How Old is the Elizabeth Line, Really?

A new line that's over 180 years old.

[@Apollo_Mint]

I look forward to the day when London Underground opens the Orient Express line to Beijing. Via Croydon.

[@jerribee1]

Well, there is a goods service from Yiwu to Barking. Not quite the same thing , I know.

[@andrewgwilliam4831]

Mornington Crescent!

[@mfaizsyahmi]

Imagine the oyster zones though

[@viridimontes]

You mean Clapham?

[@yuanzhaojiang8279]

I’m living in Beijing, and I’m waiting;)

[@radagastwiz]

The repurposing of the Connaught Tunnel is probably my favorite aspect of the whole affair. It's now carrying far more trains than its designers - or anyone familiar with it up to a couple decades ago - could possibly have imagined.

[@steinarjonsson_]

I just noticed in that final clip how the "Lizzy line" carriages have diagonal lines that indicate whether the carriage is towards the front of the train or back of the train, exempt for the center carriage which has diagonal lines in each direction. It's a small detail but I think it's cool. 🤗

[@emjayay]

The cars aren't as cute as Tube trains though.

[@Garner84]

@@emjayay Nothing can be as cute and as hellish during rush hour ;)

[@MrGreatplum]

The history of our railways is quite remarkable. It amazes me that structures that are 180 years old are, with some modifications, still being used today for the same purpose!

[@eattherich9215]

The Victorians knew how to build.

[@michaelcampin1464]

I nearly got hit by a train in the late sixties walking through the docklands with my family. I was only about 6 or 7 years old . But the DLR uses alot of the old docklands railway system especially at Stepney East or Limehouse. Which was lifted and then reinstated

[@thomasburke2683]

Your family brought you trespassing on the railway when you were six or seven, and you were not taken into care !!! The health and safety police must have been on strike that day, or perhaps not yet invented. The good old days!

[@michaelcampin1464]

@@thomasburke2683 it was about 1967 so ive obviously survived but it was a well worn short cut in those days. A bit different to today

[@roderickmain9697]

Perhaps it should have been called Ecclesiastes line:- Ecclesiastes 1:9: What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Nice work, Jago.

[@whyyoulidl]

Jah knows!

[@highpath4776]

We couldnt spell it

[@joethebrowser2743]

Just what you need on a Sunday afternoon. 👍🏻🇬🇧

[@rodjones117]

Yes!

[@baywesty]

I remember watching a looong time ago a documentary about the digging of crossrail. The episode about the modifications on the connaught tunnel was just epic. The central section (divided in two tunnels passing just under the canal between the two Docks) couldn't cope with the future traffic of a modern line. So they dried the canal, demolished the central section by the top and built a concrete modern section of the tunnel allowing the train to pass full speed . The construction team and their management were almost ashamed to demolish such a part of historic solid, quality brick build. I recommend this episode.

[@SportyMabamba]

I watched a similar (maybe the same?) programme and they said how the brick arch was so tough it was very difficult to demolish!

[@RaglansElectricBaboon]

Any idea of the name of this documentary?

[@SportyMabamba]

@@RaglansElectricBaboon “The Fifteen Billion Pound Railway”

[@RaglansElectricBaboon]

@@SportyMabamba thank you

[@guyr.6053]

London, and the whole Britain actually, should be grateful for those 19th century entrepreneurs for building their current day excellent transport network... Those railways and some ROW (Right of Ways) are a treasure, since in most countries planning has kickstarted for cars in the 1950s, and now every transit project is a pain in the ass because of NIMBYs...

[@iankemp1131]

Yes, indeed, and that was true of London too. We narrowly escaped multiple ring roads. That being said, as has been pointed out before, we probably wouldn't have some key current tube lines without the "dodgy American", Charles Tyson Yerkes (boo! hiss! cheer!)

[@guyr.6053]

@@iankemp1131 ...and you also dodged serious bullets in the Beeching cuts of the 1960s. Lucky chaps, rest of England got it harsher if I'm not mistaken

[@iankemp1131]

@@guyr.6053 True, but virtually all lines in London were carrying so much traffic that they couldn't realistically be closed. A lot of the lines cut by Beeching carried very little traffic and haven't been missed. He's also been blamed for some subsequent closures of lines which were down for retention, notably Oxford-Cambridge and Skipton-Colne. Several closed lines should have had the route safeguarded so that they could be reinstated if circumstances changed (as they have), and some were fortunately retained for good local/social reasons, notably St Erth-St Ives which is now an invaluable park-and-ride route. And naturally I'm delighted that several scenic but uneconomic lines were retained.

[@flippop101]

The work you put into your videos is very much appreciated. Watching your channel like sitting down in an armchair with a good book.

[@daveyoder9231]

I do love the sounds of the trains accelerating. The sound of adventure! Or at least one of them. . .

[@CorvoFG]

Ride the Bakerloo. At the moment, you get that, shaken apart and half baked to death!

[@nixcails]

"The sound of adventure!" actually the sound of 'Aventra' the Bombardier Class 345 rolling stock. 🙃

[@emjayay]

The sounds changed in London and elsewhere with the introduction of AC motors on newer cars (carriages).

[@1258-Eckhart]

@@emjayay They did, but I noticed that the 345 had a distinct GEC DC-motor rumble. It sounded like an SR EMU.

[@shortj61]

At one time Liverpool Street platforms 1&2 connected had a tunnel connecting them to the Hammersmith & City lines.

[@trevorelliston1]

Last thought to have been used in 1906 for a Metropolitan Railway train for an excursion to Great Yarmouth

[@Bunter.948]

Yet another brilliant job, Well done Mr H. and Thanks, Simon T

[@ystumanner1142]

You make very good points about the joining up some very old railways with a brand new section of line which, in effect, enables modernization of the much older sections and, at the same times, makes them much more useful and convenient to the modern passenger.

[@rosiefay7283]

A perfect video to watch after a day out in London including my first ride on the Elizabeth Line. Thank you, Jago!

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

While London Heathrow has a direct rail connection, for New Yorkers and those in New Jersey who want to fly from New York JFK or Newark Liberty, we have to take the AirTrain from the Jamaica LIRR and E/J/Z hub or the Howard Beach-JFK station (A) for JFK, and from the Newark Liberty International NJ Transit and Amtrak station for Newark respectively. But if you want to go to LaGuardia, guess what?! You're stuck taking a bus or a taxi and enjoy the authentic NYC traffic...splendid! Anyway, the AirTrain is a monorail and it currently costs *EIGHT DOLLARS* per ride (I say currently because it used to be five dollars but they increased it to 7.75 in 2019 and then increased once more to 8 in 2021). And you must pay this fare if you want to both enter AND exist at the stations I already mentioned, because only those stations on the systems have barriers. While the rest of them at the terminals and rental car facilities don't. The only ones who get to ride for free are those connecting to another terminal, as one of the routes of the AirTrain just circles around the terminals. A regular MetroCard fare in the rest of the city is 2.75 (a bargain compared to 8), and if you're going to EWR you'd have to pay for the NJ Transit fare. Whether you're going to JFK and EWR by subway and NJ Transit respectively on top of paying for the AirTrain, just going to and from the airport is a pricey way to begin and end a trip. So you might be asking yourself, why are they charging eight dollars for a MONORAIL ride for a short journey to the airport? Because it's the NY metro...the Port Authority of NY & NJ (co-owned by these state governments) knows people will still pay because that's just how it is.

[@WerewolfLord]

Sounds almost like the Vancouver situation, except the trains do run direct from YVR airport into "downtown" Vancouver. But, there is a $5 surcharge if you buy a ticket at the airport. A 2-zone ticket to downtown is $4.45. But if you pay at a YVR ticket machine or tap a credit card at a YVR faregate, you get stung for $9.45. It's almost worthwhile to have someone meet you at the airport with a ticket bought at a non-airport station.

[@ArmyJames]

@@WerewolfLord That’s a straight-up gouge, pure and simple.

[@nixcails]

TfL Rail charged me £14 for the journey from Paddington to Heathrow back in January with Railcard discount. Locally a 75 mile journey from Plymouth to St Ives or Penzance is £13. Although I guess this helps fill the seats that empty at Exeter and Plymouth and brings in some extra revenue.

[@goatgamer001]

Why you again??????

[@emjayay]

Our esteemed recently thrown out mid term governor Cuomo backed a similar AirTrain for LaGuardia. It would have linked with a subway station that was farther from Manhattan than the airport, and still a two-mode trip. Replacement gov dumped the plan. The obvious answer (with two alternate routes) is to extend a subway line (N) to the airport for a one-mode trip. It now ends relatively close to it with a bus connection. You could also take the same bus from upper Manhattan and it does have luggage racks. Fun fact: the bus from the N to LaGuardia does not have dedicated freeway or street lanes, but will probably get them finally meanwhile. Problems with the N extension: NIMNBYism, and the fact that it is elevated at that point but would have to dive under a runway to get to the airport. I think this is what will happen though. Since WWII London has built several mostly new lines (plus the Overground), extended others, and completely reconfigured many stations, as has Paris and other cities. Vienna built a whole underground system starting in the 1970's. NYC has managed a few new stations on short extensions to two lines, somehow at a cost of three or four times other places. That's it. Meanwhile one line stops halfway down Brooklyn instead of continuing a few miles to connect with the others like it was intended to do. Vast areas of Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx have no subway or other local rail. The replacement governor immediately suggested a new line from Brooklyn to Queens mostly using little used existing rail lines. It has been proposed for decades. Meanwhile there are almost no lines between boroughs without going through Manhattan.

[@nigelfoster6151]

Amongst other claims to fame, I understand that Liverpool Street operated the most intensive steam commuter service in the world, back in LNER days. It included trains leaving the main line at Ilford to operate the Fairlop Loop (now the Hainault Loop of the Central Line). Liverpool Street must have been revolting before the War.

[@MrDavil43]

For my tenth birthday in 1958 my parents offered me a party at home or a day visiting the London termini. I chose the latter. Starting at Liverpool Street I was excited to see 70000 Britannia standing at the buffers. It was an almost brand new loco and I have never forgotten the feeling of seeing my first "Brit". I always associate Liverpool Street with that day, so, yes it was filthy and sometimes choking, but for me it was simply heaven. My parents, were they still here, might have a different opinion!

[@nigelfoster6151]

Ps Jago, I love your videos.

[@johnmurray8428]

The revoltingness ofLiverpool Street 1969-72 was a major reason I emigrated, I just did not want to spend my life commuting through it every day for the rest of my working days!

[@jimthorne304]

I think that was the 'Jazz Service'.

[@MrDavil43]

@@jimthorne304 Indeed it was, with the yellow stripes along the roof line of each coach to denote first class compartments, unless I'm remembering it all wrong! Many's the time I travelled in the Brake section at the end of the train with mum and my baby sister's pram as we went to Enfield Town for the weekly shop. I'd watch the N7 tank through the end window and just fell in love with steam locomotion as a result.

[@johnfry1011]

Lovely closing shot of the water tower near Southall

[@leonnehaaijman4709]

That answers my question, thank you :)

[@whyyoulidl]

@@leonnehaaijman4709 mine too!

[@thestargateking]

Would be fun to calculate the average age of the Elizabeth line, you could do it by station and make it easy, or do it by track allingment and divide the corridor up into segments, calculate the age of each segment, if a segment has multiple ages you gotta average that out too.

[@stepheneyles2198]

That sounds like a job for Geoff Marshall!!

[@richardeyers322]

@@stepheneyles2198 yeah and in 50 years time it will be fim dun and siddy holloway doing it.

[@robertewalt7789]

Weight the ages by the mileage of each segment.

[@mittfh]

@@richardeyers322 Then if there were branches from the main line which have since been abandoned, you'll need Paul and Rebecca Whitewick... ...and if it turns out any stations En-route had quirky platform numbering (or even a Platform Zero), it's time to give London's Stand-up Mathematician, Matt Parker a call (since he's done some collabs with Geoff). By which time, they'll likely all have been invited to a pub to play a very obscure tabletop game with Tom Scott (and his obligatory red T-shirt).

[@thestargateking]

@@robertewalt7789 this is sounding like a job for stand up maths

[@SirKorot]

A note on that map shown at 5:20: The Stratford/Shenfield branch of CR only branches off east of Whitechapel, not between it & Liverpool St.

[@emjayay]

C'mon London, do something with the old North Woolwich station building since it managed to not be knocked down. (Any plans?)

[@Mr79Shahin]

It’s a lovely building - I walk by it everyday, but north woolwich is so deprived. It needs a lot of in investment. The station is currently being used as a community meeting hall

[@stephenreardon2698]

Jago, there is surely at least 2 videos (0ne for each of the 2 historic branches) in looking at each of the historic stations, seeing how much or little has changed. Some of the stations seem to have been completely rebuilt for the coming of the Elizabeth line, whilst other seem to have had little more than some new signs & a lick of paint.

[@AndreiTupolev]

Lovely lighting highlighting the detail of the roof there at Paddington2:56.

[@jay9021]

I Love your commentey, You are always funny and having a bit of a go!

[@dodgydruid]

My late father worked Abbey Wood signalbox when he was relief based first at Charlton then found a new base at Charlton Lane Xing as British Rail found it easier to find a lower grade signalman for Charlton Lane than replacing a higher grade at Charlton, think he was passed out as far as Slade Green southwards and St Johns poss New Cross northwards. A relief signalman not only had to know his own "patch" of line down to the nearest foot much like a driver would have to but also the patches he relief covered for down to the nearest foot and in the evenings he would be sat there with his pastel BR rule books and workings publications, for fun in later years he maintained several boxes that on occasion BR would send him to like Effingham Jnc when he was at Wimbledon A, Balham was another one, Hither Green another he worked sometimes when he was at London Bridge.

[@philipfischer1612]

talking of reused Old Railways reminds me of the Epping to Ongar section of the Central Line/GER which is back in use as a historical railway on summer weekends.. as well as the Lea Bridge Road Station that got brought back into use.... (and there's a nice Pub down the Road on the Navigable Section of the River Lea, North of Hackney Marshes )

[@jwillisbarrie]

Thanks for adding actual captions for the Deaf

[@ReubenAshwell]

A brilliant video as always, plenty of history in this about the lines that later became connected and known as the Elizabeth line. :)

[@davidty2006]

Basically taking bits of old lines and constructing a new bit to connect them up. Gotta love kit bashing.

[@andrewphipps8103]

I was going to say (before I heard the end part of the video) that you’ve done an amazing job keeping the video as succinct as possible, considering the vast swathes of information that you had. As always, a fantastic and interesting job!

[@lukestevens8735]

So next year we could have a celebrations for 185 years of the Elisabeth line? Not sure TfL would approve but it could be a big Jago, Geoff and Tim joint celebration!

[@Duececoupe]

Old school in many ways, design, architecture, I don't handle modern contraptions very well as I find 💀☠️🤯 ugly....I think that we need a second spring of Art Deco! Hopefully, I'll find myself in Londinium soon, as I've got to renew my Swedish passport, I imagine that there'll tons of Deja Vu's after watching your videos! Keep up your phenomenal work Squire! 🍻

[@zetectic7968]

Just a reminder that with the Industrial Revolution, there were many railways built early on with if not "cutting edge" then experimental technology. Back in the 1960s/early 70s I vaguely recall being driven to catch the Woolwich ferry and there were railway tracks in the cobbled roads to move goods around the docks (long gone now no doubt)

[@matthewdunderdale8685]

cross-eliz-purpline, lizzy line etc... brilliant video (forever grateful that youtubes algorithm suggested jago's videos after i binge watched a load of geoff's... those who know, know)

[@mkendallpk4321]

In other words- Old becomes new again. Another great job by Jago!

[@lostcarpark]

Everything you say is valid, but I think it's worth noting that almost all of the deep level tube lines have been connecting Victorian railways into or through Central London. The DLR, London Overground and even Croydon Tramlink have all mostly been built out of recycled old railways.

[@SimonRML2456]

Is it me or at the end of the episode, the train pulling away sounds like an old C stock 🤔 another enjoyable episode, even though I can't hear much more on Lizzys line, you sir make it more bearable 😊 enjoyed by myself whilst having a beer, wearing lederhosen and dancing round the Vienna woods 🍺🍺🍺😜😜😜

[@AidanMmusic96]

Nice to see Catford Bridge, my new local station!

[@cheeksgt]

THANKS ALOT JAGO! 😠 Now I have to put on my false moustache and dark glasses and secretly make my way to London again to explore all the trainspotery in your recent videos! DAMN YOU AND YOUR FANTASTIC CONTENT!!!

[@tangerinedream7211]

Rivalries, deals, trying to stop others, are we talking railways or the search for a new prime minister.

[@eattherich9215]

😂

[@scottc1589]

The old adage "What's old is new again" certainly applies to the new - as you called it - "Lizzie Line." I'd certainly enjoy more videos with your perspective on the line shaded purple.

[@lewismassie]

The deeper you look into many large scale projects like this the more often you realise they're reskinned old things. Weirdly often actually

[@horsenuts1831]

The converted water tower at 2:35 is an interesting story in itself. About 10 years ago I bought something on eBay from a chap who lives in it and went to collect it (turns out he ripped me off, but that's another story!). He gave me some of the story about it. At some point (think 1970s) it was some sort of hippy collective commune and they ended up buying it from whatever authority that owned it. Many of the old hippies still live in it (as pensioners).

[@303cerebral]

Thanks for posting. I had tried searching and found Tattersall castle which looked similar, but knowing it was a water tower (Southall) helped me find it. Interesting story.

[@petervaughan6854]

I would love to see a video about the many stations of Reading - particularly about how they amalgamated the two central stations (I believe the south western maintained their own) and why Reading West never got axed, as it seems to mostly get used for skipping fares 😅

[@david_rocky_road]

And also the recent extensive refurbishment. Reading is my local station and it would be awesome to know more about it!

[@jimthorne304]

An off-beat story about the closure of the Reading SW station, a third rail was run into some lines in Reading General, and notice was given to all drivers that there was now a live electric rail. One driver peed off the footplate of a steam loco onto the track (common practice in steam days apparently), the stream hit the third rail, and the driver was thrown across the cab by the shock! Apparently a more explicit notice was then posted about the third rail and its dangers....

[@Jonago.]

Having traveled the line between Liverpool Street and Goodmayes last week, I have to say, the line is looking rather good. A fun thing to note: between Stratford and Goodmayes, there are several stations with short platforms, making it so that only the first 7 of the 9 train sections can open their doors. I also now know what it feels like to see a bit of the line I have used being mentioned in the video!

[@sharynkhan1104]

Manor park is one of those, even though the tannoy lady tells you that you need to move further down the carriage the amount of people that don't is hilarious.

[@trainsonthebrain]

Lovely stuff Jago. Looking forward to the full connection opening up - I've specifically delayed one of my next videos for around the timeframe so hopefully it's open when they predict in the autumn!

[@timsully8958]

For me, the creation of Betty’s Basement has been an illustration of how much of the railway system has been created, i.e. a lesson in how to create something new by repurposing and improving what you already have at your disposal 🤔 It reminds me of the Central Line acquisition of the old LNER route around Leyton, Hainault, etc: of the repurposing of the knackered and under used old Nth London and Metropiltan East London Section lines; the rationalisation of the Bakerloo to create a separate line (i.e. The Jubilee); the swapping of stations traditionally part of a different line to rationalise routes (I’m thinking the District, Piccadilly and Central Lines out west); the reinvention of the Northern Line City section from Finsbury Park; and all the others I have forgotten or can’t be arsed to remember as I have to go to work soon 🤔 Top stuff as ever old chap 👍🍻🍀

[@Kevinfordsynthesizers]

Glad I found you sir.

[@paulyp9163]

A few weeks ago I was on the Abbey Wood branch, seeing wide-eyed travellers marvelling at the new trans that I'd been using from Goodmayes for about seven years.

[@AtheistOrphan]

‘Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue’ (Or purple in this case).

[@adrianrutterford762]

Thanks for another interesting video

[@tardismole]

It's just a new service on an already existing line, then. All hype and upgrades, plus better customer service (including signage) and full step-free access. I hope.

[@N00N01]

As i wrote on another video ----------------- _We are finaly seing part of the City widened lines_ *A plan by the(i guess) 1880s , propustorous how long railways need to be pushed trough the aproval to progress*

[@ShainThomas]

More videos like this would be very nice.

[@SpiritmanProductions]

Good video, as usual, but isn't Whitechapel on the Shenfield branch rather than the Abbey Wood branch?

[@AndreiTupolev]

0:43What a beautiful map that is (and still largely accurate even today, though there are now a lot more Tube lines of course).

[@patrickovsiu]

Probably the biggest non-Tube change in that diagram was the connection of ELL and NLL at the expense of Broad Street.

[@pvuccino]

It's funny that the part that wasn't recently built are the third and fourth oldest lines in London! Now all they need is to build another line from Greenwich to Birmingham and we're set!

[@brettpalfrey4665]

I think the Heathrow section was essentially open in early 1996, but the tunnels under the runways took a little longer!

[@AndrewGruffudd]

It's rather like the Dear Old Queen (to differentiate her from common-or-garden queens like me, ducky), who owes a lot to far more ancient monarchs stretching back to Alfred. Indeed, when land is at a premium, it seems silly to lay down new tracks to places which, ostensibly, are still the same as when they were when they were there.

[@Figulus]

It would be interesting to calculate the weighted average age of the Elizabeth line as a whole. You'd need to know the year each section of track opened, (as was outlined in this video,) and the length of each section as a percentage of the total track length of the line...

[@teecefamilykent]

Fantastic video sir:-).

[@Joel-hz1so]

It sort of blows my mind that the old Victorian sections of the route have toilets in the station but the new state of the art section under london does not. The powers to be, did not consider it necessary to construct toilets in their new above ground fancy station buildings, even when they knew that there won't be toilets on board the trains. Long distance intercity commutes without toilets 🙄

[@michaeld5888]

A strong bladder needed to get from Shenfield to Reading so not really for anyone over 50 and strong legs also as the rolling stock is based on standing room more than sitting. I can see why they have dropped emphasis on the cross rail name as it is really just another internal London transport tube line stretching a bit more out to East and West. The total transport block London imposes to anyone to the East getting West is as large as ever. To think my Wife and I initially imagined through trains from Ipswich to Plymouth or Swansea would happen with its cross rail name. They seem to have dumped that name now. Even getting from Shenfield to Reading will need extensive research on where to disembark to take comfort stops and their accessibility. Just sort of adds to the confused mess in what passes for public transport in the UK. Plenty of bladder range anxiety will be happening on the line. No Country for Old Men for sure.

[@thomasburke2683]

Joel, Traditional railway operators catered for the needs of real people. Now they are designed by computers which have no understanding of human needs. The humans who control these computers don't use trains and if asked will no doubt reply "let them wear nappies".

[@bobsteryt]

Tbf the vast majority of people travelling on the Elizabeth Line won't be going the full Shenfield to Reading. I assume it's most busy in the central section and for commuters coming in from the west and east.

[@highpath4776]

@@michaeld5888 I think the idea is if you want to get to Reading you change at Paddington anyway onto a non-stop faster Reading Service . And who in Twyford would want to go to Brentwood ?

[@michaeld5888]

@@highpath4776 Who actually knows where Twyford is? This is all very London centric as is this Elizabeth line in its overall concept. The original cross rail title was rather unfortunate as it seems to be designed for travel from the edges of London in and back.

[@andrewroadnight1864]

great info thank you

[@highpath4776]

I find when walking sometimes I cut accross the West End. Sometimes I just crawl around it (late at night after a good night in Soho)

[@oldman4353]

Yes you are correct not all of the Elizabeth line is a new route. However this is not uncommon in London. Most of the lines have large sections that used to be part of another line or railway. The Central Line & The Jubilee Line for example. All this makes the lines far more efficient and allows the lines to carry more trains.

[@JamesPetts]

I do approve of new/old railways. I think that you are a little harsh on rivalry and private enterprise, however. While some of it was daft and short-sighted, the alternative would be a system dominated by a single powerful authority, which would have been far more prone to abuse the effects of which would be much worse than the excesses of the 19th century rivalry: lines would have been built principally to serve the military rather than the public, building costs would have been corruptly inflated (and thus far fewer lines built), where lines were built would have been based on corrupt political considerations rather than commercial considerations the latter of which at least has some relationship to what people actually want. It was, of course, in a state controlled system that the Beeching axe was wielded (as a result of political corruption and abuse of power).

[@andyrichardsvideovlogs8835]

Thank you, for a northerner that certainly puts the geography of the Purple line into perspective.

[@zitzong]

So basically most of the Elizabeth line is not really new. The 'new line' you will often hear being marketed, is really to attract passengers to use the service. I would describe it as a 'new service' with a new line in the core section in central London.

[@edwardstables5153]

Yeah, but the new central section makes it so much more than just the sim of the old parts. Or, it will once through services are running.

[@RedKnight-fn6jr]

A plot for a similar video down the line (excuse the pun) --> The Jubilee Line actually dates from 1932 when the Stanmore Branch of the Metropolitan opened in 1932 - it was extended to Baker Street as a branch of the Bakerloo Line in 1939, then as a 'new' line to Charring Cross in 1979 (originally to be the Fleet Line) before finally reaching Stratford in 1999.

[@iankemp1131]

Too late, Jago already got there with several good videos covering this!

[@hakc97again]

And not forgetting the bit between Canning Town and Stratford existed 150 years before the JLE

[@RedKnight-fn6jr]

@@hakc97again I think that's the former North London Line now converted to the latest DLR extension (2011 or 2012) - AFAIK, the Jubilee line was built as an entire new permanent way in parallel.

[@stephenfrost2272]

Despite the often nonsensical competition, it is hard not to admire the vision of the 19th Century railway entrepreneurs. They could never have imagined something like the Elizabeth Line project, nor, perhaps would they have funded it to the eye watering amount this has cost. We hear a lot of spin about how it will revolutionise travel for all Londoners, but I suspect anyone wishing to go from North London to south of the river may not see it that way,

[@thatguyfromcetialphaV]

I'm surprised the ghost of Yerkes didnt have a hand in it...

[@europhile2658]

Good video. I traveled from Reading to Ealing Broadway the other day, nice a/c trains just perfect for this weather. No loos though. They claim there is a Loo on each station on that line. Reading is a good model to follow but Ealing Broadway keeps its only loo tucked out of site on platform 4. When the station was built that probably didn't matter. When I first heard about Crossrail, circa 2004, there was supposed to be another pair of tracks. Obviously that plan failed. I wonder whether the Eastern lines were supposed to get other lines? Keep up the good work with the videos, very informative

[@walker1054]

I know it's controversial but this is why I think it was overpriced. The new parts are only around 20km/13miles and cost £20bn or so. The other thing is that technically it has no stations in new locations either apart from 1 doesn't it? Same reason why I'm not a fan of Crossrail 2 which is the same, vast majority on old rail and no new stations and will cost £30bn, I feel like making a line that serves actual new areas where there currently isn't a station would be nice instead of making the current service better for existing lines. But it would help with capacity in central london and avoid people needing to change as much which is one of the main reasons for crossrail 1 & 2. Still seems weird that 50 year old proposals just happen to still be whats best for London today. Like if we brought in a few transit experts from Japan or China 10 years ago and didn't tell them about plans for Crossrail 1 or 2 would they come up with those routes themselves? Or maybe they'd suggest something different. I think what Paris is doing with the Grand Paris Express line 15 would be more beneficial to every day journeys.

[@stepheneyles2198]

Thank you for informing us about the heritage behind the Elizabeth line! I'm wondering when they'll start shouting about the next 'project of the century' which will surpass the E. l. in complexity and cost!

[@AndreiTupolev]

HS2 😑

[@Mr79Shahin]

I live near Silvertown and witnessed the disused track being converted to Crossrail. I do think they missed a trick though by not including a station for London City Airport, especially given how close the old Silvertown station was to LCY!

[@hakc97again]

I read somewhere there are proposals to build a station to serve London City Airport but it would be funded by them (£50 million to be exact). I think that would be cool to be able to travel from Heathrow Airport to another London Airport direct on train. Luton to Gatwick eat your heart out

[@Mr79Shahin]

@@hakc97again yeh apparently City Airport offered to cough up the cash and build it, but TfL refused! I was thinking the same, LCY to LHR would be cool and would have opened up many more transit opportunities perhaps…

[@RJSRdg]

If done, it would mean that Reading would have direct public transport connections to no fewer than five airports! However there have been calls for LCY to be closed given how easy it will soon be to get from the Docklands to Heathrow.

[@Mr79Shahin]

@@RJSRdg London City are currently out for consultation to expand their operational capacity so I don’t think there is any chance of them closing unfortunately

[@francesconicoletti2547]

The achievement is joining three 19th century main line railways across the center of London. Renaming bits of those lines and the link actually obfuscates the achievement. London has always been built on London, visiting the White Tower and discovering that it’s builders had used the Roman Walls as part of its defences was interesting.

[@mikeprior-jones7779]

It struck me the other day how similar the route of Crossrail is to the Post Office Railway. Both start at Paddington, serve a couple of stops in the West End (Rathbone Place is very close to TCR station) and then continue to Clerkenwell (Farringdon or Mount Pleasant) before continuing to Liverpool St and Whitechapel.

[@rodjones117]

Interesting - never thought about that.

[@DavidShepheard]

So they could have saved 15 billion pounds, if they had designed Crossrail to work with small pod-sized trains. ;-)

[@iankemp1131]

@@DavidShepheard Or a high-speed conveyor belt where passengers are all rotated into a horizontal position and whizzed along for 15 minutes. Shades of Thunderbird 1!

[@dlevi67]

The 'lack of planning and common sense' is still there today. Compare the integration of Heathrow into multi-modal transport with that of (for example) Schipol or Zurich. Thank you, as ever, for an enjoyable video.

[@channelsixtysix066]

Jago's commentary painted a picture of a bowl of spaghetti that's taken the best part of 200 years to sort out.

[@ladiorange]

Great video

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

Sure, you could take the Woolwich Ferry across the Thames. But why do that when you can be a Chad and walk the Woolwich foot tunnel instead? I mean you're already walking, there's nothing wrong with doing more exercise! Plus you'll be away from the elements.

[@whyyoulidl]

Dear Leader, I highly agree. Who on earth would disagree with our dear Leader? 🙂

[@rodjones117]

The Tunnel's quicker, usually, if you have to wait very long for the ferry, Supreme Leader.

[@plug2e]

Is the castellated building in the background at 6:24 a water tower? I used to live in New Milton, Hampshire and there's one there just like it close to the railway station there.

[@MartinMenge]

I think adding geographic maps to your videos will increase the value in viewing immensely. Perhaps as an overlay during B-roll, especially when talking about locations which may be unfamiliar to many of your viewers. I think there might be tool out there that can do most of the heavy lifting fairly easily. Maybe with After Effects

[@PupRiku]

I'm in London next month, going to be riding about. After that I'll be watching your videos with the eyes of a hawk incase I'm captured haha

[@benlu]

Would love to know the kinds of improvements they've made to the existing stations and especially track!

[@Garner84]

More access, 95% step-free. Overpasses and new entrances, full electrification, etc

[@harbl99]

"The railways of London are crazy." There it is, right there: the tagline of this channel.

[@john1703]

The new trick was getting the new trains to talk to the old signalling systems, which are different at both ends of the new underground bit, with its new signals!

[@georgec2126]

Re the rivalry: just imagine just how incredible a railway in the capital we could have had if all those over-inflated egos had been able to see the bigger picture and worked together to provide transport for London. Seriously.

[@chazzyb8660]

So Jago, you are saying it's much like HS2, which is basically 'adjacent' to the old Great Central Railway - without a lot of the connectivity?

[@fredashay]

I still want to go from Spleenpool Street to Meowing Riverside via Ilchrysler...

[@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian]

“The Lizzie” Getting rather familiar Jago 😂

[@GeorgeChoy]

I hope to go on it on my first week back in the UK.

[@DudeFrom1972]

I'm curious to know what the the tower-like structure in the left hand side in the last piece of footage is and also where the footage was recorded ?

[@TheEarlofK]

As my regular route is from Shenfield into Liverpool Street, I can tell you that the upgrade for the Elizabeth Line is welcome, but still not a service I would choose as it takes double the time (45-50 minutes) of the semi-fast Greater Anglia service to Liverpool Street. Under British Rail, and its successor Network Rail, it was a filthy, dilapidated service with clapped-out rolling stock. Things improved slightly when taken over by TfL, and the new Elizabeth Line rolling stock is clean and air conditioned, the service also being more reliable and frequent. Apart from an additional platform at Shenfield, you wouldn't notice much difference apart from the change in signage, but after years of weekend closures due to signalling work, I presume that the whole Line from Shenfield to Liverpool Street has been re-wired.

[@imsbvs]

I used to live between Gants Hill undeground and Ilford "Main Line" stations, whilst most of my travel into London was on the Central Line I did occasionally travel via Ilford. The faster trains stopped at Stratford, Ilford, Romford etc onwards, whilst others stopped at all the intermediate stations too .. but just occasionally a train would switch to the second track and run fast to Ilford, the aim of my journeys was to seek out these fast trains, sit at the front and hope the driver kept his blind up so I could watch as the train sped through all the intermediate stations (especially Stratford)

[@xqqqme]

Noting the person the ferry at 04:29 is named after. Early in my advertising career, a commercial director in New York told me that "some say her husband helped start World War II just to further her career."

[@thomaskosvic6103]

I wonder what station could be called the oldest station that would still be closest to it's original appearance? As an observer from the US I thoroughly enjoy learning about London transport.

[@RJSRdg]

The oldest station closest to its original appearance is Liverpool Road station in Manchester (now the Museum of Science and Industry) which until a few years ago was still connected to the National Network.

[@v_0]

Yes! More maps, thank you.

[@likklej8]

Wasn’t the Connaught tunnel used for military freight during Second World War? My father did his electrical apprenticeship for the underground just before WW2 and mentioned old London railway lines being used during wartime Thanks for that memory jog great video as usual

[@JagoHazzard]

It was indeed used for that!

[@likklej8]

@@JagoHazzard Thanks yes my father did his apprenticeship at Neasden works, and I had an uncle who worked at 55, Broadway.

[@lordsleepyhead]

So the conclusion would be: The Lizzie is actually two of the oldest bits of railway in England connected by a new bit of railway.