It was not our intention to write another full article on the long-term developments planned at East Croydon. As far as we could see the overall plan was almost finalised and little new was expected …
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Christmas Quiz 2019 – winners and runners-up
A long time ago we had the Christmas Quiz and now it is finally time to announce the winners in detail. Apologies for the delay but the number of entries coupled with an incredible number …
Continue readingGuards in Name Only? Dwell Times And The SWR Guards Dispute
In December 2019 the RMT union called a strike by guards on South Western Railway (SWR). It is entirely possible that it escaped your notice. The reasons for that, and for its calling, are worth …
Continue reading2019 Christmas Quiz Answers
We haven’t examined the answers sent in yet. We will do so shortly. Meanwhile, here are the answers as we currently believe them to be. Of course, it is always possible with some questions that …
Continue readingThe London Reconnections 2019 Christmas Quiz
It’s that most wonderful time of the year. So while Father Christmas tries to top up his Oyster card, why not take a shot at the one, the only… London Reconnections Annual Christmas Quiz! 2019 …
Continue readingNo Longer World Class Capacity
For many years TfL have run an investment programme grandly entitled ‘World Class Capacity’. Its worthy aim was to introduce a frequency of trains on the Northern, Jubilee and Victoria that could be considered world …
Continue readingCrossrail: Progressing but slipping
News on progress of existing TfL schemes has been in short supply during most of 2019. As if to make up for this, the 23rd October meeting of the Programmes & Investment Committee provided not …
Continue readingHammersmith Bridge: The signs are not good.
On 10th April 2019 the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham suddenly and without notice announced that Hammersmith Bridge was closed to all traffic due to urgent concerns about its structural integrity. To anyone familiar …
Continue readingSSR: Towards the Proposed March 2020 Timetable
At London Reconnections we don’t want to appear to always be bringing bad or disappointing news but events over the past year meant that we rarely have good things to write about. It makes a …
Continue readingULEZ: Why The (Slightly) Lower Emission Zone Matters
00:01 hours on Monday 8th April 2019 saw the introduction of the so-called Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). We look at the past, present and future of low emission zones in London, what is trying …
Continue readingATO, a Go-go: Signalling the SSR
On Sunday 17th March 2019 Automatic Train Operation (ATO) was finally, and successfully, introduced on the Sub-Surface Railway (SSR). Next week, or maybe the week after, we’ll put the significance of this in context and …
Continue readingDon’t Bank on Crossrail
Throughout TfL’s recent trials and tribulations, there seemed to be one major project that remained on schedule. It was also largely on budget, but facing ‘cost pressures’. Unlike just about every other substantial TfL project, …
Continue readingCrossrail: Getting a Grip
In The Dangerous Sound of Silence we looked at the reasons why Crossrail’s delay was not spotted earlier. Possibly more importantly, we looked at why that delay was not fully communicated to those who needed …
Continue readingCrossrail: The Dangerous Sound of Silence
We have been critical of the wall of silence that has enveloped Crossrail. In a welcome contrast, at the December 2018 meeting of the Programmes and Investment Committee, the public were treated to a full, …
Continue reading2018 Quiz: The Answers
With the deadline for entering now passed it is time to provide answers to the 2018 London Reconnections Quiz. This is our initial offering of the answers. However so many of you provided so much …
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