London Underground Mice
Noticeable Oddities of the Day:
The London Underground is a metro train system in England that covers much of the conurbation of Greater London and some neighbouring areas. It is the world's oldest underground system, and has the longest in route length of any in the world. Service began on 10 January 1863 on the Metropolitan Railway, from which the term "metro" is derived; most of the initial route is now part of the Hammersmith & City Line.
Despite its name, about 55% of the network is above ground. Popular local names include the Underground and, more colloquially, the Tube, in reference to the cylindrical shape of the system's deep-bore tunnels. The Underground is an electric railway and currently serves 274 stations and runs over 408 km (253 miles) of lines. There are also a number of former stations and tunnels that are now closed. In 2004-2005, total passenger journeys reached a record level of 976 million, an average of 2.67 million per day.
More of the London Underground is open than in a tunnel. Tell yourself this fact if you suffer from claustrophobia. The air in the underground is on average 10°C hotter than the air on the surface. A fragrance called "Madeleine" was introduced at St James Park, Euston and Piccadilly stations in an effort to make the tube smell better on 23rd March 2001. It was taken out of action on 24th March 2001 as it was making people feel sick.
Victoria and King's Cross record the highest number of tube suicides each year. This isn't surprising as Victoria is the tube's busiest station with 85 million passengers each year and King's Cross has 70 million passengers each year. The peak hour for tube suicides is 11am. This is contrary to popular belief amongst commuters who always think "one unders" or "track pizza" (to use a delightful New York phrase) cause delays in the rush hour.
Since 2003, the Underground has been part of Transport for London (TfL), which also administers London's buses, including the famous red double-deckers, and carries out numerous other transport-related functions in the capital. An estimated half a million mice live on the London Underground. The best places to spot mice running around the tracks of the underground are Waterloo station (northbound Bakerloo line) and any platform at Oxford Circus.Two mice of opposite sexes can produce up to 5,000 descendents in a year.
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Despite its name, about 55% of the network is above ground. Popular local names include the Underground and, more colloquially, the Tube, in reference to the cylindrical shape of the system's deep-bore tunnels. The Underground is an electric railway and currently serves 274 stations and runs over 408 km (253 miles) of lines. There are also a number of former stations and tunnels that are now closed. In 2004-2005, total passenger journeys reached a record level of 976 million, an average of 2.67 million per day.
More of the London Underground is open than in a tunnel. Tell yourself this fact if you suffer from claustrophobia. The air in the underground is on average 10°C hotter than the air on the surface. A fragrance called "Madeleine" was introduced at St James Park, Euston and Piccadilly stations in an effort to make the tube smell better on 23rd March 2001. It was taken out of action on 24th March 2001 as it was making people feel sick.
Victoria and King's Cross record the highest number of tube suicides each year. This isn't surprising as Victoria is the tube's busiest station with 85 million passengers each year and King's Cross has 70 million passengers each year. The peak hour for tube suicides is 11am. This is contrary to popular belief amongst commuters who always think "one unders" or "track pizza" (to use a delightful New York phrase) cause delays in the rush hour.
Since 2003, the Underground has been part of Transport for London (TfL), which also administers London's buses, including the famous red double-deckers, and carries out numerous other transport-related functions in the capital. An estimated half a million mice live on the London Underground. The best places to spot mice running around the tracks of the underground are Waterloo station (northbound Bakerloo line) and any platform at Oxford Circus.Two mice of opposite sexes can produce up to 5,000 descendents in a year.
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