Elizabeth line: 30 London landmarks to turn purple for Crossrail opening

The London Eye turns purple to celebrate the opening of the Elizabeth line

(Picture: Mayor of London)

London landmarks including Tower Bridge, the main skyscraper at Canary Wharf, the former Olympic stadium and the London Eye are being turned purple to mark the opening of the Elizabeth line.

More than 30 iconic locations are being floodlit in the colour of the Elizabeth line on Monday night and Tuesday night from around 10pm.

Other tall buildings being lit in addition to One Canada Square include the Gherkin, the “Cheesegrater” and the Salesforce tower, formerly known as the Heron tower, in the City of London.

Battersea Power Station, the London Stadium and the new City Hall, in the Royal Docks - near the Custom House Crossrail station - will also be floodlit purple. Even trees in Oxford Street will be colour-coded.

In addition, Westminster bridge will be one of nine Thames bridges to feature an artwork installation by New-York based artist Leo Villareal. This will stretch from London bridge to Lambeth bridge to form the longest public art commission in the world.

The Elizabeth line, which received its royal unveiling last Tuesday, starts running on Tuesday morning.

London’s landmark bridge glows purple on Monday for the Elizabeth line (Mayor of London)

The first westbound train is timetabled to depart from Abbey Wood station at 6.30am, followed by the first eastbound service from Paddington at 6.33am.

The journey between the two stations - among the 10 that have been built as part of the £20bn scheme - is due to take 29 minutes.

There will initially be a train every five minutes, with the last trains departing at around 11pm. The line will operate first six days a week, with Sundays reserved for engineering upgrades.

Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “The opening of the Elizabeth line tomorrow is a once in a generation moment for the capital and it is fantastic to see so many famous landmarks across our city lit up in purple in celebration of this historic day.

“The new line will revolutionise travel in our city and across the south east and bring significant economic benefits to the whole country.”

Andy Byford, Transport for London’s commissioner, said: “Tomorrow will be a truly historic moment for London and beyond and I can’t wait to welcome customers onboard this magnificent addition to our public transport network.”

The full list of participating locations are:

•           The London Eye

•           Tower Bridge

•           122 Leadenhall Street, known as the Cheesegrater

•           The Gherkin

•           110 Bishopsgate, also known as the Salesforce Tower

•           Tower 42

•           City Hall

•           One Canada Square

•           Crossrail Place roof garden, Canary Wharf

•           Sea Containers London

•           Department for Transport, Great Minster House

•           Coutts Building and 230 Bishopsgate

•           Barbican conservatory

•           London Stadium

•           Battersea Power Station

•           British Library

•           Sky Garden

•           ExCeL London

•           Guildhall

•           Trees along Oxford Street

•           London cable car

•           Paddington Central

•           Liverpool Street station

•           Greenwich Town Hall

•           Palestra, TfL’s headquarters in Southwark

List of bridges involved in the coordinated light display:

•           London Bridge

•           Cannon Street Bridge

•           Southwark Bridge

•           Blackfriars Road Bridge

•           Waterloo Bridge

•           Westminster Bridge

•           Lambeth Bridge

•           Millennium Bridge (with white lighting)

•           Golden Jubilee Bridges (with white lighting)