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All About WALKING THE TUBE
Such a project as this is not taken on lightly, at the same time it is something of a labour of love. My enjoyment of walking around London goes back many years, but reached a peak when working my office moved from Belgravia to Vauxhall and my work colleagues complained that there was no where interesting nearby to walk to at lunch time. I ventured to try and prove them wrong.
So the plan to write some walks down came into mind and then somehow the tube map came into my mind and the idea was formed.
I set out with the plan of just walking between stations, not always taking the most obvious route, or indeed the most direct route. I wanted to avoid some of the main roads occasionally but also to ensure that anyone who followed the route wasn't going to be taken wildly out of their way. I would then set down point of interest along the way. There would be no point in dwelling on some of the most famous sites - Buckingham Palace only gets a few lines written about it - but the less obvious things and places to see somehow seem more important, and so I concentrated on them.
I am fascinated by the origins of names in London and so this plays an important part. I am not a student of architecture, but the buildings obviously play an important part and I have described those I mention as well as I can; not holding back on my own opinions of what I do and do not like.
Along the way I have used many reference books, many of which I have listed elsewhere on this website. There are many hundreds of books on London and some are indispensible.
The ultimate idea is to have the books published by a commercial publisher. This almost took place in 2005 - but only 3 days after the London tube and bus bombings on 7 July, my manuscripts were returned with regret. I have published two lines (without maps) through an internet based site and these may be purchased by clicking on Links and following the instructions.
I hope that this website gives an idea of the work that I have done and creates some interest in the end result.
Progress reports can be seen by clicking on the News section which will be updated regularly.
Please contact me if you have any comments, corrections or suggestions.
Thank you and have fun!
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