As London’s newest train line opens to the public, we take a look at 11 things you probably didn’t know about the Elizabeth Line
It’s named in honour of the late Queen
Previously known to the British public as Crossrail, the Elizabeth Line was named in honour of Queen Elizabeth II. Before her death she unveiled a plaque at Paddington Station to commemorate the new line. This is just one of the 11 things you probably didn’t know about the Elizabeth Line.
It runs for 73 miles
When the whole line opens in 2023 the Elizabeth Line will run from Reading in the west to Shenfield in the East. This will make life much easier for Londoners and visitors alike.
It’s an engineering miracle
The talented team of engineers had to bore 26 miles of tunnels, making sure they didn’t damage the foundations of any of the 175,000 buildings perched above the ground. At Tottenham Court Road the borers passed 85 cm above the Northern Line tunnel and 35 cms below the plies supporting the escalators.
3,500 skeletons were discovered
At a site near Liverpool Street Station, archaeologists found 3,500 skeletons in the Bedlam burial pit from the Great Plague of 1665. The skeletons have now been reinterred in Essex.
The platforms are like Cathedrals
Because the trains are 200-metres long (almost twice the length of tube trains) the platforms are much longer and higher. Each station has a different design that nods to where it is in the city.
It’s changed the face of the tube map
London’s iconic tube map has had a refresh – proudly adding the Purple Elizabeth Line to its design.
It’s three and a half years late
Yes, Covid put a stop to a lot of things but there’s no excuse really for such a delay. But let’s rejoice that it’s here now and enjoy all the fun of travelling on a new railway line
It cost £19 billion pounds to build
The sums of money involved are eye-watering and the project has gone way over budget. But it’s here and already there’s talk of the line bringing more visitors to London than ever before.
It’s very fast
Passengers travelling on the new Elizabeth Line can jump on at Paddington Station and be whisked to Canary Wharf in a mere 17 minutes. And the entire journey from Paddington in the west to Abbey Wood in the East will only take 29 minutes.
Tickets are cheaper than you think
The journey from west to east or vice versa will only cost £4.30.
There are plans ready for Crossrail 2
Plans have already been drawn up to create another new line that runs from the north to the south of London. If it goes ahead, wonder if it will be called the Charles Line?