A weekly round-up of London’s rail transport news…
Photos from the roof of Victoria Station
London Underground
A tale of two metros: how the London tube beat the New York subway The Guardian
Elizabeth line / Crossrail
An accident at Crossrail’s Farringdon station site that left one worker seriously injured was “likely” caused by scaffolding not being erected properly, Construction News
London business faces year of closure after Crossrail drilling floods basement The Guardian
Commuters will now be able to travel from Reading to Paddington in 58 minutes, after a limited section of Crossrail opened yesterday. City AM
Crossrail team had no idea it would miss station handover just hours before deadline Building
Crossrail chiefs pocketed more than £500,000 in bonus payments last year despite the ongoing delays and cost overruns. Construction Enquirer
Mainline / Overground
An MP and cabinet member has criticised the “catastrophic performance of Greater Anglia’s newly introduced trains”. BBC News
The Netherlands wants to increase the number of high-speed Eurostar services between London and Amsterdam from three to five a day by 2021. TTG
Waterloo rail chiefs warn of New Year’s Eve disruption as festive getaway begins with drivers trying to beat rush Standard
London Northwestern axes train services at Bushey in timetable overhaul Watford Observer
London Victoria was left “at a standstill” because of a “major signal failure” during rush-hour. BBC News
A new Watford Junction to Aylesbury rail service, along with a new link between Stevenage and Luton are two of the proposals being put forward by Hertfordshire Council. ianVisits
DLR
Guilty verdict but light sentence in Crown Court for Extinction Rebellion DLR protesters Real Media
Miscellaneous
Man arrested at Dalston Kingsland station after Overground passenger hurls racist abuse on train Hackney Gazette
TfL has shortlisted Adam&EveDDB, Ogilvy, M&C Saatchi and incumbent VCCP as it marches on with a statutory review of its creative business. The Drum
The ongoing fares freeze on TfL services could be coming to an end, with TfL’s financial forecasts now expecting fares to rise by above inflation rates from January 2021. ianVisits
Shocking video captures the moment a tube passenger racially abuses a member of staff at a London Underground station after being caught ‘urinating in the station’. Mirror
A photo of two mice in a fist-fight on the London Underground has been put forward for a Natural History photography award. ianVisits
And finally: Charles Dickens: The railway fire that marred Christmas BBC News
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Image above is from Sept 2014: Photos from the roof of Victoria Station
