London’s Abandoned Underground

If you know of anything else that is hidden below the streets of London, let us know and we will look into exploring it too

So, it didn't fail. The world changed, and it was no longer needed.

It feels like it should be possible to get some sort of use out of it, tunnels are a valuable investment, especially when they link together multiple train stations.

Chicago has a similar freight unnel network under the city streets. It is connected to the basement of many of the buildings downtown and a rail network provided delivery service for packages as well as coal for heating to the buildings. The network was shutdown in 1959 and largely forgotten. In 1992, one of the tunnels under the Chicago river was punctured. This flooded the system as well as two dozen buildings that still had open tunnel connections. The tunnels are now used primarily for utility and communication lines.

I used to take Opinion Formers on Mail Rail in the 1990’s when I was a Public Affairs Executive at The Post Office Corporation. We had a few carriages with plexiglass domes and seats for the MPs, Peers etc to sit in whilst we ran them around the network. It was an incredible successful operation and transported vast amounts of mail daily. There was a proposal to extend the route to Willesden, the home of the Princess Royal Distribution Centre. The PRDC was the southern hub of the Travelling Post Office and the Networker system. We actually opened several dedicated Sorting Offices on the National Rail Network. My last opening event took place in Bristol. When Mail volumes dropped and the reliability of EWS to deliver Mail by train became a massive problem, we looked at moving Mail to roads. A study was undertaken to open Mail Rail to Oxford Street shops, and by doing so it would reduce the amount of vehicular traffic. But, the study showed that the idea wasn’t feasible and Mail Rail closed. The Travelling Post Office network also went the same way. The PRDC is now, from what I understand, mostly used as a vehicle hub?

Letter posted in Bristol would be sorted in Bristol, and if going to Manchester would be put on a train going to Manchester (not necessarily a Travelling Post Office train). On arrival in Manchester, it would then be sorted for the specific delivery round.

Apparently Moscow has a “secret” subway built under the existing subway. It was used by the USSR’s elite to get around the capital. It would be interesting to know more about that.

Never knew this existed. I'm very fascinated with these tunnels, ngl. Thanks for sharing mate

I remember being part of a group looking into the possibility of using the Mail Rail trains to deliver stock to the large retail outlets in Oxford Street, e.g. Selfridges. The trains passed just below the basements of these premises, so it was technically feasible.

Top quality and always interesting topics!

This is the first time that I have come across this channel. I enjoyed it very much. Very professional, and enjoyable. So, I subscribed

I did not know this about London at all, how interesting!

Exceptionally well done video. Thank you.

Mail Rail can be seen in action, in the Bruce Willis movie "Hudson hawk", where it is portrayed as "The Vatican's mail system". The extra's in the scene, are (or were) Mail Rail employees. Watch the film and you will see it in action.

Very interesting that these existed and that I've never heard of it! Great work!

This a good video keep it up!

Beautifully edited and made!

Great as usual

So, moving the main sorting office and Blair/Brown nationalisation spelled the end. Great video. The sewers (the new one too) and the river Fleet are other underground London marvels.

I had hear about this system, however I had NO IDEA it was the lynchpin of the UK postal system... great documentary, thank you! <3