On Wed, 21 Feb 2007 20:41:40 +0000, "Clive Coleman."
wrote:

In message .com, MIG
writes
Look how they've drawn the Bakerloo, which we know exactly
follows all the kinks of Haymarket and Regent Street.

I've got no opinion on where the Victoria line goes though.
I remember this item when the Victoria line was being built. It was
said that to compensate all the home owners for subsidence if anything
happened was so great that the roads were followed and houses were not
run under, but when the Vic. Line was built such was the cost that the
situation had reversed and it was cheaper to pay a subsidence bill than
follow street plans.

Early tube lines weren't very deep at all (IIRC the remnants of the
disused CSLR tunnels actually pass through some newer foundations) and
the relative lack of separation probably made subsidence claims more
likely to arise. The Victoria Line is generally somewhat deeper with a
far greater separation from buildings by undisturbed soil.