Transport for London (TfL) has announced that it will hold public weaving sessions to produce a textile version of a new London Overground sign.
Participants will work together to create a circular symbol of the Weaver Line that will be displayed at a station along the route and visible to millions of passengers.
To make navigation on the network easier, each of the six Overground lines will have a new name and a new color starting this autumn.
The overhaul requires one of the biggest changes in the history of public transport in the capital.
The Weaver Line will be the new name of the maroon route between Liverpool Street and Cheshunt, Enfield Town and Chingford.
It passes through areas with a long history of tapestries, art and design.
The web sessions will take place on 8 and 30 September at the Chingford Community Hub.
Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard, Deputy Mayor of London for Communities and Social Justice, said: “Naming the London Overground lines will make the network easier to navigate, while recognising and celebrating London’s unique local history and culture.”
A great opportunity to create a lasting work of art
Dr. Debbie Weekes-Bernard, Deputy Mayor
“The Weaver line, which starts in the autumn, will travel through areas of London known for their textile industries and shaped by different migrant communities and individuals over the centuries.
“I encourage Londoners to take part in these free community sessions, which are a great opportunity to create a lasting work of art for the London Overground Weaver Line.”
TfL Customer Director Emma Strain said: “The finished tapestry will symbolise the power of collaboration, unity and creativity of Londoners.”
Cockpit, a social enterprise supporting craftspeople, supports TfL in running the meetings.
The new names and colours for the London Overground lines are:
– The Lioness Line between Euston and Watford Junction (yellow). It honours the England women’s football team’s victory at the 2022 European Championships at Wembley, which lies on the line.
– The Mildmay line between Stratford and Richmond/Clapham Junction (blue). The Mildmay Mission Hospital in Shoreditch specialises in treating patients with HIV-related illnesses.
– The Windrush line between Highbury & Islington and Clapham Junction/New Cross/Crystal Palace/West Croydon (red). The name is a tribute to the Windrush generation who came to Britain from the Caribbean after World War II to fill the labour shortage. The line runs through areas with communities linked to the Caribbean.
– The Weaver line between Liverpool Street and Cheshunt/Enfield Town/Chingford (maroon). The line runs through areas known for the textile trade.
– The Suffragette Line between Gospel Oak and Barking Riverside (green). It is a tribute to the movement that fought for women’s suffrage. Barking was the home of suffragette Annie Huggett, who lived to the age of 103.
– The Liberty Line between Romford and Upminster (grey). It recognises that Havering, through which the line runs, historically had more self-government as a royal liberty.
