There will be a chance to go behind the scenes at Baker Street tube station this autumn, as the London Transport Museum adds it to their ongoing Hidden London tours.
(c) London Transport Museum
When it first opened 160 years ago in 1863, Baker Street was one of the seven original stations to open as part of the world’s first underground railway
Today, the busy station is home to 5 underground lines and 10 platforms, the most on the Underground network. But hidden just out of sight from commuters and concealed behind locked doors lie reminders of the people who built the world’s first underground railway.
On this brand-new Hidden London tour, visitors will have the chance to explore closed-off parts of the station, including original platforms, disused lift shafts and corridors that lay hidden in plain sight – some of which last accessed by the public over 75 years ago in 1945.
They’ll also step behind the scenes to learn about the station’s history as the Operational Headquarters for London Underground – including details of staff recreational facilities such as a canteen and rifle range – and to hear first-hand accounts from those who worked there over the years.
(c) London Transport Museum
London Transport Museum will be running its Hidden London tours at Baker Street between 6th Sept and 29th Dec 2023. Guided tours will take place on Wednesday to Sunday each week.
Tickets will go on sale on Wednesdy 12th July from the LT Museum website.
Other Tours
Additional dates to experience other Hidden London tours of disused Tube stations and secret spaces on the Underground network will also be released on 12 July.
All these tours can be booked from here.
Moorgate: Metropolitan Maze
- Friday to Sunday between 30th Aug and 3rd Sept
- Wednesday to Sunday (daytime) between 20th and 29th Dec
On this tour you will relive the early days of the Tube’s construction when the first tunnels were dug, and discover Moorgate’s original glass tiles, abandoned tracks and even a complete Greathead shield from 1904 still in situ (the only one of its kind on the London Underground Network).
Down Street: Churchill’s Secret Station
- Wednesday to Sunday between 30th Aug and 24th Sept
Explore disused underground station Down Street, one of London’s most intriguing spaces, hidden between the Piccadilly line tracks in Mayfair. It had a short life as a working station from 1907 to 1932, before becoming the Railway Executive Committee’s top-secret headquarters in the Second World War.
You’ll hear declassified war secrets and intrigues, how the railways were kept running during the war, and the stories of those who lived and worked there – including Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who secretly took refuge there at the height of the Blitz
Euston: The Lost Tunnels
- Wednesday to Sunday between 4th Oct and 12th Nov
Discover a labyrinth of dark and dusty passageways once used by the travelling public, marvel at a gallery of preserved vintage advertising poster fragments that have been concealed for over 50 years and see the iconic Leslie Green station. Plus learn about the newest innovations to a Tube and Network Rail station that serves over 42 million passengers each year.
Charing Cross: Access all areas
- Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 8th Nov and 17th Dec
Walk under Trafalgar Square as you explore exclusive areas of Charing Cross station that are not accessible to the public. This tour will take you to disused parts of the station, including the Jubilee line platforms that were closed in 1999 but which you may recognise from many famous movies and TV productions since.
Aldwych: The end of the line
- Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 8th Nov and 17th Dec
- Wednesday and Friday, between 20 and 29 Dec
Opened to the public in 1907, Aldwych was never as heavily used as originally intended and closed nearly 100 years later in 1994. The station has had a varied history; from providing shelter to Londoners during the Blitz, to being used for film and TV shoots including The ABC Murders (2018), Darkest Hour (2017), Sherlock (2014), and Atonement (2007). Explore the original ticket hall and lifts and discover abandoned platforms and inter-connecting walkways.
All these tours can be booked from here.
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