There was a time when your humble Editor worked in the Civil Service. From this period of personal history two clear memories stick out. Firstly that there was once a genuine publication titled Guidance on …
Continue readingAuthor: John Bull
John Bull is the Editor of London Reconnections. A transport journalist and historian, his writing often focuses on the political or strategic challenges facing London's transport network and beyond.
Protected: In Pictures: Regent Street’s Lego Bus Stop
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Continue readingIn Pictures: Growing Oranges
Whilst attention has begun to switch to TfL’s plans for West Anglia (a topic which we will cover in more detail later in the month) it is worth remembering that taking over control of that …
Continue readingMeetup News: Moving to Thursdays
Just a quick update for those of you who frequent (or occasionally attend) our London Reconnections Meetups. As indicated last month, we have changed venue for these now that our usual pub has changed hands. …
Continue readingIn Pictures: The Thames Tunnel
Last weekend presented a rare opportunity to actually get inside Marc Brunel’s Thames Tunnel. A temporary closure to facilitate works elsewhere on the East London Line allowed TfL to open it up to a limited …
Continue readingKing of the Underworld: Building The Thames Tunnel
On the 2nd of March 1825 the Thames Tunnel Company began construction of what they hoped would be the first tunnel beneath the Thames. On the banks of the river at Rotherhithe, bricklayers and labourers began their work as the curious watched on. The project had been garnering a certain amount of attention ever since it had been granted royal Assent the year before, and its goal was an ambitious one – the construction of a tunnel beneath the river large enough for both people and horse-drawn traffic to use. It was a goal that many thought was impossible.
Continue readingREMINDER: Venue Change for Monthly Meet Up
The Rose & Crown, our usual pub, is closed for a refit. Sadly it will changed from an independently run pub with a landlady we know to one with management installed by the brewer (Shepherd …
Continue readingTracking London’s Growth Via Its Roads
Continuing what is rapidly becoming “road season” here on LR, we’d like to highlight a fascinating video that can currently be found on YouTube – the London Evolution Animation. Tracking London’s growth from pre-Roman times …
Continue readingOrange Blossoms: Romford – Upminster and New Trains for the Overground
Back in September 2013, following on from the announcement that TfL would take over the West Anglia Franchise, we announced that TfL had also agreed to take on the Romford – Upminster Line as part …
Continue readingRobert Crow, RMT General Secretary (1961 – 2014)
It is with great sadness that London Reconnections has learned of the death of Robert “Bob” Crow, who passed away in the early hours of this morning. From the moment he started his first job …
Continue readingIn Pictures: Crossrail’s Eastern Tunnels & Canary Wharf
As Pedantic of Purley pointed out recently, it has been some time since we properly paid Crossrail some attention. As much as it is important to delve into the world of timetables and capacity though, …
Continue readingMore Than Politics: Bombardier Gets Crossrail Rolling Stock
As had been widely anticipated for some time, this morning the winner of the Crossrail rolling stock and depot contract was announced. The (approximately) £1bn contract covers the supply of 65 nine car trains (which …
Continue readingA Window Into Crossrail From the National Audit Office
As a public project with Department for Transport ownership (albeit in this case jointly with TfL), Crossrail is subject to a number of elements of public project governance. One of the most interesting of these …
Continue readingSection of Victoria Line Closed Due to Concrete Ingress
As has been reported on Twitter and elsewhere, the Victoria Line is currently suffering delays due to concrete damage in a signal control room at Victoria. Whilst we cannot confirm these apparent photos of the …
Continue readingTfL Confirm Turnham Green Services After Piccadilly Line Upgrade
At the beginning of the month, in our article on the future of the Piccadilly Line, Pedantic of Purley indicated that London commuters would almost certainly see Piccadilly Line trains stopping at Turnham Green on …
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