A perennial and fairly meaningless question that is often asked is ‘what are the origins …
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Don’t Fear the Beeper: Bus Hopper Tickets and the Future of Oyster
“Today is a landmark day for transport in London,” London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan said on 12 September 2016. “It wasn’t right that Londoners had to pay twice simply to change buses.” It is a deceptively …
Continue readingSite News: Free LR Magazine Downloads for Crossrail Staff
Just a quick site notice to let any readers who work for Crossrail know that it’s not just TfL staff that can download LR now. Crossrail staff can now also get the digital version of …
Continue readingIn Pictures: The Buses of London
It will likely come as a surprise to no-one that the residents of LR Towers are inveterate browsers of second-hand bookshops. Occasionally these dusty forays yield more than obscure texts. Such is the case here, …
Continue readingOn Our Line #4: Designing Crossrail’s Stations
In the latest episode of our On Our Line podcast series, Nicole discusses the architecture and design of Crossrail’s stations with architecture critic Hugh Pearman and Crossrail’s Head of Architecture Julian Robinson. Tune in to …
Continue readingThe New London Bridge Station: First Impressions
It will probably not have escaped most readers attention that the main portion of the new London Bridge station concourse opened on August Bank Holiday Monday. Impressions are invariably subjective and so London Reconnections breaks …
Continue readingOn Our Line Extra: The Night Tube
To celebrate the start of the Night Tube service this evening, London Reconnections is pleased to bring you the first episode of On Our Line: Extra. On Our Line Extras are additional podcast episodes outside …
Continue readingEmpire of the Air: The Imperial Airship Service
In 1926 artist Montague Black, famous for his work with the White Star Line, created a new piece of art for London Underground. According to the painting in 2026 the city would be dominated by …
Continue readingSite News: Free LR Magazine Downloads for TfL Staff
Just a quick site notice to let any readers who work directly for TfL know that you can now get the digital version of LR Magazine sent directly to your inbox for free. This also …
Continue readingLondon’s Lost Pneumatic Railways Talk – LURS 9 August 2016
Long Branch Mike will be presenting at the London Underground Railway Society (LURS) on Tuesday 9 August, 2016, at the Society’s monthly meeting, on the development and evolution of the Pneumatic Despatch Railway, the world’s second oldest …
Continue readingHigh Speed Buffers (Part 4): Terminal Policies and Priorities
In the latest part of our HS2 series, we look primarily at the options for London HS termini and/or through running. Some policy and funding issues are raised. Discussion about passenger volumes, and station and …
Continue readingThe Elizabethan Age: Crossrail’s Trains Make Their Debut
Today saw the official unveiling of the first of Crossrail’s Class 345s, built by Bombardier in Derby. It would be rude, therefore, not to share with LR readers some photos of the new class in …
Continue readingOn Our Line #3: British Transport Policy Since WW2
In episode three of our podcast Nicole discusses the history of British transport policy with Dr Geoff Dudley and Christian Wolmar. Dr Geoff Dudley is a Visiting Research Associate at the Transport Studies Unit at …
Continue readingLR Magazine Issue Four: Feeding the Monster
With print copies now being prepped for dispatch to subscribers at LR Towers, London Reconnections Magazine Issue 4: Feeding the Monster is now available to purchase in our online store. This brings to an end …
Continue readingDiving Into The Fleet: Jubilee Line Derailed, 1974-1979
The waters of the Fleet (Line) became considerably murkier in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. To recap, Fleet Line Stage 1 costs to Charing Cross had risen from an estimate of £35m in 1971 …
Continue readingMeltdown Monday: How Southern’s Problems Run Deeper Than Disputes
For those living and working in London and the South East it has become almost impossible to be unaffected, either directly or indirectly, by the trouble-hit GTR franchise. Understandably there is anger and frustration at …
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