. Matteo Pericolis inimitable drawings constantly complementing & questioning each other brought him to a better understanding of London -- & whether youve lived there all your life or have never been at all this breathtaking work of art is certain to deepen your thoughts & renew your fascination with one of the worlds most brilliant cities. ...

This updated 2nd edition of this delightful walking guide whose unique sales point is walking routes on birds eye view (isometric) mapping. Not just this but the walks are informative & fun. Exploring London with this guide is like being taken by a friend who knows all the best restaurants shops & attractions. It will introduce not only the famous sights but the atmosphere of the city as a whole. The new cover emphasises these benefits making it clear that the beautiful mapping is uniquely easy to use because it shows the street plan as well as the look of your surroundings. The routes are in all the most interesting areas of central London plus a few on the outskirts. Most are about an hour long or can be joined together for longer expeditions. ...

Which London churches include great restaurants? Which featured in the plays of Shakespeare? Which pulpit has Jeffrey Archer stood in & where can you find Dick Whittingtons tomb? This fully illustrated guide to the capitals most beautiful interesting & significant churches

Includes:: colour photography throughout & fascinating commentary that extends beyond architectural detail to include historical gossip special features to look for famous associations & what goes on in these remarkable buildings today. Covering every part of Greater London there are many hidden gems waiting to be discovered & many churches that are already well established on the tourist map are also included. Church tourism is increasingly popular & this book will appeal both to visitors to London & the capitals residents. All the churches included are kept open.

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