Moorgate is a London Underground station used by thousands of people every day – but not all of it is on view. Old Moorgate sits alongside the newer station, and it’s usually hidden from regular folk. But you can take a tour of it.
Old Moorgate station tour
The London Transport Museum offers many tours of the closed parts of underground stations including Aldwych, Clapham South, and Shepherds Bush. We went on the Old Moorgate tour with a group of around 10 people and 3 guides. The tour lasts around 80 minutes and costs around £50 per person.
As, I’m fascinated by abandoned and underground spaces, a tour of the abandoned Old Moorgate underground station was right up my alley. Word of warning though – if you’re not fond of small spaces, or heat then this won’t be for you. Some areas have uneven ground as well so bear that in mind. But if you can manage all that, you’ll have a fascinating experience.
The extremely knowledgeable guides explained the history of the Underground and Moorgate station. Old Moorgate opened in 1865 on the first extension of the Metropolitan line and was one of the first stations on the underground. There’s plenty to see including original tiles, decades-old advertisements, remnants from World War II, and vast unused tunnels.
The space also contains a complete Greathead Shield the only one of its kind left on the London Underground Network. It was abandoned in place when an extension to the tunnel was cancelled. This vast machine enabled workers to dig and reinforce tunnels through the soft London clay whilst protecting them from cave-ins. Unfortunately, although you used to be able to see it as part of the tour, we were unable to as the walkway to it has recently been deemed unsafe.
On a more tragic note, the station is also the site of the 1975 Moorgate tube crash in which 43 people lost their lives. At the time was the worst peacetime accident in the history of the London Underground. A memorial plaque to the victims sits on a wall just outside the station.
Inspiration in the underground
So much of London is built on top of, well, London. The Underground tunnels are one of the more accessible places to see this. And of course, the potential for stories is great. You can have scary ones like the movie Creep or magical tales like Neverwhere. The more you delve into the history, the more inspiration you’re likely to find.
If you’re looking for something a bit different to do in London, I’d highly recommend it. We’ll be looking to try out other tours offered and I’ll make sure to document them when I do.
What do you think? Have you been on any of these tours before? Please share in the comments.
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