Engineering the London Underground

Engineering the London Underground — page 1 — CHAPTER ONE 4

Engineering the London Underground — page 2 — THE UNDERGROUND A cold wet morning dawns across London England Most people are still asleep But Dylan Glenister is already at work He is a train driver on the London Underground It is the world’s oldest subway system Glenister is ready for a day of transporting thousands of commuters But before he can pick up passengers he must inspect his train He walks through the cars checking doors and testing the intercom When all is ready he begins his route on the Piccadilly Line Glenister and his fellow drivers keep London moving Every year they transport Every day millions of people descend the stairs into the London Underground 5

Engineering the London Underground — page 3 — more than 1 billion passengers Londoners rely on the Underground to get to work and school But it is more than just a way to get from place to place The Underground is a marvel of engineering that has become part of London’s identity TRAFFIC JAMS Today’s massive Underground system began during the Industrial Revolution of the 1800s It was a time of great change Millions of people left their family farms They moved to cities in search of jobs in newly created factories These factories used machines to produce goods faster and cheaper than ever before Many of the new factories were in London England’s capital The city’s population more than doubled between 1800 and 1850 Daily commuters added to this number By 1855 approximately 750,000 people took trains into London every day Trains were not allowed in the city center Commuters traveled as The Underground is a vital part of London’s transportation system 6

Engineering the London Underground — page 4

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