Terms of use dolor sit amet consectetur, adipisicing elit. Recusandae provident ullam aperiam quo ad non corrupti sit vel quam repellat ipsa quod sed, repellendus adipisci, ducimus ea modi odio assumenda.
Disclaimers
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Sequi, cum esse possimus officiis amet ea voluptatibus libero! Dolorum assumenda esse, deserunt ipsum ad iusto! Praesentium error nobis tenetur at, quis nostrum facere excepturi architecto totam.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Inventore, soluta alias eaque modi ipsum sint iusto fugiat vero velit rerum.
Limitation on Liability
Sequi, cum esse possimus officiis amet ea voluptatibus libero! Dolorum assumenda esse, deserunt ipsum ad iusto! Praesentium error nobis tenetur at, quis nostrum facere excepturi architecto totam.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Inventore, soluta alias eaque modi ipsum sint iusto fugiat vero velit rerum.
Copyright Policy
Dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Sequi, cum esse possimus officiis amet ea voluptatibus libero! Dolorum assumenda esse, deserunt ipsum ad iusto! Praesentium error nobis tenetur at, quis nostrum facere excepturi architecto totam.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Inventore, soluta alias eaque modi ipsum sint iusto fugiat vero velit rerum.
General
Sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Sequi, cum esse possimus officiis amet ea voluptatibus libero! Dolorum assumenda esse, deserunt ipsum ad iusto! Praesentium error nobis tenetur at, quis nostrum facere excepturi architecto totam.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Inventore, soluta alias eaque modi ipsum sint iusto fugiat vero velit rerum.
Join 10k+ people to get notified about new posts, news and tips.
Do not worry we don't spam!
GDPR Compliance
We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service.
Inside the secret abandoned tube station used in Bond, Paddington & Bourne movies – and how to visit
Inside the secret abandoned tube station used in Bond, Paddington & Bourne movies – and how to visit
Published on December 08, 2022 at 12:27 PM
FILM buffs in London might not know it, but there’s a hidden slice of Hollywood history right beneath their feet.
A disused underground station platform that has appeared in some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters, including Paddington, London has Fallen and Skyfall.
A disused underground station platform at Charing Cross has appeared in some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbustersPaddington is among a number of movies to have been filmed in the old Jubilee line branch at Charing Cross
Charing Cross, near Trafalgar Square, is one of London’s busiest tube stations, but what people might not know is that it’s also the go-to location for any tube-based scenes for films.
The station has an old Jubilee line platform that hasn’t been used by travellers since 1999.
The Jubilee line travelled through Charing Cross until November 1999, but then it was diverted away â from Green Park to Westminster instead.
Now the old Jubilee platform acts as a purpose built film set, with the likes of Daniel Craig, Idris Elba and even Paddington Bear filming scenes there.
Siddy Holloway, Engagement Manager for London Transport Museum’s Hidden London, told Sun Online Travel why it is a perfect location to film any underground scenes.
She said: “Charing Cross is where we marry up underground history with pop culture because it is used extensively as a film set for Hollywood blockbusters.
“Skyfall was filmed there, Paddington, Thor, the Bourne Ultimatum, Luther, Sherlock Holmes and others.
“It’s the old Jubilee Line concourse that closed in 1999 and so they can authentically create the atmosphere of the underground without disturbing passengers on the actual underground.”;
However, the abandoned platform isn’t exclusively reserved for A-listers, with members of the public able to book tours of the hidden former Charing Cross platform, as well as several other disused stations in the city.
The former Jubilee Line station at Charing Cross has been used in films since 1999People can visit the disused part of Charing Cross station on Hidden London tours
Siddy said that the film set is one of the highlights of the Hidden London tours.
Hidden London tours have been run by London Transport Museum since 2015 and offer people access to secret locations across the capital’s Underground network that are usually off limits.
She added: “It’s a really fun one for film buffs to come and experience because you get to actually stand in the spaces where Daniel Craig is sliding down the escalator, or where Hugh Bonneville is chasing after Paddington because he’s gone the wrong way.
“It’s really fun for people to experience that and take those photos as well.”;
While the disused Charing Cross platform has been given a new future, a lot of other stations also have fascinating pasts.
Some were particularly important during World War 2, as their locations deep underground made them the perfect places to take care of both people and important items.
Siddy said: “These stations that are disused simply had to be changed around in order to fit in modern equipment, such as the escalator, and to improve passenger flow.
“Piccadilly Circus actually operated as both the public bomb shelter and as a valuable art store for the London museums.
Elsewhere on the tube network are the hidden remains of bomb shelters
“That blows my mind that you can go through Piccadilly Circus hundreds, if not thousands of times in your life and never would you imagine that some of the most precious artefacts of either the Museum of London or the Tate galleries, were stored in a corridor just off where you could wait as a passenger today.
“Clapham South, with the deep level shelter that we have, is one of my favourite places on our program because it is essentially an air raid shelter underneath Clapham South Station.
“It comprises of over a mile of tunnel and could have housed 8000 people to shelter away from the bombs raining from above.”;
A new series of tickets for the tours are now on sale. The tours will take place from January 4 until February 19.
Meanwhile, there’s a hidden shopping gem in London that is loved by tourists and could save you hundreds.