Train Of Thought

I am ridiculously excited about Transport for London's decision to rename parts of the Tube Map - six of the overground routes will be added. And the names have been chosen by popular vote. All of them are excellent names- two of them especially important to me for personal reasons. I shall mention four here, and give a fuller explanation of the other two on Monday.

 I was talking to Rosie about this, and was pleased how much she knew about many of the reasons behind these names.

The Lioness Line - from Watford to Euston - through Wembley- reflecting the success of the English Women's Football Team. Rosie is pleased, she got to go with her Dad to see the women play at Wembley last year.

The Windrush line - through areas with strong ties to West Indian communities, honouring the Windrush generation. Rosie knew about Windrush [Dame Floella Benjamin is one of her heroes]

The Suffragette Line -Gospel Oak to Barking, celebrating the ordinary, working class East End women like Annie Huggett who fought for women's rights. She was a Barking woman, and the last surviving Suffragette. She lived in Barking until she died in 1996. And yes, of course Rosie knows all about Mrs Pankhurst!

The Weaver Line -Liverpool St to Enfield Town - through Spitalfields, Bethnal Green etc - so important in the textile trade. Still working on this one with her - but Rosie knows how important crafts and textiles are to me. And she has been to this part of London often.

The Mildmay Line , and the Liberty Line will get a much fuller mention here on Monday. Rosie has been with us all week, and I've not had as much as usual to plan and write my posts!