In part 2 of The Past, Present and Future of Metropolitan Line Services we finished with details of frequencies for the Metropolitan Line once the Sub-Surface Lines upgrade was complete. With plans for a overview …
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In Pictures: Kings Cross In The Fifties
Work is now nearing completion on Network Rail’s project to rebuild Kings Cross, revealing the station’s impressive frontage for the first time in many, many years. We’ll be taking another look at the station next month, but in the meantime this seems like a good opportunity to take a brief trip back into the past…
Continue readingThe Past, Present and Future of Metropolitan Line Services: Part 1
We reported last month that the Croxley Rail Link (CRL) scheme had been given the go-ahead, with the Transport and Works Act Order reported to be approved by the Secretary of State for Transport. Since …
Continue readingWarminster – Imber Village Routemaster Special Service Tomorrow
Every year, a vintage bus service runs from Warminster to the abandoned village of Imber on Salisbury Plain. With all profits going to charity, it’s an interesting opportunity to travel on a Routemaster outside of …
Continue readingBlast from the Past: A Precariously Positioned DLR Train
On March 10th 1987 a test run on the then-under-construction Docklands Light Railway (DLR) almost ended in disaster, when the train failed to stop at then-terminus Island Gardens. With overrun protection still incomplete, the train …
Continue readingThe Life, Death and Rebirth of Lea Bridge Station
Somewhat buried amongst a number of railway-related announcements from the DfT this month was final confirmation of something that Waltham Forest council have been pushing for some time – the reopening of Lea Bridge Station. …
Continue readingTragedy and Turnaround: A History of St Johns Station – Part 2
In part one we recalled the history of St Johns station up to World War II. In that time the the station had already been subject to more change than most stations have in their …
Continue readingAccidents and Islands: A History of St Johns Station – Part 1
Some railway stations are more worthy of a visit for their own sake than others. History, architecture, location, current operation and future plans, all contribute in their own way to give you a reason to explore a particular station. You wouldn’t think the small suburban commuter stop of St Johns was one of these, but in truth it’s a far more interesting station than one might imagine.
Continue readingA Beeching Epilogue: The Curious Case of the Clapham Junction Ghost Train
In Part 2 of our piece on The Beeching Report’s impact on London, Pedantic of Purley highlighted that the report called for the closure of the Clapham Junction – Kensington Olympia service. As Pedantic pointed …
Continue readingThe Beeching Report: Freight and Final Conclusions
In The Beeching Report: 50 Years On we looked at the report itself and its relevance to London as far as passenger traffic was concerned. This was followed up with a look at its impact …
Continue readingThe Beeching Report: The Closure Proposals For London
In our look at the Beeching Report itself we saw plans for a considerable number of railway closures, and looked at the reasoning behind the proposal. For London though, there were actually very few closures …
Continue readingThe 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 readingA Glimpse Into the Past
Recently, the Financial Times celebrated 125 years of publication and reproduced, by way of remembrance, a copy of its first front page, of 13th February, 1888. The front page makes interesting reading for LR readers, …
Continue readingLU150: Steam On the Underground Timetable and Prices
No. 30587 Steaming at Baker Street, copyright/credit Leon Daniels It has been something of an open secret that the London Transport Museum has been preparing for a limited number of Steam runs on the Metropolitan …
Continue readingARCHIVE: Angels and Errors: How the Harrow & Wealdstone Disaster Helped Shape Modern Britain
Today is the 60th Anniversary of the Harrow & Wealdstone Disaster. In remembrance of the tragedy that occured that day, below you will find the article about the disaster that first appeared on this website …
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