We really were going to take a break from Thameslink and look at a few completely different topics. We recently covered Thameslink twice – here and here. Then along came the GLA Transport Committee and …
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The Beeching Report: 50 Years On
in March 1963 a small book of around 150 pages was published by the British Railways Board. Its official title was The Reshaping of British Railways. Inevitably, however, it became known by the name of the man who headed British Railways at the time. An industrial chemist who had previously headed ICI, he was “on loan” from that organisation with a remit to sort out the problem of the railways. That man was Dr Richard Beeching, and this was “The Beeching Report.”
Continue readingTowards The Start of a New Era on the South London Line?
Late last year we reported on the opening of stage II of the East London Line and also said farewell to the South London Line (SLL). Nowadays it is not often that we see a …
Continue readingWhat’s it all about, Thameslink?
The intention was to hold off from writing another article about Thameslink until the routes involved were finally decided. Our article in 2011 was rather speculative due to lack of decision making and definite information …
Continue readingThameslink: Losing The Plot Whilst Looping the Loop?
In the late 1970s the Chrysler Corporation of America was in deep financial trouble. No-one wanted to buy their cars. Lee Iacocca, a former president of Ford Motors who was fired when he fell out …
Continue readingThe Past and Future of the Bromley North Branch
The branch line from Grove Park to Bromley North is only one and a half miles long. It has but two stations (excluding Grove Park itself) and those two are ridiculously close to each other. …
Continue readingTanners Hill Flydown – Part 2
In Part 1 of this series we saw how and why the Tanners Hill Flydown came into existence. We also reported on the apparent need to double it in advance of enhanced Thameslink services, and …
Continue readingTanners Hill Flydown – Part 1
Our original plan was to write a piece on St Johns station. This would conclude with a short section on the work carried out over the Christmas holidays on the Tanners Hill Flydown. Like many …
Continue readingOur Little List: Merry Christmas From LR
Now that Christmas has finally arrived it is time to lighten up a bit. We could have provided something related to a pantomime but between the IEP and their process for franchising the West Coast …
Continue readingRoundtable: The TfL Draft Business Plan
Transport news, like London buses, often seems to come in clumps. With the various recent announcements it would thus be easy to miss that TfL have published their draft Business Plan for the next decade. …
Continue readingTransport Committee Intermission: The Elephant in the Committee Room
Part One of the above article generated a lot of interest and a lot of comments based around the issue of driverless trains. This certainly was the issue that seemed to interest the politicians and …
Continue readingTaxi! – The new Cab Rank at Paddington
Other than to report on GLA meetings we don’t normally mention taxis on London Reconnections. The reason for this is simple. They are boring. It was quite a surprise therefore when the conversation at an …
Continue readingA look at Cannon Street Underground Station
Regular readers who use Cannon Street station will be aware of the massive changes that have been taking place over the past few years. What was left if the original station frontage was replaced as …
Continue readingThe (Croydon) Tramlink: Part 2
Following on from part 1 which looked at the past, we now concentrate on the recent Tramlink update and look to the future. A new tram at Wimbledon heading for Elmers End on a training …
Continue readingThe (Croydon) Tramlink: Part 1
With the recent introduction of six more trams and a new service pattern, the time seems right to look both back at, and forward to, changes to Tramlink. In the first part of this article …
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