We were slightly surprised by a fairly recent article in the Evening Standard suggesting that …
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Transforming Oxford Street Part 2: A Real Regeneration
There have been proposals to pedestrianise Oxford Street for many years, but until now nothing has happened. This was partly because it was regarded as too difficult and partly because the City of Westminster (who …
Continue readingFriday Reads – 19 January 2018
Welcome to Reconnections’ Friday Reads. This week’s lineup: • The forgotten West London Air Terminal (RB Kensington & Chelsea) • Legible London’s tenth anniversary (1LondonBlog) • Redesign of British train tickets (SadHedgehog) • Paris Métro …
Continue readingLeasing Lizzie: Finding the Funds for Deep Tube
On 3 January 2018, the London Assembly Budget and Performance Committee sat down with TfL to go through their current budget. Discussion largely focused on the various pressures on TfL’s finances – from the removal …
Continue readingFriday Reads – 12 January 2018
Welcome to Reconnections’ Friday Reads. This week’s lineup: • Kew Gardens’ private underground railway (IanVisits) • Is Britain’s rail franchising system fit for purpose? [paywall] (Financial Times) • Global underground/metro typography [many images] (Prototypr) • …
Continue readingFriday Reads – January 5, 2018
Welcome to Reconnections’ Friday Reads. This week’s lineup: • London Transport Museum charts the growth of the modern city (Blooloop) • Trains playlist (NME) • Metro maps schematic-geography morphing animations (Arch Daily) • Advert tiles …
Continue readingLondon’s Exiles: Andy Byford – From Broadway to Broadway
“There’s a great story to be told of British and London transport expertise, which is being sought out once again” Andy Byford, then-CEO of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), mused when we last saw him …
Continue reading2017 Quiz Answers
Here are the answers to the 2017 quiz. We were surprised by how well people did and the number of answers with almost all the questions correct. Question 1 We asked what was wrong with …
Continue readingThe Metropolitan Line Extension: Deadline Day
On 26 March 2015, outgoing London Mayor and current Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson issued Mayoral Decision MD1478. Based on a cost estimate only 50% likely to be correct, London agreed to fund a transport project, with no cost ceiling, that primarily benefitted a Conservative marginal seat outside of the capital. This is the story of the troubled Metropolitan Line Extension to Watford.
Continue readingFriday Reads – December 29, 2017
Welcome to Reconnections’ Friday Reads. This week’s lineup: • Schematic railway maps in advertising (Retours) • Elon Musk’s Tesla technutopia has a parking problem (StreetsBlog) • Heathrow Express adds blue platform gap lighting (Rail Advent) …
Continue readingFriday Reads – December 22, 2017
Welcome to Reconnections’ Friday Reads. This week’s lineup: • London waterways Tube-style map, with sounds (SoundSurvey) • Overhead footbridges of London (Londonist) • Land Registry reveals London secret tunnels (Who Owns England) • Successful cities …
Continue readingTransforming Oxford Street Part 1: The Bustterfly Effect
Some readers may already be aware of the current consultation on the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street between Orchard Street (just to the west of Selfridges) and Oxford Circus. This is part of a programme to …
Continue readingFriday Reads – December 15, 2017
Welcome to Reconnections’ Friday Reads. This week’s lineup: • Without Congestion Zone, London traffic would be 20% slower (StreetsBlog) • Melbourne Road Usage Study studies road charges (The Conversation) • Dublin Luas LRT line opens, …
Continue readingThe London Reconnections 2017 Christmas Quiz
It’s that time of year again. Advent calendars are being opened, presents purchased and the tabloids are preparing their ‘outrage’ pieces about vital Christmas works. That means, of course, that is time for the London …
Continue readingImportant Information About LR December Drinks!
The Royal Oak are kind enough to normally let us have their upstairs room for free. Unfortunately, due to their Christmas commitments, they can’t do that this week. So there will not be an official …
Continue readingFriday Reads – December 8, 2017
Welcome to Reconnections’ Friday Reads. This week’s lineup: • Average journey times of trains into London in 1968 (Spatial.ly) • Capacity Relief at Camden Town station – Talk 9 Jan 2018 (LURS) • UPS making …
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