This is a weekly round-up of London’s rail transport news…
The image is from a Dec 2021 article: Visit a restored railway signal box in St Albans
London Underground
Tube staff praised after Northern Line chaos saw passengers smash windows to escape suspected fire Standard
The long running saga of the planned redevelopment of South Kensington tube station can go ahead after the Planning Inspectorate upheld an appeal against the council’s decision to block the development. ianVisits
Elizabeth line
The Elizabeth line has “not met the consistently high standards” expected by Londoners, Sadiq Khan has said. BBC News
Elizabeth Line passengers are still chasing refunds days after they were trapped on freezing cold trains for hours – with one fed-up traveller revealing how the chaos forced him into paying £195 for a taxi home. Daily Mail
The Elizabeth line keeps shaking up London’s travel, and now it’s dethroned Waterloo station as Great Britain’s busiest railway station. ianVisits
The people behind the wheel: Mike Bagshaw’s story, MTR Elizabeth line Intelligent Transport
Mainline / Overground
Calls for better CCTV at London Bridge station after man suffering mental health crisis electrocuted on train track Standard
Getting to the trains at Liverpool Street station could be a lot easier as Network Rail is planning to increase the number of ticket barriers by removing some of the food kiosks that sit alongside the platforms. ianVisits
HS2 “nasty scars” on Chilterns no longer outweigh its benefits warns conservation board Bedford Independent
Brent Cross West station’s first day Diamond Geezer
TfL aware of Emerson Park station lighting issues and apologise for making passengers feel unsafe. Havering Daily
DLR
Police search for man after attempted stabbing on DLR train Local London
Miscellaneous
Muslim teacher abused in front of students on the London Underground Tell Mama
TfL are blocking rooted devices from accessing maps – how to fix Terence Eden’s Blog
New tube map and art cover released by TfL ianVisits
c2c ticket office worker’s dismissal was ‘reasonable’, says judge BBC News
The railway stations that London might get in the next five years Diamond Geezer
Shocking moment ‘XL Bully dog’ launches vicious attack [at Stratford station] ‘after owner loses control of her pet’ LBC
‘Depraved’ sex offender jailed for raping unconscious woman in front of Tube passengers ITVX
Regulator’s inquiry into catering at train stations exposes lack of competition within £700mn-a-year market FT
Alicia Keys serenades crowd at London train station Reuters
And finally: A hedgehog found under a seat on a train travelling from Surrey to London is to be rehomed, BBC News
The image is from a Dec 2021 article: Visit a restored railway signal box in St Albans
New story for our times.
UK Sequel to “The Train mouse” (classic children’s book),
“The Train Hedgehog”. Just needs an author and an artist.