My first journey on the Elizabeth Line was in October 2022, marking my first trip into London after the Covid lockdowns. I was incredibly excited both to be back in the capital and to finally ride the Elizabeth Line, having geekily followed the progress of its construction for years. Timea took a photo of me with the shiny new purple roundel at Farringdon Station to mark the occasion. (Fun fact: Farringdon's new platforms are so long that they actually stretch all the way to Barbican station at the other end!)

A few weeks later, we made a Christmas trip into the West End and took similar photos of me at Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street stations. That was exactly what triggered my compulsive need to tick off everything in a series that can be turned into an adventure.

Over the next couple of years, I casually ticked off several more stations during other trips to London. Naturally, I had to make some strict rules to guide the collection: I had to have a photo of myself on the platform with the Elizabeth Line roundel behind me, and I also had to be physically getting on or off an Elizabeth Line train to get there. By early 2025, I had visited about half of the stations and decided that this would be the year I completed the entire set. What followed was a brilliant series of cycle rides, often with my friend Brian, to tick off the stations that I wouldn't naturally pass through on other trips. The grand finale was in December 2025, wrapping up with the three stations hidden deep under Heathrow Airport.

Along the way, I learned a quirky truth: not all stations actually have purple roundels on the platforms! Generally, it is only the stations fully managed by Transport for London (TfL) that get the full purple treatment. The completer-finisher in me still had to visit the other stations, though. I can't imagine anyone else feeling the need to do the same, but just in case you are planning your own mission, here is what you can look forward to:

Great Western Railway Stations: Reading, Twyford, Maidenhead, and Slough are all managed by GWR. Because of this, you won't find any purple Elizabeth Line roundels on their platforms.
The Heathrow Stations: The three airport stations are entirely managed by Heathrow Express. They serve the Elizabeth Line perfectly, but they do not feature the roundels.
Paddington: The historic mainline station is managed by Network Rail. However, the cavernous new deep-level Elizabeth Line station is managed directly by TfL and does feature the roundels. Just be aware that some Elizabeth Line services from the west terminate up in the main mainline station, where there are no purple roundels to be found!
Stratford and Shenfield: Both stations serve the line, but neither features a purple roundel down on the platform itself, although you can spot them mounted above the main station entrances if you look closely.