Spooky map of the most haunted London underground stations
Navigating rush hour isn't the only scary thing about the tube
If you've ever been stuck on a crowded train that suddenly, and unexpectedly stops in the middle of a tunnel, before the lights fail and the carriage descends into darkness, you'll know just how scary a place the tube can be sometimes.
Alternatively, just try and navigate Bank station at rush hour: also very scary.
But Brilliantly British have revealed that that's not the full extent of the terrifying treats in store on the London Underground: it turns out that a good number of the stations are, for reals, actually haunted, with ghosts and ghouls abounding since its creation in 1863. Check out the map below and then scroll down to read the stories behind each one.
(Images: Brilliantly British/Rex)
Aldgate
There are so many spooky happenings at Aldgate that there's now an official 'ghost log book'. Small wonder, given its position on top of an old plague pit, which reportedly stores over a thousand bodies. One or two of them are bound to get up and stretch their legs for a wander from time to time aren't they? Makes perfect sense.
Bank
Another station thoughtfully built on top of a mass grave - this time for plague victims from the 17th Century - over the years there has been a 'persistent sense of sadness' noted by workers and commuters. To be honest, though, you could just put that down to having to get on the Central Line. Its premier ghost is known as 'The Black Nun' (we prefer Blue Nun) who is believed to be the ghost of a lady who mourns the death of her executed brother - who worked at the nearby bank after which the station is named.
Bethnal Green
Bethnal Green was the scene of an horrific incident during the Second World War, when an air raid test led to people fleeing to the safety of the underground; sadly, 173 people were trampled to death in the ensuing panic to get into the station. Consequently, the sounds of women and children screaming have been reported over many years. Again, though, this could be just finding out that it's 9 minutes until the next Central Line train.
British Museum
The British Museum station has been closed since 1933 and that's probably a good thing, given the ghostly happenings that supposedly took place there. Brilliantly, legend suggests that it was haunted by the ghost of the Ancient Egyptian God Amun-ra - dressed, naturally, in full Egyptian loincloth and headdress. Although surely we can't rule out that being a drunk person leaving a fancy dress party and getting lost. Two years after it shut, two women vanished from Holborn station - just down the road - with witnesses reporting strange ghostly sounds at the time they went missing.
Covent Garden
A tall ghost in a hat, coat and gloves is believed to roam the tunnels of Covent Garden station. He is thought to be the ghost of an actor, William Terris, who was murdered in 1897 on The Strand and was a regular customer to the bakery which was demolished to make room for the station. Don't mess with a guy who likes his bread, that's the moral of this story.
Elephant & Castle
Elephant & Castle is believed to be home to the ghost of a young lady who enters trains - but never leaves. There have been reports of ghostly footsteps, slamming doors and tapping noises - all attributed to the apparition. Maybe she just gets off at Harrow & Wealdstone but no one notices as it's so far away.
Farringdon
This station is apparently home to 'The Screaming Spectre of Farringdon', with hundreds of passengers reporting terrible sounds. The culprit is believed to be the ghost of Anne Naylor, an 18th Century orphan murdered by her employer at a London workhouse at the age of just 12, with her body being dumped where the station now lies. So next time you're getting angry with the Hammersmith & City line just think, 'yeah, it probably could be worse'.
Highgate
One of our favourite tubefacts is that Mill Hill East on the Northern Line was originally supposed to link up with Edgware, to create a second 'loop' on the line. But the extension was shelved following the end of the Second World War, leading to a section of railway at Highgate station being removed. However, locals have reported the sound of trains passing through this section of the station ever since. A genuine 'ghost train' then.
King's Cross
The tragic fire at King's Cross in 1987 is believed to have provided the station with its own ghost; a young woman with long brown hair wearing 'modern clothing', who screams loudly with her arms oustretched, before disappearing into thin air whenever people go to her aid. First reported in 1988, she has been seen regularly since. As she lives there, she's probably the only one who understands the design of the new tunnels.
Liverpool Street
The site of another East End burial ground, Liverpool Street station is also believed to have its own ghost. He was first spotted on CCTV in 2000 during renovations - when a brave worker went down to investigate, he saw nothing, despite two figures being clearly visible on the screen. A second visit yielded nothing - but a set of white overalls had been left on one of the station's benches. So be nice to any workmen you see on the tube - they might end up haunting you one day.
South Kensington
Just like Highgate, a ghost train was once spotted at South Kensington station. A passenger on the last train of an evening in 1928 heard a high-pitched whistle, followed by the arrival of another train, with a ghostly figure in a hat and coat hanging from the side of it. The carriages disappeared into the tunnel - yet there was no record of this train ever existing. There were reports of a similar incident in 2013 and, to be honest, given the regular 'lack of trains' excuses given by TfL, it would actually be quite handy if there were a few extra ghost ones to boost capacity.