London’s magnificent Elizabeth Line opened last May and its first birthday is full of celebrations.
It operates from Reading and Heathrow airports in the west to Shenfield and Abbeywood in the east. elizabeth line An additional 1.5 million people will be within 45 minutes of the capital’s busiest district. Alleviate congestion on old lines. Wheelchair users will be able to reach the London platform from the street, making London more accessible for everyone. As a pilot commuting to Heathrow — I fly a Boeing 787 For British Airways — I’m often among the 600,000 passengers on a weekday. Running parallel to the Heathrow Express, this line offers another comfortable way to commute.
Many visitors find the line’s towering station halls and glowing trains (accented in royal purple and nearly three times the length of a Boeing 747) to be not only convenient, but inspiring. You will feel After all, London is home to the world’s first subway. traffic map It remains a design icon and is the most famous bus and taxi on the planet. Who can say, let alone the beauty of the Elizabeth line, which other metropolis would be affected by the transformative efficiency of the line? It’s probably yours.
What is certain is that the line will allow travelers to leave the familiar Zone 1 core of the city’s transport network, which is often congested with tourists, and travel quickly to attractive destinations outside London. It means you can embark on an inexpensive journey. Here are four of our favourites.
Southall
Southall is the center of the UK’s South Asian community, northeast of Heathrow Airport. Pause at the new glass-enclosed station and take a selfie under a sign that reads ‘Southall’ in Gurmukhi, a script commonly used to write the Punjabi language. Then turn left and Southall Manor Housea 16th-century Tudor landmark.
The grounds of the mansion have quiet benches with views of the mansion’s golden dome. Gurdwara Shri Guru Singh Sabha, one of the largest Sikh temples in Europe. Visitors are always welcome, but for tours: contact in advance. Please wear a head covering when entering. An older man picked a green scarf for me from a lending plastic box and helped me tie it. Then I take off my shoes, wash my hands in the sink, and head to the reception. On a recent visit, Mr. Manjeet Kaul Panesar showed me an exhibit about Sikhism and then took me to the main temple where prayers and sacred music begin before sunrise. Mrs. Panesar explained that everyone is welcome in the temple’s rangar, or free community kitchen. “Sharing everything, that’s what our religion means,” she said. Her favorite dish, Kadhi Chawal, a curry cooked here with her homemade yogurt, is usually served on Wednesdays. “A lot of people come on Wednesday,” she told me with a laugh.
go next door Southall Library, home to the famous collection of Martin Ware pottery. Martin Ware is arts and crafts movement, arose in the late nineteenth century in opposition to the industrialization of the decorative arts. Southall Studios was founded in 1877 by the Martin brothers in a former soap factory and remained in operation well into the early 20th century. “Their works are ‘Antique Roadshow’ and V&A Museum‘ explained the librarian, who showed me an owl-shaped cigarette bottle known as ‘Grotesque’, the Wally Bird.
My friend Sita — she’s from Slough. Slough, familiar to viewers of the British version, is her fifth stop west on the Elizabeth line. “office” — I used to visit Southall a lot when I was a kid. She first showed me to her cinema in the Old Palace, built in Chinese style and opened in 1929. (Angelenos might recall her contemporaries Grauman’s Her Chinese Theatre). Cinemas have become an essential cultural space for the growing number of South Asians living in London. recently, Palace Shopping Center. Passing bustling stalls of jewelers, shoe sellers and tailors, Sita recalled the joyful escapism of listening to the latest Bollywood hits here with her mother. She then invited me to look up at the magnificent lamps that still hang from the Art Deco ceiling. Dimmed as if paying her homage to the silver screen of her childhood.
The heart of Southall, familiar to fans of “Bend It Like Beckham,” which was partially filmed here, is Broadway. “Mainly sari shops, gold shops and Indian cash-and-carries,” Sita told me while ordering panipuri (crispy dough balls with fillings) from roadside stalls. “And that’s why I love it.”
Shop to your heart’s content on Broadway or simply marvel at the dazzling formal wear and wedding attire.go to next Chiology Karakchai with saffron, or Chandni Chowk Khaju Khatri, a cashew nut-based snack topped with edible silver.
Finally, walk west to the bridge over Paddington Arm on the Grand Union Canal. A mural is painted along the northeastern embankment. Vivec Pereira, completed last summer with the help of Army cadets from the nearby Army Reserve Center. Elizabeth’s line “definitely changed things,” Pereira told me. “I love the energy here.” His murals include the manor house, the Martinware pottery, the green spaces that have healed so many during the pandemic, the majestic swans on the canals, and the proud hashtag #OurSouthall. , etc., incorporating vibrant colors and local treasures.
Ramford
The northeast branch of the line includes the market town of Rumford.please start with Havering Art Museum, whose exhibits include a model of the old Havering Palace, where Queen Elizabeth I sometimes stayed. You’ll also learn about Romford’s connection with actor William Kempe, who appeared in some of Shakespeare’s original works. Morris danced About 160 miles from London in 1600 to Norwich, and the weights and measures that once set standards in Romford’s markets.
In fact, when you exit the museum and turn right, you’ll find a marketplace where, nearly eight centuries after it was sanctioned by Henry III, merchants of flowers, crafts, leather goods and more still thrive. increase.Try a traditional Cockney lunch Robbins pie and mash It’s on South Street. A flavorful pie (beef, vegetarian, or vegan) with mashed potatoes and a parsley sauce known as liqueur is about £5 (about $6), or £9 with jellied cross-section eel.
If you would like a late breakfast, teapot cafe. Founded in 1953 Walter MallA soldier and former POW who spent nearly five years away from his family during World War II, this intimate restaurant is run by his grandson, Jamie Miller. 5 ‘full english’ breakfast options are offered (all under £8 including tea). bobril, It is a hot drink using beef extract. Surrounded by the voices and laughter of other patrons, I devoured a crumpet, poured milk tea (£2.75 each), wiped the melted butter off my chin, and returned to the counter.
custom house
According to an informal survey of friends, many Londoners believe the mayor is now inside a lopsided Norman Foster-designed egg near Tower Bridge that former mayor Boris Johnson has dubbed the ‘glass gonads’. seems to believe it is working as well. Indeed, the City of London Government recently moved downstream Move to another vitreous structure (more angular and less susceptible to anatomical nicknames) beside the Royal Victoria Dock. The mayor’s arrival here, like the Elizabeth Line, is an opportunity to reflect on the history and future of London’s wharves.
From the new outdoor station, follow the canopy walkway south. Excel London, a bustling convention center that is also home to the UK’s largest ‘Warmley’ (the ecological approach to food waste). Then down into the square, bronze statues of dockers unloading goods from Zanzibar, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong stand near the slender silhouettes of cranes on the quay.
London was once the busiest port on earth, and the sheer size of these docks is best seen from the air.pause on Royal Victoria Dock Pedestrian Bridge, a sign directs your smartphone to an augmented reality reading by a young local poet. Then look east to see the glittering runways of London City Airport and the dark waters of a mile-long wharf. Much of what was removed during excavations in the mid-19th century helped form Battersea Park a few dozen miles upstream.
How’s your swimming? an organization named i love open water Several venues in London welcome intrepid swimmers. Royal Docks Outpost, almost on the steps of the New Town Hall. Once you’ve had a dip, grab a towel and shiver to her Perky Blenders X Goodvibes. East London native Roxana Lissa, who battled anxiety as a fashion executive, opened the café in 2020 as part of a revitalization of her city and her personal life. “I decided to turn towards what I love,” Ms. Lissa told me. “I want to bring people together and create spaces where people can be themselves and are open to interaction.”
In a nod to Flemish tradition, I opted for a latte enriched with a spread made from. Lotus Biscoff, Caramelized cookies loved in Belgium. What is Mayor Sadiq Khan’s favorite drink? Long black coffee with skim milk.
Since the opening of the Elizabeth line, Lissa has noticed an increase in tourists, especially those looking for affordable accommodation.drop anchor on a float good hotelThe hotel trains and employs local residents who have experienced long-term unemployment and directs the profits to educational activities around the world. (from £150 for water view rooms)
Woolwich
In 1843 Marc Isambard Brunel Thames Tunnel, the world’s first under a major waterway. (His son helped Isambard Kingdom BrunelPaddington Station (today’s Elizabeth Line stop) would later be built with wrought iron arches, which form the most beautiful gateway in London when viewed from the top. ) This line crosses under the Thames in a tunnel dug by Mary and Sophia, whose two machines were named -. Built by popular vote for the Brunel wives, it was guarded during construction by a statue of Saint Barbara, the patron saint of those who handle explosives.
It is therefore reasonable to consider Woolwich to be the first station over these tunnels. Weapons were manufactured there for about three centuries, including one man. henry shards. Woolwich was also famous for music. He is the British Royal Artillery Band. first formal military band, was organized in 1762. As for soccer: arsenalStill based in Islington, the team, still affectionately known as the ‘The Gunners’, was founded here in 1886 as a team of munitions workers.
Damaged during World War II, the armaments factory closed in 1967. Now, the arrival of the Elizabeth line has strengthened the region’s prospects as a creative hub. On the green by Woolwich Station, Traditional London cab with tailgate espresso machine (A piccolo with almond milk is about £3). “We’re just driving to get fuel,” the young barista told me. “Sometimes people try to call it a latte.” Afterwards, take a stroll through the former armory. Today, it’s home to apartments, a performance hall, and a polite post-imperial ‘no guns please’ sign.
go next door Woolwich Town HallA masterpiece of Edwardian Baroque architecture featuring a statue of Queen Victoria and a stained-glass window depicting Charles I’s 1637 inspection. HMS Sovereign of the Sea, a golden Woolwich-built galleon, said to have been the largest ship in the world. (The glass reads, “The King is very pleased.”) Then we stroll south, St George’s Garrison Church. This Italian Romanesque church was destroyed by bombs during World War II. Today, the outdoor ruins, which contain Venetian-style mosaics, are protected by a curved canopy of fabric and wood, surrounded by an oasis of greenery. This is his one of my favorite spots in London.
As dusk falls, enjoy a light meal (perhaps fregola, wild rice, pomegranate salad, £14.50) by the fireplace. dial arch The pub is named after the 1764 sundial you pass by as you enter. Afterwards, head to “The Burnt City,” an immersive theatrical experience by Punch Drunk, an arts group based in a former arsenal. Put away your phone, put on your ghostly mask and wander the world of Greek mythology through vivid stories to find and lose Agamemnon and his friends.
