London Reconnections

The 2020 London Reconnections Christmas Quiz

On 1 December 2020 By Pedantic of Purley In Christmas Quiz, Long reads

2020 has been a year like no other, when it comes to transport writing. But there is one thing that doesn’t change: It is time for the London Reconnections Christmas Quiz! The year 2020 has …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 30 November 2020

On 30 November 2020 By Long Branch Mike In Bridges, COVID, Cycles, Design, Friday Reads, History, Micromobility, Pedestrians, Stations

• Restoring a heritage London Underground roundel totem (IanVisits) • Alexandra Palace’s never opened Tube station – video (JagoHazzard) • A conversation with London’s Walking & Cycling Commissioner (StreetsBlog) • Clermont-Ferrand’s one-off monorail tram now …

Friday Reads – 27 November 2020

On 27 November 2020 By Long Branch Mike In Accessibility, COVID, Cycles, Friday Reads, Pedestrians

• London hospital trust to pay £250k for a LTN for public health benefits (Guardian) • Do bike lanes have an accessibility problem? (CityLab) • Finding City Road, Islington’s abandoned Tube station video (JagoHazzard) • …

Top Moustaches of Transport in London

On 23 November 2020 By Long Branch Mike In And finally

A good moustache imparts great style, character, and gravitas to the wearer; a poor one subtracts equally. Here are some moustaches related to transport out and about in London, real and fictional. May or may …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 23 November 2020

On 23 November 2020 By Long Branch Mike In Design, Friday Reads, Infrastructure, Maps, Pedestrians, Sustainability

• Preston’s iconic bus station brought to life in illustration (TransportDesigned) • Managing railway earthworks in a changing climate (GarethDennis) • Study reveals the world’s most walkable cities (Guardian) • Europe is finally slowing down… …

Friday Reads – 20 November 2020

On 20 November 2020 By Long Branch Mike In Design, Friday Reads, Pedestrians, Stations

• Roundel replaced by PlayStation buttons at Oxford Circus (TheGamer) • Low traffic schemes (LTNs) don’t only benefit better-off: new study (Guardian) • Paris massively invests in Grand Paris Express Metro lines (UrbanTransportMag) • Now …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 16 November 2020

On 16 November 2020 By Long Branch Mike In Eurostar, Friday Reads, Maps, Pedestrians, Road, Stations

• Hidden London Hangouts explores the Kingsway Tram Tunnel (LTMuseum) • Details of Nicholas Grimshaw’s Waterloo Int’l station design (Dezeen) • Skip stop at Otterington Station (BeautyOfTransport) • Mapping Britain’s intercity footpaths (BBC) • Stop …

Friday Reads – 13 November 2020

On 13 November 2020 By Long Branch Mike In Cycles, Design, Fonts, Friday Reads, Pedestrians, Uber

• Margaret Calvert: Woman at Work Exhibition of her wayfinding designs (IanVisits) • History of Legible London (HydeParkNow) • Interesting way to maintain safe social distancing on a train (AnonWidower) • Childseats on bike increase …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 9 November 2020

On 9 November 2020 By Long Branch Mike In COVID, Crossrail, Friday Reads, Maps, Micromobility, Overground, Pollution

• Dramatic plunge in London air pollution since 2016 (Guardian) • History of the Romford to Upminster line (HydeParkNow) • Historic & modern UK & Ireland rail map (RailMapOnline) • Sydney & London: A tale …

Friday Reads – 6 November 2020

On 6 November 2020 By Long Branch Mike In COVID, Design, Friday Reads, Infrastructure, TfL

• A 20/20 perspective of TfL at 20 (LondonFirst) • Dutch Metro driver has a whale of a stop (Guardian) • National lockdown delays Blue Pullman launch (RailwayMag) • Hiding transport (& other) infrastructure stylishly …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 2 November 2020

On 2 November 2020 By Long Branch Mike In Accessibility, COVID, Friday Reads, New York, Pedestrians, TfL, Trams/Streetcars/LRT, Tunnels

• TfL delays accessibility works at 9 stations due to Covid-19 revenue hit (Building) • Denmark Hill station getting new entrance, photovoltaics in major upgrade (IanVisits) • Northern announce on-train permit scheme for mobility scooter …

Friday Reads – 30 October 2020

On 30 October 2020 By Long Branch Mike In Data, Electric Vehicles (EVs), Friday Reads, Pollution, Stations, TfL

• Mind the data gap: Why do so few women report harassment on the Tube? (NewStatesman) • The real reason TfL’s finances are far from healthy (BBC) • Tunnelling complete at Bank Tube (RailBusinessD) • …

Covenants, Easements & Wayleaves: The Hidden Urban Interfaces Which Shape London Part 1

On 27 October 2020 By Long Branch Mike In Data, History, Infrastructure, Long reads

The Underground isn’t just defined by its infrastructure, but by its interfaces too. We look at the hidden world of asset interface management, and how it affects, and is affected by, urban railway management, and …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 26 October 2020

On 26 October 2020 By Long Branch Mike In Accessibility, Buses, Fonts, Friday Reads, Maps

• Margaret Calvert updates typeface for Network Rail wayfinding system (DesignWeek) • Blind scientist lost in Tube shines light on TfL red tape (Standard) • Hidden London Hangouts: Routemaster prototypes (LTMuseum) • A 30km live …

Friday Reads – 23 October 2020

On 23 October 2020 By Long Branch Mike In Friday Reads, Maps, New York, Pedestrians, Sleeper Trains, Tunnels

• London’s railway upgrades: A progress report (IanVisits) • Was this Highland tunnel built as part of the London Underground? (Scotsman) • Night trains planned for Amsterdam, Rome, and Barcelona (SwissInfo) • The ultimate niche …