How time flies, hey new trains!

Ok so it has required years of planning to get this project underway.  The good news is that they have upgraded the trains on the Metropolitan line.  The new space age ready trains have heating AND air-conditioning and feature new roomy interiors, reminiscent of stretchy buses (TM).

I am going to have to re-post the rules I will be following because well, things change.  That will happen shortly...hopefully before years have past. 

Stay tuned!

You have to have rules

Right, welcome to the Underground Project.  What is that you ask? That is a good question which probably requires a couple of answers.

Firstly lets make sure we all know what we are talking about, the Underground refers to the London Underground, or to all of us North Americans, the London subway system.  I have found a nice non-standard map of the Underground for you, see below.  It represents the many underground lines as they really are (geographically) rather than in the stylized form you may be more familiar with. 

The Underground Project is a little mission of exploration I have set for myself (and anyone else I can convince to tag along)! 

Have you every looked at the London Underground map and wondered, hmm what the hell is out there at the ends of all those lines?  Have you ever wondered if Mill Hill East is an interesting place?  What is it like, is it akin to a suburb in a North American city, like Brampton or Nepean or will it simply be another typical London urban environment?  Is there anything to do there? Can I get a good bagle there?  Do the pubs in these remote places sell better beer?  Perhaps cheaper beer?  I have decided to find out.

It would be easy to just head out now and then to a line end so I have decided to make it a bit more challenging.  Over the next few weeks (well months really, what with the Australia interruption and all) I am going to travel on each of London's 13 Lines end to end and check out what is at the proverbial end of the rainbow (get it, colour coded underground lines, like a rainbow...brilliant).

Her are the goals...err rules.

1) I have to do each line one at a time, no mixing.

2) I have to visit every end (yes some lines have several ends!) on the same day.

3) I have to get photo evidence!

4) I have to find something interesting in the neighbouhood at each end stop!

5) I have to post my adventures in this journal.

Interestingly this sort of obsessive behavior around the Underground is not unique to me, doing a bit of research I found quite a few web sites devoted to the London Underground and the odd things that go on on it. For example did you know there is an entry in the Guiness Book of World Records for the fastest time travelling through all the stations?  About 18 hours.  There are also quite a few blogs that routinely report odd things you might overhear whilst riding on the Tube (we here in London like to call the subway the Tube for short...creative bunch that we are).  Some of them are pretty funny, reminds me of some of the crazier bus drivers you would get back in Ottawa who would brighten up your OC Transpo commute.

Hopefully next week I will have the first leg done for you enjoyment!

Wish me luck!