Comment by throwaway553241
1 day ago
I think a big part of why the Overground is lively and revered is because it’s where more of the “real” London is (i.e. the full-time residents, of all classes, whose lives are very much anchored to where they live). The center in contrast is a hollowed out cultural wasteland. I’ve long felt that you can’t have the effects that make cities special without that physical compression at the center, that forces people and ideas to meet which otherwise would not have. So I abandoned London in that regard. But I’d be very happy for the Overground to prove me wrong!
People tend to work in central and live in the suburbs. That's kind of the general thing for most cities.
The overground connects suburbs to other suburbs, which realistically, isn't something people use or need nearly as much.
A few overground lines are usable for a work commute though. There is a branch going to Liverpool Street, and the connection to the DLR can be convenient for Canary Wharf.
Also if you leave very far, it might be your only option to take the overground to a better-connected area. But that usually means a one-hour commute which is stretching the limit of practicability.
> People tend to work in central and live in the suburbs. That's kind of the general thing for most cities.
Sure, but this was also true before central London became what it is now, so it seems orthogonal to my point.
> The center in contrast is a hollowed out cultural wasteland.
Sorry, what?
Central London is still very much the epicentre of masses of cultural activity.
Just my opinion, whatever floats your boat. I lived in Zone 1 for 11 years until 5 years ago. Central London is simply too homogeneous for me because prices have driven away any space for experimentation and creativity, save a few carefully curated “cultural centers”. Other cities are much more fun now (even in the UK).