Elizabeth Line Stations Get Bitesize Audio Guides

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By M@ Last edited 11 months ago
Elizabeth Line Stations Get Bitesize Audio Guides
Rapper Guvna B squats on a train platform with the Custom House roundel behind him
Guvna B, who grew up in Custom House, narrates the station info

Phones at the ready next time you're visiting a central Elizabeth line station.

Each of the 10 central core stations of the Elizabeth line (Abbey Wood to Paddington) now comes with a short, free audio guide. The QR-activated info gives details about the station's architecture, art and general trivia.

Each 3-minute guide is voiced by someone with a connection to the local area. For example, Liverpool Street's guide is voiced by Melanie White, Director of Brick Lane’s Beigel Shop; Custom House is narrated by MOBO Award-winning rapper Guvna B, who was born and grew up in the area. The Paddington guide, meanwhile, is voiced by author Karen Jankel, who is the daughter of Paddington Bear creator Michael Bond.

You'll find the QR codes on posters near the entrances to each station. Just look for the headphone symbol.

A purple poster about Paddington station
An example poster for Paddington. We're not sure what the tube-style line diagram adds, to be honest, apart from confusion.

Somewhat frustratingly, the QR codes cannot yet be placed at platform level, thanks to a lack of 4G/wifi coverage. We suspect more people would scan one of these things if they had a few minutes to kill while waiting for a train. Hopefully, the posters will migrate into the depths once mobile coverage reaches the platforms (before the end of 2024, according to TfL schedules).

We've not yet had chance to road-test the just-announced scheme, but will update the article once we've been for an earful. TfL, though, provides the following nuggets as examples of the kind of trivia you might learn:

  • The interior of Paddington station is long enough to house the Leadenhall Building on its side, the building also known as ‘The Cheesegrater’
  • Liverpool Street station has the shortest escalator on the Elizabeth line at 18.5 metres long
  • Tottenham Court Road station is home to the Elizabeth line’s only curved platform in the central section

Last Updated 13 April 2023