Today, I’m gonna take my bike
‘Cause once again the Tube’s on strike
The greedy bastards want extra pay
For sitting on their arse all day!– London Underground by The Amateur Transplants
Peter Marshall shows us pictures of stations on the London Underground, Docklands light Railway (DLR) and Overground in the early 1990s. The Tube – 272 stations, of which just 33 are south of the River Thames – is supported by the DLR, which opened in 1987 to make a once thriving part of the city live anew
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Caledonian-Road-Station-Piccadilly-Line-Barnsbury-Islington-1993.jpg)
Caledonian Road Station, Piccadilly Line, Barnsbury, Islington, 1993
![Willesden Junction, Station, Harmondsworth, Brent, 1992](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Willesden-Junction-Station-Harmondsworth-Brent-1992.jpg)
Willesden Junction, Station, Harmondsworth, Brent, 1992
The London Underground has its origins in the Metropolitan Railway, which opened on 10 January 1863 as the world’s first underground passenger railway.
First opened on 31 August 1987, the DLR has been extended multiple times, giving a total route length of 24 miles. Normal operations are automated, so there is minimal staffing on the trains.
And there’s the London Overground (also known simply as the Overground and ‘The Ginger Line’), a suburban rail network serving London and its environs, with 113 stations on the six lines that make up the network.
Confusing it is. And Harry Beck’s beautiful 1933 Tube map is now part of a labyrinth of lines and symbols. The sage advice is to do as Peter Marshall did: walk.
![Vauxhall, Lambeth, c. 1993](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Vauxhall-Lambeth-1994.jpg)
Vauxhall, Lambeth, c. 1993
![East Finchley, Barnet](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Underground-East-Finchley-Barnet-1994.jpg)
East Finchley, Barnet
![Tooting-Bec-Northern-Line-Underground-Station-Tooting-Bec-Wandsworth-1990](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Tooting-Bec-Northern-Line-Underground-Station-Tooting-Bec-Wandsworth-1990.jpg)
Tooting Bec, Northern Line Underground Station, Wandsworth 1990
![Ticket-Hall-Station-Fulham-Broadway-Fulham-Hammersmith-Fulham-1990.](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Ticket-Hall-Station-Fulham-Broadway-Fulham-Hammersmith-Fulham-1990.jpg)
Ticket Hall Station, Fulham Broadway, Hammersmith and Fulham, 1990
![Hammersmith Broadway](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Subway-Underground-Hammersmith-Broadway-Hammersmith-Hammersmith-Fulham-1993.jpg)
Hammersmith Broadway
![Stepney-East-Station-Tower-Hamlets.-1982-32a-15-station-railway-waiting-room-window-glass-etching-graffiti](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Stepney-East-Station-Tower-Hamlets.-1982-32a-15-station-railway-waiting-room-window-glass-etching-graffiti.jpg)
Stepney East Station, Tower Hamlets. 1982
![Edmonton-Green-Edmonton-Enfield-1993](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Station-Edmonton-Green-Edmonton-Enfield-1993.jpg)
Edmonton Green, Enfield, 1993
![DLR-Station-Royal-Albert-Rd-Cyprus-Newham-1992](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/DLR-Station-Royal-Albert-Rd-Cyprus-Newham-1992.jpg)
DLR Station Royal Albert Rd Cyprus, Newham, 1992
![Platforms-Station-Underground-Cockfosters-Enfield-1994](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Platforms-Station-Underground-Cockfosters-Enfield-1994.jpg)
Cockfosters, Enfield, 1994
![Railway-bridge-Station-Atlantic-Rd-Brixton-1989-Lambeth](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Railway-bridge-Station-Atlantic-Rd-Brixton-1989-Lambeth.jpg)
Atlantic, Road, Brixton, 1989
![Bounds-Green-Station-a-Underground-Bounds-Green-Rd-Bounds-Green-Haringey-1994](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bounds-Green-Station-a-Underground-Bounds-Green-Rd-Bounds-Green-Haringey-1994.jpg)
Bounds Green Station, Haringey, 1994
![North Woolwich Station, North Woolwich, 1981](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/North-Woolwich-Station-North-Woolwich-1981.jpg)
North Woolwich Station
![Docklands Light Railway, Island Gardens station, Millwall, Tower Hamlets, 1987](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Docklands-Light-Railway-Island-Gardens-station-Millwall-Tower-Hamlets-1987.jpg)
Docklands Light Railway, Island Gardens station, Millwall, Tower Hamlets
![Monument](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Monument-Station-Underground-City-1993.jpg)
Monument Station, 1993
![John-Scurr-House-DLR-station-Ratcliffe-Lane-Limehouse-Tower-Hamlets-1992](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/John-Scurr-House-DLR-station-Ratcliffe-Lane-Limehouse-Tower-Hamlets-1992.jpg)
John Scurr House, DLR station, Ratcliffe Lane, Limehouse Tower Hamlets, 1992
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/iverpool-St-Station-Exchange-Square-City-1992.jpg)
Liverpool Street
![East-Putney-Underground-Upper-Richmond-Rd-Wandsworth-1991.](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/East-Putney-Underground-Upper-Richmond-Rd-Wandsworth-1991.jpg)
East Putney Underground, Wandsworth, 1991.
![DLR-Station-River-Thames-BlackwallTower-Hamlets-1994](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/DLR-Station-River-Thames-BlackwallTower-Hamlets-1994.jpg)
DLR Station River Thames-, Blackwall, Tower Hamlets 1994
![DLR-Station-Canary-Wharf-Tower-Hamlets-1994](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/DLR-Station-Canary-Wharf-Tower-Hamlets-1994.jpg)
DLR Station, Canary Wharf, Tower Hamlets, 1994
![DLR-Custom-House-Station-Victoria-Dock-Rd-Canning-Town-Newham-1994](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/DLR-Custom-House-Station-Victoria-Dock-Rd-Canning-Town-Newham-1994.jpg)
DLR Custom House Station, Victoria Dock Rd, Canning Town, Newham, 1994
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Dagenham-Dock-Station-Ripple-Rd-Dagenham-Barking-Dagenham-1993.jpg)
Dagenham Dock, Station, Ripple Rd, Dagenham, Barking & Dagenham, 1993
![DLR-Limehouse-station-Bekesbourne-St-Ratcliffe-Lane-Limehouse-Tower-Hamlets-1992](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/DLR-Limehouse-station-Bekesbourne-St-Ratcliffe-Lane-Limehouse-Tower-Hamlets-1992-a.jpg)
DLR Limehouse Station, Bekesbourne St / Ratcliffe Lane, Limehouse, Tower Hamlets, 1992
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bow-Church-station-DLR-Crossways-estate-Bow-Tower-Hamlets-1988.jpg)
Bow Church Station, DLR, Crossways estate, Bow, Tower Hamlets, 1988
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Broad-Street-Station-City-of-London.-1982-32u-62-station-stairway.jpg)
Broad Street Station, City of London
![Latimer-Rd-Station-Underground-Bramley-Rd-Notting-Hill-Kensington-Chelsea-1988](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Latimer-Rd-Station-Underground-Bramley-Rd-Notting-Hill-Kensington-Chelsea-1988.jpg)
Latimer Rd Station, Underground, Bramley Rd, Notting Hill, Kensington and Chelsea, 1988
![Fulham-Broadway-Fulham-Hammersmith-Fulham-1990](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Platform-Station-Fulham-Broadway-Fulham-Hammersmith-Fulham-1990.jpg)
Fulham Broadway, 1990
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