2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Will Twigger)
Once upon a time, a new London Underground station was built in the heart of Mayfair. However, it didn't go down too well with the locals who could afford more luxurious and comfortable modes of transport. The proposal for Down Street station was met with strong opposition from residents who were not thrilled about having a Tube station right on their doorstep.
They feared it would attract "undesirables" to their neighbourhood. Despite this, the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway pressed ahead with plans to build the station. The line, which largely mirrors today's Piccadilly line, had ambitions for the entrance to be on the main road - a goal they had for all their stations along the route.
But due to resistance, they had to settle for a building on a side street. When it opened its doors on March 15, 1907, it seemed like all the effort was in vain as the station saw low passenger numbers from the get-go. Its hidden location and proximity to more convenient stations like Hyde Park Corner and Dover Street didn't help matters.
By 1932, Down Street station was closed for service. But that wasn't the end of the story. The station proved to be quite handy after its closure.
In 1939, with the outbreak of the Second World War, it was transformed into an underground bunker for the Railway Executive Committee, a body responsible for maintaining railway operations during the war. The extensive tunnels of the former Down Street station were converted into offices, bathrooms, dining rooms and dormitories. According to Atlas Obscura , the corridors were just wide enough for a tea trolley to pass through.
But there was another intriguing secret. To access the bunker, one had to enter at street level through the old building, but there was an alternative exit route. A small section of the former platform remained accessible.
Trains on the line would pass through here, and if an executive left a red lamp there, the next train would stop. You can sign up to get the latest London public transport news, live updates and fun trivia sent straight to your WhatsApp from the MyLondon team. This will include updates on the Tube, DLR, Overground, National Rail services, buses and more.
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Passengers would be none the wiser as to why the train had stopped, as only a tiny part of the train where that small bit of platform still existed. Given the security of the former Down Street bunker, Winston Churchill himself, along with some members of his government, used it before the Cabinet War Rooms in Westminster were completed. He fondly referred to it as 'The Barn'.
After the war, London Transport took over the Down Street bunker, using it for engineering access and as an emergency exit. While many of the offices have been removed, those on the platforms still stand. The London Transport Museum now offers tours of this abandoned London Underground station.
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