Part of a London Overground station will be different from all others as Transport for London (TfL) celebrates the city’s history. Sadiq Khan announced earlier this year that the network’s lines would be given names and colours.
This will officially come into effect in the autumn. TfL said the change will make it easier for customers to find their way around the Overground and further increase ridership, while “celebrating London’s diverse communities and histories”.
The Weaver Line will run through Liverpool Street, Spitalfields, Bethnal Green and Hackney. These London districts are known for their textile trade and have been shaped by various migrant communities and individuals over the centuries. The route is shown on the tube map by maroon parallel lines.
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Now TfL has announced that on Sunday 8 September, 30 Londoners will be invited to take part in two free weaving sessions between 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm at the Chingford Community Hub to help create the Weaver Line’s cyclorama. Participants will “collectively create a woven textile” that will be displayed in one of the stations along the line for millions of people to see.
‘Unused’ parts of stops ‘redesigned’
The sessions will take place at the Chingford Community Hub, located next to Chingford London Overground station. This comes after Arriva Rail London (ARL) began work in 2021 to transform unused areas of Chingford, Highams Park and other London Overground stations into local community spaces.
The disused Victorian spaces at Chingford and Highams Park London Overground stations have been transformed into ‘dynamic’ hubs with funding from ARL, Waltham Forest Council, community groups and lottery organisations.
A TfL spokesperson said: “The London Overground line between Liverpool Street, Cheshunt, Enfield Town and Chingford will be named the Weaver Line this autumn to celebrate the rich history of tapestry, art and design from the areas the line passes through. The Weaver Line runs through Liverpool Street, Spitalfields, Bethnal Green and Hackney – areas of London known for their textile crafts and shaped by different migrant communities and individuals over the centuries.
“This free community event celebrates and highlights the organisations that pass on these traditions and heritage to Londoners today.”
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