Commuters across London are unknowingly travelling through the remains of long-abandoned Tube stations.
Thousands of passengers on the Underground network pass through "ghost platforms" every day without noticing.
These platforms, nestled in the shadows between bustling stations, have been out of use for decades, yet trains continue to glide past them.
Some stations fell victim to low passenger numbers, others became redundant after new lines were introduced, and several were transformed into wartime bunkers or film sets.
Aldwych branch platforms at Holborn
Piccadilly line commuters at Holborn station pass by the unused platforms of the Aldwych branch line.
Originally connecting Holborn to Aldwych station, the branch line saw a gradual decline in service due to a drop in passenger numbers, eventually leading to Aldwych's closure in 1994.
One platform had stopped regular service as far back as 1917.
The old platforms, hidden behind closed doors at Holborn, remain largely untouched.
They are now occasionally used as film locations and can also be visited through the London Transport Museum's Hidden London tours.
Charing Cross Jubilee line platforms
Beneath Charing Cross station are the original Jubilee line platforms, which became redundant when the Jubilee line extension opened in 1999, diverting the route towards Westminster and Waterloo.
Though no longer in use by passengers, Jubilee line trains still run through these tunnels and occasionally use the platforms as sidings to reverse trains.
These platforms have gained fame as filming locations, featuring in productions like Skyfall, Thor: The Dark World, Paddington, and Sherlock.
Down Street
Travellers between Green Park and Hyde Park Corner on the Piccadilly line may occasionally spot the bricked-up platforms of Down Street station.
The station was closed in 1932 due to low passenger numbers as it was situated too close to neighbouring stations.
During the Second World War, the abandoned station served as a secret underground headquarters for the Railway Executive Committee, and Winston Churchill reportedly used it as a refuge during the Blitz.
British Museum station
Few passengers realise that a former station is hidden between Tottenham Court Road and Holborn on the Central line.
British Museum station ceased operations in 1933 after the expansion of nearby Holborn station rendered the smaller stop unnecessary.
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Today, Central line trains continue to pass through the old platforms in darkness, providing passengers with a fleeting glimpse of the abandoned station walls.
City Road station
Northern line travellers between Angel and Old Street pass through the remains of City Road station.
Opened in 1901, the station closed in 1922 due to low passenger numbers.
Though the platforms remain underground, the original station building above ground still exists and has been converted into a private residence.
South Kentish Town
Another hidden station on the Northern line between Camden Town and Kentish Town is South Kentish Town.
The station, which opened in 1907, was shut 17 years later because of poor passenger numbers.
The platforms remain in place, with trains passing through the site daily, while the surface building continues as a retail premises on Kentish Town Road.
London's hidden underground world
Transport for London estimates that there are around 40 disused or abandoned stations across the Underground network.
While many are not accessible to the public, some can now be explored through the London Transport Museum's Hidden London tours.
For most Londoners, though, these ghost platforms remain brief flashes in the dark – forgotten pieces of the city’s history seen only for a split second through a train window.
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