TfL’s lost property from stuffed animals to a false leg left on London Underground

TfL’s lost property office brings in more than 200,000 items each year, these days housing them in West Ham until they’re claimed.

MyLondon got to take a look behind the scenes to see what commuters have left behind on the Tube, Overground, Elizabeth line, DLR, buses and trams.

And there was a real array of stuff.

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On the many shelves of a near unfathomable amount of things lay a portable heater, a prosthetic leg, a signed photo of Tottenham Hotspur superstar striker, Son Heung-min, a stuffed pufferfish and fox, musical instruments, full suitcases, video recorders, paintings, expensive jewelry, and many, many items of clothing.

Owners have 90 days to collect their items, otherwise they automatically become TfL property. The possessions are then auctioned off or sent to charity.

Before that, they are first taken into the office in massive lorry loads – usually delivered every morning. Up to 6,000 things can arrive per week. Then they are processed onto TfL’s system. No detail is too small during this, as an item could be identified using the slightest scuff or imperfection.

As they await collection, they are stored on shelves in their respective sections. These include clothes, handbags, luggage books, umbrellas and miscellaneous stuff such as pieces of technology and toys.

Have you spotted something of yours in TfL’s lost property office? You can book an appointment to collect it here.

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