Overground

Is the London Overground running today?

This page covers the London Overground in depth — route, stations, history, step-free access and quirks. For the live answer right now, including the current TfL status (Good Service, Minor Delays, Severe Delays, Part Closure or Suspended) and any reported disruption, see the live network status board on the homepage. It's refreshed every 60 seconds from TfL Open Data.

The London Overground is the surface-rail network that wraps and threads around London, mostly outside the central core. Until November 2024 it ran as a single colour-coded line on the Tube map — but TfL has now split it into six individually named lines, each with its own colour and identity. The new names honour different aspects of London's history and communities, and they make a previously complex network much easier to navigate.

The six lines

Mildmay line — light blue

The Mildmay line is the main east-west Overground corridor, running from Stratford in the east, through Hackney, Highbury, Camden Road, Willesden Junction and Acton, out to Richmond and Clapham Junction. It's named after the Mildmay Hospital in Shoreditch, which played a pioneering role in HIV/AIDS care from the 1980s. It is the busiest of the Overground lines and provides the network's main north-of-Thames orbital service.

Windrush line — red

The Windrush line is the network that links north-east London with south London via the East London Line core. It runs from Highbury & Islington down through Shoreditch, Whitechapel, Surrey Quays and on to New Cross, Crystal Palace, West Croydon and Clapham Junction. The name honours the Windrush generation — the post-war Caribbean migrants who arrived in Britain on the Empire Windrush in 1948 and reshaped London life.

Lioness line — yellow

The Lioness line runs north-west from Euston, through Wembley Central, Harrow & Wealdstone and out to Watford Junction. It's named after the England women's football team, whose 2022 Euro win at Wembley made the case for the line's name. It shares track with the Bakerloo line as far as Queen's Park.

Weaver line — maroon

The Weaver line runs east from Liverpool Street, through Bethnal Green, Hackney Downs and out to Cheshunt, Enfield Town and Chingford. The name honours the area's history of textile and weaving trades, particularly the Huguenot silk weavers who settled in Spitalfields in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Suffragette line — green

The Suffragette line runs from Gospel Oak in north London, east through Walthamstow and Leytonstone, to Barking Riverside. The name honours the women's suffrage movement, with particular reference to Annie Huggett, who lived in Barking and was reportedly the longest-living Suffragette.

Liberty line — grey

The Liberty line is the short east-London line between Romford and Upminster. The name reflects the historic "Liberty of Havering", an ancient administrative area in east London with a distinct identity.

Why the name change?

TfL ran an extensive public consultation and worked with historians, community groups and local authorities to choose the six names. The reasoning was straightforward: a single colour for an entire network covering 113 stations and several distinct corridors had become genuinely confusing. The new names make journeys easier to describe, easier to remember and easier to plan — and they bring the Overground in line with the rest of the TfL network, where every line has a distinct identity.

The Overground story

The Overground was created in 2007 when TfL took over a series of existing rail routes from the national rail operators — the North London Line, the Watford DC Line, parts of the East London Line and others. Investment in stations, trains, frequency and reliability transformed previously neglected routes into one of the country's most successful rail concessions. Passenger numbers grew from around 33 million journeys in the first year to well over 200 million annually before the pandemic.

Step-free access

Step-free coverage is significantly better than on the Tube — the Overground network is mostly surface or shallow rail, and most newer/rebuilt stations are step-free. Major step-free interchanges include Stratford, Highbury & Islington, Willesden Junction, Whitechapel, Canada Water, West Croydon, Clapham Junction, Richmond, Wembley Central, Watford Junction and many others.

Hours

Most Overground services run from around 05:30 to 00:30, with the Windrush line operating an enhanced Friday/Saturday night service through Shoreditch. There is no formal Night Tube on the Overground, but late services on the busier corridors do exist.

Common quirks

• The Mildmay line is the orbital route. If you're trying to cross London without going through Zone 1, the Mildmay (formerly the orange "North London Line" core) is usually the route.
• The Windrush line includes the old East London Line. The route through Shoreditch, Whitechapel, Wapping, Rotherhithe and Surrey Quays is part of the Windrush.
• Connections to Tube lines vary. Some Overground stations are right next to Tube stations (Highbury & Islington, Whitechapel); others are a short walk apart (Hackney Central / Hackney Downs).

Other lines

Guides