Inside the Tube’s longest escalator at Angel station

Islington's Angel station is home to the London Underground's longest escalator, which has become an attraction in itself, and people who are not used to it have been known to stop halfway down to take in the view.

With a length of around 197ft and a vertical rise of 90ft, it remains not only the longest escalator on the Tube network but also one of the UK's longest.

Social media fame

Angel station opened in 1901 and the escalator has become an internationally-recognised site, going viral on social media and attracting hundreds of thousands of online viewers – something that wasn’t built intentionally.

A full journey on the escalator takes around 80 seconds, and TikTok users have documented their journeys.

@katabella_mag 📍Angel Station According to Google, there are also no lifts, so it’s the only way to reach the platforms. I didn’t film it on the way up because I felt like I was going to fall lol. #katabella #londonunderground #angelstation #londonblogger #explorelondon ♬ Little Things - Adrián Berenguer

One even described the descent as feeling like entering the 'centre of the Earth', while another described it as a scene from a science fiction film.

Other videos zoom in on the people at the bottom, who seem smaller than those at the top because of the scale.

Another goes on for 80 seconds, replaying over scenes of people travelling down the escalator with a melancholy melody in the background – and the question across the screen: "When does it end?" The record-breaking escalator was never built as a tourist attraction.

'A solution to a serious problem'

Angel station opened in 1901 and for decades struggled with severe overcrowding.

Unlike most modern Tube stations, it originally had a narrow island platform serving trains in both directions.

At just 12ft wide in places, it became notorious among commuters who feared being pushed towards the tracks during busy periods.

The BBC documentary Heart of the Angel captured the station’s final years before redevelopment between 1989 and 1992, showing staff battling lift failures, overcrowding and frustrated passengers.

Engineers constructed a completely new northbound platform, widened the southbound platform, and relocated the station entrance to Islington High Street.

@londonbylondonders Pov: getting out at London’s longest escalator at angel station. It takes 80 seconds to climb up and its the fourth longest set in western europe 📍 . . . . . . #londonbylondoners #londondaily #londonenthusiast #londonlife🇬🇧 #londontown #londontiktok #londonblogger #londonbloggersuk #london #londononly #londonig #iglondoner #igerslondon #reelsoflondon #londonreel #londonreels #londonreels🇬🇧 ♬ Nice Day - Muspace Lofi

Since the new ticket hall was some distance from the platforms deep below ground, two flights of escalators were needed, including what would become the Tube’s longest.

The ride

The first experience for new Angel tube users is not entering the train or even the length of the platform, but the commute to it.

Unlike many Tube stations where passengers descend in stages, Angel's escalator offers a long, uninterrupted journey underground.

Standing at the top, the opposite end is barely visible, so the advertisements, handrails, and the rest of the environment all seem to merge into a single point in the distance.

The station has become a favourite filming location for transport enthusiasts and social media creators alike.

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Videos often compare it to a theme park ride or challenge viewers to watch the entire descent without looking at their phone.

Angel is also one of only a small number of Underground stations where passengers can only access the platforms via escalators.

London landmark 'hiding in plain sight'

The escalator hit international headlines after a Norwegian daredevil skied its entire length in 2006.

Using a helmet camera, he reportedly reached speeds of around 30mph.

The footage quickly spread online, but the London Underground condemned the stunt as 'dangerous, stupid and irresponsible.'

Fortunately, nobody was injured.

While famous London landmarks such as Tower Bridge, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace fill up with tourists, Angel's escalator remains one of London's most unexpected attractions.