London Reconnections

Friday Reads – 27 May 2022

On 27 May 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Crossrail, Design, Friday Reads, History, Northern line

• Crossrail finally opens after decades of struggle; photo essay (Guardian) • Crossrails/Elizabeth Line opening: video tour (RMTransit) • Signaling upgrade online on Great Northern (City) line into Moorgate (IanVisits) • Andy Byford: Next TfL …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 23 May 2022

On 23 May 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Arts, Crossrail, Electric Vehicles (EVs), Friday Reads, Stations

• Grimshaw’s line wide Crossrail station design (ArchitectsJ) • TfL to expand contactless payments outside London (IanVisits) • Flatpack railway stations are coming down the line (TheTimes) • New battery-electric ultra-light trains designed & built …

Friday Reads – 20 May 2022

On 20 May 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Design, Friday Reads, Maps, Micromobility, Trams/Streetcars/LRT

• Photos from Bank station’s huge new platforms (IanVisits) • Elizabeth Line added to new London Tube Map (RailUK) • London hosts first eScooter race (Reuters) • Kyiv Metro seeks Europe’s help for spares (MetroReport) …

China’s annual December Metro openings bonanza

On 19 May 2022 By JR Urbane Network In Infrastructure, Long reads

It has become a popular pastime among Chinese railfans to get really excited at around the end of December, as that is the period of a slew of metro openings across the country. And being …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 16 May 2022

On 16 May 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Arts, Friday Reads, Micromobility, TfL, Trams/Streetcars/LRT

• TfL’s new property company to build offices & homes to generate transport cash (MyLondon) • TfL to expand contactless payments outside London (IanVisits) • The 5.20 from Kyiv restored suburban rail offers hope as …

Friday Reads – 13 May 2022

On 13 May 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Friday Reads, Maps, Micromobility, Northern line, Nudges

• Northern Line Bank Branch to reopen Monday 16 May (IanVisits) • Fare caps might get transit out of the pandemic slump (NextCity) • US cities testing benefits of Universal Basic Mobility (CityLab) • 16 …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 9 May 2022

On 9 May 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Architecture, Crossrail, Friday Reads, Maps, Trams/Streetcars/LRT

• Brno donating trams & trolleybuses to help rebuild Kharkiv, Ukraine (TheMayor) • Before there was Crossrail, there was Crosslink: video (JagoHazzard) • Harry Beck’s 1935 Imperial Airways diagram (TransitMaps) • Art Deco design of …

Friday Reads – 6 May 2022

On 6 May 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Arts, Friday Reads, Infrastructure

• Royal Mail to double Scotland mail trains (Scotsman) • To live or to park? That is the question – Whether ’tis nobler to park at the Tube station (OnLondon) • Estonia’s free public transport …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 2 May 2022

On 2 May 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Cable Car, Friday Reads, HS2, New York, Sleeper Trains

• HS2 under fire for Euston waste removal by road flipflop (NewCivilEng) • European cities urged to ban cars to stop funding Russia war (CitiesToday) • Romford-Upminster Line: Video of the successful, unwanted railway (JagoHazzard) …

Friday Reads – April 29 2022

On 29 April 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Cycles, Friday Reads, HS2, Trams/Streetcars/LRT

• Put TfL live travel updates onto your smartphone homescreen (IanVisits) • Cycle paths to run alongside HS2 for 200 miles (AnonymousWidower) • 12 most effective ways to get cars out of cities (Guardian) • …

The Purple Elephant in the Room: Crossrail’s Opening Date

On 25 April 2022 By John Bull In Crossrail, Long reads

Unsurprisingly, the subject of Crossrail/Elizabeth line opening dates is a hot topic in the transport community at the moment. In this article, we address that big purple elephant in the room. The truth is that …

Monday’s Friday Reads – April 25 2022

On 25 April 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Arts, Bridges, Friday Reads, Nudges, Pollution

• A flash sale is not a transport strategy: What Is wrong with British rail (inews) • Pollution back to illegal levels on ex-zero emissions London street (Guardian) • Portland’s Tilikum Crossing longest US non-traffic …

Friday Reads – April 22 2022

On 22 April 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Cycles, Design, Friday Reads, Pedestrians

• London car parking permits are cheaper than bike storage (BBC) • Long before NYC’s High Line, there was the High Bridge (UntappedNYC) • Amtrak seeks control of Washington DC Union Station for expansion (Trains) …

Monday’s Friday Reads – April 18 2022

On 18 April 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Crossrail 2, Friday Reads, Micromobility, New York

• British Library extension to include Crossrail 2 tunnels (IanVisits) • Huge maintenance backlog, safety behind NYC Subway poor frequency (HomeSignal) • Will extending L Red Line bring more development to Far South Side? (ChicagoMag) …

Friday Reads – April 15 2022

On 15 April 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Friday Reads, Infrastructure, Pedestrians, Trams/Streetcars/LRT

• Early UK bus station architecture descended from cinemas (BeautyOfTransport) • Montreal’s Blue line East Extension progresses toward 2029 (MassTransit) • Tel Aviv Red Line LRT almost ready for November opening (IntlRailJ) • Is third …