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Woman visited train station every day to hear her late husband's voice
Home>Life>True Life
Published 15:28 29 Sep 2023 GMT+1

Woman visited train station every day to hear her late husband's voice

People haven't stopped 'sobbing' over the heartwarming story behind the 'Mind the Gap' announcement at Embankment tube station.

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck

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Featured Image Credit: Facebook/Moovit/Hesther Ng/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Topics: Sex and Relationships, UK News, Travel, Mental Health

Poppy Bilderbeck
Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.

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People haven't stopped 'sobbing' over the heartwarming story behind the 'Mind the Gap' announcement at Embankment tube station.

Most people avoid the London Underground at any cost - preferring the slightly less sweaty, cramped transportation options of the train or bus.

However, for one woman, she loved nothing more than visiting Embankment tube station and it's all because of her husband.

Prepare to reach for the tissues:

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A theatre actor named Oswald Laurence became the voice of the iconic line: "Mind the Gap" in the late 1960s to early 70s, according to the London Transport Museum.

The recording was originally played on the northbound Northern Line across the entire network.

Sadly, in 2007, Laurence passed away at the age of 78 - Laurence being Margaret McCollum's husband.

In remembrance of her husband and to feel close to him, McCollum visited Embankment tube station - the closest tube to where she lived - every day after his passing.

Oswald Laurence was one of the voices for the 'Mind the Gap' announcement.
Getty Images/ Mike Kemp/ In Pictures

Devastatingly, in November, 2012, Transport for London (TFL) replaced Laurence's voice on the overhead announcement, opting for a digitalised system and electronic recording instead.

McCollum was left bereft by the change and went to TFL requesting they change the recording back.

"I inquired and I was told there was a new digital system and they could not get his voice on it," the widow told the BBC.

McCollum visited the tube station every day after her husband's passing in 2007.
Google Maps

TFL understood the significance of Laurence's overhead announcement and so dug into the archives for the old tapes, digitalised and restored them and managed to get a CD recording made for McCollum of her late husband's recording.

Nigel Holness, director of London Underground, said at the time: "Transport for London were approached by the widow of Oswald Laurence to see whether she could get a copy of the iconic 'mind the gap' announcement her husband made over 40 years ago.

"We were very touched by her story, so staff tracked down the recording and not only were they able to get a copy of the announcement on CD for her to keep but are also working to restore the announcement at Embankment station."

And much to McCollum's joy, TFL indeed later managed to restore the announcement, so you can hear it to this day on the Northern line platform at Embankment station.

People can't get over the heartwarming story.
X/ @CalltoActivism

People can't quite get over the 'wonderful gesture' by TFL to reinstate Laurence's recording, nor McCollum's daily dedication to feeling close to her husband.

Call to Activism posted to X - formerly known as Twitter - writing: "A beautiful reminder of the power of love. [...] This story is a reminder that even in the midst of grief, there is still hope and love."

"I can relate. A friend of mine keeps her late husband's voice on their answering machine," another user commented.

A third simply stated: "Sobbing."

We're with you there.

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