Heard of Ongar Tube station?
Did you know? There are over 40 abandoned Tube stations hidden in London.
According to Transport for London, these stations were closed for a range of reasons, from low passenger numbers (Blake Hall was estimated to have only 17 passengers a day at its closure) to rerouting of lines (as with Harrow Town).
Many stations were used as shelters for the public during the Second World War, even if they had already been closed for service (City Road for example).
Transport for London has made a handy list of 22 of these abandoned stations. Why only 22 and not 40? TfL’s list does not address those stations which have relocated but retained the same name and line service.
Take a look at these London ghost stations:
1. Strand or Aldwych
Date opened: 30 Nov 1907
Station opened as: Strand (until 8 May 1915)
Lines: Great Northern Piccadilly and Brompton Railway Piccadilly
Name at closure: Aldwych (from 9 May 1915)
Date closed: 30 Sep 1994
2. Blake Hall
Date opened: 1865
Station opened as: Blake Hall
Lines: Epping-Ongar Central
Name at closure: Blake Hall
Date closed: 31 Oct 1981
3. British Museum
Date opened: 30 Jul 1900
Station opened as: British Museum
Lines: Central London Railway
Name at closure: British Museum
Date closed: 25 Sep 1933
4. Brompton Road
Date opened: 15 Dec 1906
Station opened as: Brompton Road
Lines: Great Northern Piccadilly and Brompton Railway
Name at closure: Brompton Road
Date closed: 30 Jul 1934
5. Charing Cross
Date opened: 1 May 1979
Station opened as: Charing Cross
Lines: Jubilee
Name at closure: Charing Cross
Date closed: 20 Nov 1999
6. City Road
Date opened: 17 Nov 1901
Station opened as: City Road
Lines: City and South London Railway
Name at closure: City Road
Date closed: 9 Aug 1922
7. Down Street
Date opened: 15 March 1907
Station opened as: Down Street
Lines: Great Northern Piccadilly and Brompton Railway
Name at closure: Down Street
Date closed: 22 May 1932
8. Hounslow or Hounslow Town
Date opened: 1 May 1883
Station opened as: Hounslow (until 1884)
Lines: Metropolitan District Railway
Name at closure: Hounslow Town (1884-1 Apr 1886, 1 Mar 1903-2 May 1909)
Date closed: 2 Apr 1886-2 Mar 1903, 3 May 1909
9. King William Street
Date opened: 18 Dec 1890
Station opened as: King William Street
Lines: City and South London Railway
Name at closure: King William Street
Date closed: 25 Feb 1900
10. St John’s Wood Road or Lords
Date opened: 13 Apr 1868
Station opened as: St John’s Wood Road (until 31 Mar 1925)
Lines: Metropolitan and St. Johns Wood Railway Metropolitan
Other names: St John’s Wood (1 Apr 1925-10 Jun 1939)
Name at closure: Lords (from 11 Jun 1939)
Date closed: 20 Nov 1939
11. Mark Lane or Tower Hill
Date opened: 6 Oct 1884
Station opened as: Mark Lane (until 30 Sep 1946)
Lines: Circle
Name at closure: Tower Hill (1 Oct 1946)
Date closed: 5 Feb 1967
12. Marlborough Road
Date opened: 13 Apr 1868
Station opened as: Marlborough Road
Lines: Metropolitan and St. John’s Railway
Name at closure: Marlborough Road
Date closed: 20 Nov 1939
13. North Weald
Date opened: 1 Apr 1885
Station opened as: North Weald
Lines: Epping-Ongar Central
Name at closure: North Weald
Date closed: 30 Sep 1994
14. Ongar
Date opened: 24 Apr 1865
Station opened as: Ongar
Lines: Epping-Ongar Central
Name at closure: Ongar
Date closed: 30 Sep 1994
15. Osterley Park and Spring Grove
Date opened: 1 May 1883
Station opened as: Osterley Park and Spring Grove
Lines: Hounslow and Metropolitan Line
Name at closure: Osterley Park and Spring Grove
Date closed: 25 Mar 1934
16. St Mary’s (Whitechapel)
Date opened: 3 Mar 1884
Station opened as: St Mary’s (Whitechapel)(until 25 Jan 1923)
Lines: Metropolitan and Metropolitan District, South Eastern Railway, East London
Name at closure: St Mary’s (Whitechapel Road) (from 26 Jan 1923)
Date closed: 1 May 1938
17. South Acton
Date opened: 13 Jun 1905
Station opened as: South Acton
Lines: Metropolitan District Railway, Piccadilly
Name at closure: South Acton
Date closed: 2 Mar 1959
18. South Kentish Town
Date opened: 22 Jun 1907
Station opened as: South Kentish Town
Lines: Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway
Name at closure: South Kentish Town
Date closed: 5 Jun 1924
19. Swiss Cottage
Date opened: 13 Apr 1868
Station opened as: Swiss Cottage
Lines: Metropolitan and St. John’s Wood Railway, Metropolitan
Name at closure: Swiss Cottage
Date closed: 18 Aug 1940
20. Wood Lane (exhibition) or White City
Date opened: 1 May 1908
Station opened as: Wood Lane (Exhibition) (until 1 Nov 1914)
Lines: Hammersmith and City
Other names: Wood Lane (White City) (from 5 Nov 1920-22 Nov 1947)
Name at closure: White City (from 23 Nov 1947)
Date closed: 25 Oct 1959
21. Wood Lane
Date opened: 14 May 1908
Station opened as: Wood Lane
Lines: Central London Railway
Name at closure: Wood Lane
Date closed: 23 Nov 1947
22. York Road
Date opened: 15 Dec 1906
Station opened as: York Road
Lines: Great Northern Piccadilly and Brompton Railway
Name at closure: York Road
Date closed: 19 Sep 1932
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