A weekly round-up of London’s rail transport news…
One Year Old!
Happy 1st anniversary to this weekly roundup of railway news in London. I started it a year ago as I see a lot of news, and thought it might be an idea to collect it into one place.
It’s not intended to be the definitive list of everything, otherwise it will be packed full of transport delay warnings, but an overview of what is going on in railway-land.
Now that I have been doing it for a year, time to pause and reflect a bit.
It takes time to compile, and like most of these things, longer than originally expected.
Does it work for you? Should I add buses/roads to the mix — turning it into a general London transportation roundup, or should I stick to rail only? Anything else that you like, or loathe that could be changed?
London Underground
Sainsbury’s is following Tesco, Asda and Waitrose by launching a click & collect groceries service from seven London underground stations. The Grocer
Jubilee Line maintenance workers balloted for strike action Wharf
Teenager arrested after reports he ‘assaulted paramedic at south London Tube station’ Evening Standard
London Underground says it has decided not to extend its running hours after England’s opening World Cup match against Italy this weekend. LBC
The company behind coffee shops, food stores and restaurants at airports and train stations is hoping to cash in on TfL’s plans to install retailers in soon-to-be empty ticket offices at Tube stations. Evening Standard
How to stop pick-pocketing on the London Underground The Guardian
World Cup results to be shown on Tube platform displays The Drum <– And Diamond Geezer is unimpressed.
Meet Mungo: the ‘naked’ commuter taking to the Tube in protest at heat on trains Evening Standard <– Turns out to be a silly PR stunt London24
Crossrail
Crossrail 2 could lose both its Chelsea and Hackney Stations IanVisits
Short video about tunnel movement monitoring used during Crossrail construction — starts at 10:45. BBC Click <– or news article at The Engineer
Crossrail gets a baby Tunnel Boring Machine IanVisits
A two-mile railway tunnel under the Thames, will be unveiled by the Chancellor. ITN <– I had no idea that Crossrail was reusing the old Brunel tunnel!
Taylor Woodrow wins £142m contract for London Crossrail depot at Old Oak Common Construction News (Google Cache)
Mainline/Overground
Work is about to begin on a project to raise the height of platform 4 at Elephant & Castle railway station. SE1
The first overground train has been sent for its 5th car upgrade London Reconnections
Miscellaneous
A group of Underground geeks have become the first to beat the world record for visiting all Tube stations in London AND New York in the fastest time possible. London24
A gang who police say has caused damage put at £109,000 to ticket machines at railway stations in London and Hertfordshire is being sought. BBC News
Cleaners at London’s St Pancras International railway station started a ballot on strike action over attacks on their jobs, pay and working conditions. Morning Star
Tickets on sale today for steam train trips in the London Underground IanVisits
More than 300 Transport for London staff now earning over £100,000 CityAM
JCDecaux and TfL are revamping the outdoor media sites Old Street roundabout in London revamped with four digital screens from October. MediaWeek
Get Your Animals On The Underground Stationery Londonist
—
The image above is from March 2013: Take a ride on one of London’s Miniature Steam Trains
Hi Ian
Whilst I’d like to preface this statement with a declaration that I am definitely NOT a train greek, this weekly round up is one of my favourite things that you publish.
Less concerned about roads and buses, but I could see scope for them in a separate post?
I think it’s pretty much ideal as it is! Thanks for taking the time to compile it, I follow rail news from different places online and yet you still manage to find plenty of stories I haven’t come across. I’m not as interested in roads or buses but maybe others are…
Thank you for doing this! I think it’s just perfect the way it is. My personal preference: I’m not interested in road/buses – so I like it the way it is.
Thank you again!
I really enjoy the round-up. I like the focus on the railways, but if you did start to cover road and buses more, I’m sure you’d manage to get me interested in those, too. I only learned last year that the majority of journeys in London are made by bus (which surprised me given how very central the tube is to the London identity), so maybe it would make sense on those grounds to give buses a bit more attention.
This is a weekly treat. Something to look forward to on a Friday. Keep it up – just like it is now is perfect.
It’s something I look forward to, and appreciate. I may not live in London but I enjoy reading about its unique transport system and developments.
Don’t change a thing!
Keep it up! Brilliant site.
Please keep this informative page going.I find it very informative.
The ITV foul-up is impressive!
I assume the idiots have got “The Thames Tunnel” confused with the Connaught Tunnel in Docklands …
Nope, they mixed it up with the newly built TBM tunnels at Woolwich.
…and a BBC foul-up too:
“the city already has a huge network of underground tunnels – some are almost 100 years old” (BBC Click)
A paucity of research, all too common these days. Researchers should ensure they come to IanVisits (amongst others) rather than rely on unresearched press releases and interviews.
Spot on, just as it is. Thanks for taking the time and trouble.
CU
I would like it very much if buses were included, although I can see from the comments above not everyone would. Roads could potentially be interesting too but would probably be too tricky to do with having to separate between things everyone cares about and things only car drivers care about.
At any case I like this a lot too, even when I don’t have time to read everything in my reader, I almost always read this.
I would very much like to see buses and roads included.
Please stick to rail!
Love these posts. Thank you.
I appreciate the round up. I think for cars/buses it should be limited to major infrastructure work – e.g., major junction redesigns, anything to do with a tunnel or flyover, etc.
Of course, if you come across something as part of the research…
I would like to see some bus stuff especially anything to do with the old Routemaster buses.