Hi guys. My story is when I worked on London Underground (now TFL) back in the late 80s, to mid 90s.
In 1994 I was a Station Supervisor at Covent Garden. It was a Friday and I settled down to start my night shift. This particular week I had a trainee supervisor with me, so I had company.
After seeing the last trains away and securing and locking the station, we settled down for the night.
Checking the ‘Traffic Circular’ (TC) for any engineering works that night, we gratefully found that this particular night was free of such works, so we could settle down without being disturbed.
Around 02.30ish we heard outside the office, footsteps coming up the emergency stairs. Assuming they were P-Way engineers we waited for the knock at the door. None came.
As I opened the office door, my colleague mentioned that there were no workings that night per the TC.
Nodding I said sometimes they work without telling us, as working sometimes overruns.
Closing the door and settling down again, we chatted, listened to the radio and read, till about 03.30, there was once again footsteps outside.
This time we checked the platform cameras, as P-Way sometimes walk the track and enter the Stn via the track and platforms, but they showed nothing.
Just as we settled again there was three sharp knocks on the door. Jumping up, I opened the door while my colleague checked the cameras.
There was no one at the door. The cameras showed no one, either outside the door, nor up or down the emergency stairs, or platforms.
Twice more this happened. Footsteps then three sharp knocks.
By now she was getting a little nervous asking me what it was, finally telling me abruptly to stop mucking about.
Only realising I had nothing to do with it when for the fourth time, again footsteps,sharp knocks, but this time we could distinctly hear the sound of children laughing and their footsteps running away.
It was now 04.30 and we started readying the Stn for the first train and customers.
At 06.30 our relief arrived. Not waiting to pass pleasantries she shot out the door vowing never to come back.
“ What the bloody hells got into her. You two ain’t had a row have you? “ he asked laughing. as he made himself a cuppa . When I didn’t respond he asked.
“ oh you’ve had a visit from our mischievous kids have you?”.
“Yeah “ I replied, “what’s that all about?”.
As he been rostered at Covent Garden a lot longer then myself, I thought he’d know,
“Well, we think it’s something to do with the war and the blitz.
We think it’s the kids who sheltered here during a raid and wanted to see what all the noise was. Unfortunately, they got caught in a blast from a nearby bomb and were killed, along with their parents.
The laughter is them playing and the footsteps and knocking are their parents looking for them”.
I was supervisor at Covent Garden for a further year then moved on, I heard the footsteps etc a further three times.
Each time the same as before. The trainee supervisor never did come back to Covent Garden.I heard she left three weeks later.