Moscow's 'heroic' metro system

Moscow's 'heroic' metro system

Two days after Monday’s attacks and the robust Soviet-era metro is up and running again.

At Lubyanka station, a dent in the wall, and a small crater in the ceiling, were the only remaining traces of the deadly suicide bombing.

Even straight after the attacks happened most of the railway network continued functioning unhindered.

Millions of people who depend on the system carried on being shuttled through the rabbit warren of tunnels and interchanges, up escalators and out safely onto the surface.

I arrived at Park Kultury 20 minutes after the first reports of a blast.  Many of the people arriving at the station had no idea of how close they came to disaster.

Two days on and the marble vaulted platform of Park Kultury station is now a memorial to the dead. 

Thousands have come to pay their respects - many leaving flowers, others shedding a tear - all to the consistent roar of the passing trains.

In Soviet times the authorities used to honour cities and fortresses with the title "Hero".

In a grim story with many villains and victims, if I could single out an obvious hero, it’s the city's metro system.