New Overground line names progress?

[Taunton]

At Whitechapel half the signs say Windrush and half say Overground, without either making any reference to the other. The changeover seems to be at the top of the escalators up from the Liz Line.

I does also seem that the new names have got very little traction among the general public.

 

[LUYMun]

Even today they still have announcements referring to "London Regional Transport" at dozens of tube stations which are now over twenty years out of date.

I’d be very interested at which stations these announcements are made. As far as I’m aware the oldest announcements I’ve heard on the tube were “delays on First Capital Connect services” at Kings Cross St Pancras earlier this year.

 

[stadler]

I’d be very interested at which stations these announcements are made. As far as I’m aware the oldest announcements I’ve heard on the tube were “delays on First Capital Connect services” at Kings Cross St Pancras earlier this year.

Edgware Road Bakerloo, High Street Kensington, Pimlico, Vauxhall, are four stations where i have heard "London Regional Transport" within the last three months. The day before yesterday was the last time i heard it. Any of the stations with the older Henrietta Bess announcements have it (the stations with Elinor Hamilton do not) so it can be heard at around fifteen stations. The main one is an announcement that says "Ladies & Gentlemen. Please be aware that smoking is not permitted at any London Regional Transport stations." and there are a couple others. There is also a very outdated one that plays at the same stations about saving time queing by getting a season ticket and ends with "please ask at the ticket office for a quotation" even though they no longer exist.

 

[Horizon22]

I does also seem that the new names have got very little traction among the general public.

It depends what you mean by the “general public”? I’ve known Londoners start to refer to the names without prompting.

 

[Lewisham2221]

I does also seem that the new names have got very little traction among the general public.

How are you judging this, out of interest?

I wouldn't expect to hear members of the general public refering to individual Underground lines by name - just "the Tube" or "the train" or "the Underground" - unless giving specific directions or referring to disruption affecting a particular line or part of the network, which is exactly the purpose of the line names. Much in the same way that I would generally refer to getting on a bus, rather than getting on a number 11, unless there was a need to be more specific. I wouldn't expect usage to be any different for the Overground - reference to the mode (train, Overground) most of the time, reference to the line (Windrush, Lioness etc) when needing to be more specific. Obviously some people will take longer than others to regularly use the new names, which is no different to any other situation where people continue refering to pubs, shops and other businesses by older names.

 

[Taunton]

How are you judging this, out of interest?

I wouldn't expect to hear members of the general public refering to individual Underground lines by name - just "the Tube" or "the train" or "the Underground" - unless giving specific directions or referring to disruption affecting a particular line or part of the network, which is exactly the purpose of the line names. Much in the same way that I would generally refer to getting on a bus, rather than getting on a number 11, unless there was a need to be more specific. I wouldn't expect usage to be any different for the Overground - reference to the mode (train, Overground) most of the time, reference to the line (Windrush, Lioness etc) when needing to be more specific. Obviously some people will take longer than others to regularly use the new names, which is no different to any other situation where people continue refering to pubs, shops and other businesses by older names.

By hearing it from people, for me principally in Wapping. For whom it is the Overground. Nobody by the way says East London Line any more.

 

[Lewisham2221]

By hearing it from people, for me principally in Wapping. For whom it is the Overground. Nobody by the way says East London Line any more.

But it is the Overground, so that doesn't really prove anything. Most people using the Underground would say they were using the Underground, or the Tube, or the train - they wouldn't say the name of the line(s) they were using unless there was a need to be more specific. It's the same with the Overground.

 

[StephenHunter]

I overheard someone using "Windrush Line" at work today.

 

[ijmad]

Most people I know locally who live on the Windrush line are now using its name.

Me included.

Can't speak for the rest, but the name seems to be taking hold in SE London.

But it is the Overground, so that doesn't really prove anything. Most people using the Underground would say they were using the Underground, or the Tube, or the train - they wouldn't say the name of the line(s) they were using unless there was a need to be more specific. It's the same with the Overground.

Exactly, I don't say "I'll be taking the Windrush line" unless I want to be specific about the route with someone, you'd just say "I'll take the train", or "I'll take the Overground", much as you'd say "I'll take the tube" not "I'll take the Bakerloo Line".

 

[duffield]

The real test is whether regular travellers can (e.g.) recognise their line name on the TfL "status board" when checking to see if there is disruption, not whether they talk about it in specific terms to other people. That could only be determined by asking the relevant questions in a proper survey, not by listening to chatter.

 

[boiledbeans2]

That will probably never be updated. London Underground are extremely slow at updating things. When it comes to station announcements they are very incompetent. Even today they still have announcements referring to "London Regional Transport" at dozens of tube stations which are now over twenty years out of date.

As the Northern Line has been completely messed up over the last 3 days, I've just heard an automated announcement saying tickets are accepted on "South West Trains".

 

[Dstock7080]

The main one is an announcement that says "Ladies & Gentlemen. Please be aware that smoking is not permitted at any London Regional Transport stations." and there are a couple others.

Pretty sure the announcement about smoking says “London Regional Transport bus stations”, but still well out of date

 

[Richardr]

Completely unscientific of course, but in my experience is that the names are used more, and are more helpful, where there is more than one line at the same location, my experience being at Highbury & Islington.

 

[Audioguy]

At Whitechapel half the signs say Windrush and half say Overground, without either making any reference to the other. The changeover seems to be at the top of the escalators up from the Liz Line.

I does also seem that the new names have got very little traction among the general public.

Members of my family of various ages talk about the Windrush at Hoxton.

Going to and from Euston for example its "Victoria and Windrush" or vice versa.

If you are ever using Google Maps to get around London as my daughter always does it only refers to the Overground lines by their new names so the names have quickly become embedded in their use of London transport.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

Tomorrow, 4 trains per hour are running from Watford Junction to Stratford and vice-versa, using the tracks from the low-level platforms that run onto the North London Line.

Should they be called the MildLion Line ?

 

[Class15]

Tomorrow, 4 trains per hour are running from Watford Junction to Stratford and vice-versa, using the tracks from the low-level platforms that run onto the North London Line.

Should they be called the MildLion Line ?

For me I’d just have them as London Overground services and be done with it. I’m sure they won’t but that would be more sensible IMO.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Tomorrow, 4 trains per hour are running from Watford Junction to Stratford and vice-versa, using the tracks from the low-level platforms that run onto the North London Line.

Should they be called the MildLion Line ?

Mildless?

 

[Bodiam]

Tomorrow, 4 trains per hour are running from Watford Junction to Stratford and vice-versa, using the tracks from the low-level platforms that run onto the North London Line.

Should they be called the MildLion Line ?

Presumably they will change voltage somewhere between Willesden Jct LL and Kensal Rise?

 

[boiledbeans2]

Tomorrow, 4 trains per hour are running from Watford Junction to Stratford and vice-versa, using the tracks from the low-level platforms that run onto the North London Line.

Should they be called the MildLion Line ?

See post #846 (page 29) in this thread for what to expect.

 

[norbitonflyer]

See post #846 (page 29) in this thread for what to expect.

That (Stratord to Watford Junction) was via Primrose Hill, this was via Hampstead Heath. But i can report, as i happened to be travelling between Kensal Rise and South Kenton this morning, that the train called itself a Mildmay Line train throughout.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Oct 2025 ==

Should they be called the MildLion Line ?

Mildness? Or maybe Mindless?

 

[ijmad]

Missed opportunity to refer to it as the "Mildness"

I suggested Mildness when they ran this service in June!

 

[Skimpot flyer]

I used the truncated Willesden Junction to Watford Junction service yesterday (Sunday 26th) and couldn’t understand why they didn’t just run the 4tph service to/from the Mildmay Line, as on the previous day?
One passenger on board, wearing headphones, was very surprised when we set off from WIJ in the opposite direction to what she was clearly expecting. People just don’t read notices, it seems