London Reconnections

Friday Reads – 23 September 2022

On 23 September 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Friday Reads, Infrastructure, Pedestrians, Pollution, Sleeper Trains

• Queue Theory: How to design the perfect queue (Wired) • London’s Transport Commissioner Andy Byford to leave TfL, again (RailUK) • Free public transport in Europe: It hasn’t reduced traffic (EuroNews) • We have …

Get him on the Blower!: The origins of Pneumatic Railways

On 22 September 2022 By Long Branch Mike In History, Long reads, Pneumatic railways

Telegraphs were the internet of the Victorian Age. News of political and business developments could be sent around the world in near real time. However, the mass of telegrams converging on the network hub in …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 19 September 2022

On 19 September 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Bridges, Friday Reads, Micromobility, Northern line, Pedestrians

• London’s mainline railway stations to stay open overnight for the State Funeral (IanVisits) • Inside the Battersea Turbine Hall at end of the Northern Line Extension (Sounds&Visions) • NYC considering congestion charge, sales tax …

Friday Reads – 16 September 2022

On 16 September 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Buses, Friday Reads, Pollution, Stations, Trams/Streetcars/LRT

• The need to replace the Royal Train (ModernRailways) • TfL gardens opening on disused platforms & spaces (IanVisits) • Liège finally gets its tram line (UrbanTransport) • Battery equipped trolleybuses are a great, green …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 12 September 2022

On 12 September 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Airports, Friday Reads, Roads, Tunnels

• The Queen’s final journey should be by Royal Train: Wolmar (Spectator) • Busy rail travel expected for the Queen’s Lying in State (IanVisits) • Forgotten parts of Paris’ Petite Ceinture (PlacesJournal) • Void uncovered …

Friday Reads – 9 September 2022

On 9 September 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Arts, Crossrail, Friday Reads, Safety, Stations

• Grimshaw wins Waterloo Station masterplanning commission (ArchitectsJ) • Bond Street Elizabeth line station tour preview video (HiddenLondonHangouts) • Railway Guardian app reports transport harassment & violence to BTP (RailInsider) • Germany’s 27-year struggle to …

The Crossrail November Timetable

On 6 September 2022 By Pedantic of Purley In Crossrail, Long reads

TfL fairly recently issued a press release announcing daily through running on the Elizabeth line from Sunday 6th November 2022. This was not a surprise as a combination of leaks and intelligent guesswork based on …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 5 September 2022

On 5 September 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Bridges, Friday Reads, Logistics, Maps, Trams/Streetcars/LRT

• Off-peak Heathrow Tube fares scrapped, but there’s a workaround (DiamondGeezer) • Amazon’s e-cargo bikes to replace 1,000s of London van deliveries (Guardian) • Work starts to finally connect Barcelona tram networks (Barcelona) • European …

Friday Reads – 2 September 2022

On 2 September 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Aerial, Friday Reads, Micromobility, Pollution, Trams/Streetcars/LRT

• E-bikes to be added to Santander bike hire fleet in Sept (SouthLondonPress) • Germany’s €9 train ticket scheme saved 18m tons of CO2 emissions (Guardian) • The different philosophies of the French & German …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 29 August 2022

On 29 August 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Accessibility, Buses, Friday Reads, History

• Liverpool’s 1st railway station listed as Scheduled Monument (Liverpool&McrRyTrust) • Boston subway train fire adds to troubled safety record at underfunded transit agency (CityLab) • Milan is taming cars & people love it (Forbes) …

Friday Reads – 26 August 2022

On 26 August 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Crossrail, Friday Reads, Pollution, TfL, Zero Emission

• How TfL plans to build 20,000 new homes (Guardian) • Design, wellbeing, & the Elizabeth line: A joyful connection (Grimshaw) • Northern employees to be trained to ID & support vulnerable passengers (RailTechnologyMag) • …

We’re gonna need a bigger boat – London’s First Highway: Part 4

On 25 August 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Long reads, River, Waterways

As passengers are returning to London’s transport, with some overcrowding, it’s time once again to turn our attention to the Thames’ role in expanding the region’s transport. The River was the capital’s original highway, and …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 22 August 2022

On 22 August 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Cycles, Friday Reads, Tunnels

• Vintage Intercity train Co launches 1st class service alternative to Avanti West Coast (BusinessLive) • Construction of Germany’s deepest S-Bahn station (TunnelOnline) • Advocates sue Montréal transit agency for cutting ads criticizing high fares …

Friday Reads – 19 August 2022

On 19 August 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Crossrail, Friday Reads, Pollution, Safety, TfL

• TfL could be nationalised (RailTech) • Secrets of the Elizabeth Line: video (GeoffMarshall) • These maps help you see & noise pollution in your city (FastCompany) • Vancouver, St Louis saw increased safety, decreased …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 15 August 2022

On 15 August 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Arts, Friday Reads, New York, Pedestrians

• Edinburgh Festival visitors choosing to travel by rail (RailAdvent) • Ten great films set railway stations (BFI) • Vancouver, Stockholm, & the suburban metro model (PedestrianObvs) • NYC’s most forgotten train terminal (LiamO’Connell) • …