Hauntings on the London Underground
Think London; think transport, think the Tube.
Spidering beneath the bustling city the iconic railway lines can escort you almost anywhere in and around the capital. Relishing its convenience, the Underground has been a big hit within the Big Smoke with tourists and locals alike, since opening its first train doors in 1863. Unbeknownst to many, some routes were built above burial pits stretching back from 1665 when London was ravaged by the tragic outbreak of the Black Death. So this leaves us with one question: are you really alone when you travel on the underground?
Numerous reports of ghostly sightings and 'ghastly goings on' have been documented, some more renowned than others. Several tube stations were used as air-raid shelters during the Second World War and tragically, in early March 1943, 173 people were killed in a crush while scrambling to enter the Bethnal Green shelter. Wailing women and children have since been heard on late at night by the public and station staff... eek!
Passengers travelling north on the Bakerloo Line have also been reporting of a ghostly reflection within the carriage window... despite the apparent lack of any living travel companion. 'White overalls man' is another ghastly ghoul who notoriously haunts the Underground. Spotted on CCTV by Liverpool Street station staff, the spectre was glimpsed late at night waiting for a train, but when investigated by a line worker no-one was to be found... he had mysteriously vanished. Upon returning to his colleague, he was informed the overall-ed man was stood beside him the whole time. Spooky. Covent Garden tube station also boasts a slight chill in the air! Famously the station is home to Adelphi Theatre as well as the ghost of William Terris who was said to have been killed here by a fellow deranged actor Richard Archer Prince.
Ghost spotting isn't limited to the Tube... why not discover what else goes bump in the night? Spooks and scares in London are plentiful; it is said to be the world's most haunted city. Unsurprising really with the Tower of London's history and of course, the London Dungeons which is now a world famous tourist attraction. Tiptoe along the dungeons' dark alleyways to uncover the truth about Jack the Ripper and Sweeny Todd, two culprits of terror from London’s murkier past.
So, wherever your destination, keep an eye out when you next brave the Tube alone. Is that a fellow passenger you’re accompanied by... or something otherworldly?
