The TV personality and former The Apprentice star Tom Skinner is to lend his voice to announcements on the Elizabeth line for one week only.
This is to mark the new direct service from Shenfield to Heathrow, as passengers will no longer need to switch trains when travelling on the Elizabeth line from Essex or east London to Heathrow.
Playful announcements recorded by Skinner, who was born in Romford, will play in train stations from Brentwood to Stratford until Sunday, May 28 keeping travellers up to date with relevant service updates.
Ahead of this Skinner also took a ride in the driver’s cab on the first journey from Shenfield to Heathrow, entertaining passengers with live tannoy updates before stepping into the carriage to greet people.
Speaking about his involvement, Skinner said: “I absolutely loved joining the driver in the cab on the train to Heathrow – it’s fantastic news you can now get there directly, with no need to change trains.
"I love going on holiday and now it’s easier and quicker to get down to Heathrow and start your trip off with a lovely drink in the airport bar. Bosh!”
What changes are being made to the Elizabeth line?
Since the central London section of the Elizabeth line first connected to Heathrow in November 2022 passengers have travelled directly from the airport to as far as Canary Wharf and Abbey Wood.
The line will now travel through 13 more stations in east London and Essex, including Stratford, Ilford, Romford and Shenfield.
The new route now means those in Essex and east London have a direct train to Heathrow for the first time, opening up new travel opportunities to over 200 destinations from Heathrow.
Sophie Chapman, Surface Access Director at Heathrow, said: “Heathrow is the world's gateway to the UK and we're delighted our East London and Essex passengers can now travel quickly and easily direct to the airport.
"The extension of the revolutionary Elizabeth Line service will open up Heathrow’s extensive destination network to hundreds of thousands of people from the East.
“When reaching Heathrow, passengers can look forward to the very best airport experience, with our extensive offering of lounges, shops, bars and restaurants across all four terminals.
"The holiday starts at Heathrow, and now it’s that little bit quicker and easier to get started when you’re coming from Essex.”
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