Why are there abandoned Tube Stations?

[onedev]

Inspired by the BBC news article today (sorry can't link!) about the number of abandoned Tube Stations & was therefore wondering why there are so many abandoned in the first place? Anyone able to educate me? Also, is there a way to visit them? I'd love to take a tour if it were possible!

Just tuned in looks really interesting.

Ah, not quite right about British Museum

We went to Berlin recently and visited a ghost station closed during the Cold War. It was fascinating, very Art Deco style and lots of the german gothic type lettering used by the Nazis

Thanks for responding to the thread - fascinating! Didn't realise different bits were owned by different companies!

There was a mn thread on a similar subject with some good sites etc on a while back link

It's a fascinating subject - I'd love to go for a wander round!

If you were watching Sherlock last night, you saw inside the abandoned Aldwych station. I know because I was watching with a London Underground geek who recognised it instantly.

This book gives the context of the stations.

Sounds great, timidviper- which station was it and how did you book?

Thanks for the link.

Nenny, I don't watch Sherlock but think it was that episode which inspired the BBC article that I read!

Oh brilliant, thanks for the link Shoe. I remember that thread but assumed it was in chat and had been lost. Oh well. That's my productivity gone for the morning!

You want to follow @abandonedpics on twitter. Ace

Sherlock would be lost without them.

Thanks Dr Nick - that twitter site is amazing! I so would love to buy the NY mansion & that house in Berkshire! If only I were a millionaire builder!

The southern colonial one. Wow. Plus lots of weird ones from USSR

I know & the tanks off the coast of Donegal - is that real? Is Ireland's coast a dumping ground for tanks?

Having worked for the tube, I have been round quite a few disused stations as part of my job. One was part of a check I had to do. Have to say going round a disused station with just a flashlight used to put the 'woo' right up me every time!

Also they are fantastic disused bits of current stations too. Euston and Charing Cross to name two. Charing Cross is always the one shown in movies as they can still run trains out of the platform

I once went on an organised walk along an abandoned railway that ran all the way from Finsbury Park to Ally Pally and then beyond to Edgware IIRC. It was partly abandoned and partly planned but never built, a Northern Line extension. It took the whole day to walk. Parts of the walk are publicly accessible. It was fascinating to walk through abandoned stations and platforms, and to look down onto the streets from the rail bridges.

I would love to do such a walk underground!

It may have been mentioned on one of the links that I've not had time to look at yet, but has anyone come across anything about an abandoned council estate near Elephant and Castle, in London? I read something about it once, goodness knows where, and thought how great it would be to visit. Probably been demolished by now. Was several years ago.

I love stuff like this. Would love to do a tour of a ghost station or something similar.

Somewhere near me (in Dorset) is a village that was evacuated during the war and the residents were never allowed back. It opens once or twice a year for visits now.

Never heard of that Scarlet, but sounds fascinating! Mycat, any chance you can take me with you next time? I can be your personal woo protector!!

Where is that Pete - do you have the name?

Scarlet- wiki page en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heygate_Estate

Not sure if it's up to date.

I think stations were abandoned simply because they were not used enough. All those stories about bombs landing on tube stations in World War II and the stations being bricked up with the bodies inside are urban myths. Access to a lot of the stations would probably be difficult now as many ticket halls are now used as office space, plus there would be various health and safety considerations. It really is fascinating stuff though. I'd love to have a tour too!

onedev : sorry got my info wrong, it's open weekends. It's called Tyneham.

I think I was confused by Imber village in Wiltshire. Also taken over by the military during the war, it opens occasionally.

These are both near me but I've never been. DH and DC wouldn't be interested.