Crossrail has been killed off, it is no more, it is not resting, it is undeniably… dead. If you have any documents or signs saying Crossrail, hold onto them for they are now collector’s items — rare objects never to be updated again.
The reason, for Crossrail is now the Elizabeth line, after our dear leader in Buckingham Palace.
Begone foul municipal name and hello modern branding. Goodbye to practical descriptions and hello to riding the Lizzy.
Clad in Crossrail purple, Her Maj visiting Bond Street tube station to collect a personalised tube roundel to add to her collection, while Boris completed a suggestion he made 2-years ago, and officially rebranded the railway.
In a couple of years time, you’ll be able to ride the Lizzy between the QE2 Olympic Park or the Royal Docks, out to The Queen’s Terminal at Heathrow, or (with one change) Windsor Castle.
As it happens, a lot of Crossrail people have long been riding behind Elizabeth, as that was the name given to one of their eight tunnel boring machines. So Elizabeth drilled the Elizabeth line between Canning Town and Farringdon.
But to prevent regal rivalries, the Elizabeth line never connects with the Victoria line.
Obviously, the most important question now is what will Crossrail 2 be called? I’m hoping for the Georgian line.
Incidentally, ever noticed that the L in line is always lower case? It’s the Elizabeth line, not the Elizabeth Line. And until today, Belsize Park was the only part of the London Underground to use a Z in its name.
That’s another pub quiz question killed off.
Tottenham Court Road already has a load of brand new Crossrail signage (covered over) – And does this mean Canary Wharf will have to re-name Crossrail Place?
Love the trivia in the end on Belize Park – thanks for that 🙂
I’m hoping for CR2 to be called the Ethelred line.
Unless we privatise it all to the French, we can call it the Harold line in that case.
Truly, we live in a new Elizabethan age. If the Queen makes it another six years (and we know she has it in her), there will be a Platinum Jubilee, and nothing will be safe then. London itself will be renamed Elizabethtown, prompting unfortunate references to Orlando Bloom.*
Speaking of jubilees, the purple line apparently does connect to the silver one. Does it count as a regal rivalry if it’s between 51-year-old Elizabeth and (in two months) 90-year-old Elizabeth? (Goodness, they’re not kidding when they speak of her long reign providing continuity. Even to the Tube!)
* Seriously, though, if they ever build that horrid Garden Bridge, you know what they will eventually name it. Unless corporate branding gets there first, anyway.
Glad someone else has noticed that TfL never capitalise the L in line. I’ve never understood why.
Im getting used to the name “Elizabeth Line”. Im so excited to see it fully operational from next year. Plus I can trains at Shenfield or Stratford and hop on the Elizabeth Line train to Farringdon, Bond Street, Paddington, Reading and/or Heathrow Airport. Plus you can change from Elizabeth Line to Thameslink at Farringdon if you want to go to Brighton, Gatwick Airport, Wimbledon, East Croydon, Bedford, Peterborough, Cambridge and Luton Airport Parkway. And change at Whitechapel for another Elizabeth Line train to Custom House, Abbey Wood and Canary Wharf. It would make traveling through London much easier and quicker. Instead of interchanging for London Underground which the Elizabeth Line will provide quicker journey between Stratford and Ealing Broadway when the Central Line is busy during peak hours.