London Pride 2023: Elizabeth line wrapped in rainbow colours

An Elizabeth line train has been wrapped in rainbow colours celebrating London’s LGBTQ+ community ahead of the Pride celebrations this weekend.

The Pride-themed Elizabeth line train was launched at Paddington station on Friday ahead of Saturday’s parade.

This is part of a Transport for London’s (TfL) wide campaign for Pride month.

Earlier this week a special Pride London bus and an Overground train were also unveiled at New Cross depot.

The wraps show a diverse group of Londoners from across the LGBTQ+ community and the bus will also accompany people representing TfL in the Pride in London parade on 1 July.

Seb Dance, deputy mayor for transport, reflected on his coming out story while unveiling the designs.

“I didn’t have the best of times coming out, it was difficult and it was also a time when Section 28 was in place,” he told LondonWorld.

“When I spoke to the teachers that I trusted about it, it was difficult for them to be able to talk to me openly and freely about coming out.

“The difference that I’ve seen in my relatively short life is just extraordinary.

“I reflect on what it would have meant to me as a 16-year-old coming out to see a train like this basically to see an affirmation that I’m okay.

“I can be accepted, I am part of wider society, I’m not strange or unusual and even if I am unusual that’s something to be celebrated rather than castigated.”

Thanks to the design’s inclusion on an Elizabeth line train, the wrap will be seen by people across London and even out as far as Essex and Reading.

Customers using the route 63 bus between Honor Oak and King’s Cross can already see the design, which has been on display since mid-June.

Customers using the London Overground between Richmond/Clapham Junction and Stratford and Dalston/Highbury & Islington to West Croydon/Crystal Palace/New Cross will be able to ride in the special trains.

The design will also be featured on a fourth vehicle: an Underground engineering train, used for maintenance on the network.

London night czar Amy Lamé said: "Our LGBTQ+ communities make an enormous contribution to life in our capital and this year’s campaign across the transport network is a wonderful way to celebrate that.  Across the globe too many people still face prejudice because of who they are, and we are seeing very troubling efforts to stifle hard won rights, so it is more important than ever that we stand together in solidarity and celebration."

The Pride Parade will take place on Saturday July 1, with 1.5 million people expected to join the celebrations.

The parade will start off at Hyde Park Corner at approximately 12pm, according to organisers.

From there, it will make its way to Piccadilly Circus and pass through Haymarket Square, Trafalgar Square, and then Whitehall where the parade will end at 6pm.

A number of stages will also be hosting performances from LGBTQ+ acts as part of the celebrations.