Ghost Trains and Ghouls: London's Haunted Underground.

Kevin Hackert, CC BY-NC 2.0

Recently, one of my best friends moved to London and, while I haven't been able to visit and much as I'd like, this means taking the train. I'm one of those people who quite enjoy a nice train ride. Once I've got my ticket, large coffee, and headphones on, with music or a podcast playing, I'm all set. Nothing left to do but watch the world speed past the window and make sure I don't get so distracted that I miss my stop. I find taking the London Underground at night is an interesting experience. When it's busy, it's okay. The need to catch your train, or get to your destination, distracts from your surroundings. But when quiet, the stations and tunnels take on an eerie quality. As you may have guessed, this fascinates me due to my love of all things spooky. Because London has a rich paranormal history, and its public transport isn't excluded from these hauntings. Let me introduce you to five of my favourite haunted Tube stations.

Bank Station

For some, the feeling of dread and sadness they feel at Bank Station is linked to them having to go back to the office after a weekend of rest and relaxation, but for some this might be a sign that they've encountered Sarah Whitehead. In the early 1800s, she lived in London with her brother Philip, who worked as a bank clerk for the Bank of England. Unbeknownst to his sister, Philip had gotten himself into debt through a series of financial misadventures and, desperate to get himself out of trouble, had resorted to forging cheques to bring in some extra cash. These days, if caught, you'd lose your job and spend some time in jail. But it was the 1800's when sentences for even the smallest of crimes was harsh, so when Philip was caught, he was sentenced to death by hanging. Horrifically, nobody told Sarah and, when she discovered the truth, she was driven mad by grief and came to believe that her brother was still alive. Still working at the bank. As a result she would go there daily, asking after him and loitering around outside until the bankers would take pity on her, giving her some money to get her to leave. This went on for decades, and Sarah's delusions and grief only got worse with age. Her demands to see her brother got more aggressive, and because she was used to the bankers giving her money, she now expected it. Death hasn't stopped Sarah from searching for her beloved brother. Dressed in her black dress and mourning veil, she has become the ghostly figure known as the Black Nun and has been seen in and around Bank Station and around the Bank of England. Interestingly, some sightings have also included direct interactions; Sarah has been known to wander up to unsuspecting commuters. She will often ask if they've seen her brother, though she will also ask for money.

Something else that can be experienced in the station is a ghastly smell, like rotting flesh. Allegedly a plague pit was disturbed while building the station. Many believe the unpleasant odour to be a ghostly manifestation of this. As well as the smell, commuters sometimes hear unseen people crying out in fear and pain. This could be linked to a tragedy that took place in WWII. During the Blitz, people would use the stations as makeshift bomb shelters. In January 1941, a German bomb hit the station and exploded. Around 50 people were killed, while many others were injured and trapped in the rubble. The sounds of distress and the terrible smell are possibly remnants of these events, snippets of history replaying themselves.

Holborn Station

A tube station haunted by the ghost of an Egyptian Priestess? Sounds like either a bad horror movie or another Mummy sequel, but the truth is stranger than fiction. This spirit initially haunted the now-closed British Museum Station, which shut in the 1930s. Clearly displeased about being on display in the British Museum and determined to voice their opinion about it, the ghost promptly moved to Holborn Station, where there have been many sightings of this mummified spirit as it stalks the station, moaning and shrieking. It's believed They are the spirit of a Priestess, dedicated to the God Amen-Ra. They've been linked to an artefact on display in the British Museum. This is a beautifully detailed sarcophagus lid of an un-named woman from 950-900 BC. Its original location, the body it contained, and what happened to the rest of the coffin remains unknown; it was donated to the museum from a private collection, and very little information was provided. Thanks to superstition, it has been nicknamed the Unlucky Mummy. It's been blamed for the death of a journalist investigating its history (1907) and the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. An urban legend tells us about a secret tunnel leading to the British Museum from somewhere in the station, allowing the ghost to travel between the two. There's no truth to these claims, but they add an exciting element to this ghost story.

Covent Garden

Walking around Covent Garden tube station at night, you might be lucky enough to spot a handsome, well-dressed gentleman in Victorian-era clothing; a grey suit, cane and tophat. You might mistake him for a stray cosplayer if there's a convention on in London or just someone on their way to a fancy dress party, but this is actually the spirit of William Terriss. This actor was famous for the heroic roles he played on the stage but met his tragic end outside of the nearby Adelphi Theater in 1897. He was stabbed to death by out of work actor, and friend, Richard Archer Prince. You'd think he'd haunt the area where he died, and it's said that he does haunt the theatre, but it seems Willam also chose to go back to another place that had happy memories for him. Legend has it that he was very fond of a bakery that used to stand on the site where the station was built. Now, unable to pick up a pack of doughnuts and a coffee on his way home from work, he has taken to haunting the station instead. How do we know it's him? Photographs of him still exist, enabling witnesses to identify him. The last reported sighting of him was in 1972, but I've no doubt there have been some unreported sightings since then by people that never even realised that they were looking at a spirit.

For the morbidly curious among you, Terriss was buried in Brompton Cemetery, and a memorial plaque can be found for him outside of the stage door at the Adelphi Theater.

Liverpool Street

A hub for many of those leaving and arriving in London, Liverpool Street is one of the city's busiest stations. It's also built on the old Bedlam Burial Ground, a mass burial site estimated to have been used from 1569 to around 1738. The site was the resting place of thousands and included a 17th-century plague pit, most of which Archaeologists have excavated.

An unidentified man in white or light grey overalls walks the station. He's been spotted by many witnesses, sometimes in person but occasionally on CCTV. One such sighting was investigated by staff. A Line Controller, who was watching the security cameras, spotted the man wandering around the platform early one morning, at about 2:00am. This was a problem because the station was closed at the time, and the mystery man didn't appear to be a staff member. Concerned that they might have an intruder, the Line Controller quickly told the Station Supervisor, who decided that he would take a look for himself. He arrived at the platform to find it quite empty. The man in white had just vanished.

This has happened many times since, much to the annoyance of the station workers. But whoever this ghost is, he seems harmless enough. It's even possible that he might be waiting for a train, as he only seems to appear on the platform for the central line. Sadly, for the curious among you, you're unlikely to run into this spirit since he only appears when the station is closed. Personally, I'm curious about his identity. Who could he possibly be, and what happened to cause him to haunt the station? Could he have been one of the workers who helped build the place or its tunnels? Maybe one day we'll know for sure.

South Kensington

South Kensington Station doesn't just have a ghost, it has a ghost train. Like something from a gothic horror novel, it chugs slowly into the station as if it intends to stop and pick up passengers. An unknown figure in a peaked cap and coat can be seen clinging to the side of the engine for dear life, as if eager to get off. He doesn't get the chance though, as the train is off again with a shrill whistle, disappearing into the dark tunnel, vanishing without a trace.

This phantom locomotive was first spotted in the 1920s by a commuter waiting for the last train. To them, it wouldn't have seemed all that odd at first. It would have just looked like a typical steam train until it vanished into thin air. To add to the mystery, the train itself doesn't exist; there was no record of its name/serial number. And, even if there had been, it shouldn't have been there at that time. Whatever is going on here, it's not a regular occurrence, though there is an unsubstantiated report of another sighting in 2013. 

Photo by Joshua Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0

Disappointingly, I've never experienced anything paranormal on the London Underground. I'd love to though. These are just five of the ghosts that haunt the tubes, there are so many more, some more frightening than others. Who knows, maybe one day I'll witness something and, when I do, you'll be the first people to know about it. Have any of you guys seen anything paranormal at one of London's train stations? If you feel like sharing the story, please do! You can share your story in the comments box below or tag me in a Tweet on Twitter.

On the Road Again: Top 5 Haunted Roads

Photo by Myself, Wales, 2 years ago,
lost down a creepy country lane.

I really should have named this post "On the Road Again-ish", or perhaps "On the Road Again: Soon", because at the moment I'm unable to be on the road at all. But, like many people in Lockdown, I'm making plans for when I can travel again. Lists of places I dearly want to visit have been written, road-trip playlists have been made and maps have been bought. 

Most of our roads have been the sites of more modern accidents, but many of them have also been built through ancient sites, forgotten settlements, over Roman roads and old buildings. It's no surprise that even the most innocent looking country lane might come with a few spooks attached. And it's those roads that I'm going to introduce you to in this post. There are so many that are apparently haunted, it would have been near impossible to include all of them, so here are my Top 5 Haunted Roads.*

The B3212, Dartmoor, Devon.

Dartmoor is a beautiful place, bleak and full of mystery, So it's no surprise that even the roads have ghosts here, if you can call what haunts the B3212 a ghost.

For decades, drivers and cyclists have been victimised here by a pair of hands that grab their steering wheel or handlebars in an attempt to drive them off the road. No body, just a pair of hairy, disgusting hands with an unexplained dislike of motorists. This spirit isn't always visible either, sometimes not bothering to show itself when it strikes, confusing and terrifying drivers as they feel their steering wheel wrenched out of their control by the spirits steely grip. You could blame these sometimes fatal accidents on speeding drivers, but apparently the Hands aren't afraid to go after stationary vehicles as well. In 1924 a couple camping by the road claimed that the hands had tried to break into their caravan during the night. Then, in the 1960s, a motorist who had stopped to glance at her map found herself confronted by the hands. The creepy mitts were pressed against the windscreen of her car, on the outside rather than inside, much to her relief.

Most hauntings have a cause or story behind them, but the Hairy Hands of the B3212 don't have a solid one. It's been blamed on many things, including witchcraft and the vengeful ghost of a motorist killed in an accident.

Don't worry too much if you find yourself driving down this road though, there hasn't been a sighting for years.** The last one seems to have been in 2008, when a driver found the Hands clasped firmly over hers while driving.

The B1249, East Riding, Yorkshire

Sometimes referred to as a ghost, sometimes as the Werewolf of the Wolds; whatever it is that stalks around the B1249, it's something straight out of a horror movie. 

First reported in the 1960s, this creature made its grand entrance into the paranormal world by trying to break in through the windshield of a lorry travelling along the road. The driver was left shaken but unharmed and described his assailant as hairy, with glowing red eyes. It's easy to consider this a very vague description, but keep in mind the fellow was trying to avoid crashing at the time. I doubt his life or drivers insurance covered Cryptid Attacks. A better description of the beast didn't come along until 2016, when it was spotted by a motorist close to the nearby village named Halsham. She claims that it was a dog-like creature with a human face and that was bigger than her car.

Could this have been a real wolf? Nope. Wild wolves in England were wiped out in the 15th century, and the ones we did have didn't resemble a bigger, meaner version of Houska Castles resident dog beast.

The A75, Kinmount Straight, Scotland

When driving along a road at night you have to be ready for anything. In 1962, Derek and Norman Ferguson discovered that "anything" included a large spectral hen, which flew towards the windscreen of their vehicle and vanished before impact. The duo didn't have much time to recover from this encounter though, as soon they started to witness other phantom animals, including ghostly cats and dogs. These were wandering the road, appearing to be too large and feral to be normal creatures. Derek and Norman also saw another vehicle, a furniture van, swerving along the road. Some versions of the story claim that this van was also a ghost, but I think it's far more likely that it was a normal furniture van and that the driver was experiencing the same things as Derek and Norman.

Other sightings include mysterious figures that wander in front of drivers, a withered hag who runs screaming towards cars, phantom horse and carriages and a group of ragged people dragging a handcart behind them. This last group of medieval-looking individuals have the dubious honour of scaring one lorry driver onto quitting his job. I've not been able to find out just what it was about this gaggle of soggy strangers that spooked him so badly, but I'd love to find out.

The A616, Stockbridge Bypass, Sheffield

With the amount of fatal accidents along this road, a few ghosts are to be expected and, due to all the spooky happenings experienced at this location, it has become known as one of the most haunted roads in the UK. But the thing is, the hauntings started way back in the 1980s, before the road had even been completed. The first people to see anything were a couple of security guards. While on patrol, they came across a group of children in old fashioned looking clothing. They approached the kids to find out what was going on, only for the mischievous spooks to vanish into thin air. What happened the following night lead to the shaken security guards calling in the police. While they were walking the site they encountered a sinister-looking figure, described as a monk, sitting on a half-built bridge. This same figure would later appear again to a couple of policemen who had come to look into the strange happenings. They were sitting in their car and had been sceptical, up until they noticed the hooded figure outside peering in at them. When they got out to confront the Monk, he had vanished, but there was no way for him to run and hide without them seeing him. This encounter left them baffled and even made it into their official police report. Property around the bypass was once owned by monasteries, which could explain a monk's presence since it's possible he lived and worked there. As for the children, some have theorised that they may be the spirits of kids who worked and died in nearby mines. Whatever the cause, sightings continue to this day, with people reporting children running in front of their cars and the monk watching them from the side of the road.

The M6, Mid to North UK

Another one of the UK's most haunted roads, it's known as the longest and busiest in the country, but it's also one of the oldest. The M6 has been built through ancient battlefields, burial sights and over the old Roman roads that used to be there. And while we know the Roman roads are no longer there, apparently nobody told the Romans that. There are multiple reports of people seeing Roman soldiers marching along or across the road and, while that's not overly frightening, it certainly is distracting. Not what you want while you're doing 60mph on a busy six-lane motorway. Other spooks along this road include a phantom lorry speeding down the road in the wrong direction and things watching people from the bushes along the side of the road. What are these things? Nobody knows. Only their eyes have been seen. The road between Junctions 16 and 19 has been called Cheshire's Bermuda Triangle due to it being one of the UK biggest accident blackspots. This has lead some to believe the road is, to some degree, cursed.

Out of all the haunted roads on this list, the B3212 has to be my favourite. I read about it when I was in junior school, and it was the first time I realised that ghosts weren't just limited to creepy old houses. To a child, that's big news.*** I was both terrified and fascinated. When it's safe to travel again, Government guidelines allowing, I'm looking forward to revisiting it.

What about you, dear readers? What's your favourite haunting on this list, or have you got another favourite that I haven't included? Have you ever experienced anything on any of the roads I chose? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below or tag me in a Tweet.

*No Phantom Hitchhikers included. As much as I love them, that's a post for another day.

**I had a quick Google and all the news turned up was articles about Easter eggs, dog grooming, hair colour trends and, oddly, Bradley Cooper.

***This information also coincided with my discovery of the Black Shuck, both stories were in the same book. The end result was little me trying to convince my friends that ghosts were following our coach over the foggy Yorkshire moors when we were on a week-long school trip and getting scolded by a teacher. I did possibly experience something paranormal on that trip, but nothing Hand or Shuck related. A tale for another time, perhaps.