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Emma Watson, tube chat badges and the dirtiest Underground lines: the year in tube news

Matt Breen
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Matt Breen
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Love it or hate it (probably a bit of both), the tube keeps London going, literally. Here are some of the highs and lows on the Underground network this year.

Sacrilege!

 

A photo posted by Chris Manias (@chr_mns) on


In April, the greatest tube taboos was broken when staff at Holborn decided to trial - wait for it - standing on both sides of the escalator. Apparently standing still ultimately gets people up, and down, faster. But still...

Filth!

Various lines were named and shamed for their shortcomings. Unsurprisingly,the Central doesn't come off too well: it's the busiest, hottest and most delayed. But the prize for dirtiest goes to the filth-laden Northern line. It's grim up North.

Mockery!

TfL aimed their 'Please Offer Me a Seat' badges at those less able to stand, while James McNaught's 'Cancer on Board' badges highlighted the disease. But one man's creation, the 'Tube Chat?' badge, provoked Twitter mockery. C'mon, we're Londoners!

Feminism!

 

A photo posted by Emma Watson (@emmawatson) on


The tube became an unlikely feminist library, thanks to Emma Watson. In November, she left 100 copies of a Maya Angelou book for commuters to find, as part of the Books on the Underground project. And nothing says 'London' like Maya Angelou.

Star Wars!

Did you see the Stormtroopers on the tube this morning?

Either tube staff have got a bold new look, or a bunch of Darth Vader's minions were hanging around Canary Wharf tube this morning.

Posted by Time Out London on Thursday, 15 December 2016

To mark the release of 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' earlier this month, a gang of Stormtroopers were unleashed on the tube, travelling through Canary Wharf, where scenes of the film were shot. They also pissed people off by having the audacity to stand on the left of the escalator. Imperial scum.

In other tube news, this interactive map is a whole new way to plan your journeys.

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