Mind the Gap: The Official TfL Podcast

By: Transport for London
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  • Summary

  • Join host Tim Dunn on a journey to discover the amazing stories behind London’s iconic transport network. From the Tube to the Overground and beyond, Tim speaks to guests who have personal connections with the system that keeps London moving - from engineers to celebrities, and artists to footballers. Series one celebrates the 160th anniversary of the London Underground, and series two uncovers the significance of the new names for London’s Overground lines. An official podcast from Transport for London.
    Transport for London, 2023
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Political Science Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary
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Episodes
  • Naming the Overground: The Weaver line

    Naming the Overground: The Weaver line
    Oct 23 2024
    Tim Dunn enters a world he admits he knows absolutely zero about: the world of weaving. Plus - did you know that the fabric on TfL seats, moquette, is also woven? Travelling on what will become the London Overground Weaver line to Bethnal Green station, Tim meets fine artist and maker Anna Ray, who has a special family connection to weaving and the incredible and dramatic history of textile production in east London that dates back to at least the 1700s. Tim then discovers that the moquette seats he sits on every day on Overground trains, tubes, trams and buses are also all woven. After another quick train ride, Tim meets Honor Clough from Camira fabrics, who explains how they weave this amazing and historic material. Then Tim sits down for a chat with TfL designer Claire Dilnot-Smith, who has a very enviable job: she designs the patterns for the moquette seats. _____________ Follow Tim Dunn Follow Anna Ray Follow Camira Fabrics _____________ Weaving and textiles in East London have deep roots dating back to the 16th century, when Protestant Huguenots fled religious persecution in France and settled in Spitalfields. Skilled silk weavers, they helped to transform the area into a major centre for the silk industry. By the late 17th and 18th centuries, the weaving trade flourished, with workshops and homes intertwined in this East London district. Spitalfields silk became renowned for its high quality, worn by the English aristocracy, and complex and beautiful patterns and designs would be woven into the cloth on the loom by the silk weavers. However, competition from imported textiles and changing fashions led to the decline of the silk industry by the late 18th century. The rise of mechanized cotton mills in northern England further undercut traditional hand-weaving practices in East London. In the 19th century, new waves of immigrants, including Irish and Jewish communities, revitalized the textile industry, focusing on tailoring and garment production. East London’s Whitechapel and Bethnal Green districts became hubs for garment manufacturing, catering to London’s growing fashion markets. However, by the mid-20th century, global shifts in production led to the decline of East London’s textile and garment industries. Despite this, the area’s rich history of weaving and textile production left an enduring legacy, influencing London’s fashion and creative industries to this day. In recent decades, the district has seen a revival of craft and design, with local artisans and designers drawing inspiration from its weaving heritage. Today, East London is known for its vibrant fashion and creative scene, a modern echo of its historical textile roots.
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    33 mins
  • Naming the Overground: The Windrush line with Levi Roots and Arthur Torrington

    Naming the Overground: The Windrush line with Levi Roots and Arthur Torrington
    Oct 1 2024
    Levi Roots and Arthur Torrington are Tim's guides on the incredible and ongoing history and impact of the Windrush generation. Celebrity chef and entrepreneur Levi Roots' life has been shaped by his personal Windrush story, and he sits down on a London Overground platform on the new Windrush line to discuss it with host Tim Dunn. Levi speaks about what it was like to leave Jamaica and his grandmother to join the rest of his family, as well as how his life as a boy in Brixton prepared him for his Dragon's Den triumph. Tim is also joined by influential activist, campaigner and organiser Arthur Torrington, co-founder of the Windrush foundation, who explains the context of the Windrush history, including the Windrush scandal and how that affected those involved, and talks about the 'game changer' of having a line on London's transport network permanently named after Windrush.
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    32 mins
  • Naming the Overground: The Suffragette line with Helen Pankhurst and Cally Beaton

    Naming the Overground: The Suffragette line with Helen Pankhurst and Cally Beaton
    Sep 6 2024
    With guests Helen Pankhurst and Cally Beaton. Tim Dunn travels the entire length of the newly named Suffragette line to interview two incredible guests about the legacy of the Suffragette movement. At the new Barking Riverside station, Tim meets Helen Pankhurst. Helen is the great granddaughter of original Suffragette organiser Emmeline Pankhurst, and the granddaughter of East End Suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst. She is also a scholar, an activist, and a CBE - and quite possibly the best qualified person on the planet to speak with Tim about the legacy of the movement and what the Suffragettes mean to people still fighting for equal rights for women in 2024. Then right at the other end of the line, at Gospel Oak, Tim meets stand up comedian, writer, podcaster and former TV exec Cally Beaton. She speaks to Tim about how gender equality runs through her work, her amazing career, how Joan Rivers inspired her to move into comedy later in life than some, and why it's so important we're still talking about the Suffragettes. ____________________________________ Helen Pankhurst discusses her work with CARE International and Centenary Actin - more information on both organisations can be found here: https://www.careinternational.org.uk/ https://centenaryaction.org.uk/ Discover Cally Beaton's amazing podcast at: https://callybeaton.com/podcast/ And you can follow Cally on Instagram TikTok and Threads: @callybeatoncomedian
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    39 mins

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