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Thousands fell silent at King's Cross station, a focal point for London's grief over the past week.

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LONDON, England -- As Big Ben chimed noon, London and many other parts of Britain came to a standstill Thursday for two minutes' silence in remembrance of the victims of the July 7 terror bombings.

As part of a massive show of defiance called by London Mayor Ken Livingstone, every bus in the city stopped, airports fell silent and Londoners came out of workplaces and homes onto the streets of the British capital to remember those who died.

Taxis and buses pulled over to the side of the road and workers put down their tools. Staff on London's Underground wore black armbands as travelers stood still in remembrance.

Queen Elizabeth II stood silent on the steps of Buckingham Palace, joining her subjects in honoring the memory those killed.

In Trafalgar Square, in front of a giant banner reading "One City, One World," Mayor Livingstone told CNN's Richard Quest: "When you see people standing around today you see that Londoners are Londoners first before they are Jewish or Christian or Muslim.

"Two, three hundred languages are spoken in this city, two hundred nationalities are represented and what those bombers wanted was that we would turn on each other like animals in a cage.

Behind the mayor builders working on the National Gallery stood with their hard hats in their hands.

Prime Minister Tony Blair observed the silence in the garden of No 10, where he had been presenting bravery awards to police officers.

Other members of Britain's royal family including Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall joined in the silence while in Leeds, home of the suspects in the bombing, the city's Muslim leaders joined with other faiths as a mark of respect.

In Scotland, Glasgow's subway system was stopped in remembrance of the London Underground victims. At St. Andrew's the British Open Golf cmapionship was halted.

CNN's Diana Muriel reported that trading ceased on London's stock exchange, with brokers and officials filing out onto the streets outside.

She described the "extraordinarily moving experience" as traders stood in Paternoster Square outside London's St. Paul's Cathedral and stood in silent contemplation between two tolls on the cathedral's main bell.

At King's Cross -- a focal point for the nation's mourning since last Thursday -- there was a low-key ceremony held outside the station, beside a garden of remembrance started by members of the public.

Addressing a crowd of a few hundred rail staff, emergency services personnel and members of the public, King's Cross Underground manager Ken Leach said: "In silence, let us remember those who lost their lives at King's Cross a week ago and all those who died in the attacks in our city that day." The station's platforms and waiting areas and the streets outside then fell silent, the UK's Press Association.

At King's Cross overground station manager Peter Armstrong-Cribb addressed the crowd outside the garden of remembrance, saying: "We will not forget, we will not be afraid. We will work together for the future, for the healing of our wounds and the making of peace."

In Dewsbury the local MP -- a Muslim -- led a two-minute silence outside the home of suicide bomber Mohammad Sidique Khan.

Shahid Malik, Labour MP for Dewsbury, was joined by local residents and the police outside the terraced house. Malik said: "We hope we are sending out powerful messages to the loved ones of those that have died. The knowledge that our thoughts and prayers are with them will I hope offer a small measure of comfort.

"At the same time we send out an unequivocal message of defiance to those who inflame discord and incite hatred in our communities -- their actions rather than divide us have merely served to unite us.

"This silence must now be substituted by a noise storm designed to confront head on those who spout evil and extremism -- there could be no better gesture and mark of respect for the innocent dead."

Meanwhile, books of condolence were being opened in Trafalgar Square for all Londoners and visitors to the city to sign throughout the day.

CNN's Mallika Kapur said that she had spoken to a couple from Britain's Lake District, 300 miles from London, who said they were determined to be in the capital Thursday to show their defiance of the bombers.

A vigil later took place in Trafalgar Square to remember the victims and to thank the heroes of the transport and emergency services who saved many lives.

In the minutes before noon, the driver of the number 30 bus blown up in the attacks issued a defiant message that the British public will never be defeated by terrorism.

George Psaradakis, 49, read out a moving message of sympathy to the families of the 13 people who died when the bomb exploded on the No. 30 bus, PA reported.

One of the victims, Shahara Islam, a 20-year-old bank worker was the daughter of a fellow bus driver, PA said.

Psaradakis, surrounded by his colleagues at the Stratford depot in east London, said: "A week ago I took my No. 30 bus out from here on a journey which ended as a nightmare.

"I did what I could to help them. I send my thoughts at this time to the families of the innocent victims, especially my fellow colleague at Barking garage whose daughter lost her life on my bus.

"In today's silence we remember them. With quiet dignity and respect we show our deep contempt for those who planted the bombs and those who masterminded them."

He added: "As we stand together in silence, let us send a message to the terrorists -- you will not defeat us and you will not break us."

Even before the silent tribute, Londoners were marking the tragic events of a week ago with flowers and tears.

At 9:47 a.m., the time that the bus bomb exploded a week ago, a handful of people gathered near the scene to remember the dead.

Dozens of commuters in business suits and casually-dressed tourists stopped to look at the hundreds of bouquets, tributes and poems which had been left on the steps of St. Pancras Parish Church, PA reported.

Among the sea of flowers were messages of support from around the world, including many from the Middle East.

Others had written defiant messages to the terrorists, insisting that Londoners would not be intimidated, PA said.

London's familiar red double decker buses pulled to the side of the road in silent tribute.

There were also poignant personal messages to those who had died in the blast. A friend of finance manager Philip Russell, 28, wrote: "Clay pigeon shooting won't be the same without you. Love you always. Leigh."

One woman laying flowers at the scene this morning said every Londoner's life had been affected by the terrorist attacks. Carol Smith, 33, told PA: "I think everyone knows someone who was involved in some way. A friend of mine at work lost someone in the bus bomb."

Two friends of Miriam Hyman, who was killed in the bus bomb comforted each other as they laid flowers.

"It's been an unreal week," one told PA. "We lost a close friend on the bus. I can't really say anymore."

Two young women broke down in tears as they stared directly at the scene of the blast. Sarah Arthur, a retired nurse, was one of dozens who stopped during the two-minute silence.

She told PA: "It was very hard. It was a very moving moment and it makes you remember what we've got and what we've lost."

Dave Sapford, 60, said it was important that London stood together in the wake of the terror attacks.

"I felt I had to come down and help support all my fellow Londoners. We will not be intimated. We have all got to stick together. It was very moving. I've never known London come to a complete standstill like this before," he told PA.

He said, however, that he had noticed that people in the capital had become more tense during the last week and he admitted that he had started to look at strangers more closely.

Meanwhile dozens of police officers were handing out leaflets and posters to passers-by outside Euston station and in the roads around Tavistock Square.

Speaking at the scene, Inspector Kevin Hobson told PA: "Officers, particularly today on the week anniversary, are appealing for witnesses. We have been distributing posters and asking people if they were in the area last week. We will leave no stone unturned."

Tributes and tears one week on

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