h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Alex
I've thought of some more facts/stats you may want to include. If you don't then I may give these a tickle some time in the future. Some of them could be a little off-topic but I include them for completeness.

A copy of the original map.

A copy of the LITERAL map. (You are probably aware that the current map is a simplified, more logical version of the layout.)

Strange/dubious claims to fame. For example, one station was evacuated due to a 'dead baby' being found in the station. It was actually one of those 'alien embryo' toys. At one time the UK's "most wanted man" (name?) was spotted in a tube station and ran along the track pursued by armed police.

Total number of underground systems in the world.

Number of UK underground systems.

The name of each of these system (and nicknames).

Stations used for shelter during blitz.

Station with most platforms.

Opening times of tube and stations, and what happens during downtime.

Information about the man who visited every station in one day. (?) How long it took him.

Any new stations mooted?

Cost of ticket at original opening compared to now.

Cost of a ticket around underground networks in UK and rest of world.

Something about buskers?

Shortest station name, longest station name. (Deep in anorak territory there!)

Nicknames for lines and stations. Eg) Piccadilly = Piccallydically, Northern Line = Mugging Line.

Where the trains are made. How much they cost.

Recommended museums to see old trains/carriages and tube memorabilia.

Any old signs or memorabilia sold at auctions? Any for sale on eBay?

Something about the under-Thames tunnels. (I know one of them was a Brunel project.)

Which station is furthest from central London? (I'd guess Heathrow.)

The evolution (if any) of station names, from opening name to current name.

Summer temperatures reached. (Sure to be findable on BBC news site somewhere.)

The mice.

Speed of trains at original opening compared to now.

Number of passengers in year of opening compared to now.

Original wages of drivers.

Number of people who work at/maintain each station.

Number of drivers employed by network.

A list of recommended reading.

A quick overview of the world when the tube first opened: Prime Minister, cost of living, monarchy, etc.

Total number of passengers EVER (good luck to anyone masochistic enough to try work out that!)

Shortest/longest distance between any two stations.

Do a survey among H2 researchers of favourite/least favourite station (hey, free publicity!)

Cost of having advert displayed on tube station or train.

Yearly electricity bill.

(I think, CMIIW, that all the electricity comes from one power station.)

Wouldn't Watford be further from Central London than Heathrow

It certainly takes longer to get there by tube

http://www.multimap.com/map/tube.cgi?client=public&tsize=500&tmap=to



Outside the M25 is alien territory to me.

Shortest trip between stations Leicester Square t Picadilly Circus must rank up there as it takes longer to go down the stairs get ont he train and up again at PIcadilly circus than to take teh sort walk. We tried this once as a bet and allowed time for waiting for the train to be taken off.

I can still remember the day I opted to use the stairs at Covent Garden instead of the lifts. Ouch.

I still use the stairs at Belsize Park...

Technically, the shortest distance between two stations is probably Bank and Monument...

I'm not sure that I want to include all of the points on the checklist - some of them may not fit the 'Station by station' tag of these entries. I'll have a go at the entries to see what I can do.

First stop (after the main entry), Victoria Line.

We need to be careful to avoid overlap between this entry and the Ultimate Guide to the London Underground, which is already in the Edited Guide at A48502.

I'd say a lot of the (very good) things that Spinks suggests would be more suited to an Update to that rather than to a station by station guide. Of course, we could also work on an update to A48502 and submit that to the UpdateForum.

There's a map that they sell at the LT museum (or at least, they used to - my mate had one, but he's gone off around the world) hat has all past and present tube lines and stations on it including dates of opening and closing.

I'll be careful to avoid overlaps.

I think I've got that map - I think it's the 'diagrammatical history' or something like that...

As I understand it this would be a series of entries covering interesting information about each individual station... some of the things being suggested for inclusion (particularly in post 21) don't have anything to do with that brief

Well, these are thoughts on a project I may do at some time in the future (as explained in first paragraph). Yes, some of them are off-topic (as explained in first paragraph) but I hope may have some value as a 'springboard'.

Here's one for you which Tube Station contains all the vowels.

Um. Without cheating, is it something like Earls Court Olympia?

Sorry I meant in order.

Heathrow Terminal Four (yes I know, that doesn't count)

No think nearer the centre

that narrows it down...

Mansion House

What do I win?

*picks up card*

A trip to Mayfair do not pass go do not collect £200.

Mornington Crescent!

Well someone had to say it, it might as well be me