London Reconnections

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 …

14 April: The Return of Meetups

On 14 April 2022 By Pedantic of Purley In Long reads, Meetup

It’s time to officially restart our monthly LR meetups, beginning on 14 April 2022. All are welcome, and conversation is often as much general as it is transport-specific. Like many, COVID has hit the LR …

Sydney: Suffering from style over substance

On 14 April 2022 By Chris Hale In City Snapshot, Long reads

In the perennial battle to be the foremost Antipodean metropolis, Sydney has recently announced an ambitious addition to its existing extensive suburban rail, ferry, tram, and bus network – it’s first metro line, with automated …

Monday’s Friday Reads – April 11 2022

On 11 April 2022 By Long Branch Mike In Accessibility, Friday Reads, Sustainability, Tunnels, Waterways

• Russians gone, Kyiv revives, including transport system (NYTimes) • Jubilee night Tube May return, more lines to follow (RailUK) • Moving San Francisco: evolution of its public transport video (PBS) • New Zealand fully …