The first section of the highly successful Elizabeth Line opened between Paddington and Abbey Wood on 24th May 2022, using newly constructed tunnels across central London, it runs from Paddington, under Oxford Street to Abbey Wood. The station at Bond Street was not ready at the time of the initial opening and opened later. Initially the project was known as Crossrail, until Queen Elizabeth II officially named it the Elizabeth Line, during a visit to the construction site at Bond Street on 17th May 2022, where a plaque was unveiled.

This production starts with a journey from Paddington to Abbey Wood filmed during the opening week. Initially the line operated in three distinct parts; Paddington to Reading, Liverpool Street to Shenfield, plus the new underground section. Operation from the surface terminals at Paddington and Liverpool Street, prior to the link up, is covered.

From 21st May 2023 the sections were joined up, and trains also started to run to the Heathrow terminals.

This video continues showing the line from Paddington to Reading in detail, including many freight trains sharing the Elizabeth Line tracks.

It then concludes with a comprehensive look at the line from Whitechapel to Shenfield, where it parallels Greater Anglia services.

At the end of the first year the line was carrying an average of 600,000 passengers per day and has transformed travel for millions of Londoners.

Produced by - J & K Video
Duration - 104 minutes
Format - 16:9 Widescreen DVD-R
Narrator - Paul Ross
DVD only
Released - February 2024