London Underground air-raid shelter tickets?

Question

It's common knowledge that London underground stations were used as air-raid shelters in the Second World War. I now understand that advance tickets were issued for this purpose. How could anybody know which station they might need to use in the event of a raid ? The rationale of the ticket escapes me. Any light anyone ?

Answer 1

Early in the war, London tube stations were only used as unofficial shelters -- it was only later that the government assigned some 80 deep stations as official night shelters. And they were mainly used at night time (when most of the Blitz bombing raids were staged), so people went to the tube station nearest home or work.

Before the government assigned the tube stations their official status as shelters, people used to buy platform tickets. That way they didn't have the expense of paying a travel fare, but could still go past the station barriers and onto the platforms. Then they just used to camp wherever they could.

By all accounts conditions were pretty revolting: for a start there were no toilets at platform level -- though once the government accepted that tube stations could be used as proper shelters, facilities were installed.

  

Just a word of explanation about platform tickets, since I don't think they exist any more in Britain. They were normally used so you could accompany someone (a guest etc) right to the train and wave them off. Even 20 years ago, you could still buy them at tube and rail stations.

Hope that answers you.

=D