Discover South London’s secret shelter with TFL’s mystery tour
Did you know that underneath Clapham South Tube station and its surrounding streets lies a secret labyrinth of underground passages?
Built during the Second World War and boasting over one mile of corridors, at the time this deep-level shelter had several canteens, medical stations and enough sleeping quarters to accommodate up to 8,000 local people.
And now you can explore its maze of rooms and corridors too!
London Transport Museum will be running exclusive tours of the shelter in April and August via its Hidden London programme, with tickets available to book now.
The tour was written by the Museum’s own historical experts using content drawn from its archive and collection; and it’s a really unique opportunity to discover little-known historical facts about South London and its community, both past and present.
You can experience this local history right where it all took place, and discover how the space was reworked into different, sometimes surprising uses after the war, even becoming a basic hotel for the “Festival of Britain” goers in the 1950s.
The tour reveals how Clapham South was also the first home in Britain for some of the Caribbean migrants who arrived on the HMT Empire Windrush, marking the birth of the Caribbean community in South London.
Along the way it shares the true stories and testimonials of the people who lived and sheltered there over the years, shaping the local community into the one it is today.
Other Hidden London tours on offer include tours of Shepherd’s Bush’s original 19th century passageways and features, of Moorgate station and its maze of secret corridors, Euston’s hidden gallery of 1960s advertising posters and Charing Cross’s ‘abandoned’ Jubilee line platforms, which are now used as film sets and were featured in Paddington Bear (2013), and TV’s Killing Eve (2019) and A Spy Among Friends (2022).
If going underground isn’t your thing, there are also nine virtual Hidden London tours on offer, including behind the scenes looks at Liverpool Street and Tottenham Court Road stations on the Elizabeth line; and brand-new tour ‘Discovering the Forgotten Underground,’ which looks at the history of the network as it celebrates its 160th anniversary.
Tours of Clapham South will be running until 30 April from Wednesday to Sunday, and again from 16 to 31 August.Over 14s only.
To book visit: www.ltmuseum.co.uk/hidden-london
Pictures: London Transport Museum