LIVING

Aldwych Underground Station, London

Aldwych Tube

History
Aldwych station opened in 1907, originally as a part of the Piccadilly line. Being so close to many West End theatres, it gained the unofficial title of the Theatre Line. Aldwych station itself was built on the site of an old London theatre - the Royal Strand. During the Second World War the line was closed and the tunnels used as an air raid shelter and to store various national treasures from the British Museum, including the Elgin Marbles.

On 30th September 1994 the line was closed because the cost of refurbishing the lifts at the station could not be justified. However, the line lives on and is used by TV and film companies as a working set of an underground station. At street level much of the original station can now be seen.

Phenomena
The ghost who haunts Aldwych station has been seen on the tracks at night by staff who clean the tunnels and stations. They believe it is the ghost of an actress coming back for another curtain call at the long gone Royal Strand Theatre.

Investigation
Yvette dresses in a 1940s army uniform to get into the feel of the station. Derek contacts a ghost called Margaret, who could be the actress sighted many times before. As the crew walk through the tunnels in complete darkness, Yvette thinks she sees someone or something in the tunnel. Meanwhile, over another platform, a motion detector is set off yet nobody is near enough to trigger it.


Episode Information

Episode Number: 15
Season Num: 1
First Aired: Tuesday September 3, 2002