A weekly round-up of London’s rail transport news…
London Underground
The Central line is to be closed off at Tottenham Court Road station for nearly a year starting January 2015, as the station is rebuilt for Crossrail. Evening Standard
Northern line Tube drivers strike over sacked colleague Socialist Worker
Details of TfL’s plans to close ticket offices in 2015 have been announced, including the first stations that will be shut. LBC
Weekend Tube works will be halted to help launch of all-night services Evening Standard
A lightweight train door has completed strength and fire safety testing on the Central Line. Composites World (5th paragraph down)
Crossrail
Crossrail has released some fresh photos of the tunneling works going on deep under London at the moment. IanVisits
Couple determined to appear in APILN complain about noisy Crossrail pedestrian lift NewsShopper
Spray lining complete on Crossrail’s Whitechapel station Construction Index
North Kent council leaders put politics aside for Crossrail campaign This is Local London
Mainline/Overground
HS2 “cannot fail to have a disastrous impact on traffic” in Maple Cross and West Hyde, according to a council leader. Watford Observer
TfL announces more Overground trains for Gospel Oak to Barking line Tottenham Journal
Denmark Hill train fire: passengers forced to flee as carriage fills up with smoke Evening Standard
Commuters using the London Midland service from Bushey as a month of diversions start, described the morning rush hour journey as “hell”. Watford Observer
Barking Riverside Overground extension gets £55m funding B&D Post
Miscellaneous
Art On The Underground Commissions Tube Map Cover From French Artist Daniel Buren Artlyst and inside the map by Diamond Geezer
TfL seals Tube map sponsorship deal with MBNA CityAM
Model Steam Train at the SouthBank IanVisits
—
The image above is from Sept 2012: A look inside Crossrail’s construction site at Stepney