This is a weekly round-up of London’s rail transport news…
The image is from a March 2022 article: Behind the scenes at Bank tube station’s huge upgrade project
London Underground
London’s Oxford Circus Tube station evacuated over ‘fire alert’ during morning rush hour Independent
Tory candidate Susan Hall says minds are boggling over Kentish Town tube station closure Camden New Journal
Elizabeth line
A trespasser on the tracks caused chaos on the Elizabeth line just before rush hour, affecting east London stations. Barking and Dagenham Post
Mainline / Overground
Southeastern recovered £2.5m in unpaid fare penalties in year following fine increase Kent Online
Residents living close to the new HS2 high-speed railway station at Old Oak Common in north-west London say they are “shattered” that their main road could be closed for four years. BBC News
A passenger train without any seats recently called at Liverpool Street. It’s not a trial of a new standing-only train, but a way of delivering cargo freight into city centres. ianVisits
c2c train timetable to see an increase in off-peak services B&D Post
Petition launched to install a passenger lift at Loughborough Junction railway station Brixton Buzz
Avanti train drivers to be paid £600 for overtime shifts Independent
Gatwick Airport is one of the railway stations with the highest percentage of delayed or cancelled services in the country, a new study has revealed. Sussex World
Train operators have said they are working collaboratively to try to stop any overcrowding of trains after the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley stadium in April. BBC News
All train lines between Slough and London Paddington [wee] blocked [on Monday] due to trespassers on the railway. Maidenhead Advertiser
Loose ends in London and Birmingham raise new fears over HS2’s route – and future The Guardian
A proposed new direct train link between Stirling and London will enhance the city’s prospects as a place to live and work, according to a chartered surveyor firm. Daily Record
Miscellaneous
Manhunt continues for knifeman who stabbed train passenger – as two more injured in Tube station attack LBC
Police issue photo in Northern line antisemitic abuse probe Ham & High
A person has been taken to hospital after being hit by a train in Balham Local Guardian
Commuters hit by train delays and mortgage bill hikes told by minister: ‘You’re being grumpy’ Standard
Visit the restored 1938 tube train you can sleep in ianVisits
Photos of “Boycott Barclays” posters in a London Underground tube carriage have been shared online with claims implying they’ve been authorised by TfL. Full Fact
Beckenham: Man seriously injured after stabbing on London train BBC News
If you’re handy with a needle and thread, you can sew your own vintage tube map – with a new kit from the London Transport Museum. ianVisits
The longer than usual Central line trip Diamond Geezer
Sadiq Khan pledges taskforce to tackle ‘deeply worrying’ TfL hate crime rise CityAM
And finally: Comedian Ed Gamble swaps hot dog for cucumber over Tube ad rule BBC News
The image is from a March 2022 article: Behind the scenes at Bank tube station’s huge upgrade project
Hard to understand how a trespasser on the tracks can cause so much disruption for so long, but that’s TFL. Lots of staff everywhere but no one allowed to actually deal with a problem until specialist police/firefighters arrive from the other side of London.
I imagine these days they have to check that the trespasser hasn’t left any ‘suspicious objects’ trackside and/or damaged the lines. They’d rather double check than find out the hard way.
No, that’s Network Rail – the trespass was on their railway, and, as the Maidenhead Advertiser piece shows, GWR trains were delayed too. That’s GWR???
Because (a) it takes time to check and clear the tracks (as mentioned) and (b) you can’t restore full service at the click of a finger as trains will be out of position and will need to complete their runs before they can turnaround to operate the return service.
There are only limited options to turnaround a train at an intermediate station (as well as having to turf passengers off and further delaying their journey)
when will the barriers at East finchley Finchley Central High Barnet Mill Hill get Enforcement Officers to stop those walking in and out at will
That’s a question to should ask of TFL and your local GLA representative.
Tory candidate Susan Hall says “minds are boggling to find me something, anything, that I can talk about to leverage a few more votes”
It’s mind boggling that a candidate for Mayor appears to have no conception that complex building and engineering works on the tube network don’t always run to the expected timetable.