A new line on the London’s train system is going to be named Elizabeth line after the Queen. This has been announced just a couple a days ago and reported by all major newspapers and news agencies in the country.
It was the Tuesday on 23 February when the Queen herself attended the ceremony for unveiling a purple sign for the new line, along with Mayor of London Boris Johnson.
The work on the new line is still in progress. Up until now the project was known simply as the Crossrail project. The expected date of completion is in December 2018 and the line, which will run through most of Central London and end at a station on Bond Street and, according to the prognosis of transport industry specialists, is expected to service at least half a million passengers a year.
The London train system, both underground and the overground ones, are among the most important means of transportation for people living and visiting the capital. In addition to the practical significance of the system, which no one can deny, there is a historical context to be taken into account here as well. London’s metro trains were the first of their kind when they were created in the latter half of the 19th century. In many respects the Tube and the Overground have changed the cities are built, developed and traveled in modern society. It changed our cities in every respect – from the public transport to the way public rubbish removals are conducted to the suburban expansion that has happened several times already in the history of the capital.
The Elizabeth line is not the first segment of the train system in London to be named in honor of a royalty. Actually it is not even the first one that pays tribute to Elizabeth II. The Jubilee Tube line was named in honor of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977. And there is of course the Victoria Line, which has its name in honor of Queen Victoria, probably the most important British monarch of the past couple of centuries.
As for the current Queen Elizabeth II here are some facts about Her Majesty you might not have been acquainted with up until now:
- In 2015 Her Majesty became the longest reigning British monarch, surpassing the achievement of Queen Victoria of 63 years on the throne. She is also one of the six British monarchs to have ruled for over 50 years.
- England has had 12 Prime Ministers since Elizabeth II ascended to the throne.
- There have been six Popes in the Vatican during her rule.
- Queen Elizabeth II is a patron to over 600 charities and organizations, and over 400 she has been dealing with since 1952.
- She is the best travelled and hardest working British Monarch to date, with visits to all Realms multiple times and many special meetings with heads of states around the globe.
- The first football match The Queen attended was the 1953 FA Cup Final.