“Mind the gap” is a warning to watch the space between the train and the platform. At one time in the London Underground, this announcement was delivered in the gentle voice of an unknown actor. However, as digital technology was introduced over time, this announcement gradually began to be replaced. In November 2012, even at Embankment Station—the last place where his voice remained—the announcement was finally switched to a new version. But not long after, his voice began to echo once again through the station. How did this happen?
There was an old lady who visited Embankment Station every day. She didn’t board any trains; she would just quietly sit on the platform and then return home. The reason she visited the station was to hear the voice of her late husband, who had passed away in 2007. She was the wife of the actor who had recorded the original announcement. When the announcement was changed and she could no longer hear her husband’s voice, she was deeply heartbroken. Upon learning of her story, Transport for London decided to restore the original recording. A single phrase from the station’s announcement—barely noticed by the crowds rushing by—was, to the old lady, a piercing longing and a cherished happiness toward her husband.