In early July 2018, South Western Railway (SWR) released a statement on their website. In it, the Operator reiterated their desire to run additional services – something they had included in their franchise submission for …
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Friday Reads – 8 June 2018
Welcome to Reconnections’ Friday Reads, our curated list of topical and quirky transport links. • Croydon’s trams go cashless by summer (IntelligentTransport) • The Tube’s psychology experiments (Wired) • 1950s battery train to Balmoral (AnonymousWidower) …
Continue readingThe Timetable Change: Accepting the Blame
In April 2018 the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee published a report on Rail Franchising in the UK. In particular, they were concerned with the DfT’s handling of its (relatively) new “mega-franchise”: GTR. Much …
Continue readingThe Cicadas Take Flight: Explaining The May Timetable Changes
Some species of American cicadas have evolved a strange ability: they have synchronised lifecycles lasting prime number lengths of years. For the cicadas this is an advantage – it helps them evade the development of …
Continue readingLondon Underground: The Forgotten Digital Railway
The railway’s attitude to signalling has changed a lot in the past few decades. In times gone by it was often regarded as something one unfortunately needed to run trains safely. On a modern metro …
Continue readingCrossrail: The Western Approach?
At the beginning of the year it seemed that Crossrail was experiencing something of an information blackout. At a TfL board meeting in late January, the Mayor, its chairman, moved all further discussion about the …
Continue readingLondon: Taking a High Line?
Of all the transport modes we have covered on London Reconnections, we have rarely hitherto covered the first principle of movement – walking (in which we include personal mobility assistive devices and rideables). Here we …
Continue readingThird Ryde Tube: Transfer Troublesome
London Tube trains regularly operate on a line that never appears on any Tube map. As one of the few examples of Underground car cascading, retired Tube trains have been operating on the Isle of …
Continue readingFriday Reads – 2 March 2018
Welcome to Reconnections’ Friday Reads. This week’s lineup: • Thameslink’s Canal Tunnels open (A London Blog) • Sir Peter Hendy’s 2018 George Bradshaw Address (Rail Delivery Group) • Tube fashion (WaveyGarms) • London Tramways document …
Continue readingCrossrail: Cutting it Fine
On 11 December 2017, TfL announced that they were seeking ‘launch partners’ for the opening of the Elizabeth line. What is on offer is “a unique opportunity that will align with this historic moment for London”. …
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 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 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 readingHorrible Holborn: When Postponement Is Not An Option
Increasing capacity on a railway is not just about running more (or longer) trains. If the associated stations can’t cope with the increased passenger numbers, then remedial action is needed. Here, we look at major …
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