A vivid and evocative collection of images to portray one of the greatest and most famous British icons around the world.

December 2018 sees the opening of the new Elizabeth Line that will link Reading and Heathrow in the west with Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east, stretching right across central London and clarifying how vital the arteries of the underground and overground rail network continue to be to so many millions of people.

The London Underground has always been of great importance in the lives of Londoners, from when its stations and stairwells offered refuge from the barrage of the Blitz that battered London through its unique ability across the years to enable people to commute safely all around the capital, remaining strong in the face of such tragedies as the Moorgate crash and the 7.7 bombings.

The Tube handles up to 4.8 million passenger journeys every day, a great British icon famous all around the world. These stunning photographs from the Mirrorpix archives present its changing face through time.