A weekly round-up of London’s rail transport news…
South Western Railway’s new rail depot at Feltham
London Underground
Lonsdale Rail has the MEPFC fit-out to integrate London Underground’s existing Bakerloo Line tube station at Paddington with a new entrance underneath the Paddington Cube building. Construction Index
Kennington station, which is currently in Zone 2 is to become a mixed Zones 1 and 2 station from this Sunday (16th May) as part of the preparations for the Northern line extension. ianVisits
Rail union to fight London Underground’s plans to abolish the Night Tube train drivers’ grade Morning Star
90 year old tube poster reappearing on the London Underground ianVisits
Half of Londoners uncomfortable travelling on the Tube over Covid fears Standard
The internet is mercilessly mocking David Hockney for phoning in his childish new design for the London Underground ArtNet
Elizabeth line / Crossrail
Later than originally hoped, Crossrail has started trial running of trains through the central core of the network, replicating a live service. ianVisits
Mainline / Overground
HS2 has identified the handover between construction contractors and systems integration partners as “key” to avoiding programme delays and cost overruns on the first phase of the high speed rail project NCE (£)
Climate activists scale HS2 headquarters and vandalise building Metro
Just inside the M25 in northwest London, HS2 has powered up its first tunnel boring machine, which will head northwards under the Chilterns. ianVisits
Passengers hoping to use GWR trains have been advised not to travel for a fifth day, as safety checks on rolling stock continue. Independent
New railway track installed in Watford Watford Observer
Miscellaneous
Tfl Go: London travel app outperformed by Google Maps BBC News
The 43-year-old, who is an avid crime fiction fan and enjoys time with his nieces and nephew, will walk London’s 17 mile Circle Line route this August. Isle of Thanet News
Train firm apologises to ‘non-binary’ passenger for conductor’s ‘ladies and gentlemen’ announcement The Sun
Inquest to be held into Covid death of rail worker allegedly spat at by customer The Guardian
Stratford station could be radically redeveloped under plans being worked on by the rail companies and local council. ianVisits
Government and Mayor have a common interest in making peace over TfL finances OnLondon
Look at the roundel on that! Brixton boasts London Underground’s biggest sign Brixton Buzz
Annual update of tube station usage numbers Diamond Geezer
And finally: Owner mourns Highgate station’s beloved black cat Ham & High
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The image above is from May 2020: South Western Railway’s new rail depot at Feltham
Love the story in the Sun. It gave me a good larf on the bus and pointed to the return to normality if stuff like this is in the news again.
Whatever your thoughts on the topic of (a)sexuality, the fact that people are still dying and the end is not in sight is as nothing to the sleight that the two hu-person beings apparently felt when confronted by the guard following the old welcome aboard me harties script, banned by LNER four years ago no less.
I’m one of those miserable sods who gets overly upset by unknowing people rabbiting on loudly in the quiet coach. But like most I sit there, don’t complain and get on with my life. Perhaps I should complain, but then I’m not a union rep. responsible for alternative proclivities.
Thank goodness we still live in a democracy of sorts where healthy ribbing of ourselves and others is allowed. Not “usual” mark you: just “allowed” and only just, because we’re edging towards a fascistic ban on alternative views on err alternative views.
I reckon that instead of Good Morning Ladies & Gentleman they’ll have to say Good Morning Fellow Carbon-based Life Forms 🤣🤣🤣 now that does encompass every possible shade 👍
I will not give my business to any transport business that engages in this fake gender skewing nonsense.
I notice the awkward Battersea Power Station Station naming situation persists.
Would Battersea Powerhouse Station be better?