Ben Pedroche has written a lovely walking guide book for London for anyone with an interest in the Tube, old buildings, urban exploring and London's history.
Do Not Alight Here has 12 walking routes, each journey takes the reader past disused & derelict Tube and train stations, hidden structures, abandoned tunnels and lots more.
Ben also maps out a series of Tube journeys that show what can be seen through the darkness of the tunnels, and a series of London's train journeys for a look at trackside remains of many stations covered in the walks.
Ben said "
It's been something of a labour of love for me, with months of research
and travels around the city! I've made it a point right from the start to try and make it a subject that appeals to everyone - from the hardcore train specialist, to the keen urban explorer, Tube fanatic, casual reader and everyone in between. It's being published by Capital, who have a long list of successful titles about London's transport history."
Most of the walks are illustrated with recently taken colour photographs. Highlights include a 2 hour walk starting at Green Park and finishing at West Brompton, taking in the remains of Down Street Tube station and bricked-up platforms on the Piccadilly Line that hid Cabinet War Rooms previously used by Churchill and covers Brompton Road Tube (pictured below).
Then there's the "
not strictly abandoned but still a hidden gem" of
23/24 Leinster Gardens. A spot on the District & Circle line where in-between Bayswater & Paddington, there had been a cutting made underneath some houses. During construction, two houses had been taken down to allow the cut & cover tunnel to be built beneath, and a false house front had been put back in its place so as to disguise it.
Going to see the Leinster Gardens themselves may be a bit disappointing as it's just a fake house front. But if you go round a corner you can hear the distinctive rattle of a C-stock type train from somewhere down below. If you're tall enough you can peep over the wall and get a picture of the trains going past.
He also covers the Necropolis Railway Station (something I recently blogged about for
Completely London in a post on
London's Secret Memorials).
Brookwood cemetary is outside of London in Woking but is notable for having a private railway running through it. From 1854 - 1947 it would carry both coffins and mourners, by the London & South Western Railway, to a private Necropolis Terminus just outside of Waterloo Station between York Street and Westminster Bridge Road.
Do Not Alight Here is released on December 5th 2011 but can be pre-ordered on Amazon. Also , to mark the launch of his book, Ben will be holding a book signing at
London Transport Museum on Saturday 3rd December 2011 from 2pm - 4pm. For more on Ben & his book, there's a
Facebook page which covers his interest in London's Lost Tube & Railway stations.
You might also likeWalking the London Underground, Overground - Walk The Lines Aldwych Underground Station Tours - November & December 2011Aldwych Tube Station - Blitz TourPhotos of Ghost Tube Station Brompton Road Tour Old Tube stations could be Re-Opened Houses near the London Underground - Leinster Gardens on TVAlastair Campbell, Peter Mandelson & Down Street
