Transport for London has unveiled the new names and colours for six lines on the Overground network.
Last year TfL announced a £4 million plan to give each London Overground line its own name and identity, and these have now been confirmed, alongside an update to the iconic Tube map.
Going forward the lines will be coloured (with parallel lines) and known as follows:
- Yellow: The Lioness line (Euston to Watford Junction) – honouring the England women’s football team
- Blue: The Mildmay line (Stratford to Richmond/Clapham Junction) – honouring the hospital in Shoreditch which had a pivotal role in the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s
- Red: The Windrush line (Highbury & Islington to Clapham Junction/New Cross/Crystal Palace/West Croydon) – honouring the Windrush generation
- Maroon: The Weaver line (Liverpool Street to Cheshunt/Enfield Town/Chingford) – inspired by areas of London known for their textile trade
- Green: The Suffragette line (Gospel Oak to Barking Riverside) – celebrating the Suffragette movement
- Grey: The Liberty line (Romford to Upminster) – celebrating “the freedom that is a defining feature of London and referencing the historical independence of the people of Havering)
The London Overground network was launched in 2007 when TfL took over four under-used suburban railway lines, and has grown to cover 100 miles of railway, serving 113 stations and all nine London fare zones.
TfL admitted that the current set-up had “become represented by a spaghetti of orange on the Tube maps”, with research showing that some customers find the network confusing.
The rebranding process is expected to be completed by the end of the year, including an updated Tube map and refreshed London Overground network map. The existing orange roundel will continue to be used to signify the Overground network as a whole.
The move follows the creation of a new Superloop bus network last year, which aims to add over four million extra kilometres to the bus network in outer London.
Commenting on the news Andy Lord, London’s transport commissioner, said:
“The London Overground is one of the most successful railways in the country and has grown to carry more than three million customers a week.
“The network, which has grown quite considerably since 2007, is currently shown as a complicated network of orange on route maps.
“This can be confusing for customers less familiar with the network and could be a barrier for some wanting to use the London Overground.
“These new names and line colours will simplify the maps and routes for our customers, and it is hoped it will encourage more people to make the most of our services. It is also a great way to tell the stories of some important parts of London’s cultural diversity.”
