Aldwych tube station

Aldwych is a disused station on the London Underground in the City of Westminster. It stands beside the Strand near its meeting with Surrey Street. The building was designed by Leslie Green in the early 20th century in the Modern Style. Its red terracotta façade and large semi-circular windows mark it out from other stations. The station was once the southern end of a short Piccadilly line branch from Holborn. Plans to extend it southwards to Waterloo never materialised. The station is worth the journey for its wartime role and its film appearances. During both world wars its tunnels sheltered artworks from London’s public galleries. It has appeared in many films, often standing in for other Underground stations. The building is Grade II listed for its historical importance. London Transport Museum runs guided tours through its ticket hall, lifts and disused platforms. Visitors on the tour see the original lift shafts and the unfinished second route between lifts and platforms. The tour also passes through the disused tunnels and shares archive findings about the station’s history. The platforms lie 28 metres below street level and are shorter than standard Underground platforms. Cream and dark green tiles line parts of the platform walls. The station’s layout reflects the abandoned plans for further extensions.