London Reconnections

Monday’s Friday Reads – 18 December

On 18 December 2023 By Heliomass In Accessibility, Friday Reads, Taxis, Zero Emission

• Are we there yet? Barriers to transport for disabled people in 2023 (Transport for All) • UK online train ticket sellers warned to be more upfront about booking fees (The Guardian) • Revamped Central …

Friday Reads – 15 December 2023

On 15 December 2023 By Heliomass In Friday Reads

• New Subway fleet enters passenger service in Glasgow (SPT) • Limit reached in the UK train baggage area (RailTech) • Biden to invest $8B for nationwide expansion of passenger rail (Route Fifty) • Evolyn …

HS2 – A High Speed Beeching

On 14 December 2023 By Long Branch Mike In Focus, HS2, Long reads, Politics

We have noticed a plethora of different analyses and realisations of the impacts of the recently-announced HS2 Phase 2 cancellation. Initially, there was a new article about it almost every day. Lately, it has slowed …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 11 December 2023

On 11 December 2023 By Heliomass In Data, Friday Reads, Taxis, TfL, Thameslink

• Brent Cross West station: The next stage in a long London journey (Dave Hill) • Passengers trapped on cold, dark trains as travel chaos hits west London (The Guardian) • South Western rail boss …

Friday Reads – 8 December 2023

On 8 December 2023 By Heliomass In Congestion Charge, Friday Reads, History, Overground

• Counter-terror officers investigate ULEZ camera explosion (BBC) • Overground upgrade sees 2025 target for improved services (Murky Depths) • The surprising story of steam trains on the Central line (IanVisits) • Steam Trains & …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 4 December 2023

On 4 December 2023 By Heliomass In Friday Reads, History, Pedestrians

• Class 730s start running for LNWR (BusAndTrainUser) • London Underground thefts rise by 83% in a year (BBC News) • The world’s first railway station identified (Rail Engineer) • 1976: The Train Station with …

London Reconnections 2023 Christmas Quiz

On 1 December 2023 By Pedantic of Purley In Christmas Quiz, Long reads

Our annual quiz continues. 2023 seems to have provided sufficient questions for roughly the same number of questions as is usually asked. This year, there are no ‘trick’ questions in the sense that in none …

Friday Reads – 1 December 2023

On 1 December 2023 By Heliomass In Friday Reads, London Underground, Pedestrians, Sleeper Trains

• London Underground tops 4 million journeys in a single day (IanVisits) • First passenger trains run to City of London using digital signalling (Network Rail) • The Mont-Blanc Express from Switzerland to France (The …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 27 November 2023

On 27 November 2023 By Heliomass In Buses, Eurostar, Friday Reads, Jubilee line, New York

• Eurostar Amsterdam to London Trains Will Run Empty (Evening Standard) • Superloop Begins to Take Shape (BusAndTrainUser) • Driving trains on the Jubilee Line for the Last Time: Video (It’s just an idea) • …

Friday Reads – 24 November 2023

On 24 November 2023 By Heliomass In Buses, Friday Reads, Overground, Piccadilly line, Sustainability

• Riding The New Tube For London: Video (Geoff Marshall) • Gatwick: A Great Station Upgrade; Now Sort The Trains And Fares (BusAndTrainUser) • Exploring Stratford to North Woolwich: Video (The TfL Three) • Toyota …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 20 November 2023

On 20 November 2023 By Heliomass In Friday Reads, Pollution, Trams/Streetcars/LRT

• Birmingham Eastside Metro Extension Plans Brought Forward (Railway News) • Baltimore’s Red Line Should Be a Stadtbahn (Martha Lauren) • To Fight Fare Evasion, PATH Turnstiles ‘Speak Up’ (Railway Age) • Stockholm Plans to …

Friday Reads – 17th November 2023

On 17 November 2023 By Heliomass In Accessibility, Central line, Friday Reads, HS2, Maps

• Aslef announces industrial action in December (The Guardian) • Look out on the Central line (IanVisits) • Paris Mayor to set vote on increasing parking fees for SUVs (BBC) • HS2 Old Oak Common …

The State of Rail: Breaking Down The Numbers

On 14 November 2023 By John Bull In Crossrail, Data, Focus, Long reads, TfL

With discussion of ticket office closures and rail passenger numbers a political hot potato, it’s easy to forget that firm data on the state of rail in Great Britain does exist. We take a look at the ORR’s latest figures (April – June 2023) and TfL’s recent Crossrail Usage report.

Monday’s Friday Reads – 13 November 2023

On 13 November 2023 By Heliomass In Aerial, Friday Reads, New York, Pedestrians

• The Most Dangerous Spots for Cyclists in London (Bloomberg CityLab) • Edinburgh to be first Scottish city to ban pavement parking (BBC) • Modernizing New York Commuter Rail (Effective Transit Alliance) • Russia said …

Friday Reads – 10 November 2023

On 10 November 2023 By Heliomass In Friday Reads

• Gatwick Airport station upgrade reduces delays (IanVisits) • Google Street View goes underground on the Tube (BBC) • Why rail electrification is so slow in Britain (Economist) • US announces $16.4B for Northeast Corridor …