The British island where you can ride London Underground trains – but it’s miles from the capital
THERE’S a tiny British island that offers people the chance to ride a London Underground train, even though it’s hundreds of miles away from the capital.
Most people in London see nothing but tunnels out of the windows of the tube trains they ride, but there’s a place where the views are much more enjoyable.
Alderney in the Channel Islands is technically a part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
It’s home to some stunning beaches, with crystal clear waters and golden sands, and temperatures remain fairly warm there throughout summer, due to it being closer to France than the British Isles.
One of the main attractions on the island is its train service, which connects Braye Beach to the Quesnard Lighthouse.
The line is serviced by two ex-Northern-line trains, that now shuttle passengers back and forth across the three-mile-long stretch of land.
The train carriages still contain a lot of their original furnishings, including old tube maps and no smoking signs.
One person who was very impressed by the train was Tiktoker Sarah P (@sarahjanekatep), who shared a video of her ride, during which she looked out onto the ocean.
She wrote: “On a London tube train on a tiny island nowhere near London”.
Her video has since been seen more than 400,000 times, with a lot of people shocked to discover the train service exists.
One wrote: “That’s actually really pretty!”
Another joked: “Northern line views have got an upgrade from Morden.”
Others pointed out that it looks a bit like the train scene from the Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away, in which a small train rides through the sea.
The train is not the only thing drawing people to the island, with wildlife also a big attraction.
Dolphins are frequently spotted in the waters off the island and are known to get up close and personal with people.
The Alderney wildlife trust says: “These energetic dolphins are often spotted in large groups which will approach boats, bow-riding and leaping alongside.
“At sea, they can form super pods – huge groups made up of thousands of individuals.”
The dolphins are far from the only exciting animals that are seen in the sea near Alderney either, with killer whales, seals and even leatherback turtles on a list of known visitors.
The turtles are described as “a rare sight off the west coast in the summer months” too.
Staying in Alderney isn’t too expensive for tourists, with hotels available on the island from £52pp per night while amping pitches can be booked from as little as £18 per night.
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