Radio Times

Review by:

Alison Graham

Anyone who has ever been forced into the press of humanity on London’s overcrowded Tube system will find much to alarm them in these tales of signal failures and safety lapses.

All of the testimony is, we’re assured, from members of London Underground’s staff, who of course can’t be identified. So they are played by actors, which distances them a bit. Still, the stories will give you pause for thought next time you’re pressed into a stranger’s stinky armpit in a jam-packed carriage. Such as the tales of suicides’ bodies being stored in cleaning cupboards with the mops. And the truth behind those reassuring “service updates” on how well the service is running. Oh no it isn’t.

About this programme

Documentary taking a behind-the-scenes look at the London Underground, the world's oldest subway system, revealing the dilemmas and pressures faced by its 19,000 employees. Staff explain how they negotiate the difficulties of storing dead bodies after suicides and the hazards posed by an ageing infrastructure while fixing signal failures. In addition to making sure the lines run smoothly, the workers are regularly confronted with numerous targets, aggressive passengers and emergency situations.

Cast and crew

Crew

Director

Liz Unna

Executive Producer

Peter Dale

Producer

Katherine Haywood

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