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England captain Leah Williamson and Euro 2022 goalscoring hero Chloe Kelly speak to presenter Tim Dunn about the importance of the Lioness line

• This autumn, for the first time, each of the six London Overground lines will be represented by a new name and colour to make it easier for customers to navigate London's transport network, while also celebrating the city's diverse culture and history
• Tim also speaks with TfL staff member and FA Grassroots Match Official of the Year winner, Surekha Griffiths at Wembley Stadium
• Episode two of the Mind the Gap London Overground podcasts will be released today to coincide with the second anniversary of England's historic Euros victory
• This autumn, TfL will partner with the Regent's Park Girls League to create a special Lioness line tournament for under 11s

Transport for London (TfL) has released the newest episode of the 'Mind the Gap' podcast to showcase the story behind the new London Overground Lioness line. On the anniversary of the historic Euro 2022 final win, presenter Tim Dunn speaks with two of the stars from the team, Chloe Kelly and Leah Williamson, about the legacy of that day and the importance of the Lioness line.  

This is part two of a six-episode podcast series on the London Overground names, celebrating communities and stories that inspired the new names of the London Overground lines, as part of a series of activities this year to promote this historic change to the transport network. It follows episode one, which was about the Mildmay line (released on 16 July). The series so far has gained more than 10,000 listens and downloads. In the Lioness line episode, Tim travels to St George's Park National Football Centre, the base for all coaching and development work undertaken by the Football Association, to speak with Chloe Kelly and Leah Williamson. The two England stars talk about what the naming of the Lioness line means to them, the impact it will have on young girls getting into football, and the future of the women's game. 

Later in the episode, Tim travels to Wembley Stadium for a discussion with recent FA Grassroots Match Official of the Year, and TfL staff member, Surekha Griffiths. Surekha, who works as an Operational Strategy Officer at TfL, has a special connection to the Lioness line. She recently travelled to Wembley Stadium to have lunch with then England Men's First Team Manager, Gareth Southgate after winning the FA Grassroots Match Official of the Year award for 2023. Surekha speaks to Tim about her journey into refereeing, the support from her family, and how she hopes more women are inspired to get into football.  

The Lioness line runs from Watford Junction to Euston, via Wembley Central, the home of England's national stadium Wembley, where a winning goal from Chloe Kelly in Euro 2022 saw the Lionesses biggest triumph to date. This was the first major trophy won by any senior English national football team since England men's team won the World Cup at the old Wembley in 1966. 

Seb Dance, The Deputy Mayor for Transport, said: "The Lionesses' victory in the Euros in 2022 showed the nation that we could dare to dream. Not only did Sarina Wiegman's team take home the first trophy for England since 1966, they also inspired the next generation of female footballers, sparking a step change in attitudes towards women's football all around the country.

"The Lioness line will commemorate their victory and its impact in a lasting way, while making it easier to navigate the Overground. I hope listeners enjoy this podcast featuring Chloe Kelly and Leah Williamson, as well as TfL's very own Surekha Griffiths, which gives us some insight into the journey of women's football and explains why the Watford-Euston line got its name."

Claire Mann, Chief Operating Officer at TfL, said: "We are proud to be introducing the Lioness line onto the London Overground network later this year to celebrate the achievements of the England women's national football team and to encourage girls of all age groups to become involved in sport. We are also extremely proud of our own staff member, Surekha, for her success in grassroots refereeing and we hope that her story will help inspire more young girls into participating in the sports they enjoy most." 

Speaking on the Mind the Gap podcast, Lioness Chloe Kelly, said: "The Lioness line shows that we are here to stay, we're not going anywhere. It's incredible to see how far the women's game has come, and now young girls are going to be jumping on that train going to watch games at Wembley Stadium. It really is a proud moment for us and hopefully we'll get to jump on the Lioness line and go watch a few games ourselves."

Tim Dunn, Railway Historian and Broadcaster, said: "Many people, me included, blocked football from our consciousness for decades. So we didn't see the rise of women's football: nor perhaps did we know its long history before. I hope this podcast inspires others to take another look - at a sport that they thought they understood."

Surekha Griffiths, FA Grassroots Match Official of the Year, said: "It was great to speak to Tim about my journey into grassroots football and to be celebrate the launch of the Lioness line, which I believe will help inspire more women and girls to continue to break down barriers in sport for generations to come."

A programme of activities throughout 2024 will celebrate the rich history of the six new London Overground lines, including a competition to create a poster or poem for each line that will feature on the London Overground network later in the year. Further details on the competition and how to enter before the closing date on the 30 August can be found on the Made by TfL blog. 

This autumn, TfL will partner with the Regent's Park Girls League to create a special Lioness line football tournament for under 11s. The tournament will take place on the 14 September at Regent's Park to celebrate the launch of the London Overground Lioness line.

Further episodes of the Mind the Gap London Overground series will delve into the stories of the Liberty, Suffragette, Weaver and Windrush lines later this summer. 

The 'Mind the Gap' podcast series was produced by 18Sixty and is released today on all major podcast platforms. 

Notes to editors

*About the names for the London Overground lines 

• The Lioness line: Euston to Watford Junction. The Lioness line, which runs through Wembley, honours the historic achievements and lasting legacy of the England women's football team that continues to inspire and empower the next generation of women and girls in sport 
• The Mildmay line: Stratford to Richmond/Clapham Junction. The Mildmay line, which runs through Dalston, honours the small charitable hospital in Shoreditch that has cared for Londoners over many years, notably its pivotal role in the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s, which made it the valued and respected place it is for the LGBTQ+ community today  
• The Windrush line: Highbury & Islington to Clapham Junction/New Cross/Crystal Palace/West Croydon. The Windrush line runs through areas with strong ties to Caribbean communities today, such as Dalston Junction, Peckham Rye and West Croydon and honours the Windrush generation who continue to shape and enrich London's cultural and social identity today 
• The Weaver line: Liverpool Street to Cheshunt/Enfield Town/Chingford. The Weaver line runs through Liverpool Street, Spitalfields, Bethnal Green and Hackney - areas of London known for their textile trade, shaped over the centuries by diverse migrant communities and individuals 
• The Suffragette line: Gospel Oak to Barking Riverside. The Suffragette line celebrates how the working-class movement in the East End fought for votes for woman and paved the way for women's rights. The line runs to Barking, home of the longest surviving Suffragette Annie Huggett, who died at 103.  
• The Liberty line: Romford to Upminster. The Liberty line celebrates the freedom that is a defining feature of London and references the historical independence of the people of Havering, through which it runs 

About TfL's Mind the Gap podcast series 

• This series of TfL's 'Mind the Gap' podcast, hosted by Tim Dunn, will include six episodes dedicated to each of the new London Overground lines 
• The Mildmay podcast was released on 16 July and can be found here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mind-the-gap-the-official-tfl-podcast/id1721817495?s=09 
• Last year TfL launched its first official podcasts series with the 'Mind the Gap' podcast. The series celebrated 160 years of the Tube network, with interviews from people who have helped shape it, such as Wayne Hemingway who designed the London Underground uniform and London's Night Czar Amy Lamé. Tim also interviewed famous TV and radio personality Rylan, about his love of the Tube.  
• Series one of the 'Mind the Gap' podcast reached number 1 in Apple Podcasts 'Places and Travel' chart, number 3 in Apple Podcasts 'Society and Culture' chart and number 34 in all podcasts in the UK (Apple), receiving hugely positive feedback from listeners 
• All the contributors who featured in the podcast volunteered and were not paid a fee for their involvement