Underground, underwater

Jubilee tunnel
Originally uploaded by ambroseneville.

On Sunday evening, travelling up to meet up with some friends near Finchley Road, I experienced powerful feelings of dread about the idea of terrorists planting a bomb that would cause the river Thames to flow into the Underground. Thinking about the scale of such a catastrophe, I can imagine that the water pressure would force the water down each of the tunnels and out pretty much as far as where I was soon to alight from the train (alight - a word very much loved by Transport for London - I bet they're ever-grateful for the richness of the English language), i.e. right the way out as far as the tube lines emerge over-ground.

My other thought was that it probably wouldn't even be that difficult for terrorists to do this - consider the number of subcontracted workers who end up in positions of authority for work on the various lines (see the Camden derailment last year, for instance). I don't even think I'm just scaring myself with all of this. The prospect of such a man-made disaster seems very plausible.