The tunnel through time : a new route for an old London journey

It is the largest building project in Europe today, buried deep beneath the city of London. The great scheme for Crossrail, offering high speed links across the capital, has been a dream on planners' desks for decades, but construction is now well under way, with tunnelling and earth-shifting machines moving slowly but inexorably, like underground monsters, from separate directions to their final meeting point. As evidence of the line surfaces behind screens in the heart of London, spectators get to gaze down into immense holes where thousands of engineers are at work. Focussing in on key Crossrail stations - Stepney, Whitechapel, Liverpool Street, Farringdon, Tottenham Court Road (alias St Giles in the Fields), and the route along Oxford Street (alias the Way to Oxford and also Tyburn) Gillian Tindall traces the route of the new line, including the thrilling archaeological obstacles it encounters, to reveal the city's history through the events, buildings and lives of the Londoners who have witnessed change across the centuries. Crossrail is just the latest audacious scheme to have visited the ancient sites of London over hundreds of years - and Gillian Tindall is the perfect writer to describe this major transformation. Newly opened by Queen Elizabeth II herself, discover the history and secret stories of the people who've lived above London's newest trainline. Crossrail, or the 'Elizabeth' line, is just the latest way of traversing the very old east-west route through the former countryside, into the capital, and out again. Throughout The Tunnel Through Time , renowned historian Gillian Tindall uncovers the lives of those who walked this ancient path. These people spoke the names of ancient farms, manors and slums that now belong to our squares and tube stations. Visiting Stepney, Liverpool Street, Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street, Tindall traces the course of many of these historical journeys across time as well as space. 'Enchanting' Sunday Telegraph 'Deftly weaves together archaeology, social history, politics, myth, religion and philosophy' The Times 'Fully of lively vignettes' Spectator Crossrail, the 'Elizabeth' line, is simply the latest way of traversing a very old east–west route through what was once countryside to the city and out again. Visiting Stepney, Liverpool Street, Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street, Gillian Tindall traces the course of many of these historical journeys across time as well as space. The Tunnel Through Time uncovers the lives of those who walked where many of our streets still run. These people spoke the names of ancient farms, manors and slums that now belong to our squares and tube stations. They endured the cycle of the seasons as we do; they ate, drank, worked and laughed in what are essentially the same spaces we occupy today. As Tindall expertly shows, destruction and renewal are a constant rhythm in London's story. It Is The Largest Building Project In Europe Today, Buried Deep Beneath The Metropolis Of London. The Great Scheme For Crossrail, Offering High-speed Links Across The Capital, Has Been A Dream On Planners' Desks For Decades, But Is Fast Becoming A Reality, As The Tunnelling And Earth-shifting Machines Have Moved Inexorably, Like Underground Monsters, From Opposing Directions To Their Final Meeting Point. Soon The Hoardings That Guard The Surface Works Will Make Way For Light-filled Stations, And The 'elizabeth Line' Will Be Complete. Focusing On Key Crossrail Points, Gillian Tindall Traces The Course Of The New Line Which Is Also The Route Of Countless Long-past Journeys In And Out Of The Capital. Gillian Tindall. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Visiting Stepney, Liverpool Street, Farringdon, Tottenham Court Road (alias St Giles-in-the-Fields) and the route along Oxford Street (alias the Way to Oxford and also Tyburn) this richly descriptive book traces the course of many of these historical journeys across time as well as space.