London Reconnections

The Beeching Report: 50 Years On

On 10 March 2013 By Pedantic of Purley In History

in March 1963 a small book of around 150 pages was published by the British Railways Board. Its official title was The Reshaping of British Railways. Inevitably, however, it became known by the name of the man who headed British Railways at the time. An industrial chemist who had previously headed ICI, he was “on loan” from that organisation with a remit to sort out the problem of the railways. That man was Dr Richard Beeching, and this was “The Beeching Report.”

A Glimpse Into the Past

On 8 March 2013 By John Bull In History, National Rail

Recently, the Financial Times celebrated 125 years of publication and reproduced, by way of remembrance, a copy of its first front page, of 13th February, 1888. The front page makes interesting reading for LR readers, …

The Transport Committee: Crossrail and the Overground Talk Shop

On 7 March 2013 By The Walthamstow Writer In Crossrail, Crossrail 2, Overground, Oyster

Today’s London Assembly Transport Committee meeting covered Crossrail and wider London Rail developments – two areas of great interest to LR readers. Andrew Wolstenholme (CEO) and Terry Morgan (Chairman) both attended from Crossrail. Taking Crossrail …

TfL Make Changes To Bus Transfer Tickets

On 5 March 2013 By John Bull In Buses

One of the London Bus Network’s least known features (second, perhaps, only to the fact that there is actually no such a thing as a “compulsory stop”) has long been the existence of the “transfer …

Towards The Start of a New Era on the South London Line?

On 26 February 2013 By Pedantic of Purley In DfT, ELL, London Bridge, Overground, SLL

Late last year we reported on the opening of stage II of the East London Line and also said farewell to the South London Line (SLL). Nowadays it is not often that we see a …

What’s it all about, Thameslink?

On 20 February 2013 By Pedantic of Purley In Blackfriars, Construction projects, London Bridge, Rolling stock, Southern, Thameslink

The intention was to hold off from writing another article about Thameslink until the routes involved were finally decided. Our article in 2011 was rather speculative due to lack of decision making and definite information …

Howard Smith to Join Crossrail

On 18 February 2013 By John Bull In Crossrail, Overground, TfL

Crossrail have announced that Howard Smith, currently Chief Operating Officer at TfL London Rail, will join Crossrail in March as Operations Director: Howard Smith is currently Chief Operating Officer for Rail at Transport for London …

The Hackney Downs – Hackney Central Link

On 14 February 2013 By John Bull In National Rail, Overground

Plans for the Hackney Downs – Hackney Central pedestrian link has been approved by Hackney Council, and full details can now be found online. According to TfL, the link will cost about £5m The two …

The Past and Future of Finsbury Park

On 12 February 2013 By Arkady In National Rail, Thameslink

Finsbury Park Station. Its very name has been known to elicit a shudder from the passengers condemned to use its narrow winding passageways, inadequate (and largely un-weatherproof) ticket offices, and grimy stairwells. That’s a lot …

TfL Announce Beginning of Overground Capacity Work

On 8 February 2013 By John Bull In Bombardier, Overground, TfL

TfL have released a press release officially confirming that they have begun work on expanding Overground services (where possible) to 5-car services: A programme to introduce five-car trains on all London Overground routes and increase …

Thameslink: Losing The Plot Whilst Looping the Loop?

On 31 January 2013 By Pedantic of Purley In DfT, Thameslink

In the late 1970s the Chrysler Corporation of America was in deep financial trouble. No-one wanted to buy their cars. Lee Iacocca, a former president of Ford Motors who was fired when he fell out …

When The Ticking Has to Stop: The Radlett SRFI

On 29 January 2013 By Mwmbwls In Freight

What happens when the parcel stops ticking? As our legislators’ thoughts turned towards tinsel, we saw again the traditional parliamentary game known as “When the music (parliamentary questions) stop – let’s stop passing the ticking …

Route 24 To Be First Bus Route Fully Served by NBfL

On 25 January 2013 By John Bull In Borismaster, Buses

TfL have released a press release confirming that Route 24 (Hampstead Heath – Pimlico) will be the first London bus route to be fully served by the New Bus for London. Although actual timings are …

The Past and Future of the Bromley North Branch

On 25 January 2013 By Pedantic of Purley In Light Rail, National Rail, Overground, South Eastern

The branch line from Grove Park to Bromley North is only one and a half miles long. It has but two stations (excluding Grove Park itself) and those two are ridiculously close to each other. …

Crossrail Begins to Get Visible – Part 2

On 16 January 2013 By Mwmbwls In Crossrail, DLR

Having enjoyed the fruits of the Crossrail’s aerial survey we now return to Docklands to watch the new railway appear in front of our eyes. Eschewing the chance to vegetate before his tinsel decked telly, Unravelled recently followed in the footsteps previously trodden by John Bull to capture the progress being made on the former NLL North Woolwich branch south of Canning Town.