Listening to the Rain Passing Through

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Through open windows this morning I could hear the rain approaching.

…

Have you ever been on the London Underground? If not and you have used another subway system, I wouldn’t be surprised if the experience on the Underground is very similar to that of any of the world’s subway systems?

And if you have not travelled on a subway system, let me explain my experience of the London Underground.

Waiting for the train

I am standing on the platform waiting for my train. I have been there for a few minutes. The platform fills up with people. They wait there silently, shuffling around, looking at their phones, talking quietly to one another. I can feel the dirt and grime of the place.

The electronic arrivals board indicates that the train is a minute away.

The train tracks start to click and clack with the sound of the approaching train.

The arrivals board changes to ***TRAIN APPROACHING***.

A gush of wind rushes down the platform as the train, which barely fits into the tunnel through which it drives, pushes the air ahead of itself as it bundles towards the station. With the wind comes a smell of oil and general Underground mechanics.

Lights appear in the tunnel.

The train charges into the platform and comes to a halt. Doors open and passengers disgorge. The waiting passengers embark. If it is rush hour, this process looks like a scrum.

The approaching rain

First the wind begins to pick up, normally from the East.

Then there is the sound of wind, but it is not. It is the rain dropping down onto the trees, the ground and vegetation as it moves Westwards, towards me.

The sound of the wind and rain gets louder, the wind gets stronger.

The rain arrives and pours overhead. At that moment, or for those moments, there is no sense then of the rain moving anywhere…until it does.

The rain leaves, moving West. The wind dies down.

Looking West a curtain of rain is seen moving on…