Intimate shots of the London Underground in the ’70s
- Text by Huck
- Photography by Mike Goldwater

As a young photographer in the ’70s still honing his craft, Mike Goldwater was fascinated by the London Underground. A “labyrinthine” system with limited lighting, he saw it as a technical challenge: how, despite the conditions, could he produce strong images there?
Back then, the Underground was a markedly different beast. Smoking was allowed, busking was strictly forbidden, while old ticket booths were an important fixture at every station. (Oyster cards were still decades away.) For Goldwater, it was a special place to document from the get-go.
“Almost everyone on the tube travels with a purpose and a destination,” he says. “On the days that I chose to photograph on the underground I would travel on a whim; jumping on and off trains, wandering a corridor here, taking an escalator there, lingering at places that felt that they might produce interesting images. This set me apart from everyone else. I felt in some way I could enter a different time, a sort of time in-between.”
“Being in very close proximity to one another during rush hours people have to shrink their personal space, while at other times of the day, parts of the system could be almost deserted. How people responded to both situations had picture potential.”
He shot there on and off for a decade, shelving the project in 1980 when he co-founded the agency Network Photographers and began travelling extensively for work. In fact, it wasn’t until recently that he engaged with the work at all, finally deciding to go back through the old contact sheets on a quiet day. Upon doing so, he discovered a host of images he’d missed the first time round.


After deciding on a set of over 100 that he was happy with, he approached Hoxton Mini Press about making a book. Today, that takes the form of the aptly-titled London Underground 1970 – 1980 – a celebration of the eponymous network’s early days.
The work harks back to a much simpler time – where things were slower, and the space was much more intimate than it is today. For Goldwater, it’s a sentiment best expressed in the photo that appears on the book’s cover: of a couple, still among the moving bodies, leaning in for a kiss. “It is a moment of stillness and intimacy,” he says, “in a space often characterised by rush and anonymity.”
London Underground 1970 – 1980 is out now on Hoxton Mini Press.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like

We took techno legend Chris Liberator to a virtual rave, here’s what went down
Stay acid forever — With VR experience In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats currently running at London's Barbican Centre, Simon Doherty brought the acid punk figurehead along to see what he thought, and reflect on the health of the rave scene today.
Written by: Simon Doherty

As Kneecap and Bob Vylan face outcry, who really deserves to see justice?
Street Justice — Standing in for regular newsletter columnist Emma Garland, Huck’s Hard Feelings host Rob Kazandjian reflects on splatters of strange catharsis in sport and culture, while urging that the bigger picture remains at the forefront of people’s minds.
Written by: Robert Kazandjian

Alex Kazemi’s Y2K period novel reminds us that the manosphere is nothing new
New Millennium Boyz — Replete with MTV and endless band t-shirt references, the book follows three teenage boys living in 1999 USA as they descend into a pit of darkness. We spoke to its author about masculinity, the accelerated aging of teenagers, and the rebirth of subcultures in the algorithm age.
Written by: Isaac Muk

“Moment of escape”: Maen Hammad’s defiant West Bank skate photos
Landing — Choosing to return to Palestine after growing up in the USA, the photographer found himself drawn to Ramallah’s burgeoning skate scene. His debut monograph explores the city’s rebellious youth, who pull tricks in the face of occupation.
Written by: Miss Rosen

Inside the weird world of audio porn
Porn without pictures — Storyline-driven and ethical, imageless erotica exploded during the pandemic. Jess Thomson speaks to the creators behind the microphones.
Written by: Jess Thomson

We are all Mia Khalifa
How humour, therapy and community help Huck's latest cover star control her narrative.
Written by: Alya Mooro