A perennial and fairly meaningless question that is often asked is ‘what are the origins …
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The new Walbrook entrance at Bank
Recently there was an exhibition about the updated proposals to greatly enhance Bank station capacity, a scheme that should be completed in 2021 if all goes according to plan. As a result of those proposals, …
Continue readingPaddington: Bearer of Many Names
In part 2 of Uncircling the Circle we rather skipped over the issue of changing trains at Paddington. This issue was picked up by some readers who pointed out that, once Paddington (Hammersmith & City) …
Continue readingReopening London’s Mail Rail
The British Postal Museum & Archive (BPMA) has submitted plans to Islington Council proposing to reopen a section of the Mail Rail beneath Mount Pleasant sorting office, this time for public use.
Continue readingFreight Incident Causes Major Disruption to North London Line
At 0300 this morning, a freight train running from Lawley Street to Felixstowe derailed just west of Camden Road station on the North London Line. Although the full extent and cause of the accident remains to be seen, the damage appears significant, although no injuries were sustained.
Continue readingUncircling the Circle: Part 2
In part one of Uncircling the Circle we described how London Underground and its predecessors had tried, unsuccessfully, to eliminate the Circle Line as a continuous circle from the underground system. We also looked at …
Continue readingUncircling The Circle: part 1
In part 2 of The Past, Present and Future of Metropolitan Line Services we finished with details of frequencies for the Metropolitan Line once the Sub-Surface Lines upgrade was complete. With plans for a overview …
Continue readingSecond Second Tuesday meeting
Just the briefest of reminders that we will have our next pub meeting on Tuesday 8th October from 6 o’clock onwards. Same details as last time. Click “Continue reading” for link to details of the …
Continue readingEast Coast Mainline Routes & Branches Part 2: The Hertford Loop and the Northern City Line
This article grew in the telling. As with so many other places on the London rail network, it is hard to give a comprehensive overview of plans for one improvement on the East Coast Mainline …
Continue readingIn Pictures: Canary Wharf Crossrail Station
Of all the new stations on the Crossrail Route it is Canary Wharf that has arguably progressed the fastest. Here work on on the four floor structure itself is effectively complete and fit-out underway, with …
Continue readingOld Oak Common: Part 3 – Looking Over the Fence
Think of Old Oak Common (OOC) as the Canary Wharf of west London. That’s the Vision: bold and challenging. But will a ‘super hub’ emerge? While the grand plan for OOC may depend on decisions further up the metaphorical line, to a certain extent OOC leapfrogs the institutional black hole of rail strategy and drives deeper changes in strategic planning for London as a whole.
Continue readingOld Oak Common: Part 2 – Putting the Pieces Together
In Part 1, we introduced the many components that need to be integrated into the grand plan at Old Oak Common (OOC), for a new interchange with HS2, Crossrail, the Great Western Mainline (GWML) and …
Continue readingThe Price of Oranges: DfT ask TfL to take on Greenford and Upminster
There was some surprise back in June when it was confirmed that the DfT would devolve the West Anglia rail franchise to TfL, a major step towards the devolution of London’s rail services. Although not stated at the time, sources now suggest that the DfT have placed a price on this devolution of services, one on which the two parties are now negotiating terms – TfL must take on two other London branch lines as well.
Continue readingEnding Cash Fares On The Buses: Does Daniels Dream of Electric Beeps?
In the world of London transport, there are few topics as emotive as fares and ticketing. From price, through the location of sale, to the method by which payments are made, ticketing is a subject …
Continue readingIn Pictures: Kings Cross In The Fifties
Work is now nearing completion on Network Rail’s project to rebuild Kings Cross, revealing the station’s impressive frontage for the first time in many, many years. We’ll be taking another look at the station next month, but in the meantime this seems like a good opportunity to take a brief trip back into the past…
Continue readingSecond Tuesday Meeting
Just a quick reminder to those interested. We intend to meet monthly for a drink and a chat at the Rose & Crown in Southwark on the second Tuesday of each month. This is the …
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