London’s world-famous public transport system has been keeping the city moving throughout the lifetime and reign of Queen Elizabeth II. In 2022, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee also coincides with the opening of the capital’s newest railway, the Elizabeth line.
Over the Platinum Jubilee Weekend (Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June), kids visiting London Transport Museum in Covent Garden will be given a colourful roundel adorned paper crown to mark the Royal occasion (while stocks last) and in the Museum’s café Canteen, which is run by Benugo, guests can enjoy a special Jubilee cream tea and Victoria sponge cake, as well as colour-changing Elizabeth line inspired lemonade or cocktail.
The Museum also has 70 free adult daytime entry tickets up for grabs on each day of the Platinum Jubilee Weekend (Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June) between 2pm and 5pm. These limited tickets must be booked in advance on the Museum’s website.
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During a visit to London Transport Museum, people can see vehicles and objects from 200 years of London’s history, including the Capital’s iconic red Routemaster bus which first entered service in 1954, the year after the Queen’s coronation.
Visitors can also marvel at how the Tube map has evolved to the present day in an updated digital map display which includes the new Elizabeth line railway, learn to ‘drive’ an Elizabeth line train in the Future Engineers gallery and discover the secrets of disused stations that lie beneath the city’s streets in the award-winning Hidden London exhibition in the Global Gallery.
Adult tickets to visit London Transport Museum cost £21 and offer free return entry for a whole year – and kids go free! Book online in advance www.ltmuseum.co.uk.
Queen Elizabeth II and London’s public transport network
This historical timeline researched by London Transport Museum’s curators celebrates the times Queen Elizabeth II has visited London’s transport network, from her first journey on the District line as a Princess in 1939 to the opening of the Elizabeth line in May 2022.
A Royal trip along the District line, 15 May 1939
A few months before the onset of the Second World War, the then Princess Elizabeth rode on the Underground for the first time at the age of 13. She travelled from St James’s Park station with her sister Princess Margaret, their governess Marion Kirk Crawford and Lady Helen Graham. Despite their status, the Princesses sat in a third-class smoking car on the train.
Opening the Victoria line, 7 March 1969
Thirty years later, the Queen took her next Tube journey to mark the opening of the Victoria line, making her the first reigning monarch to travel on the London Underground. After experiencing the new Green Park station, including its ticket barriers, the Queen rode in the cab of the first train, operating the buttons to set the train on its short journey to Oxford Circus. The driving car that the Queen travelled in is preserved at London Transport Museum’s Depot in Acton Town. Visitors can see this on display at the Museum’s upcoming Depot Open Days on 2 and 3 July.
Unveiling the new Piccadilly line extension, 16 December 1977
In the year of her Silver Jubilee, the Queen unveiled the Piccadilly line extension that connected central London to Heathrow – the first line of its kind in the world to link a capital city to its major airport. As with her trip on the Victoria line, the Queen rode in the driver’s cab. Whether deliberate or not, her outfit naturally accompanied the blue moquette fabric of the train, created by designer Marianne Straub.
Opening the Docklands Light Railway, 30 July 1987
Ten years later, the next major addition to London’s public transport network was the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) – an automated light metro system serving the redeveloped Docklands area, which later extended further across eastern parts of the city. The Queen led the ceremonial opening of the DLR, riding at the front of the first car.
A tour of Willesden Green bus garage, 6 June 2002
In 2002, the Queen went on a Golden Jubilee tour to mark 50 years on the throne. This included a trip to Willesden Green bus garage to see bus operations in the TfL era. London Transport Museum celebrated the Golden Jubilee by painting one of its iconic buses in a gold livery to take part in special events. RT4712, an RT type bus that began life in 1954 in the early years of the Queen’s reign, still sports its gold paintwork today. Visitors can see this bus on display in London Transport Museum’s galleries.
Visiting Aldgate station, 25 February 2010
In 2010, the Queen was shown a memorial plaque honouring those killed in the 7 July 2005 terrorist bombings on London. This was at Aldgate station, where one of four devices had been detonated. She was also presented with a specially commissioned Buckingham Palace Underground sign.
Celebrating 150 years of the Underground at Baker Street station, 20 March 2013
In 2013, the London Underground marked its 150-year anniversary. As part of the celebrations, the Queen visited Baker Street, one of the first stations on the very first portion of the Underground in 1863. She was accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh and the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge, who was presented with a ‘Baby on Board’ badge. The Royal party were all given Oyster cards.
Visiting the Crossrail project at Bond Street station, 23 February 2016
The Queen made her first visit to the Crossrail project, creating a new east-west railway that in 2016 was named in her honour. She attended the unveiling of the Elizabeth line at Bond Street, where she was presented with a roundel of the new line.
Unveiling London’s new Elizabeth line at Paddington station, 17 May 2022
Ahead of the public opening of the Elizabeth line on 24 May 2022, the Queen again visited the line that bears her name. Also in attendance were TfL Commissioner Andy Byford, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
More information about the Queen and her connection to London’s transport can be found on London Transport Museum’s website.
Photo credit: Transport for London
