Yesterday saw Mike Brown, Managing Director of London Underground and Isabel Dedring, the new Deputy Mayor (Transport) appear in front of the London Assembly’s Transport Committee. The two-and-a-half hour session looked to explore the current …
Continue readingAuthor: John Bull
John Bull is the Editor of London Reconnections. A transport journalist and historian, his writing often focuses on the political or strategic challenges facing London's transport network and beyond.
In Pictures: Stratford International DLR Extension
Today saw a number of London figures, including the Mayor and Transport Secretary Philip Hammond, participate in a “test run” on the new DLR Extension. Ostensibly to promote the various works being completed in the …
Continue readingIn Pictures: Crossrail Excavations at Canary Wharf
Last week saw an opportunity to head into the North Dock at Canary Wharf in order to get a closer look at the work currently taking place on constructing Canary Wharf Crossrail station. The station …
Continue reading150 Years Of The Metropolitan Line: Exploring the Possibility of Steam
2013 will see London Underground reach a noteworthy landmark – it will mark 150 years since the Metropolitan Railway, the core of the modern Metropolitan line, opened on 10 January 1863. Given the significance of …
Continue readingNarrowing the Options and Raising the Cash: The Battersea Northern Line Extension Moves Forward
Writing about public consultations on the proposed Northern Line extension to Battersea seems to be developing into somewhat of a May tradition. In May last year, TfL and Battersea Site owners Treasury Holdings undertook a …
Continue readingThe Borough Bridge Move
Last weekend saw a major act of engineering undertaken south of the river – the moving into place of the bridge over Borough High Street which forms part of the track improvements taking place outside …
Continue readingWhere Things Stand With the London Cable Car
Recent weeks have seen TfL’s plans for a cable car across the Thames return to the news. The London Cable Car has so far had an interesting gestation and one that has attracted its fair …
Continue readingBombardier Selected as Prefered Bidder for Sub-Surface Signalling
TfL have confirmed that the contract to provide new signalling for the Sub-Surface Lines (District, Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith and City) will be awarded to Bombardier after the completion of the statutory standstill period following …
Continue readingHeathrow Shelves Airtrack Plan
The request for a Transport and General Works Order relating to the Heathrow Airtrack Scheme has been withdrawn. BAA have indicated that the inability to solve the problem of increased delays at Level Crossings along …
Continue readingWhat If: Crossrail 1980
The link across London would provide through trains, cut-out inconvenient interchanges between train and underground or taxi, and thus save valuable time. It would help commuters from the outer suburbs of London and Inter-City travellers …
Continue readingA Look at What’s Happening at Tottenham Court Road
At first glance, it would be easy to assume that the photo above had come from one of Britain’s remaining mines. Indeed were it not for the presence of the ubiquitous orange jacket, it would …
Continue readingCountdown Locations
For Bus users that haven’t spotted it yet, you can find details of all the proposed Countdown locations on the TfL website. Accurate as of February, there’s both a map and a list available, giving …
Continue readingDistrict Line Services To Kensington Olympia Reduced From December
TfL have announced that they intend to drop general weekday District services to Olympia from the December timetable change onwards. Although full details are not yet available, it appears that the intention is to limit …
Continue readingFlashing the Cash: Kensington & Chelsea’s Crossrail Gamble
Kensington & Chelsea have announced that they would be prepared to underwrite the cost of constructing a Crossrail station in the Kensal area. The Borough have confirmed that they would be prepared to underwrite any …
Continue readingTramlink Shortlist Announced: A Possible Tale of Two Cities
Back in January, TfL began the process of tendering for additional Trams for the Tramlink. These are intended to be used for a Monday – Saturday service between Elmers End and Therapia Lane, a service …
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