A tale of two underground cities: Urban explorer's stunning photographs of the subways and sewers of New York and London


They are the product of a venture that has seen him wading chest-deep through sewage, stepping over live railway tracks and camping for a week in a subway.

These incredible pictures tell an oft-neglected tale of two great cities from deep below the surface and high above the skyline.

Urban explorer Steve Duncan, 33, said he wanted to capture the forbidden places people usually take for granted in his reportage of New York and London.

Hold your nose: Urban explorer Steve Duncan surveys a sewer outfall in Wallabout, one of the oldest areas of Brooklyn, New York, as he sets about capturing the unseen areas of the city

In awe: Steve, 33, aims to show a different perspective of cities in a way that highlights how 'amazing and beautiful' such man-made places can be Picking up a scent: Mr Duncan dons a gas mask as he wades through a storm drain that was once Sunwick Creek, now under the streets of Queens in New York City Casting a light on the underworld: Mr Duncan was excited just to commute on the subway when he first came to New York in 1996 to study at college, but soon took his fascination a step further Steve Duncan and a fellow urban explorer dash out of the way of an ocoming train as they seek to capture the rarely seen sights of New York's subway

Out for air: Mr Duncan admits he would initially try to gain access to various parts of the city, whether he had permission or not, but now asks owners of the building to show him around

Entering forbidden territory: Another urban explorer emerges from a manhole cover with the New York city skyline in the background 'These are sewers, train tunnels, bridges and underground infrastructure of all types', said the U.S. photographer. 'I want to show different perspective on cities in a way that reminds us just how amazing and beautiful these man-made places can be.' RELATED ARTICLES Previous

1

Next The summer Detroit burned: Powerful TIME images show... Cleaned up but covered in scars: London streets at the... Share this article Share Steve, originally from Maryland, was excited just to commute on the subway when he first came to New York in 1996 to study at college. However he quickly became addicted to the idea of exploring the world under the city.

Across the Atlantic: London's River Westbourne, which runs from Hampstead, through Hyde Park to Sloane Square and into the River Thames at Chelsea. The river became a sewer in the 19th century

Much older network than in New York: A brick-built sewer chamber under Clapham High Street in south London

Hidden gems: A tunnel used for storage under Clapham North underground station in London> Mr Duncan said he found spaces like this 'totally unused and lonely'

Subterranean nut: Mr Duncan says he carries out extensive historical research before exploring a particular place and often impresses city engineers with his knowledge 'I started hearing rumours about all these fascinating places that weren't on the normal tourist track,' he said. 'For example, a secret tunnel from Grand Central Station to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel or a sub-basement in an old building with an underground river trickling through it. 'Abandoned subway stations were the first places underground I went into and it was amazing to find these huge spaces totally unused and lonely. 'They are in a city where every bit of space is filled with people and it was magical to find places where I could be as alone as if I was on a mountaintop. 'In fact, these places were no more than a couple dozen feet below some of the busiest streets in the world.'

A sewer under London Bridge: London had many smaller rivers flowing into the Thames, which was a big reason why city developed historically at that location