129-641: The Elizabeth line is a high-frequency hybrid urban – suburban rail service in London and its suburbs. It runs services on dedicated infrastructure in central London from the Great Western Main Line west of Paddington station to Abbey Wood and via Whitechapel to the Great Eastern Main Line near Stratford ; along the Great Western Main Line to Reading and Heathrow Airport in
258-529: A civil marriage , she would have been expected to renounce her right of succession . Margaret decided to abandon her plans with Townsend. In 1960, she married Antony Armstrong-Jones , who was created Earl of Snowdon the following year. They divorced in 1978; Margaret did not remarry. Despite Queen Mary's death on 24 March 1953, the coronation went ahead as planned on 2 June, as Mary had requested. The coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey
387-642: A hung parliament ; Heath's Conservatives were not the largest party but could stay in office if they formed a coalition with the Liberals . When discussions on forming a coalition foundered, Heath resigned, and Elizabeth asked the Leader of the Opposition , Labour 's Harold Wilson , to form a government. A year later, at the height of the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis , the Australian prime minister, Gough Whitlam ,
516-459: A psychiatric hospital with the intention of assassinating Charles, who was visiting the country with Diana and their son Prince William . From April to September 1982, Elizabeth's son Andrew served with British forces in the Falklands War , for which she reportedly felt anxiety and pride. On 9 July, she awoke in her bedroom at Buckingham Palace to find an intruder, Michael Fagan , in
645-403: A 2006 article, the political scientist Ted Balaker and the urban planner Cecilia Juong Kim stated that public rail transit provides certain benefits for a community but also that the goals of policymakers are not often met. They also note some American economists claim that contrary to popular belief, rail transit has failed to improve the environment, serve the poor, or reduce highway congestion in
774-404: A 30‑second moment of silence . As a result, much of the fury among the public softened, and the protests were called off. That November, the royal couple held a reception at Banqueting House to mark their golden wedding anniversary. Elizabeth made a speech and praised Philip for his role as consort, referring to him as "my strength and stay". In 1999, as part of the process of devolution in
903-439: A Royal Knockout in 1987 was ridiculed. In Canada, Elizabeth publicly supported politically divisive constitutional amendments , prompting criticism from opponents of the proposed changes, including Pierre Trudeau. The same year, the elected Fijian government was deposed in a military coup . As monarch of Fiji , Elizabeth supported the attempts of Governor-General Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau to assert executive power and negotiate
1032-413: A constant speed. Individual cars stop and start by releasing and gripping the cable as required. Cable cars are distinct from funiculars (whose cars are permanently attached to the cable) and cable railways (which are similar to funiculars but have rail vehicles that are attached and detached manually). Transit agencies' names for lines do not necessarily reflect their technical categorization. For example,
1161-582: A divorcé 16 years Margaret's senior with two sons from his previous marriage. Elizabeth asked them to wait for a year; in the words of her private secretary , "the Queen was naturally sympathetic towards the Princess, but I think she thought—she hoped—given time, the affair would peter out." Senior politicians were against the match and the Church of England did not permit remarriage after divorce. If Margaret had contracted
1290-500: A draft accession declaration in case the King died while she was on tour. In early 1952, Elizabeth and Philip set out for a tour of Australia and New Zealand by way of the British colony of Kenya . On 6 February, they had just returned to their Kenyan home, Sagana Lodge , after a night spent at Treetops Hotel , when word arrived of the death of Elizabeth's father. Philip broke the news to
1419-630: A formal mechanism for electing a leader, thus relieving the Queen of her involvement. In 1957, Elizabeth made a state visit to the United States, where she addressed the United Nations General Assembly on behalf of the Commonwealth. On the same tour, she opened the 23rd Canadian Parliament , becoming the first monarch of Canada to open a parliamentary session. Two years later, solely in her capacity as Queen of Canada, she revisited
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#17328514756941548-554: A further five units in July 2017, bringing the total number on order to 70. A number of Class 315 units that had been operating with TfL Rail remained in use on Elizabeth line services between Liverpool Street's terminal platforms and Shenfield alongside Class 345 units while the introduction of the new fleet – including the extension to nine-car formations – was completed. The Class 315 units, which had been built for British Rail in 1980–1981, could not be used in
1677-426: A number of feeder routes were considered by CLRL west of Paddington and east of Liverpool Street. It was viewed, given the 24 trains-per-hour (tph) core frequency, that two feeder routes, each of 12 tph, could be taken forward. In the west, a route to Maidenhead (later extended to Reading) and Heathrow Airport was selected. In the east, routes to Abbey Wood (curtailed from Ebbsfleet to avoid conflicts with
1806-462: A pitch of public interest that the boundary between fact and fiction has been lost sight of ... it is not just that some papers don't check their facts or accept denials: they don't care if the stories are true or not." It was reported, most notably in The Sunday Times of 20 July 1986, that Elizabeth was worried that Margaret Thatcher 's economic policies fostered social divisions and
1935-492: A planned transition to self-government. In 1965, however, the Rhodesian prime minister, Ian Smith , in opposition to moves towards majority rule , unilaterally declared independence while expressing "loyalty and devotion" to Elizabeth. Although Elizabeth formally dismissed him, and the international community applied sanctions against Rhodesia, his regime survived for over a decade. As Britain's ties to its former empire weakened,
2064-812: A settlement. Coup leader Sitiveni Rabuka deposed Ganilau and declared Fiji a republic. In the wake of coalition victory in the Gulf War , Elizabeth became the first British monarch to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress in May 1991. In November 1992, in a speech to mark the Ruby Jubilee of her accession, Elizabeth called 1992 her annus horribilis (a Latin phrase, meaning "horrible year"). Republican feeling in Britain had risen because of press estimates of Elizabeth's private wealth—contradicted by
2193-419: A son, he would have been heir apparent and above her in the line of succession, which was determined by the male-preference primogeniture in effect at the time. Elizabeth received private tuition in constitutional history from Henry Marten , Vice-Provost of Eton College , and learned French from a succession of native-speaking governesses. A Girl Guides company, the 1st Buckingham Palace Company ,
2322-455: A switched network. A funicular is a cable-driven inclined railway that uses the weight of descending cars to help pull the ascending cars up the slope. The term funicular derives from the Latin word funiculus , the diminutive of funis , meaning 'rope'. A cable car, in the context of mass transit, is a system using rail cars that are hauled by a continuously moving cable that runs at
2451-504: A tide of happiness and relief." During the war, plans were drawn to quell Welsh nationalism by affiliating Elizabeth more closely with Wales. Proposals, such as appointing her Constable of Caernarfon Castle or a patron of Urdd Gobaith Cymru (the Welsh League of Youth), were abandoned for several reasons, including fear of associating Elizabeth with conscientious objectors in the Urdd at
2580-697: A time when Britain was at war. Welsh politicians suggested she be made Princess of Wales on her 18th birthday. Home Secretary Herbert Morrison supported the idea, but the King rejected it because he felt such a title belonged solely to the wife of a Prince of Wales and the Prince of Wales had always been the heir apparent. In 1946, she was inducted into the Gorsedd of Bards at the National Eisteddfod of Wales . Elizabeth went on her first overseas tour in 1947, accompanying her parents through southern Africa. During
2709-560: A visit to the Grenadier Guards , of which she had been appointed colonel the previous year. As she approached her 18th birthday, Parliament changed the law so that she could act as one of five counsellors of state in the event of her father's incapacity or absence abroad, such as his visit to Italy in July 1944. In February 1945, she was appointed an honorary second subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service with
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#17328514756942838-1145: Is a railway in which the track consists of a single rail, as opposed to the traditional track with two parallel rails . The term possibly comes from 1897, from German engineer Eugen Langen , who called an elevated railway system with wagons suspended the Eugen Langen One-railed Suspension Tramway (Einschieniges Hängebahnsystem Eugen Langen). A commuter rail, regional rail or suburban rail system operates on mainline trackage, which may be shared with intercity rail and freight trains . Systems tend to operate at lower frequencies than rapid transit or light rail systems but tend to travel at higher speeds, have more widely spaced stations and cover longer overall distances. They have high passenger capacities per single train. Though many European and East Asian commuter rail systems operate with frequencies and rolling stock similar to that of rapid transit, they do not qualify as such because they share tracks with intercity/freight trains, or they have at grade crossings. For example, S-trains are hybrid systems combining
2967-567: Is due to the presence of a freight loop that would otherwise be cut off. Services on the Elizabeth line are operated exclusively by a fleet of nine-car Class 345 trains that was procured especially for this purpose. The service specifications called for approximately 60 trains, each 200 metres (660 feet) long and capable of carrying up to 1,500 passengers, of which 57 would be in service at any one time. In March 2011, Crossrail indicated that five bidders had been shortlisted as potential suppliers of both
3096-852: Is named the "Underground" and is commonly nicknamed the "tube". Systems in Germany are called "U-Bahn", which stands for Untergrundbahn ("underground rail"). Many systems in East, Southeast and South Asia like Taipei , Chennai and Singapore , are called "MRT", which stands for "mass rapid transit". Systems that are predominantly elevated may be referred to as "L", as in Chicago , or "Skytrain", as in Bangkok and Vancouver . Other less common names include "T-bane", which stands for "tunnelbana" (in Scandinavia, literally tunnel track ) and "MTR" (mass transit railway). A monorail
3225-572: Is not part of the Network Rail system but owned by Heathrow Airport Holdings , who charge TfL an additional fee for each train that uses it. Heathrow is nevertheless included within the Travelcard scheme and daily/weekly fare capping as fare zone 6 stations. Before the COVID-19 pandemic , the Elizabeth line was predicted to carry over 200 million passengers annually immediately after opening; this
3354-428: Is not, unlike rapid transit, fully grade-separated from other traffic. Light rail also generally operates with multiple-unit trains , rather than single tramcars. It emerged as an evolution of trams/streetcars. Light rail systems vary significantly in terms of speed and capacity and range from slightly improved tram systems to systems that are essentially rapid transit but with some level crossings. The term "light rail"
3483-597: Is sometimes known as "heavy rail" to distinguish it from light rail. Both heavy and light often refer to the capacity and sometimes to investment costs. In most parts of the world, such systems are known as a "metro", short for "metropolitan", which is itself short for " Metropolitan Railway ", the first such system in the world. The term "subway" is used in many American systems, as well as in Glasgow and in Toronto . The system in London
3612-542: Is the most common term especially in Americas, but German systems are called Stadtbahn , which translates to "city railway". Additionally " tram-train " systems are called Regionalstadtbahn and " semi-metro " systems are called U-Stadtbahn or U-Strab . A rapid transit system is a railway , usually in an urban area , with high passenger capacities and frequency of service and (usually) full grade separation from other traffic, including other rail traffic. It
3741-456: Is the name of the construction project and of the limited company , wholly owned by TfL, that was formed to carry out construction works. The Elizabeth line is the name of the new service that is on signage throughout the stations. It is named in honour of Queen Elizabeth II . The Elizabeth line roundel is coloured purple, with a superimposed blue bearing white text in the same style as for Underground lines. However, unlike Underground lines,
3870-434: Is used in most parts of the world. In North America, such systems are referred to as "streetcar" or "trolley" systems. In Germany, such systems are called Straßenbahn , which literally translates as "street train" or "street railway". A light rail system is a rail-based transit system that has higher capacity and speed than a tram, usually by operating in an exclusive right-of-way separated from automobile traffic, but it
3999-473: Is used to refer to various methods of providing faster bus services and the systems that use it have similar characteristics to light rail . Guided buses are buses capable of being steered by external means, usually on a dedicated track or roll way that excludes other traffic. Some cities experimenting with guided bus technologies, such as Nancy , have chosen to refer to them as 'trams on tires' ( rubber-tired trams ) and given them tram-like appearances. In
Elizabeth line - Misplaced Pages Continue
4128-522: Is valid for the whole length of the route, including stations outside London. The Elizabeth line is integrated with the London Underground, the wider TfL network and the National Rail networks; it is also included on the standard Tube map . Journeys to or from Heathrow Airport are priced at a premium due to using the rail tunnel between the airport and Hayes & Harlington . That stretch of line
4257-805: The Green Line in Boston is referred to as a subway although it is mostly made up of above-ground portions. Conversely, the Docklands Light Railway in London , C Line in Los Angeles , and some metro lines in China are referred to as "Light Rail" but qualify as rapid transit because they are fully grade-separated and provide a high frequency of service. Many cities use names such as subway and elevated railway to describe their entire systems, even if they combine both methods of operation. Slightly less than half of
4386-657: The London Underground 's tracks, for example, are actually underground. The New York City Subway also combines elevated and subterranean stations, and the Chicago "L" and the Vancouver SkyTrain use tunnels to run through central areas. A bus shares many characteristics with light rail and trams but does not run on rails. Trolleybuses are buses that are powered from overhead wires . Vehicles that can travel both on rails and on roads have been tried experimentally but are not in common use. The term bus rapid transit
4515-527: The Royal Navy throughout the Second World War), and had sisters who had married German noblemen with Nazi links. Marion Crawford wrote, "Some of the King's advisors did not think him good enough for her. He was a prince without a home or kingdom. Some of the papers played long and loud tunes on the string of Philip's foreign origin." Later biographies reported that Elizabeth's mother had reservations about
4644-696: The Silver Jubilee of her accession. Parties and events took place throughout the Commonwealth, many coinciding with her associated national and Commonwealth tours . The celebrations re-affirmed Elizabeth's popularity, despite virtually coincident negative press coverage of Princess Margaret's separation from her husband, Lord Snowdon. In 1978, Elizabeth endured a state visit to the United Kingdom by Romania 's communist leader, Nicolae Ceaușescu , and his wife, Elena , though privately she thought they had "blood on their hands". The following year brought two blows:
4773-647: The Social Democratic Party —Thatcher's political opponents. Thatcher's biographer John Campbell claimed "the report was a piece of journalistic mischief-making". Reports of acrimony between them were exaggerated, and Elizabeth gave two honours in her personal gift—membership in the Order of Merit and the Order of the Garter —to Thatcher after her replacement as prime minister by John Major . Brian Mulroney , Canadian prime minister between 1984 and 1993, said Elizabeth
4902-461: The Suez Canal . Lord Mountbatten said that Elizabeth was opposed to the invasion, though Eden denied it. Eden resigned two months later. The governing Conservative Party had no formal mechanism for choosing a leader, meaning that it fell to Elizabeth to decide whom to commission to form a government following Eden's resignation. Eden recommended she consult Lord Salisbury , the lord president of
5031-451: The TfL Rail brand. Following the practice adopted during the transfer of former Silverlink services to London Overground in 2007, TfL carried out a deep clean of stations and trains on the future Elizabeth line route, installed new ticket machines and barriers, introduced Oyster card and contactless payment , and ensured all stations were staffed. Existing rolling stock was rebranded with
5160-468: The Wanli Emperor , and remarked, "fortunately postal services have improved since 1602". Elizabeth's visit also signified the acceptance of both countries that sovereignty over Hong Kong would be transferred from the United Kingdom to China in 1997. By the end of the 1980s, Elizabeth had become the target of satire. The involvement of younger members of the royal family in the charity game show It's
5289-465: The royal house would take her husband's name, in line with the custom for married women of the time. Lord Mountbatten advocated for House of Mountbatten , and Philip suggested House of Edinburgh , after his ducal title. The British prime minister, Winston Churchill, and Elizabeth's grandmother Queen Mary favoured the retention of the House of Windsor . Elizabeth issued a declaration on 9 April 1952 that
Elizabeth line - Misplaced Pages Continue
5418-730: The service number 230873. She trained as a driver and mechanic and was given the rank of honorary junior commander (female equivalent of captain at the time) five months later. At the end of the war in Europe, on Victory in Europe Day , Elizabeth and Margaret mingled incognito with the celebrating crowds in the streets of London. In 1985, Elizabeth recalled in a rare interview, "... we asked my parents if we could go out and see for ourselves. I remember we were terrified of being recognised ... I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall , all of us just swept along on
5547-512: The 14-year-old Elizabeth made her first radio broadcast during the BBC 's Children's Hour , addressing other children who had been evacuated from the cities. She stated: "We are trying to do all we can to help our gallant sailors, soldiers, and airmen, and we are trying, too, to bear our own share of the danger and sadness of war. We know, every one of us, that in the end all will be well." In 1943, Elizabeth undertook her first solo public appearance on
5676-536: The 1981 Trooping the Colour ceremony, six weeks before the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer , six shots were fired at Elizabeth from close range as she rode down The Mall, London , on her horse, Burmese . Police later discovered the shots were blanks. The 17-year-old assailant, Marcus Sarjeant , was sentenced to five years in prison and released after three. Elizabeth's composure and skill in controlling her mount were widely praised. That October, Elizabeth
5805-577: The British government sought entry to the European Community , a goal it achieved in 1973 . In 1966, the Queen was criticised for waiting eight days before visiting the village of Aberfan , where a mining disaster killed 116 children and 28 adults. Martin Charteris said that the delay, made on his advice, was a mistake that she later regretted. Elizabeth toured Yugoslavia in October 1972, becoming
5934-681: The City of London. Work began on 15 May 2009, when piling works started at the future Canary Wharf station . Boring of the railway tunnels was officially completed in June 2015. Installation of the track was completed in September 2017. The European Train Control System (ETCS) signalling was scheduled to be tested in the Heathrow tunnels over the winter of 2017–2018. At the end of August 2018, four months before
6063-680: The Commonwealth ; she was the most widely travelled head of state . In 1956, the British and French prime ministers, Sir Anthony Eden and Guy Mollet , discussed the possibility of France joining the Commonwealth. The proposal was never accepted, and the following year France signed the Treaty of Rome , which established the European Economic Community , the precursor to the European Union . In November 1956, Britain and France invaded Egypt in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to capture
6192-577: The Elizabeth line is not classified as a London Underground line. Under the project name of Crossrail , the system was approved in 2007, and construction began in 2009. Originally planned to open in 2018, the project was repeatedly delayed, including for several months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic . In May 2015, existing commuter services on a section of one of the eastern branches, between Liverpool Street and Shenfield, were transferred to TfL Rail ; this precursor service also took control of Heathrow Connect in May 2018, and some local services on
6321-455: The Elizabeth line roundel includes the word "line". TfL Rail was an intermediate brand name which was introduced in May 2015 and discontinued in May 2022. It was used by TfL on services between Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 5 and Reading, as well as trains between Liverpool Street and Shenfield. Ten new stations have been built in the central and south east sections of the line, and 31 existing stations were upgraded and refurbished. Nine of
6450-724: The Elizabeth line won the RIBA London Building of the Year award, and won the Stirling Prize for the same year. Muyiwa Oki , RIBA president and chair of judges, said the Elizabeth line was "a triumph in architect-led collaboration" that transformed "the typical commuter chaos . . . into an effortless experience". Urban rail Urban rail transit is a wide term for various types of local rail systems providing passenger service within and around urban or suburban areas. The set of urban rail systems can be roughly subdivided into
6579-626: The Great Western and Great Eastern Main Lines, with possible later upgrades to ETCS. Communications-based train control (CBTC) is installed in the central section and the Abbey Wood branch. The Elizabeth line has depots in west London at Old Oak Common TMD , in south-east London at Plumstead Depot, and in east London at Ilford EMU Depot . Upon opening, the line ran as three physically separate services: between Reading or Heathrow Airport and Paddington in
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#17328514756946708-471: The King. And the King will never leave." The princesses stayed at Balmoral Castle , Scotland, until Christmas 1939, when they moved to Sandringham House , Norfolk. From February to May 1940, they lived at Royal Lodge, Windsor, until moving to Windsor Castle , where they lived for most of the next five years. At Windsor, the princesses staged pantomimes at Christmas in aid of the Queen's Wool Fund, which bought yarn to knit into military garments. In 1940,
6837-504: The North Kent lines) and Shenfield were selected. The Crossrail Act 2008 authorising the construction project received royal assent on 22 July 2008. In December 2008, TfL and the DfT announced that they had signed the "Crossrail Sponsors' Agreement". This committed them to financing the project, then projected to cost £15.9 billion, with further contributions from Network Rail , BAA, and
6966-635: The Paddington to Reading line in December 2019. These services were augmented by a new central section in May 2022, and rebranded as the Elizabeth line. The outer services were connected to the central section in November 2022. Since May 2023, the central section has had up to 24 nine-carriage Class 345 trains per hour in each direction. The line reached over 200 million trips annually in its second year of operation and carries one seventh of all trips by rail in
7095-930: The Palace —and reports of affairs and strained marriages among her extended family. In March, her second son, Prince Andrew, separated from his wife, Sarah ; her daughter, Princess Anne, divorced Captain Mark Phillips in April; angry demonstrators in Dresden threw eggs at Elizabeth during a state visit to Germany in October; and a large fire broke out at Windsor Castle , one of her official residences , in November. The monarchy came under increased criticism and public scrutiny. In an unusually personal speech, Elizabeth said that any institution must expect criticism, but suggested it might be done with "a touch of humour, gentleness and understanding". Two days later, John Major announced plans to reform
7224-531: The Reading or Heathrow branches reversing there. The Elizabeth line is currently operated by MTR Elizabeth line Limited under a contract with TfL which will expire in May 2025. It is also the line's first operator. Following a model similar to that used for the Docklands Light Railway and London Overground , TfL invited tenders for operation of the Elizabeth line. Unlike other National Rail operators under
7353-399: The TfL Rail identity. The Elizabeth line runs on an east–west axis across the London region, with branches terminating at Abbey Wood and Shenfield in the east, and at Heathrow Terminal 4, Heathrow Terminal 5 and Reading in the west. There are 41 stations. In the central section, there are interchanges with London Underground , National Rail , and Docklands Light Railway lines. Crossrail
7482-589: The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa , Pakistan , and Ceylon (known today as Sri Lanka), as well as head of the Commonwealth . Elizabeth reigned as a constitutional monarch through major political changes such as the Troubles in Northern Ireland, devolution in the United Kingdom , the decolonisation of Africa , and the United Kingdom's accession to the European Communities as well as its subsequent withdrawal . The number of her realms varied over time as territories gained independence and some realms became republics . As queen, Elizabeth
7611-449: The United Kingdom. In 2001, Cross London Rail Links (CLRL), a 50/50 joint-venture between Transport for London (TfL) and the Department for Transport (DfT), was formed to develop and promote the Crossrail scheme, and also a Wimbledon–Hackney scheme, Crossrail 2 . In 2003 and 2004, over 50 days of exhibitions were held to explain the proposals at over 30 different locations. In 2005, ahead of Crossrail's hybrid bill submission,
7740-400: The United States and toured Canada. In 1961, she toured Cyprus, India, Pakistan, Nepal , and Iran . On a visit to Ghana the same year, she dismissed fears for her safety, even though her host, President Kwame Nkrumah , who had replaced her as head of state, was a target for assassins. Harold Macmillan wrote, "The Queen has been absolutely determined all through ... She is impatient of
7869-461: The United States. They also claim economists are somewhat more optimistic about rail transit's impact on economic development. Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She had been queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during her lifetime and
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#17328514756947998-413: The attitude towards her to treat her as ... a film star ... She has indeed ' the heart and stomach of a man ' ... She loves her duty and means to be a Queen." Before her tour through parts of Quebec in 1964, the press reported that extremists within the Quebec separatist movement were plotting Elizabeth's assassination. No assassination attempt was made, but a riot did break out while she
8127-565: The characteristics of both rapid transit and commuter rail systems. Generally, S-trains share tracks with mainline passenger and freight trains, but the distances between stations and the service headway resemble metro systems. Automated guideway transit systems tend to operate with medium passenger capacities. Larger systems span a variety of conceptual designs, from subway-like advanced rapid transit (ART) systems to smaller (typically two to six passengers) vehicles known as personal rapid transit (PRT) which offer direct point-to-point travel along
8256-521: The core section: from Reading or Heathrow Airport to Abbey Wood; and from Paddington to Shenfield. As of May 2023, the off-peak weekday service is as follows: Some early morning and late night services run into Paddington mainline terminus instead of going through central London. Likewise, some early, peak-direction, and late trains run between Liverpool Street mainline terminus and Gidea Park, bypassing Whitechapel. When Old Oak Common opens, all trains will serve Old Oak Common, with those not serving
8385-480: The council . Lord Salisbury and Lord Kilmuir , the lord chancellor , consulted the British Cabinet , Churchill, and the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee , resulting in Elizabeth appointing their recommended candidate: Harold Macmillan . The Suez crisis and the choice of Eden's successor led, in 1957, to the first major personal criticism of Elizabeth. In a magazine, which he owned and edited, Lord Altrincham accused her of being "out of touch". Altrincham
8514-430: The devastation of the war. In post-war Britain , it was not acceptable for Philip's German relations, including his three surviving sisters, to be invited to the wedding. Neither was an invitation extended to the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII. Elizabeth gave birth to her first child, Prince Charles , in November 1948. One month earlier, the King had issued letters patent allowing her children to use
8643-464: The dismay of the royal family . The book describes Elizabeth's love of horses and dogs, her orderliness, and her attitude of responsibility. Others echoed such observations: Winston Churchill described Elizabeth when she was two as "a character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant." Her cousin Margaret Rhodes described her as "a jolly little girl, but fundamentally sensible and well-behaved". Elizabeth's early life
8772-461: The driver for use in the event of emergency. They will run at up to 90 mph (140 km/h) on certain parts of the route. Due to limited platform lengths at both Liverpool Street and Paddington National Rail stations, most Class 345 units were initially delivered as seven-car formations, then later extended to the intended nine. The first unit entered service on 22 June 2017, between Liverpool Street and Shenfield. TfL exercised an option to acquire
8901-404: The failure to fly a flag at half-mast over Buckingham Palace, caused public dismay. Pressured by the hostile reaction, Elizabeth agreed to return to London and address the nation in a live television broadcast on 5 September, the day before Diana's funeral . In the broadcast, she expressed admiration for Diana and her feelings "as a grandmother" for the two princes. As a result, much of
9030-407: The first British monarch to visit a communist country . She was received at the airport by President Josip Broz Tito , and a crowd of thousands greeted her in Belgrade . In February 1974, British prime minister Edward Heath advised Elizabeth to call a general election in the middle of her tour of the Austronesian Pacific Rim , requiring her to fly back to Britain. The election resulted in
9159-400: The first reigning British monarch to set foot on Russian soil. In October 1995, she was tricked into a hoax call by Montreal radio host Pierre Brassard impersonating Canadian prime minister Jean Chrétien . Elizabeth, who believed that she was speaking to Chrétien, said she supported Canadian unity and would try to influence Quebec's referendum on proposals to break away from Canada. In
9288-509: The first royal transatlantic telephone call on 18 May. In September 1939, Britain entered the Second World War . Lord Hailsham suggested that Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret should be evacuated to Canada to avoid the frequent aerial bombings of London by the Luftwaffe . This was rejected by their mother, who declared, "The children won't go without me. I won't leave without
9417-416: The following categories, which sometimes overlap because some systems or lines have aspects of multiple types. A tram , streetcar , or trolley system is a rail-based transit system that runs mainly or completely along streets (with street running ), with a relatively-low capacity and frequent stops; however, modern trams have a greater passenger capacity than traditional trams. Passengers usually board at
9546-423: The franchise control of the DfT, TfL sets fares, procures rolling stock and decides service levels. The operator takes only a small element of revenue risk, with TfL taking 90% and the operator 10%. In June 2013, TfL announced that Arriva , MTR Corporation , Keolis / Go-Ahead Group and National Express had been shortlisted to bid for the concession to operate Crossrail, which was under construction. Prior to
9675-403: The line from May 2025. In November 2024, GTS Rail Operations was chosen to operate the line for the period 2025–2032. Ticketing is integrated with the other London transport systems, but Oyster pay as you go is not accepted on the western section between West Drayton (the limit of London fare zone 6 ) and Reading, with only contactless cards valid there. The concessionary travel Freedom Pass
9804-501: The line of succession. When her grandfather died in 1936 and her uncle succeeded as Edward VIII, she became second in line to the throne, after her father. Later that year, Edward abdicated , after his proposed marriage to divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson provoked a constitutional crisis . Consequently, Elizabeth's father became king, taking the regnal name George VI. Since Elizabeth had no brothers, she became heir presumptive . If her parents had subsequently had
9933-445: The line's core section. The final four were withdrawn from service on 9 December 2022. Following the opening of the Elizabeth line, TfL experienced high passenger growth on the line. TfL noted that that extra capacity would be required when Old Oak Common railway station opens in the 2030s alongside the opening of High Speed 2 . TfL therefore pushed for funding from the DfT for additional trains. Following this, Alstom (new owners of
10062-455: The new fleet and its depot facilities; Alstom , CAF , Siemens Mobility , Hitachi Rail , and Bombardier Transportation – although Alstom withdrew four months later. Crossrail issued invitations to negotiate to the remaining bidders in March 2012, with submission of tenders expected between June and August. It was stipulated that bidders should offer a fleet based on technology that
10191-464: The new queen. She chose to retain Elizabeth as her regnal name, and was therefore called Elizabeth II. The numeral offended some Scots, as she was the first Elizabeth to rule in Scotland. She was proclaimed queen throughout her realms, and the royal party hastily returned to the United Kingdom. Elizabeth and Philip moved into Buckingham Palace. With Elizabeth's accession, it seemed possible that
10320-511: The opening of the central section, the concessionaire would operate the existing railway services using the TfL Rail brand. In July 2014, TfL awarded the contract to Hong Kong's MTR Corporation , for a duration of eight years with an option to extend by an additional two years. On 16 February 2024, TfL shortlisted four bidders – Arriva , FirstGroup / Keolis , MTR Corporation and GTS Rail Operations (a consortium comprising Tokyo Metro , Sumitomo Corporation and Go-Ahead Group ) – to operate
10449-645: The opinions and private lives of the royal family during the 1980s led to a series of sensational stories in the press, pioneered by The Sun tabloid. As Kelvin MacKenzie , editor of The Sun , told his staff: "Give me a Sunday for Monday splash on the Royals. Don't worry if it's not true—so long as there's not too much of a fuss about it afterwards." Newspaper editor Donald Trelford wrote in The Observer of 21 September 1986: "The royal soap opera has now reached such
10578-774: The original builder Bombardier) was awarded a £370 million contract in June 2024 to build an additional 10 Class 345 trains at its factory in Derby . This would increase the number of trains from 70 to 80. The Elizabeth line uses 25 kV, 50 Hz AC overhead lines , already in use on the Great Eastern and Great Western Main Lines. The Heathrow branch started using the European Train Control System (ETCS) in 2020. The Automatic Warning System (AWS) and Train Protection & Warning System (TPWS) are used on
10707-565: The platform-edge doors. All 41 stations are step-free from street to platform. Thirteen stations (the central and Heathrow stations) have level access between trains and platforms while other outer suburban platforms remain at their pre-existing height, about 200mm lower. This platform height difference was criticised by the Campaign for Level Boarding who said Crossrail's "poor decision making" meant "this brand-new railway has cornered itself into perpetually offering an inaccessible service." Although
10836-476: The popular press and by later biographers with raising his spirits and aiding his recovery. Elizabeth's only sibling, Princess Margaret , was born in 1930. The two princesses were educated at home under the supervision of their mother and their governess , Marion Crawford . Lessons concentrated on history, language, literature, and music. Crawford published a biography of Elizabeth and Margaret's childhood years entitled The Little Princesses in 1950, much to
10965-501: The private chapel of Buckingham Palace on 29 May, and she was named Elizabeth after her mother; Alexandra after her paternal great-grandmother , who had died six months earlier ; and Mary after her paternal grandmother. She was called "Lilibet" by her close family, based on what she called herself at first. She was cherished by her grandfather George V, whom she affectionately called "Grandpa England", and her regular visits during his serious illness in 1929 were credited in
11094-480: The public hostility evaporated. In October 1997, Elizabeth and Philip made a state visit to India, which included a controversial visit to the site of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre to pay her respects. Protesters chanted "Killer Queen, go back", and there were demands for her to apologise for the action of British troops 78 years earlier. At the memorial in the park, she and Philip laid a wreath and stood for
11223-452: The removal of various Canadian royal symbols during his term of office. In 1980, Canadian politicians sent to London to discuss the patriation of the Canadian constitution found Elizabeth "better informed ... than any of the British politicians or bureaucrats". She was particularly interested after the failure of Bill C-60, which would have affected her role as head of state. During
11352-403: The room with her. In a serious lapse of security, assistance only arrived after two calls to the Palace police switchboard. After hosting US president Ronald Reagan at Windsor Castle in 1982 and visiting his California ranch in 1983, Elizabeth was angered when his administration ordered the invasion of Grenada , one of her Caribbean realms, without informing her. Intense media interest in
11481-406: The royal finances, drawn up the previous year, including Elizabeth paying income tax from 1993 onwards, and a reduction in the civil list . In December, Prince Charles and his wife, Diana, formally separated. At the end of the year, Elizabeth sued The Sun newspaper for breach of copyright when it published the text of her annual Christmas message two days before it was broadcast. The newspaper
11610-403: The royal house would continue to be Windsor . Philip complained, "I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children." In 1960, the surname Mountbatten-Windsor was adopted for Philip and Elizabeth's male-line descendants who do not carry royal titles. Amid preparations for the coronation, Princess Margaret told her sister she wished to marry Peter Townsend ,
11739-542: The same period one year earlier. TFL later stated the line had carried over 150 million passengers in its first year of operation. By its second anniversary, more than 350 million trips had been made on the line, and it carried a seventh of all rail trips in the UK. In the fiscal year April 2023 to March 2024, the line carried 220 million passengers. A new station has been proposed to serve London City Airport , and extensions have been put forward to Ebbsfleet in
11868-490: The scheduled opening of the core section of the line, it was announced that completion was delayed and that the line would not open before autumn 2019. After multiple delays, in August 2020 Crossrail announced that the central section would be ready to open "in the first half of 2022". In May 2021, trial running commenced. On 17 May 2022, the line was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in honour of her Platinum Jubilee . She
11997-421: The south east, Milton Keynes in the north west, Staines in the south west, and Southend Airport in the east. TfL has introduced high-speed 4G and 5G mobile coverage in the first tunnelled section of the Elizabeth line between Liverpool Street and Paddington. This initiative, part of a broader plan to extend coverage across the entire Tube and London Overground network, aims to improve connectivity. In 2024,
12126-462: The street or curb level, but low-floor trams may allow level boarding. Longer-distance lines are called interurbans or radial railways . Modern trams also operate as self-propelled trains coupled through a multiple unit instead of individual trams and are often included within the broader term light rail ; however, they differ in that trams frequently share the platform with vehicular traffic and do not have signal priority. The term "tram"
12255-418: The style and title of a royal prince or princess, to which they otherwise would not have been entitled as their father was no longer a royal prince. A second child, Princess Anne , was born in August 1950. Following their wedding, the couple leased Windlesham Moor , near Windsor Castle, until July 1949, when they took up residence at Clarence House in London. At various times between 1949 and 1951, Philip
12384-423: The supply and maintenance of the trains and depot was valued at £1 billion. It included a firm order for 65 units from Bombardier's new Aventra family, plus an option for a further 18. The trains have air-conditioning and are designed to be as accessible as possible, including wide aisles and gangways, dedicated areas for wheelchairs , audio and visual announcements, CCTV , and passenger intercoms connected to
12513-421: The ten new-build stations opened for revenue service on 24 May 2022; the remaining station – Bond Street – required additional finishing works before commissioning could proceed. Trains passed through its platforms non-stop until it opened five months later on 24 October. All stations are equipped with CCTV and because of the length of trains, central stations have train indicators above
12642-525: The third time at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth in July 1939, Elizabeth—though only 13 years old—said she fell in love with Philip, who was 18, and they began to exchange letters. She was 21 when their engagement was officially announced on 9 July 1947. The engagement attracted some controversy. Philip had no financial standing, was foreign-born (though a British subject who had served in
12771-764: The throne in 1936 upon the abdication of his brother Edward VIII , making the ten-year-old Princess Elizabeth the heir presumptive . She was educated privately at home and began to undertake public duties during the Second World War, serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service . In November 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten , a former prince of Greece and Denmark . Their marriage lasted 73 years until his death in 2021 . They had four children: Charles , Anne , Andrew , and Edward . When her father died in February 1952, Elizabeth, then 25 years old, became queen of seven independent Commonwealth countries:
12900-404: The time the line opened, TfL had reduced their passenger forecasts because passenger travelling habits changed during the pandemic; the estimate was between 130 and 170 million passengers by 2026. However, the Elizabeth line carried 62.2 million passengers in the last quarter of 2022 alone. That was one-sixth of the UK's total rail journeys, and double the number the line carried during
13029-864: The tour, in a broadcast to the British Commonwealth on her 21st birthday, she made the following pledge: I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong. But I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution alone unless you join in it with me, as I now invite you to do: I know that your support will be unfailingly given. God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it. Elizabeth met her future husband, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark , in 1934 and again in 1937. They were second cousins once removed through King Christian IX of Denmark and third cousins through Queen Victoria . After meeting for
13158-430: The trains are 200 metres (660 feet) long, platforms at the new stations in the central core are built to enable 240-metre-long (790 ft) trains in case of possible future need. In the eastern section, Maryland and Manor Park have not had platform extensions, so trains use selective door opening instead. At Maryland this is because of the prohibitive cost of extensions and the poor business case, and at Manor Park it
13287-456: The union initially and teased Philip as " the Hun ". In later life, however, she told the biographer Tim Heald that Philip was "an English gentleman". Before the marriage, Philip renounced his Greek and Danish titles, officially converted from Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism , and adopted the style Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten , taking the surname of his mother's British family . Shortly before
13416-813: The unmasking of Anthony Blunt , former Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures , as a communist spy and the assassination of Lord Mountbatten by the Provisional Irish Republican Army . According to Paul Martin Sr. , by the end of the 1970s, Elizabeth was worried the Crown "had little meaning for" Pierre Trudeau , the Canadian prime minister. Tony Benn said Elizabeth found Trudeau "rather disappointing". Trudeau's supposed republicanism seemed to be confirmed by his antics, such as sliding down banisters at Buckingham Palace and pirouetting behind Elizabeth's back in 1977, and
13545-400: The wedding, he was created Duke of Edinburgh and granted the style His Royal Highness . Elizabeth and Philip were married on 20 November 1947 at Westminster Abbey . They received 2,500 wedding gifts from around the world. Elizabeth required ration coupons to buy the material for her gown (which was designed by Norman Hartnell ) because Britain had not yet completely recovered from
13674-548: The west; and along the Great Eastern Main Line to Shenfield in the east. The service is named after Queen Elizabeth II , who officially opened the line on 17 May 2022 during her Platinum Jubilee year ; passenger services started on 24 May 2022. Elizabeth line services are operated by MTR Elizabeth line under a concession from Transport for London (TfL). Despite being named under the same system as London Underground lines, and having sections which are underground,
13803-500: The west; from Paddington via Liverpool Street to Abbey Wood in the centre; and between Liverpool Street and Shenfield in the east. To connect between services, a walk between the separate stations at Paddington or Liverpool Street was required. Operating hours were limited, as well as the service running Monday to Saturday only - allowing for further testing and software updates to take place. When through-running began in November 2022, there were two main service groups, overlapping through
13932-469: The year that followed, public revelations on the state of Charles and Diana's marriage continued. In consultation with her husband and John Major, as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury ( George Carey ) and her private secretary ( Robert Fellowes ), Elizabeth wrote to Charles and Diana at the end of December 1995, suggesting that a divorce would be advisable. In August 1997, a year after the divorce, Diana
14061-495: Was "already developed", with the expectation that an "evolutionary, not revolutionary" product would help to ensure "value for money" and "[the] utmost reliability from day one". Siemens withdrew their rolling stock bid in July 2013, citing an increase in other business and a need to protect their "ability to deliver ... current customer commitments", which included the £1.6 billion Class 700 order for Thameslink . Their contract to supply Crossrail's signalling and control systems
14190-652: Was a "behind the scenes force" in ending apartheid. In 1986, Elizabeth paid a six-day state visit to the People's Republic of China, becoming the first British monarch to visit the country. The tour included the Forbidden City , the Great Wall of China , and the Terracotta Warriors . At a state banquet , Elizabeth joked about the first British emissary to China being lost at sea with Queen Elizabeth I 's letter to
14319-491: Was alarmed by high unemployment, a series of riots , the violence of a miners' strike , and Thatcher's refusal to apply sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa. The sources of the rumours included royal aide Michael Shea and Commonwealth secretary-general Shridath Ramphal , but Shea claimed his remarks were taken out of context and embellished by speculation. Thatcher reputedly said Elizabeth would vote for
14448-506: Was already established. In 1953, Elizabeth and Philip embarked on a seven-month round-the-world tour, visiting 13 countries and covering more than 40,000 miles (64,000 km) by land, sea and air. She became the first reigning monarch of Australia and New Zealand to visit those nations. During the tour, crowds were immense; three-quarters of the population of Australia were estimated to have seen her. Throughout her reign, she made hundreds of state visits to other countries and tours of
14577-651: Was born on 21 April 1926, the first child of Prince Albert, Duke of York (later King George VI), and his wife, Elizabeth, Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother). Her father was the second son of King George V and Queen Mary , and her mother was the youngest daughter of Scottish aristocrat Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne . She was delivered at 02:40 ( GMT ) by Caesarean section at her maternal grandfather's London home, 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair . The Anglican Archbishop of York , Cosmo Gordon Lang , baptised her in
14706-469: Was denounced by public figures and slapped by a member of the public appalled by his comments. Six years later, in 1963, Macmillan resigned and advised Elizabeth to appoint Alec Douglas-Home as the prime minister, advice she followed. Elizabeth again came under criticism for appointing the prime minister on the advice of a small number of ministers or a single minister. In 1965, the Conservatives adopted
14835-611: Was dismissed from his post by Governor-General Sir John Kerr , after the Opposition-controlled Senate rejected Whitlam's budget proposals. As Whitlam had a majority in the House of Representatives , Speaker Gordon Scholes appealed to Elizabeth to reverse Kerr's decision. She declined, saying she would not interfere in decisions reserved by the Constitution of Australia for the governor-general . The crisis fuelled Australian republicanism . In 1977, Elizabeth marked
14964-584: Was expected to relieve pressure on London Underground's lines, especially the Central line . Farringdon is expected to become one of the busiest stations in the UK, due to it being the key interchange station with Thameslink services. In a business plan for the line published in January 2020, TfL predicted total annual revenues from the line of nearly £500 million per year in 2022/23 (its first full year of operation) and over £1 billion per year in 2024/25. By
15093-510: Was forced to pay her legal fees and donated £200,000 to charity. Elizabeth's solicitors had taken successful action against The Sun five years earlier for breach of copyright after it published a photograph of her daughter-in-law the Duchess of York and her granddaughter Princess Beatrice . In January 1994, Elizabeth broke the scaphoid bone in her left wrist as the horse she was riding at Sandringham tripped and fell. In October 1994, she became
15222-452: Was formed specifically so she could socialise with girls her age. Later, she was enrolled as a Sea Ranger . In 1939, Elizabeth's parents toured Canada and the United States. As in 1927, when they had toured Australia and New Zealand , Elizabeth remained in Britain since her father thought she was too young to undertake public tours. She "looked tearful" as her parents departed. They corresponded regularly, and she and her parents made
15351-555: Was in Montreal ; her "calmness and courage in the face of the violence" was noted. Elizabeth gave birth to her third child, Prince Andrew , in February 1960; this was the first birth to a reigning British monarch since 1857. Her fourth child, Prince Edward , was born in March 1964. The 1960s and 1970s saw an acceleration in the decolonisation of Africa and the Caribbean. More than 20 countries gained independence from Britain as part of
15480-484: Was killed in a car crash in Paris. Elizabeth was on holiday with her extended family at Balmoral. Diana's two sons, Princes William and Harry , wanted to attend church, so Elizabeth and Philip took them that morning. Afterwards, for five days, the royal couple shielded their grandsons from the intense press interest by keeping them at Balmoral where they could grieve in private, but the royal family's silence and seclusion, and
15609-482: Was not scheduled to attend the event, but decided to attend with her son, Prince Edward , to unveil the plaque commemorating the official opening. Though the main tunnels under central London had not yet been opened, passenger operations on the outer branches of the future Elizabeth line were transferred to TfL for inclusion in the concession – this took place over several stages beginning May 2015. During this initial phase of operation, services were operated by MTR under
15738-445: Was occasional republican sentiment and media criticism of her family—particularly after the breakdowns of her children's marriages, her annus horribilis in 1992, and the death in 1997 of her former daughter-in-law Diana —support for the monarchy and her personal popularity in the United Kingdom remained consistently high. Elizabeth died aged 96 at Balmoral Castle , and was succeeded by her eldest son, Charles III. Elizabeth
15867-471: Was served by more than 170 prime ministers across her realms. Her many historic visits and meetings included state visits to China in 1986, to Russia in 1994, and to the Republic of Ireland in 2011, and meetings with five popes and fourteen US presidents. Significant events included her coronation in 1953 and the celebrations of her Silver , Golden , Diamond , and Platinum jubilees . Although there
15996-629: Was spent primarily at the Yorks' residences at 145 Piccadilly (their town house in London) and Royal Lodge in Windsor. During her grandfather's reign, Elizabeth was third in the line of succession to the British throne , behind her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales , and her father. Although her birth generated public interest, she was not expected to become queen, as Edward was still young and likely to marry and have children of his own, who would precede Elizabeth in
16125-717: Was stationed in the British Crown Colony of Malta as a serving Royal Navy officer. He and Elizabeth lived intermittently in Malta for several months at a time in the hamlet of Gwardamanġa , at Villa Guardamangia , the rented home of Philip's uncle Lord Mountbatten . Their two children remained in Britain. As George VI's health declined during 1951, Elizabeth frequently stood in for him at public events. When she visited Canada and Harry S. Truman in Washington, DC, in October 1951, her private secretary Martin Charteris carried
16254-527: Was televised for the first time, with the exception of the anointing and communion . On Elizabeth's instruction, her coronation gown was embroidered with the floral emblems of Commonwealth countries. From Elizabeth's birth onwards, the British Empire continued its transformation into the Commonwealth of Nations . By the time of her accession in 1952, her role as head of multiple independent states
16383-520: Was the monarch of 15 realms at her death. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days is the longest of any British monarch , the second-longest of any sovereign state , and the longest of any queen regnant in history . Elizabeth was born in Mayfair , London, during the reign of her paternal grandfather, King George V . She was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother ). Her father acceded to
16512-455: Was the subject of another attack while on a visit to Dunedin , New Zealand. Christopher John Lewis , who was 17 years old, fired a shot with a .22 rifle from the fifth floor of a building overlooking the parade but missed. Lewis was arrested, but instead of being charged with attempted murder or treason was sentenced to three years in jail for unlawful possession and discharge of a firearm. Two years into his sentence, he attempted to escape
16641-465: Was unaffected. In December 2013, the European Investment Bank (EIB) agreed to provide TfL loans of up to £500 million to fund the rolling stock procurement, following TfL's decision in March of that year to abandon plans to cover most of the cost with private financing. TfL and the DfT announced in early February 2014 that Bombardier's bid had been successful. The 32-year contract for
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