London’s weekly railway news #60

A weekly round-up of London’s rail transport news…

London Underground

Masonry falls in Tube station tunnel at Mile End BBC News

TfL To Review Better Off-peak Service At Turnham Green ChiswickW4

Tube passengers feared they were trapped on burning train, report says Guardian

Steam trains return to the London Underground this weekend IanVisits

Bakerloo line extension: Boris publishes map of possible routes SE1

No to driverless Tubes, says Labour mayoral candidate KCW Today

Tube bosses have warned unions that the threat of further industrial action won’t resolve differences between the two sides over plans to close ticket offices and axe hundreds of jobs. MayorWatch

Crossrail

Residents have expressed mixed opinions about Crossrail’s plans to drive lorries down a tiny residential street in Shenfield, with some fearing it will bring “gridlock” to the area. Brentwood Gazette

Mainline/Overground

Rail campaigner Glenn Wallis is speaking out on changes to Barking to Gospel Oak trains and increased service use Guardian-Series

Blueprints for a new orbital metro-style railway around London are being drawn up by the city’s transport authorities, Guardian

Boris Johnson says £120m Brixton Overground rail station ‘unlikely to be affordable’ Brixton Blog

Residents living along the proposed HS2 route have been warned not to immediately accept compensation claims without taking professional advice. Bdaily

Miscellaneous

London Underground goes contactless as EE unveils NFC plans Banking Technology

How Charing Cross railway station was nearly demolished IanVisits

TfL’s former vice-chairman joined left activists to demand a land tax on wealthy London landowners to raise funds for the Tube and other public services. Morning Star

A spoof map that uses a London Underground-style diagram to depict the web of tunnels leading from Gaza into Israel was recently posted online. The Times of Israel

TfL encourages Londoners to explore ‘without leaving London’ this summer The Drum

14 plans for the future of London transport: From 24/7 Tube to Crossrail 3 CityAM

Privatised London Underground staff cooks to strike for reinstatement of sacked trade union rep Morning Star

Calls have been made to Boris Johnson to move Woolwich Arsenal station to Zone 3 on the London transport map. The Wharf

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The image above is from May 2011: Photos from inside the Crossrail station at Canary Wharf