Spanning the length and breadth of the capital city (and beyond), our loyal and oh-so legendary London Underground has certainly got its fair share of stories to tell. As one of the world’s most trailblazing transport networks, London’s labyrinth of stops and stations is filled to the brim with history. Well… history and grumpy commuters. But we won’t focus on the latter for now. What we will focus on, however, is yet another one of London’s many Tube stations that didn’t quite make the final edit. And this time, we’re heading to Aldwych.
The history of Aldwych station
Perched proudly on the Strand is a station that first opened its doors in 1907. Known at the time as ‘Strand Station’ because – well – it did what it said on the tin, I guess; the station served as a terminus for one section of the Piccadilly Line and ferried Londoners to and from Holborn. The station was designed by architect, Leslie Green, who was a rather big name in the world of station creation at the time. It featured Green’s classic red-tiled exterior, which is still seen at various stations across the transport network to this very day.
The station was renamed Aldwych in 1915 to avoid confusion, as the nearby Charing Cross was also called Strand station when it opened (and somewhat stole the limelight). From that point onwards, Aldwych was never used quite as much as was anticipated, and even at its very peak was only seeing around 450 passengers a day. One platform was closed in 1917, and the station closed to the public completely in 1994 – but not before playing a rather pivotal role during WWII.
Aldwych station during The Blitz
Like many other disused underground stations, Aldwych served as a shelter during the Blitz, becoming a nightly nook of refuge for many Londoners. As one of the platforms had been closed, beds and hammocks were set up on both the platform and the tracks, and it actually became one of the largest dedicated air raid shelters for civilians in central London. It could hold around 1500 people, and it was also used to protect some of the most valuable artworks and artefacts from various galleries and museums, such as the Elgin Marbles and paintings from the National Gallery.
Aldwych station nowadays
The station itself has been largely left the exact same as it was when it closed. It still boasts a lot of its original features, including the only remaining wooden lifts on the entire transport network. Aldwych station can be visited on one of London Transport Museum’s Hidden London tours. It’s accessed via a very intriguing looking archway on the Strand.
Being mainly unchanged over the past century has made it quite popular in the film and TV world, and the station boasts a pretty impressive CV. It can be seen on screen in the likes of Sherlock, Mr Selfridge, Fast and Furious, and the music video for The Prodigy’s Firestarter. The station is also used to test various lighting and tiled designs, and has been used as a training space for the emergency services, too. Blimey, there really is no rest for the wicked abandoned stations, is there?
Find out more about the abandoned Aldwych station and book a Hidden London tour here.