Peek viewing

It was one of the most dramatic days in the Underground's history - September 25, 2002 - the first time the network had been brought to a complete standstill by a strike.

Staff, many of whom had left home at 4am to walk to work, were left to cope with thousands of frustrated passengers in the second strike in two months.

Last year, LU opened its doors to television to show the behind-the-scenes struggle to keep the world's oldest underground system - now used by 3million people every day - running.

Starting tonight on ITV1, The Tube, a new six-part series, gives a unique picture of the life of the network's 16,500 staff. It reveals how the 140-year-old system is underfunded, overstretched and creaking. Yet it remains one of the safest in the world.

Producer Lucy Willis said: 'The strike was a difficult day for everyone. But throughout months of filming we discovered many people who work on the Tube have a difficult job, under challenging and often stressful circumstances.

'The slightest disruption to the service can have serious consequences and, when it is suspended altogether, the result is havoc across the whole of London.'

The first programme charts the build-up to the second strike, called by the rail unions in support of a ten per cent pay claim.

At London Bridge, Brian Valentine, who has worked for LU for almost 30 years, had a tough start to his week - with escalator failure and the need to control the build up of rush-hour passengers.

And at Green Park, ticket inspectors Darren Smith and Debbie Sowton look for fare-dodgers until a fire alarm results in a full-blown evacuation of the station.

Steve Bennett, who has worked at Victoria station for the past two years, is determined to get to work on strike day - even if he has to walk ten miles from his East London home.