Saturday 14 Sep 2024
UPDATED - TfL celebrates the launch of the London Overground Lioness line, as a former England player surprises the future generation of women's football
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- Press release updated with additional images
- TfL hosts a football festival at Regent’s Park to celebrate the London Overground line that will become the Lioness line this autumn
- Young players from the Regent’s Park Youth League and Middlesex Football Association Disability League treated to a surprise visit by former England player Ellen Maggs
- Each of the six London Overground lines will be given a new name and colour this autumn, to make it easier for customers to navigate the network, while celebrating London’s diverse culture and history
Transport for London (TfL) hosted a football festival on Saturday 14 September alongside Regent’s Park Youth League and Middlesex FA Pan-Disability League to mark the launch of the London Overground between Euston and Watford Junction, which will become the Lioness line this autumn.
Aspiring young footballers were met by surprise guest former Lioness Ellen Maggs, who spoke with the young players and awarded trophies to the winning teams.
Young players from Middlesex FA Pan-Disability League took part in a special match which was refereed by TfL’s Surekha Griffiths, who was recently crowned FA Grassroots Official of the Year. Surekha won the award for her role in refereeing disability football games, as well as other youth football games. She recently spoke about her journey alongside Lionesses Leah Williamson and Chloe Kelly on TfL’s Mind the Gap podcast, which is available here.
Seb Dance, the Deputy Mayor for Transport, said: "We’re pleased to be renaming the London Overground lines to make it easier for Londoners to navigate our network. The Lioness line commemorates the England women’s football team’s unforgettable Euros win in 2022, which sparked a step change in attitudes towards women’s football all around the country and changed the football landscape forever.
"It was fantastic to see today’s event bring together young aspiring footballers, to highlight the legacy of the Lionesses trophy, and to celebrate the new name of the London Overground line from Watford to Euston."
Trish Ashton, Director of Rail & Sponsored Services for TfL, said: "It was really moving to see so many young people come together for this special footballing event to mark the London Overground Lioness line, and especially for them to be surprised by a former Lioness.
"The London Overground Lioness line celebrates the achievements of the England women's national football team, and we hope that when people travel on the line and see girls playing football in their local parks like we’ve seen today that it helps to encourage girls of all age groups to become more involved in sport."
Surekha Griffiths, FA Grassroots Official of the Year 2023, said: “It’s been an honour to be part of this special event to mark the London Overground Lioness line and to see so many young footballers come together to encourage more people to take up sport.
"The Lioness line will forever remind us of that special moment in 2022 which made sporting history and will inspire for generations to come."
Contact Information
TfL Press Office
Transport for London
0343 222 4141
pressoffice@tfl.gov.uk
Notes to editors
Filming and photography opportunities are available from 11.00 on Saturday 14 September from the Hub at Regent’s Park please contact the TfL press office for more information via pressoffice@tfl.gov.uk
About the names for the London Overground lines
- The Lioness line: Euston to Watford Junction. The Lioness line, honours the historic achievements and lasting legacy created by the England women's football team that continues to inspire and empower the next generation of women and girls in sport
- The Mildmay line: Stratford to Richmond/Clapham Junction. The Mildmay line honours the small NHS charitable hospital that has been caring for all Londoners over many years, notably its pivotal role in the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s, which made it the valued and respected place it is for the LGBTQ+ community today
- The Windrush line: Highbury & Islington to Clapham Junction/New Cross/Crystal Palace/West Croydon. The Windrush line honours the Windrush generation who continue to shape and enrich London’s cultural and social identity today
- The Weaver line: Liverpool Street to Cheshunt/Enfield Town/Chingford. The Weaver line celebrates an area of London known for its textile trade, shaped over the centuries by diverse migrant communities and individuals
- The Suffragette line: Gospel Oak to Barking Riverside. The Suffragette line celebrates how the working-class movement in the East End paved the way for women's rights – recognising women as equals in our democracy, in the past, present continuing into the future
- The Liberty line: Romford to Upminster. The Liberty line celebrates the freedom that is a defining feature of London and references the historical independence of the people of Havering
About TfL's Mind the Gap podcast series
- This series of TfL’s ‘Mind the Gap’ podcast, hosted by Tim Dunn, will include six episodes dedicated to each of the new London Overground lines
- The Suffragette podcast was released on 6 September and can be found here:
- The Liberty podcast was released on 28 August and can be found here:
- The Mildmay podcast was released on 16 July and can be found here:
- The Lioness podcast was released on 31 July and can be found here:
- Last year TfL launched its first official podcasts series with the 'Mind the Gap' podcast. The series celebrated 160 years of the Tube network, with interviews from people who have helped shape it, such as Wayne Hemingway who designed the London Underground uniform and London's Night Czar Amy Lamé. Tim also interviewed famous TV and radio personality Rylan, about his love of the Tube
- All the contributors who featured in the podcast volunteered and were not paid a fee for their involvement
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