The Moving Metropolis: London's Transport Since 1800 [Hardcover]

Oliver Green (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2001

Over the past two centuries, the city of London has grown at an incredible rate. This growth has been closely linked with the expansion of its public transport services, facilitating its dramatic urban expansion in the Victorian era and its later suburban expansion up to the mid-twentieth century. The Moving Metropolis is the first work to cover the entire history of public transport in London. Filled with contemporary and vintage photographs, sketches, plans, and engravings, it brings to life every significant phase, from early water transport, horse buses, trolleys, and the steam underground up to the tube and the colorful double-decker buses that have made getting around London’s famously haphazard streets both an adventure and a pleasure.

The book is organized chronologically, with each chapter containing an illustrated opening essay, hundreds of images highlighted by extensive captions, and sidebars that focus on intriguing themes. In addition to illustrations of vehicles, stations, and waiting rooms, there are contemporary photographs and engravings of the construction and operation of the transport network, its innovative and artfully designed posters, and the personalities and structures that lend the system—and its history—its remarkable character. The wealth of visual and textual material in this generous volume amply demonstrates how intimately intertwined are the history of London and its public transport.

· First complete history of the London transport
· 1,200 illustrations
· An exciting read for anyone interested in the history of London

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Oliver Green was the first curator of the Museum of London Transport in Covent Garden, London, and is the author of several books on London transport, including Underground Art and Design for London. He is currently head of museum services for Buckinghamshire County Council.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Te Neues Publishing Company (April 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3823854860
• ISBN-13: 978-3823854869
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,158,303 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keep the London Transport Museum on your coffee table, June 25, 2001

By 

T. Little (Lowell, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Moving Metropolis: London's Transport Since 1800 (Hardcover)

This is an excellent coffee table book for graphic designers (especially those interested in corporate identity), architects, urban planners, trainspotters, London-philes, and casual social historians. While it is -- thankfully -- not a weighty academic treatise on the development of London's public transportation system, "Moving Metropolis" is a wonderfully illustrated timeline of the same and does highlight the key social and political developments en route.

The gorgeous illustrations draw upon the vast resources of the London Transport Museum, and the book serves quite nicely as a virtual tour of this institution. As a graphic designer I was especially taken by the craft and layout of "Moving Metropolis". It is beautifully designed, giving appropriate weight to the illustrations, and the text and captions are beautifully set and easy to read. The paper quality is outstanding. This is all very much in keeping with London Transport's traditionally high standard of design.

My only criticism is that the "Moving Metropolis" in perhaps not sufficiently rigorous from an academic standpoint. I would not have been opposed to a more in-depth analysis of the social and political developments that impacted the growth of London's public transportation system. That being said, I am just as happy that this particular book is exactly the way it is. I will display is proudly on my coffee table and expect that I shall refer to it frequently -- especially when a trip to Covent Garden is less than practical.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best pictorial history of London Transport, March 17, 2002

By 

Robin Benson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Moving Metropolis: London's Transport Since 1800 (Hardcover)

If you lived in London during the last few decades you will know how important London Transport was in getting about the city and this book celebrates the ups and downs of the Company in 1200 (mostly color) photos, illusrations, diagrams and maps all with excellent long captions.

Browsing through the pages I realised what visionary people ran the Company in the first half of the past century. The chapter dealing with the Second World War has some fascinating photos of how the LT managed in this difficult period, one shows aircraft components being made in a subway tunnel.

If I have a criticism it is that the thirty or so bus and subway route maps are too small and bear in mind that although LT ran the buses all over London, south of the Thames there were only three subway lines for many years, rail transport was provided by Southern Railways and they are not covered. The design and production of the book is excellent.

The world famour Underground map is mentioned and if you want to know more about it have a look at 'Mr Beck's Underground Map' by Ken Garland, a lovely book published in 1994 with everything you'll need to know about Harry Beck's masterpiece.