OVERGROUND
GOING OVERGROUND
Carrying more than three million customers a week and serving 113 stations and all nine London fare zones,The London Overground is one of the most successful railways in the country. In 2024 it is undergoing an exciting rebrand! Debbie Clark explores how the six new line names – and colours – will strengthen and celebrate the identity of the areas they serve, and identifies some of the best new developments for first time buyers in those areas
SO, WHAT ARE THESE NEW NAMES AND WHY ARE THEY SIGNIFICANT? THE WEAVER LINE: LIVERPOOL STREET TO CHESHUNT/ENFIELD TOWN/CHINGFORD
The London Underground map, designed by Harry Beck in 1931, is widely recognised as a design classic. However, as sections of the London Overground have been added since 2007, the parallel orange lines (that now represent over 100 miles of railway!) have proved confusing in comparison to their stylish underground counterparts. Responding to research by Transport for London (TfL), which indicated customers would find the Overground network easier to navigate if it wasn’t one colour and name, an independent research and naming process was undertaken by DNCO, a creative agency specialising in place branding and naming. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said, "This is a hugely exciting moment, transforming how we think about London's transport network. Giving each of the Overground lines distinct colours and identities will make it simpler and easier for passengers to get around. In reimagining London's tube map, we are also honouring and celebrating different parts of London's unique local history and culture. The new names and colours have been chosen through engagement with passengers, historians and local communities, reflecting the heritage and diversity of our amazing city."
The Weaver Line runs through Liverpool Street, Spitalfields, Bethnal Green and Hackney – areas known for the textile trade, and shaped by different migrant communities at different points in history.The Huguenots in the 17th century established a flourishing silk trade,
and in the next century, Irish weavers arrived searching for work after the collapse of the Irish linen trade. At the end of the 19th century and during the second world war, Jewish families fleeing antisemitism in eastern Europe moved to the area, revitalising the garment industry and maintaining the market at Petticoat Lane. By the 1960s, Bangladeshi immigration increased due to the area’s low-cost housing and work opportunities in the textile and garment industry.The Weaver Line also weaves its way up to Walthamstow, home to William Morris.
WALTHAMSTOW – THE WEAVER LINE Forest Road E17
There are 90 one bedroom, energy-ef cient apartments available at a 20% discount to the local market. Situated within minutes of Lloyd Park and opposite the Grade II* listed William Morris Gallery, Forest Road E17 has a host of communal spaces for residents to enjoy, including two roof terraces. Here, residents can make use of the shared allotment beds to grow fruit and veg, use the space to exercise, or relax with neighbours.
pocketliving.com/projects/development/32-forest-road-e17-waltham-forest 020 7291 3683
22 First Time Buyer June/July 2024
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