London Reconnections

A Measure of Urban Connection: Cable Cars Part 2

On 4 March 2021 By Long Branch Mike In Cable Car

Urban cable cars are more widespread than you’d think – and they go back long before the celebrated South American lines. And like any decent, flexible public transport mode, they have evolved and improved. Nowadays, …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 1 March 2021

On 1 March 2021 By Long Branch Mike In Cycles, Data, Friday Reads, History, Micromobility, New York, Pedestrians, Trams/Streetcars/LRT

• History of British railway freight control from telegraphs to TOPS (NewcomenSoc) • Why some bike shares work & others don’t (BBC) • Graham F’s video pick: Zürich snowplow tram cab ride (ZürichTramVideos) • Locomotive …

Friday Reads – 26 February 2021

On 26 February 2021 By Long Branch Mike In Arts, COVID, Friday Reads, London Overground, New York, Overground, Sleeper Trains

• Video: Development of TfL’s Overground (LTMuseumFriends) • Public transport moves the invisible workers of society (Atlantic) • Air rights above tracks in midtown Manhattan (OldStructures) • Chicago Metra fights switch icing with fire (RT&S) …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 22 February 2021

On 22 February 2021 By Long Branch Mike In Cable Car, COVID, Friday Reads, Pedestrians, Pollution, Stations

• Traffic & plane noise is a silent killer (Atlantic) • Necropolis Railway station to be turned into flats (IanVisits) • Crashes cut by a third after 20mph limit introduced in Edinburgh (EdinburghNews) • France …

Uber Loses Appeal against ruling on UK Worker rights

On 19 February 2021 By John Bull In Long reads, Uber

Uber has lost its Supreme Court Appeal on whether drivers are self-employed or workers, directly employed by Uber itself. The appeal was Uber’s fourth, and final attempt to overturn the judgement. That it took the …

Friday Reads – 19 February 2021

On 19 February 2021 By Long Branch Mike In Arts, Cycles, Design, Friday Reads, History, HS1, Kings Cross, Pollution, Stations, Tunnels

• Air pollution in US subway systems stuns researchers (Guardian) • Reopening disused King’s Cross Gasworks tunnel for ECML boost (RailEngineer) • Fancy driving an HS1 train? Javelin train simulator launched (IanVisits) • Uncovering history …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 15 February 2021

On 15 February 2021 By Long Branch Mike In Design, Electric Vehicles (EVs), Friday Reads, Micromobility, Nudges, Trams/Streetcars/LRT

• Underground platforms showing door positions reduce delays 6.6% (ScienceDirect) • Germany plans integrated rail 2030s timetable to optimise high speed lines (Trains) • Amongst the creatures of the night: Halle Central Bus Station (BeautyOfTransport) …

Friday Reads – 12 February 2021

On 12 February 2021 By Long Branch Mike In Arts, Bridges, Cycles, Data, Electric Vehicles (EVs), Friday Reads, Pedestrians, Podcast, Pollution, Uber

• 100 Years of Tube Trains video by LU’s Head of Train Engineering (LTMuseumFriends) • 5 more bridges join illuminated Thames, for world’s longest artwork (IanVisits) • Fossil fuels caused 8.7m deaths globally in 2018: …

Covenants, Easements & Wayleaves: Transport asset interface register (Part 2)

On 11 February 2021 By Long Branch Mike In Data, Infrastructure, Long reads

We now delve deeper into evolution of railway infrastructure knowledge that we started in Part 1 of this series. We look at some more recent examples of how underground railway infrastructure interfaces with its environment …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 8 February 2021

On 8 February 2021 By Long Branch Mike In Friday Reads, Maps, Pedestrians, Stations, Zero Emission

• Tube inspired map of London’s green spaces & connections (PositiveNews) • Forth rail tunnel key to Net Zero Scotland (NewCivilEng) • Grand Paris Express lines demystified (RMTransit) • Can Vancouver learn from the destruction …

Friday Reads – 5 February 2021

On 5 February 2021 By Long Branch Mike In Bakerloo Line, Buses, Crossrail, Electric Vehicles (EVs), Farringdon, Friday Reads, Micromobility, Pollution, Stations, Tunnels

• You are invited to a 360 virtual tour of Farringdon Station (Crossrail) • Elephant & Castle Tube station rebuild to include Bakerloo Extension (IanVisits) • What’s that London smell?? Mostly exhaust it turns out …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 1 February 2021

On 1 February 2021 By Long Branch Mike In Accessibility, Cycles, Design, Friday Reads, Funiculars, New York, Pedestrians, Stations, Trams/Streetcars/LRT, Vertical transport

• HS2 starts construction of Old Oak Common crossover box (IanVisits) • Hidden London Hangouts digs deeper at Piccadilly Circus station (LTM) • Sweden’s interactive Arctic bus shelter (Dezeen) • Public lifts & escalators for …

Friday Reads – 29 January 2021

On 29 January 2021 By Long Branch Mike In COVID, Electric Vehicles (EVs), Eurostar, Freight, Friday Reads, Logistics, Trams/Streetcars/LRT

• Eurostar bailout & the effects on Channel Tunnel freight (RailTech) • All the (UK) Funiculars (JosephBrennan) • Travel restrictions one of most effective pandemic responses – if they’re strict (NYTimes) • President Biden will …

The Second Coming of Hydrogen? London’s Hydrogen Buses (Hydrogen Part 1)

On 26 January 2021 By Long Branch Mike In Buses, Electric Vehicles (EVs), Long reads, Zero Emission

Despite impressive advances, bus battery technology is still not optimal – poor range, and reduced energy storage in cold weather. So to avoid putting all their clean energy buses in one basket, TfL has consistently …

Monday’s Friday Reads – 25 January 2021

On 25 January 2021 By Long Branch Mike In Aerial, Airports, Design, Friday Reads, Maps, New York, Stations, Trams/Streetcars/LRT

• Govt tells London builders to cut Tube overcrowding or be shut down (Building) • The Railway hobby – A history and a lament (LondonReviewBooks) • Turin turns abandoned tramway section into a linear park …