A weekly round-up of London’s rail transport news…
Holborn tube station’s unexpected gift to particle physics research
London Underground
Holborn tube station is set for a major upgrade to ease congestion, especially for people who use it to swap between the Central and Piccadilly lines. IanVisits
New map shows where mobile phones work on the Underground Diamond Geezer
Photos from South London’s forgotten tube tunnel experiment IanVisits
Crossrail / Elizabeth Line
Crossrail stations in west London delayed until 2019 BBC News
Crossrail has released a set of photos showing the critical work to fit out the tunnels to turn them into the Elizabeth line operational railway. IanVisits
The cost of constructing Crossrail is forecast to stay within its £14.8bn budget, but cost pressures are still increasing across the project, RTM
Mainline/Overground
How Can You Mend A Broken Railway? Thameslink and the Gibb Report London Reconnections
London Paddington chaos as all trains cancelled in ‘complete shutdown’ Sky News
‘Consider working from home’ during Waterloo disruption, says Network Rail ITV
Greater Anglia services affected by lightning strikes BBC News <– as in act of God, not act of union.
The Night Tube is coming to the Overground CityAM
Drayton Park station could open to stop station overcrowding on Arsenal matchdays Islington Tribune <– it currently closes due to narrow platforms
Virgin Trains has been criticised after blaming a series of train cancellations on a shortage of drivers volunteering to work on rest days. The Guardian
Rail passengers travelling on the East Grinstead line will be able to take direct trains through London Blackfriars under proposals to make the line a major Thameslink route. Surrey Mirror
Southern rail has been accused by union bosses of cancelling trains despite crews being available. BBC News
Prime Minister, Theresa May, opened a new £4.5million railway siding in Maidenhead, which will see GWR increase the number of electric, peak time trains. Slough Observer
Miscellaneous
Daniel Buren Tottenham Court Road tube station art officially unveiled ArtLyst
A train has run along the railway line between Stratford-upon-Avon and Honeybourne with passengers on board for the first time in almost 50 years. Stratford Herald <– it’s a modified old District line train
And finally, Book swapping brings joy to Stamford Brook commuters ChiswickW4
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Image above is from April 2015: Holborn tube station’s unexpected gift to particle physics research
