Elizabeth Line – London – is open

London’s remarkable new train service, the Elizabeth Line is more, or less, open. Its currently running as 3 separate services; the east & west sections (largely overground) and the core section mainly underground.

Elizabeth Line Station London
Elizabeth Line Station London

The service will be completely linked in late Autumn 2022, by which time the unopened Bond Street station will be finished. The trains are full-size overground trains – up to 200m long, and the system may well be capable of running automatically, though currently, it does have drivers.

Elizabeth Line Carriage
Elizabeth Line Carriage

The name is in honour of Queen Elizabeth, who already has the Jubilee Line named in her honour after the Silver Jubilee. The Elizabeth Line’s purple colour may well have been chosen to represent Imperial Purple, irrespective – for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – purple seems to be the colour theme.
It is a superb service – the trains are extremely comfortable, and the stations themselves are well designed, of course, and very easy to use.

Union Jack flag - London
Union Jack flag – London

London is en fete, decked out in flags for the Jubilee celebrations. Even the miserable grey London Pigeons have been ousted by far more attractive Parakeets, in their lime green and bright crimson beaks.

Rose-ringed parakeet Psittacula krameri manillensis - London
Rose-ringed parakeet Psittacula krameri manillensis – London

Author: Tony Walsh

Book author including the current Bradt guide to Oman