Tube map set for huge change after Overground lines given names and colours

The new Overground lines have been announced (Picture: Getty/PA)

The new names and colours of the revamped Overground lines have been revealed.

The six names will be Lioness, Mildmay, Windrush, Weaver, Suffragette and Liberty and will be rolled out in the autumn.

They are being introduced to help make the network easier to navigate and is one of the biggest changes in the history of the capital’s tube map.

Each route will be represented on Tube maps as parallel lines in different colours.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the specific names were chosen to honour and celebrate ‘different parts of the London’s unique local history and culture’.

London Overground lines have all been coloured orange on the map since the network was created in 2007 when Transport for London (TfL) took control of services on four suburban rail lines.

The network has expanded significantly since then, creating what has been described as a ‘mass of orange spaghetti’ on maps, making it difficult for some passengers to work out what train they need.

The changes are estimated to cost £6.3 million, which will be paid for out of Mr Khan’s Greater London Authority budget.

Caption: London Overground lines to be given unique lines and colours credit: PA

The names and colours for London Overground lines will be:

The Lioness line (yellow):

This will between Euston and Watford Junction.

The line honours the England women’s football team winning Euro 2022 at Wembley which is on the line.

The Mildmay line (blue):

This will run between Stratford and Richmond/Clapham Junction.

The line is named after Mildmay Mission Hospital in Shoreditch, which specialises in HIV related illnesses.

The Windrush line (red):

This will run between Highbury & Islington and Clapham Junction/New Cross/Crystal Palace/West Croydon.

The name honours the Windrush generation, who came to the UK from the Caribbean to fill labour shortages after the Second World War and runs through communities linked to the Caribbean.

The Weaver line (maroon):

This will run between Liverpool Street and Cheshunt/Enfield Town/Chingford. The line runs through areas known for the textile trade.

The Suffragette line (green):

This will run between Gospel Oak and Barking Riverside.

This is in tribute to the movement that fought for votes for women. Barking was home to suffragette Annie Huggett, who lived to 103.

The Liberty line (grey):

This will run between Romford and Upminster.

This celebrates how Havering, which the line runs through, historically had more self-governance through being a royal liberty.

Public address announcements will be re-recorded and around 6,000 station direction signs will be updated.

Mr Khan said: ‘This is a hugely exciting moment, transforming how we think about London’s transport network.

‘Giving each of the Overground lines distinct colours and identities will make it simpler and easier for passengers to get around.

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‘In reimagining London’s tube map, we are also honouring and celebrating different parts of London’s unique local history and culture.

‘The new names and colours have been chosen through engagement with passengers, historians and local communities, reflecting the heritage and diversity of our amazing city.’

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