Tube

I still routinely get emails from Transport for London informing me about line closures and updates. It makes my heart ache for the noisy doors of the Underground, the dirty, cramped stairs, the masses of bodies, the heat as you descend into the belly of London, the stained seats, the advertisements, the signs, the directions, the maps . . . I miss having moments to read, to write, to ponder, to watch. I miss the voice instructing passengers to stand clear of the door. I miss watching for my stop on the little horizontal maps. I miss seeing new faces and hearing parts of people's lives and making up the other half. I miss wondering about the man sitting across from me or the woman with the hat. I miss waiting for the train to arrive and feeling the wind pick up, signaling to me that it is close. I miss the freedom. I miss the ease. I miss it. Oh how I miss it.

Underground.

In case you needed to know:

There will be closures on the Jubilee Line between North Greenwich and Stratford. There is no service on Saturday 9 August due to line upgrade work. Between Canary Wharf and Stratford there is no service on Sunday 10 August due to line upgrade work.

On the Northern Line, between Burnt Oak and Edgware, there is no service due to station improvement work. The Warren Street station is also closed due to improvement work.

On the Piccadilly Line trains will not stop at Green Park station before 0600 (Mondays to Saturdays) and 0730 (Sundays) until December 2008. Covent Garden station opens at 0800 Sunday-Thursday and closes at 2330 Sunday-Wednesday for improvement work until late November. Osterley station is closed due to improvement work. Russell Square station is closed due to improvement work. Acton Town station is open for interchange only on Saturday 9 August.

There is no service on the entire Victoria Line due to line upgrade work.