London Reconnections

Pop Art tunnel Michelangelo – Dragados & the Art of Tunnel Scanning

On 15 February 2023 By Long Branch Mike In Infrastructure, Long reads, Technology, Tunnels

On July 20, 2022, the heat from an exploratory drill inside Montréal’s century old Mont-Royal railway tunnel, advance work for the city’s modern Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM) automated Métro line, caused an explosion. It was …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 13 February 2023

On 13 February 2023 By Long Branch Mike In Accessibility, Airports, Congestion Charge, Friday Reads, Pollution

• Expanded ULEZ cut toxic NOx pollution across London by 23% report finds (Guardian) • Vancouver testing accessibility app to help sight challenged better navigate transit (MassTransit) • The best rapid transit in the US …

Friday Reads – 10 February 2023

On 10 February 2023 By Long Branch Mike In DLR, Friday Reads, Network Rail, Pedestrians, Safety

• A sneak peek inside the DLR’s new trains (IanVisits) • Network Rail & TfL announce partnership to create 20,000 new London homes (RailUK) • The hideous pedestrian tunnels marring access to the IMAX Roundabout …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 6 February 2023

On 6 February 2023 By Long Branch Mike In Aerial, Fonts, Friday Reads, Pedestrians, Stations

• The Chinese spy balloon shows the downsides of the technology (Wired) • Fallout London upgrade features working Underground system (TheGamer) • Transforming unused railway station spaces into community hubs (RailTechnology) • Two Types – …

Friday Reads – 3 February 2023

On 3 February 2023 By Long Branch Mike In Accessibility, Electric Vehicles (EVs), Friday Reads, Roads, Sleeper Trains

• Trainspotting unites my family: we share the pleasure of intricate details (Guardian) • Speed cushions, traffic humps, chicanes: many ways to slow cars (TrafficChoices) • Brussels-Amsterdam-Berlin night train March 2023 launch (RailwayGazette) • Berlin …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 30 January 2023

On 30 January 2023 By Long Branch Mike In Accessibility, Cycles, Design, Friday Reads, Maps

• Lambeth strategy to make its kerbsides fairer, more accessible, & more climate resilient (LambethCouncil) • The 1930s, the decade that schematic map diagrams matured (MaxwellRoberts) • Amsterdam’s new underwater bike garage is next-level cycling …

Friday Reads – 27 January 2023

On 27 January 2023 By Long Branch Mike In Design, Friday Reads, New York, Stations

• Inside HS2’s new Old Oak Common railway station (IanVisits) • Stanley Heaps: The other London Underground Chief Architect (ModernismInMetroland) • A public transport system of epic proportions – the Paris RER: video (RMTransit) • …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 23 January 2023

On 23 January 2023 By Long Branch Mike In Friday Reads, Pedestrians, Roads, Sleeper Trains, Trams/Streetcars/LRT

• Low Traffic Neighbourhoods – LTNs – do not push traffic onto boundary roads: study (Guardian) • Plans to open a disused railway as the Camden Highline are approved (IanVisits) • Macron announces RER commuter …

Friday Reads – 20 January 2023

On 20 January 2023 By Long Branch Mike In Buses, Friday Reads, Safety, Signalling, Stations

• New transport campaign encourages culture of active bystanders to deter harassment (RailUK) • Improving wellbeing at stations with living walls (RailStaff) • Getting bus priority right: Lessons from Bologna (ItalianUrbanLetters) • Warszawa offers 60 …

Jakarta’s Transport & Urban Planning – Progress?

On 19 January 2023 By Chris Hale In City Snapshot, Infrastructure, Long reads

Jakarta, the (current) capital of Indonesia and home to over 10 million inhabitants, has long been plagued by choking traffic and air pollution. It spent the previous decade developing integrated public transport to increase modal …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 16 January 2023

On 16 January 2023 By Long Branch Mike In Arts, Friday Reads, New York, Stations, Trams/Streetcars/LRT

• Adrian Shooter obituary, by Christian Wolmar (Guardian) • Edinburgh’s Newhaven tram extension almost complete (RailEngineer) • Public transport openings & construction starts planned for 2023 (TransportPolitic) • Here & There: Art of public transport …

Friday Reads – 13 January 2023

On 13 January 2023 By Long Branch Mike In Friday Reads, New York, Pedestrians, Pollution, Sleeper Trains

• The world’s most congested cities: London is #1 (CityLab) • New European Sleeper train will start between London & Berlin from May (Seat61) • New York’s plan to pedestrianise Fifth Avenue, w/ bus & …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 9 January 2023

On 9 January 2023 By Long Branch Mike In Design, Friday Reads, Maps

• The smells of London: The aromatic Tube Map (Londonist) • In search of perfection: Plato’s Double Arrow – Rail Symbol 2 (BeautyOfTransport) • A new UK wine train to Bordeaux by 2026 is in …

Friday Reads – 6 January 2023

On 6 January 2023 By Long Branch Mike In Bridges, Friday Reads, Logistics, Pollution, Safety

• Govt blocks release of CO2 road transport emission figures (Guardian) • TransPennine Express launches British Sign Language departure boards (RailUK) • ‘Lift & shift’ bridge installed at Shropshire rail crossing (BBC) • Berlin tries …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 2 January 2023

On 2 January 2023 By Long Branch Mike In Arts, Friday Reads, History, Maps, Stations

• Secrets of Clapham South deep-level shelter: video (HiddenLondonHangouts) • The Shakespeare Tube Map by TfL (Mapway) • Cool contemporary Thameside sculpture (TidalThames) • Andy Burnham calls for London-style public transport for Manchester (Standard) • …