2020 has been a year like no other, when it comes to transport writing. But there is one thing that doesn’t change: It is time for the London Reconnections Christmas Quiz! The year 2020 has …
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Covenants, Easements & Wayleaves: The Hidden Urban Interfaces Which Shape London Part 1
The Underground isn’t just defined by its infrastructure, but by its interfaces too. We look at the hidden world of asset interface management, and how it affects, and is affected by, urban railway management, and …
Continue readingSlavery and the Railways, Part 1: Acknowledging the Past
Britain’s railway exists as a legacy of slavery. In this short series we look at this under-explored aspect of railway history, and talk to Network Rail about how we acknowledge that past and build a better present.
Continue readingCrossrail (finally) reaches Stage 2 of opening
You may wonder how you missed the news of Crossrail achieving its second milestone (out of five) in its opening strategy to fully open the Elizabeth line. The reason is simple. It hasn’t been publicised. …
Continue readingA Tale of Two Systems – London and New York City
Letters from America – Part 1 A potted history of transport in London and New York City (NYLON) Having been born and raised just outside of New York City, but spending most of my professional …
Continue readingA Study in Sussex (part 15): East Croydon revisited – again!
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 …
Continue readingCapitalist hydrofoils strike back! (Part 2)
This Liquid Highway video succinctly recaps the history of Thames ferries from 1900 on, with the Denny D2 starting at 1.43, and showing a number of the hydrofoils described in Part 1 of this series …
Continue readingSoviet fleet on the Thames (Part 1)
What do Russian hydrofoils, the Thames, the CIA, a secret city in the Soviet Union, and the Caspian Sea Monster have in common? Two mavericks on either side of the Iron Curtain, who made it …
Continue readingTfL: THE IMPOSSIBLE FINANCES OF FIGHTING A PANDEMIC
Asked by the government to provide a frequent a timetable during the Coronavirus outbreak to allow social distancing, TfL have risen to the challenge. But losing £150m a week has pushed the organisation to the …
Continue readingRemembering Mike Horne
On 26 March 2020, the railway industry lost Mike “M A C” Horne, who passed away suddenly from a heart attack. Mike’s knowledge of the history and operation of the railways (London’s in particular) was …
Continue readingState of the Art signalling still relies on people
Despite having one of the largest subway networks in the world, New Yorkers now experience frustratingly erratic and unreliable service. Underfunding has meant that engineers have been pushing the often-century-old subway signalling hardware decades past …
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 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 readingSchrodinger’s Cab Firm: Uber’s Existential Crisis
London’s minicab regulator, TfL, has revoked Uber’s licence to operate in the British capital, one of its largest world markets. Getting that licence back may require the firm to finally confront a question it cannot …
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