A Look Back At Early London Underground Tours From Over A Century Ago

Public fascination with the labyrinth of London Underground tunnels is not a recent development. Over a century ago, citizens were already joining early versions of underground tours.

Early Subterranean Explorations

In 1916, the Selborne Society organized at least two Underground London rambles. Participants explored signaling cabins and ventilating plants at Hampstead, lift motors at Chalk Farm, and escalators and ticket machines at Paddington. Founded in 1885 and primarily focused on natural history, the conservation organization also ran literary and historical walks during the First World War, including tours titled 'An Afternoon with Pepys', 'A Dickens Ramble', 'Historic Southwark', and 'Flemish London'.

Late Night Tube Walks

A decade later, the society arranged another notable excursion. In October 1926, the Daily Chronicle reported on hundreds of urban explorers who descended the spiral staircase at Strand station at two o'clock on a Saturday morning. The group walked up the line through Charing Cross station, jumping over switches alongside working electricians.

Evolution Into Modern Tours

Strand station was later renamed Aldwych before closing in 1994. The London Transport Museum subsequently opened the station to the public for Open House events, leading to more tours of Aldwych. This paved the way for the launch of Hidden London in 2015, which currently provides behind-the-scenes explorations across the network. Meanwhile, the Selborne Society remains active today, though its current events no longer feature underground walks.