Noise coming from our tracks can be from normal wear and tear, track faults or misaligned joints. We regularly inspect our track to ensure it is safe and reliable.

The notorious noise of the London Underground is the result of a "perfect storm" of Victorian engineering and modern physics. Many of the tunnels, particularly on the "Deep Level" lines like the Northern and Victoria, are narrow and circular, which causes sound to bounce off the walls and amplify within the carriage—a phenomenon known as the "piston effect." The primary source of the high-pitched screeching, however, is "rail corrugation," where the steel tracks develop tiny, uneven ridges over time. When the train's metal wheels hit these ridges at high speed, it creates intense vibrations and noise levels that can exceed 100 decibels—comparable to a rock concert. Additionally, some modern track-fastening systems (like Pandrol Vanguard), which were originally designed to reduce vibrations felt by residents above ground, ironically ended up reflecting more noise back into the train cars. Transport for London (TfL) manages this through a constant program of rail grinding and the installation of "Delkor" track pads to absorb energy and dampen the sound.