Goodge Street tube station

Goodge Street station stands on the western side of Tottenham Court Road in Fitzrovia, a short distance north of Goodge Street itself. It is one of three Underground stations that serve Fitzrovia directly, the others being Warren Street and Great Portland Street. The station lies on the Charing Cross branch of the Northern line, between Warren Street to the north and Tottenham Court Road to the south. Its name comes from John Goodge, who developed the land in the early 18th century. The surface building was designed by Leslie Green for the Underground Electric Railways Company of London. The station is worth the journey for its Second World War deep-level air-raid shelter beneath the platforms. From August 1943 until the end of the war, the shelter housed the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force as an alternative to Norfolk House and Grosvenor Square. It also served as a signals installation by the United States Army Signal Corps during invasion preparations. After the war, the shelter briefly operated as a hostel for up to 8,000 troops. Two fires in 1956 and 1981 led to stricter safety rules, including a smoking ban on the Underground. A visitor finds a station that still uses lifts rather than escalators to reach the platforms. The original separate exit and entrance areas remain in use today. Passengers can also take a 138-step staircase down to the platforms if they prefer. The station has appeared in films, television and music, including a 1968 Doctor Who serial and a Donovan song. Day and night buses serve the area, linking the station to the rest of London.