Vs7ch9TcRfs
:)

cTTASvUTn_A&NR
Who shrunk the broadsheets? :madwife:

1uKm4fUsvqQ&NR
^^ http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon14.gif (Semi-:dj:)

6G3Uc_fGe7U&NR
:sly:

I think I've stumbled onto a fast fast, makiato9 :)

L0C8JxUkNlM
^^ http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon14.gif (Semi-:dj:)

:D
PrMKukuP7Ik&NR
:sly:

Q8fLJgQ4wRw
^^ http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

sy8VCl9hVeg&NR
^^ http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon14.gif -- ^^ poet John Betchman cracks me up :D

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^^ http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

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^^ http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

fantastic songs :D

I'm not sure if anyone remembers it, but its worth a shot. If I recall correctly, about 2003/2004 and that time period there was this london underground game That I played (in school when we were bored :p ) which was available on the TFL site. It then suddenly vanished and I have never managed to find it. iirc it was to do with controlling underground trains and to control a train to line up with the platform and such. Thats all I remember from it tbh :(

Aww, thank you, SO143 :hug: BTW, I wanted to post the following one that I ended up hearing earlier this week (in light of the movie release), but the accompanying interview revealed Kermie's voice utterly substituted :(

lRvhRhWWE44
^^ Deb bie Ha rry rocks when she does(/did?) ;)

By the way, I found the fuddy duddies so fascinating in the history Parts ... it's re-refreshing to see public speaking unfettered by today's banal sanitisation, when folks were truly freer at thinking.

While not having 60-year-old suspension means the ride quality is better than A stock, the seats have far less cushioning, and from out in the zones that used to not be numbered it starts to be noticeable that the chair you are sitting on isn't that nice to sit on for long.

They are far from plush.

There is nothing wrong with the seats, they're certainly far more comfortable than those on the Overground.

One imagines that leisure travellers from Rickmansworth out will start to use timetables more and make sure they go on Chiltern trains and avoid the Met. This is exacerbated by the move to have off-peak Met trains run semi-fast, rather than fast, from next month.

Good, more space for the vast majority of passengers who live in London.

I'm sick of the whinging about the S stock from those out in the HCs who use the Met and who represent a fraction of the overall users. The reality is the A-stock was a poor experience for the vast majority of passengers, it had a crap layout which made it more crowded than it needed to be and was a right pain. The new trains are far more spacious and far more comfortable when packed. I've been on them plenty of times during peak periods and the improvement in the journey experience is considerable. I'm glad Tfl has put Londoners' needs first for once.

There is nothing wrong with the seats, they're certainly far more comfortable than those on the Overground.Have you sat on one for 40 minutes or more? That they are better than other new seats doesn't mean that they are as good as they can be (and doing so wouldn't have meant a different layout or anything like that).
Good, more space for the vast majority of passengers who live in London.There's space enough off-peak anyway.
I'm sick of the whinging about the S stock from those out in the HCs who use the Met and who represent a fraction of the overall users.Most of them are from Northwood, which is in the London borough of Harrow.

I make that fraction of Met line users for whom S stock's seats lower their comfort roughly half (adding up those Pinner and northwards and Ruislip Manor and westwards - those who lose out on seats in the peak and/or have a long enough journey for the seats to be noticably uncomfortable). Of course, a lot of them will keep quiet, as the new trains aren't 50 years old and falling apart - they gain from the trains being new.

What's happened is that, in the face of legit complaints from zone 4, is that the mistake of A stock being designed for the zone 6+ users at the expense of the people of Northwick Park, Preston Road and Wembley has been 'rectified' by designing the S stock for the users of those three stations at the expense of the those who do travel from zone 6. For many of those (ie not Northwood, Northwood Hills, etc who've lost their seats) it's simply a matter of more comfortable seats - which doesn't have any disbenefits to those further down the line, but they didn't do it as who cares about those who aren't London - after all it's not like they pay a higher fare or anything - oh wait they do!
The reality is the A-stock was a poor experience for the vast majority of passengers, it had a crap layout which made it more crowded than it needed to be and was a right pain.Vast majority is massively overstating the case - in fact majority probably is too.The new trains are far more spacious and far more comfortable when packed.For those who aren't sitting, or were sitting on A stock, but now can't due to less seats, yes.I've been on them plenty of times during peak periods and the improvement in the journey experience is considerable.A lot of that is due to the suspension. The journey experience I've found at peak times is a mixed bag - some elements are better, some are worse and it ends up with S stock only being better due to being new for most passengers.I'm glad Tfl has put Londoners' needs first for once.When have TfL and their predecessors every favoured the home counties over Londoners, other than possibly one time when they drew up the design for A stock's interior? Or do you mean Inner Londoners, as opposed to Outer Londoners (who lost the most with the transition to S stock, so actually the seats in A stock were really about Outer Londoners being able to have one)?

The timetable change to remove fast trains isn't about benefiting Londoners (other than via secondary effects), it's about not making their service into London worse, while reducing the service to people in those places where people can't vote for mayor and thus no political fall out.

HCs
1. hardcover
2. hazardous cargo
3. Holy Communion
4. House of Commons (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/HCs)

Define (gentle reminder: you're writing in an international forum ;)).


the A-stock was a poor experience
They were packed in the '70s and '80s yet there was some je-ne-sais-quoi about their mood, ambience ... and they're fast to boot!

Have you sat on one for 40 minutes or more? That they are better than other new seats doesn't mean that they are as good as they can be (and doing so wouldn't have meant a different layout or anything like that).

I've sat for around 30 mins and it was fine, I'd be surprised if I got uncomfortable with an additional 10mins or so.

We'll probably never agree on this but for me the seats are fine, better than the central or overground and virtually all metro systems which use hard plastic seats.

Most of them are from Northwood, which is in the London borough of Harrow.

Northwood is on the boundary of London/Hertfordshire, it's practically a HC's area, and complaints have been made by all north of Moor Park, esp. Chesham and Amersham. It's also in the borough of Hillingdon, not Harrow.

Since the seating layout was announced several years ago there has been moaning from those based in Zone 6 onwards, despite the fact they benefit from emptier trains during the morning and an additional 5/6 Aylesbury services during the peak hours, giving them more (and larger) trains than most suburbs their size and distance from central London. The layout for the Met features more seats than other lines using the S stock, so it's not as if they ignored finding a balance.

What's happened is that, in the face of legit complaints from zone 4, is that the mistake of A stock being designed for the zone 6+ users at the expense of the people of Northwick Park, Preston Road and Wembley has been 'rectified' by designing the S stock for the users of those three stations at the expense of the those who do travel from zone 6. For many of those (ie not Northwood, Northwood Hills, etc who've lost their seats) it's simply a matter of more comfortable seats - which doesn't have any disbenefits to those further down the line, but they didn't do it as who cares about those who aren't London - after all it's not like they pay a higher fare or anything - oh wait they do!


I'd add all users from HotH to Zone 1, not just the three zone 4 stations. Don't underestimate how many people embark from Finchely Road to Farringdon, the numbers are large. More than twice as many passengers use FR alone as all the stations between Amersham and Chorelywood. Even if you say half use the jubilee, that's still near to as many in that one zone 2 stations as all those zone 7-9 ones. Preston Road serves almost 3 million a year, way more than some zone 6-9 stations.

The reality is they can't please everyone, the line goes too far out so Tfl have to be utilitarian to a large degree. As such they have to make a choice and given that; a) there are more people from HotH to zone 1 and those stations serve, on average, larger catchment areas; b) those from zone 6 onwards already have some benefits as I outlined above, I think their choice was completely logical.

Vast majority is massively overstating the case - in fact majority probably is too. For those who aren't sitting, or were sitting on A stock, but now can't due to less seats, yes.A lot of that is due to the suspension.

It was poor from HotH southwards, and those passengers constitute the majority as I stated above. The loading time for passengers was incredibly slow, esp. at the zone 1 stations and FR. Everytime someone came on with a buggy, luggage, etc it was a nightmare. Given that more people stood and standing was more uncomfortable on the A stock I don't think it is wrong to say it was the majority (coupled with more users in the those areas). Vast majority may have been me implying hyperbolic language though i admit.

The journey experience I've found at peak times is a mixed bag - some elements are better, some are worse and it ends up with S stock only being better due to being new for most passengers.When have TfL and their predecessors every favoured the home counties over Londoners, other than possibly one time when they drew up the design for A stock's interior? Or do you mean Inner Londoners, as opposed to Outer Londoners (who lost the most with the transition to S stock, so actually the seats in A stock were really about Outer Londoners being able to have one)?


I live in outer London and grew up, technically, in outer london.

For me, the experience is a lot better largely because I can stand with a degree of space I could never have on the A stock due to the layout. The smoother movement helps of course as well.

The timetable change to remove fast trains isn't about benefiting Londoners (other than via secondary effects), it's about not making their service into London worse, while reducing the service to people in those places where people can't vote for mayor and thus no political fall out.

But they have 5/6 Aylesbury services tbf, some of the stations north of NotH have fewer than 500k entry/exits annually. Don't forget some money to Tfl comes from the GLA, paid for by London residents and business. No businesses outside the capital are paying towards crossrail via the levy, even if they directly benefit from the line (not to do with this point granted).

Imo they should have stopped all trains at Wembley Park instead of removing fast services because the numbers are the largest after zones 1 and 2 and you get an imbalanced service. Stand at FR and you'll see a semi-full fast train and then a packed Uxbridge, you could spread the load better without worsening the fast services due to the greater performance of the new stock (followed by signal improvements).

1. hardcover
2. hazardous cargo
3. Holy Communion
4. House of Commons (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/HCs)

Define (gentle reminder: you're writing in an international forum ;)).

Sorry, HC = Home Counties, the county's that encircle London (its suburbs)

They were packed in the '70s and '80s yet there was some je-ne-sais-quoi about their mood, ambience ... and they're fast to boot!


I think their speed partly was down to the long-gaps between many stops.

Home Counties
Oh right! :doh:

Latest figures show ‘continued trend of improved Tube reliability’

Figures published yesterday by Transport for London (TfL) show that train services on London Underground (LU) have continued to improve as the number of people using the Tube increases.

The figures for the four week period from 21 August to 17 September, published by TfL, show that the ‘number of track failures fell by 15 per cent against the same period last year and are at their lowest level for the period since 2003/04 – having reduced by 57 per cent since then’.

Delays as measured by Lost Customer Hours have ‘fallen by nearly 47 per cent’ since 2003/04 when the programme of Tube upgrades began.

LU operated 96.8 per cent of scheduled kms in the four-week period, meaning that the Tube has met service reliability targets in each of the first six four-week periods in 2011/12.

This continuing long-term trend of improving reliability has seen LU operate 97.1 per cent of scheduled services so far this year.

Unplanned station closures fell by more than 26 per cent from the previous four-week period, while signal and point-related failures dropped by 13 per cent, mirroring the decrease seen over the five previous periods.

...

http://www.rail.co/2011/11/22/latest-figures-show-continued-trend-of-improved-tube-reliability/

Central line trains to be ‘overhauled’ for 2012 Games

Passengers using the Central line will ‘soon begin to benefit from a rejuvenation of their carriages’, TfL has said. After 19 years in service the current fleet of trains is being ‘revamped to bring passengers cleaner, more comfortable trains to serve the next generation of passengers and beyond’.

The overhaul of the fleet includes replacing 4,060 windows, replacing the side panels that make up the outside of the trains, and covering 23,144 seats with a new fabric. The outside of every carriage on all 85 trains in the fleet will also be coated with a protective film that will make them easier to clean.

As part of the upgrade works the gearboxes and their housings have been modified, as have the frames which house the wheels and axles. That work will improve the reliability of the trains and should mean the trains will be able to travel greater distances before experiencing a fault.

The work should ‘potentially increase the distance Central line trains can travel before experiencing a fault by around another 1,000 kilometres’. The trains are being worked on in pairs so ‘as not to affect normal services’.

The work will cost £27m and the entire fleet will be complete before the Olympic and Paralympic Games next year, in readiness for an influx of passengers that will be heading to and from Stratford.

Peter Tollington, Central line Manager, said: “We are going to greatly improve the look of our trains and make them as comfortable as possible for commuters and visitors to the Olympic Park.”

London-based design company Wallace Sewell’s blue and red ‘moquette’ fabric is inspired by London landmarks.

http://www.rail.co/2011/11/21/central-line-trains-to-be-overhauled-for-2012-games/

Northern line platforms to reopen at Tottenham Court Road

Northern line platforms at Tottenham Court Road will reopen on Monday 28 November after eight months of behind-the-scenes work to make it possible to build new access routes, new staircases and a lift. When complete in 2016, station capacity will dramatically increase as part of the major station upgrade.

During the closure, since April 2011, a team of more than 100 people have been working around the clock to complete the critical structural works, involving the installation of more than 1,000 tonnes of new steel tunnel sections.

The work prepares the way for the full station upgrade which will transform the station by 2016 with increased capacity, new entrances and step free access.

David Waboso, Capital Programmes Director, said: “We would like to thank passengers for their patience whilst the Northern line platforms have been closed. There is still further work to be done behind the scenes at the station and passengers will notice that the platforms only have a temporary render finish on the walls.

“Our priority has been to reopen the platforms as soon as the heavy civil engineering works were completed and they could be used safely by customers. As works to upgrade the station continue, we ask passengers to continue to bear with us.”

The £500m station upgrade is part of the Tube upgrade plan to ease congestion, improve accessibility and provide direct interchange with Crossrail services when they arrive in 2018.

When Tottenham Court Road was built over 100 years ago, it was not designed to be used by the 147,000 people that now use it daily, or the 200,000 plus daily users expected when Crossrail comes to the station in 2018.

As part of the Tube upgrade plan, London Underground is transforming the station to:

- Increase the size of the ticket hall by nearly six times

- Introduce step free access from street to platform

- Provide four new or modernised entrances

- Deliver new escalators and improved interchanges between platforms

- Connect with a new Crossrail ticket hall at Dean Street.

http://www.rail.co/2011/11/22/northern-line-platforms-to-reopen-at-tottenham-court-road/

Firms wanted for £500m Bank Tube station upgrade

London Underground has started the search for firms to carry out the ambitious remodelling of Bank Station in the City of London. The Bank Station capacity upgrade project will create a new ticket hall at surface level.

The successful bidder will also carry out tunnelling work to divert the southbound Northern line running tunnel and build a new southbound platform to the south-west of the existing platforms.

Bank is one of busiest and most complex interchange stations on the network, in the vicinity of busy road junctions and through routes for traffic, next to several Grade 1 listed properties. The ambitious job to raise capacity at the crowded station has between given a price tag of anywhere between £250m and £500m.

London Underground is calling for expressions of interest early in the process to allow the selected firm or consortium to plug its engineering expertise into initial designs. The winning bidder will be brought on board in the Summer of 2013 with a timetable to start works in 2015 for completion at the end of 2021.

Richard Parry, London Underground’s strategy & commercial director, said: “Currently the Northern line platforms at Bank in particular suffer severe congestion during morning and evening peak times, which will get worse as passenger numbers grow.

“This major project to re-tunnel the Northern line at Bank, making more spacious platform areas, with a new entrance on King William Street and four high capacity lifts will relieve congestion at the station and provide step-free access for the Northern line platforms.”

Firms interested in bidding for the huge underground project have until 19 December to submitted expressions of interest to BankSCUProjectProcurement@tfl.gov.uk

http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2011/11/22/firms-wanted-for-500m-bank-tube-station-upgrade/

For a remodelling job, ain't that mighty pricey, even if the interchange covers six or so lines? :uh:

^^We don't know how thorough the upgrade will be, what kind of materials will they use...

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Plans for wave-pay Tube tickets don't convince pols

Many passengers are concerned about the data security and safety aspect of Transport for London's (TfL's) plans to introduce contactless ticketing, and the project may not deliver the financial savings expected, the London assembly's transport committee has concluded.

In a report titled, The Future of Ticketing, the committee says the results of a survey it carried out in conjunction with consumer firm Which? showed that passengers were concerned about the safety of their data.

Will Judge, head of future ticketing at TfL, had told the committee in an evidence session in September that the contactless cards would be "100% safe" and that fraudsters would not be able to extract confidential information from a person's contactless bank card or other compatible technology as the type of data held on such cards will be restricted. In its report, the committee says that despite this, negative perceptions of this technology might still be a barrier to the take up of the new scheme.

The committee also warns that wave and pay ticketing must be fair to all passengers and not disadvantage those who choose to stick to Oyster cards. It says that while some passengers may welcome using a contactless bank card to pay for travel, the one in five people who do not have a credit or debit card could miss out on cheaper fares offered on the contactless system.

Caroline Pidgeon, chair of the transport committee, said: "It's only right that Transport for London is looking to new technologies to enhance its ticketing offer, but many passengers are sceptical about using bank cards as tickets, and others simply won't be able to.

...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/11/23/tfl_plans_for_contactless_ticketing_unconvincing_says_committe/

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Blue lights and siren: it's a Tube engineer on a 2012 emergency

Tube engineers will be rushed across London by police cars with their sirens blaring in a bid to keep trains moving during the Olympics. Transport for London emergency responders will be given "blue-light status" to greatly decrease the time it takes to fix a failed train.

For the first time, Tube engineers carrying vital tools and components will be able to cut through heavy central London traffic as if they were an emergency service. Tube bosses today said the move will transform the transport network and "dramatically improve reliability and response times".

Under the plans British Transport Police vehicles will either escort a Transport for London vehicle or pick up engineers to ferry them to the site of a failure.

London Underground managing director Mike Brown told the Standard: "Our ability to get the right person and component [to a failed Tube train] has occasionally been hampered by traffic. We are working with the BTP to trial blue-light response for our engineers. "Traffic can cause very serious delays. It's about urgency and getting things moving as quickly as possible."

The project is being tested now and is expected to be rolled out in February next year. Mr Brown added: "I'm absolutely sure that we've got all the bits lined up to get us in the best possible place for the Olympics.

"This is a huge challenge but I have no doubt that London's transport system will be a part of the success of the Games." He added: "This is about being properly linked to the emergency services. It is using commonsense thinking to deal with problems."

The London Assembly's transport committee chairman Caroline Pidgeon today welcomed the move. She said: "We've got to keep the Tube going through the Games more than at any other time. London's reputation depends on it. If doing that means giving engineers blue light status then I am all for it. Anything that gets the Tube working more quickly can only be a good thing."

Transport expert Tony Travers said: "This shows an admirable commitment to speeding up repairs but it shows that the system is still suffering from failures and breakdowns. It would be much better not to have the need for use of blue lights in the first place."

Mr Brown revealed the plans at TfL's Reliability Lab in Acton, where about 350 engineers are working around the clock to improve Tube performance before the Olympics.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-olympics/article-24014169-blue-lights-and-siren-its-a-tube-engineer-on-a-2012-emergency.do

Video

Bid to improve London Underground's reliability

Transport for London (TfL) has outlined how it is trying to improve the reliability of the London Underground.

The Tube network in undergoing a major upgrade, which has led to some teething problems.

With the London Underground likely to be a major issue at next year's mayoral election, TfL is keen to show how it is trying cut delays and improve service.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15892804

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Something has been bugging me
To my ears the S-Stock door opening alert bleeps (for example at 1minute in) (http://youtu.be/kJsPyYvzV1Y) are very similar to the refrain in the piece of music Carnival De Paris (for example at 30 seconds in) (http://www.muzu.tv/gb/dariogfctudukecc/carnaval-de-paris-music-video/218691/), often associated with football.

What do you think?
I now can't ride the trains without thinking about it!

Perhaps they should do a special version for taking fans to Wembley to see England play!

KMO5iS7x5rI

For a remodelling job, ain't that mighty pricey, even if the interchange covers six or so lines? :uh:

https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/tube/bank/consult_view

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/Maryside/London%20Photos/bankupgrade3.jpg

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/Maryside/London%20Photos/bankupgrade2.jpg

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/Maryside/London%20Photos/bankupgrade1.jpg

It's quite a big scheme.

^^That's what I thought. When they say regeneration/boost capacity it's usually much more than lifts.

Northern Line extension to Nine Elms regeneration zone 'could deliver billions' to UK economy

Extending the London Underground's Northern Line to the Nine Elms regeneration area could deliver a multi-billion pound growth injection to the UK economy, an independent study is expected to show.

Preliminary findings from the Volterra Partners report indicate that a two station tube extension could maximise development in Vauxhall Nine Elms, adding an extra 17,000 jobs and 7,500 homes to the area-wide regeneration programme.

The new jobs and homes could generate approximately £4.5 billion in tax receipts for the Treasury at today’s prices, the study claims. And if, as expected, more overseas investors take a stake in the regeneration zone the returns could be significantly higher.

The Northern Line Extension (NLE) would improve transport capacity throughout the Vauxhall Nine Elms area with stops at Wandsworth Road and Battersea Power Station. It will also relieve pressure at Vauxhall station.

Battersea Power Station would become the focus for a new town centre with 66,000 square metres of retail, restaurant and cafe space – more than Clapham Junction and Wandsworth town centres. According to Wandsworth Council, the construction of the new underground extension would be funded largely through a levy on private development sites in the Vauxhall Nine Elms Opportunity Area.

Two years of detailed planning and design work are already complete and the scheme received widespread backing during its first and second round public consultation. A formal planning application – called a Transport and Works Act Order – could be submitted in 2012 and the Tube link open for business by 2018.

Leader of Wandsworth Council, Ravi Govindia, said: “Volterra’s work has sought to quantify the enormous benefits this scheme has to offer the UK economy and the vital role it can play in delivering growth. It's not just about regenerating the power station site, the NLE will drive growth throughout the whole Vauxhall Nine Elms area which is set to deliver a total of 16,000 homes and 25,000 jobs.

“No other scheme in the capital could match this potential and no other project is so far advanced.”

The Volterra study has been commissioned by Transport for London and Wandsworth and Lambeth Councils. The finalised report will be published on the council’s website at www.wandsworth.gov.uk/nineelms

The Vauxhall Nine Elms Opportunity Area includes 450 acres of land between Battersea Park and Lambeth Bridge on the South Bank of the Thames.

The Mayor’s London Plan anticipates a total of 16,000 new homes and 25,000 new jobs will be created here if the transport capacity can be increased. Work is now underway on major developments in the area including St George's Vauxhall Tower scheme and St James Group's Riverlight development (formerly known as Tideway Wharf).

Outline planning permission has been granted for the new American Embassy and Treasury Holding's Battersea Power Station scheme.

http://www.24dash.com/news/local_government/2011-11-25-Northern-Line-extension-to-Nine-Elms-regeneration-zone-could-deliver-billions-to-UK-economy

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They're saying on the BBC that it looks like they're gonna make a new branch of the Northern Line a couple of stops to Battersea

^^Indeed. It would be excellent.

Green signal for Northern line extension and 25,000 new jobs

New moves to create thousands of jobs in London by securing the long-awaited Northern line extension to Battersea will be unveiled in tomorrow's growth review, the Standard has learned.

A range of incentives will be announced to sign up developers, including an offer to create an Enterprise Zone around the historic site of Battersea Power Station. Construction of the Tube spur from Kennington via the Nine Elms redevelopment to Battersea's prime site will change the face of south London.

Costing between £750 million and £950 million it will generate between 16,000 and 25,000 jobs and thousands of new homes, cafés and business premises in the heart of the capital.

George Osborne, the Chancellor, wants a deal struck by 2013 ready for construction to begin in 2015. A Treasury source said: "The entire weight of the Government is being thrown behind the extension of the Northern line." Talks will be held with pension funds and even the Chinese sovereign wealth fund about investing in the scheme.

The offer of an Enterprise Zone, which would lure small businesses to the site with the promise of tax breaks, is one of the major new incentives. The Mayor and other local authorities may be allowed to borrow hundreds of millions of pounds from the private sector against the future income stream from business rates or a special levy.

The plans will be contained in the growth review which will be at the heart of Mr Osborne's Autumn Statement tomorrow. Downgraded growth forecasts and unemployment are expected to dominate the headlines but other key announcements are expected to include:

Tube and bus fare increases in London will be held down to 6.2 per cent rather than 7.2 per cent on average in January, through £130 million of extra funding to Transport for London.

Rail fares nationally will also rise by 6.2 per cent, rather than the planned average of 8.2 per cent.

An extra £5 billion of cuts will fall on public spending, in order to finance an extra £5 billion of investment in big infrastructure projects, like power stations and road-building. Overall, the Chancellor will promise £30 billion for spending on big projects, two-thirds coming from pension funds. Money will be clawed back from projects that have not got off the ground yet, such as a delayed carbon capture scheme under Energy Secretary Chris Huhne.

New economic figures will show growth slowing down to about one per cent this year and next, with the structural deficit now taking until 2016/17 to eradicate, an extra two years compared with last year's plan. One think tank, the Paris-based OECD thinks Britain is already falling back into a mild recession.

Around £20 billion will be used to create cheaper loans for small firms employing fewer than 50 people under the promised "credit easing" policy. Loans will be made by banks but underwritten by the Treasury. Treasury minister Danny Alexander promised tough crackdowns on tax dodgers to help fund spending on jobs.

Nine Elms to the West End in 11 minutes

The Northern line extension would run from Kennington to new stations at Nine Elms and Battersea and would form a continuation of the Charing Cross branch.

Completion would bring Nine Elms within about 11 minutes' journey time of the West End and City. Nine Elms is by far the biggest regeneration project in central London - a 200-acre expanse with the long-abandoned hulk of Battersea Power Station at its heart and the longest remaining undeveloped stretch so close to the West End.

It has already attracted major new tenants, notably the US embassy, and the area's planning framework anticipates up to 16,000 new homes.

Chelsea football club have also appointed architects to draw up plans for a new stadium close to the power station for up to 60,000 spectators. But developers and landowners have always insisted that the vision cannot be fully realised without a direct Tube link into the centre.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-24015162-green-signal-for-northern-line-extension-and-25000-new-jobs.do

Northern Line: Government backs Tube extension plan

Chancellor George Osborne has backed plans to extend the Northern Line to Battersea in south London, which he says could create 25,000 jobs. In his Autumn Statement he said the government would support the scheme, in partnership with the private sector.

He also said they would work with London's mayor on options for new Thames river crossings.

Ways to maintain the UK's aviation hub status, excluding a third runway at Heathrow, would be explored, he said. The multi-billion-pound programme of funding for infrastructure projects is designed to get Britain's economy moving.

'Green' energy

Last year the Mayor of London Boris Johnson gave his approval to build two Tube stations on the Northern Line as part of a £5.5bn revamp of Battersea Power Station. It is hoped the redevelopment of Battersea Power Station, which will include shops, office space and leisure facilities, will create 25,000 jobs and the construction of 16,000 homes.

The landmark will be restored to generate green energy in the future, but its chimneys will be demolished and rebuilt, as they are "beyond repair". The Grade II listed building opened in 1933 and generated power until 1983.

Restoration of the main power station, including rebuilding the chimneys, will be completed by 2016.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15937031

gNwHqcK4xkk

Tube's 'green' line will help to clear the air

The Tube is going green in a bid to trap pollution from passing vehicles and improve air quality on one of London's busiest roads.

Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor's environment adviser, unveiled a 200squaremetre wall featuring 15 plant varieties at Edgware Road station. Transport for London said previous studies have shown vegetation has the ability to remove enough harmful pollution particles from the atmosphere to significantly improve air quality. The wall's impact will be monitored by scientists from Imperial College London.

The initiative is part of Boris Johnson's plans to put plants, trees and greenery on some of London's busiest roads and comes after 50 plant towers were installed on Lower Thames Street. Some 200 lime trees have already been planted along the A40.

The Mayor said: "Delivering cleaner air for London is a top priority for me."

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-24015419-tubes-green-line-will-help-to-clear-the-air.do

S8 Stock - Finchley Road

by Green, Cream & Tangerine livery on Flickr.

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/1964/6406663577665a94a92cb.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45801463@N05/6406663577/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Would've been a great photo had the cab been more toward the (our) left ...

Are trains without drivers a good thing for London’s commuters?

Transport for London is considering plans to roll out driverless tube trains across the Underground network by 2020. This week we ask: are trains without drivers a good thing for London’s commuters?

No
Bob Crow, General Secretary, RMT

‘If you want to know why RMT and the other tube unions are so opposed to the idea of driverless operation on London Underground, take a look at press cuttings from the incident on the Washington DC Metro in June 2009, where nine people died after a crash involving automated trains. The inquest into the deaths was damning and found that it was a combination of cuts to inspections and maintenance, alongside a dash for automation, that led to the tragedy. Train operators were soon returned to the DC Metro and have remained there ever since.

...

Yes
Mike Brown, Managing Director, London Underground

‘The tube is carrying record numbers – more than a billion passengers each year – and demand continues to rise. However, parts of the network are very old – some date back to the 1860s, and we have the oldest trains running anywhere in the UK. Without upgrading, the tube would eventually grind to a halt. That’s why we are rebuilding the network. ‘We must consider how new technologies can help us meet that demand and provide safe, more frequent and reliable services. London Underground has always been an innovator. Now is the time – as we plan the purchase of our next fleets – to consider the next generation of automatic signalling systems, in which trains are ‘driven’ from a control centre rather than a traditional driver. This allows trains to be run closer together – increasing frequency and capacity.

...

http://now-here-this.timeout.com/2011/11/27/face-off-trains-without-drivers/

7869718
^^ :lol:

25480742
^^ just be patient ;)

^^^^ What was the point of that ?

Do you have any video's of inside or information about what was going on ?

Inanimate objects cannot take a possessive case ;)

Design study commissioned for air-conditioning on the Tube

Transport for London has ‘indicated its determination’ to find a solution to the long standing problem of introducing air conditioned trains on deep level lines by commissioning a two-stage concept design study which will look at the suitability of air conditioning systems on the Underground.

Commencing next June and running until January 2013 the first stage will examine if it is feasible for new rolling stock to be fitted with conventional air-conditioning units. If this proves to be too problematic, Stage 2 will commence in January 2013 which will study the possibility of using an ice storage concept to cool the Tube down.

This study will continue until November the same year. The main problem facing engineers is how to cope with the huge amount of hot air that conventional air-conditioning systems would dump back into the tunnels.

The results will be used to determine the specific requirements of the new Piccadilly and Bakerloo line trains. A prototype train for use on the deep level lines will be introduced by 2015.

Currently the only air-conditioned trains on the London Underground network are the Bombardier built Metropolitan line trains.

These have provided a welcome relief for many passengers during periods of humid weather and are a vast improvement on the old stock, the last of which is due to be scrapped by next summer.

http://www.rail.co/2011/12/01/design-study-commissioned-for-air-conditioning-on-the-tube/

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Digiguide (http://digiguide.tv/) also brings up an episode of 'Big, Bigger, Biggest' on the London Underground on the National Geographic Channel in December.

DOCUMENTARY: Big, Bigger, Biggest
Channel: National Geographic
Date: Sunday 4th December 2011
Time: 22:00 to 23:00
Duration: 1 hour.
London Underground Revealed. Special Episode 1.
Documentary series examining the technology behind some of the largest feats of engineering in the world.
(Dolby Stereo, Widescreen)

Got around to watching this on Monday, was good to watch, and also includes sections on the New York Subway (why it chose Electric trains over steam), the Paris Metro (how Saint-Michel station was 'sunk') and the Canary Wharf Crossrail station.

There's a rather basic website Here (http://natgeotv.com/uk/london-underground-revealed/), or it's 'obtainable' via a well known documentary based torrent site.

District line ‘timetable improvements from this weekend’

Additional peak trains for the 200,000 Wimbledon branch passengers each day will bring fewer delays and extra capacity. A new timetable comes into effect on the District Line this Sunday which will increase frequency, reliability and capacity.

The changes will include five additional trains on the busy Wimbledon branch providing space for 4,000 extra passengers during the morning peak, more trains during the evening service with six trains per hour until 23:30hrs and an additional train on the Ealing Broadway branch to get an extra 800 customers home during the evening peak.

The changes were the subject of a major consultation exercise earlier this year, in which nearly 18,000 customers, local business and stakeholders took part, almost 80 per cent of whom were in favour. The timetable has been designed to improve service for the 200,000 passengers who travel on the Wimbledon branch of the District line each day.

In particular, the removal of the poorly used weekday Olympia service will deal with bottlenecks in the Earl’s Court area which currently hold up more than 20 percent of District line trains entering Earl’s Court behind an Olympia train.

This wait in the tunnel, at one of the one of the most complex junctions on the Tube network, will be reduced, directly speeding up journeys for the 150,000 customers who are affected by delays at the station.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “Hundreds of thousands of passengers will benefit from this practical and pragmatic change to markedly improve the most congested part of the tube network.”

Howard Collins, LU’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “The introduction of the new timetable in December will reduce delays across the whole line and, in particular, benefit the 150,000 passengers who are affected by delays at Earl’s Court each day by reducing congestion in the area.

...

http://www.rail.co/2011/12/06/district-line-timetable-improvements-from-this-weekend/

I'm not sure if anyone remembers it, but its worth a shot. If I recall correctly, about 2003/2004 and that time period there was this london underground game That I played (in school when we were bored :p ) which was available on the TFL site. It then suddenly vanished and I have never managed to find it. iirc it was to do with controlling underground trains and to control a train to line up with the platform and such. Thats all I remember from it tbh :(

Just to bump this slightly as I am quite eager to know

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viaqm1pPYdc
Does the centre chap suffer tennis elbow ... and play with a pair of raquets? :sly: :PFFT: The state of their pub made me stop it ⅓ of the way through it :ohno:

Y2SZ_KtYH4Y
:PFFT: It's :weird: how no journalist identified any cause of the anticipated 30-minute waits ...

2012 Cable Car

by wawd.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7158/6486739055_d77f340b65_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/6486739055/)
London Cable Car (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/6486739055/) by wawd (http://www.flickr.com/people/wawd/), on Flickr

2uHcWdkV4W4

Newly reopened Northern Line platforms at Tottenham Court Road.

by looper23 is moving house. A limited service only. on Flickr.

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/771/64471885910607a5ae36b.jpg

http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/9071/6447197521f1bc08a618b.jpg

Olympic VIPs should use the tube as well as cars, says Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson has said sporting dignitaries such as Sepp Blatter should get on the tube during the 2012 Olympic Games as he sought to play down a vision of London gridlocked, rising in expense and "dominated by the whizzing limousines of Olympic bureaucrats" next summer.

Johnson signalled plans to restrict the use of lanes reserved exclusively for Olympic transport amid fears that traffic congestion and delays caused by the Games will trigger a "stampede" of irate Londoners and businesses leaving the city for the duration.

He insisted that warnings that the Olympics will bring chaos to Britain's transport networks are like a millennium bug rumour that will never materialise. The London transport commissioner, Peter Hendy, said last month that some hotspots would need a 60% reduction in normal traffic to avoid severe congestion during the Games.

But with London preparing to enter into an Olympic year in just under three weeks' time, the mayor turned on "gloomadon-poppers", who warn "that the capital will be gridlocked, expensive and dominated by the whizzing limousines of Olympic bureaucrats throwing up roadspray in the faces of the tramping and ticketless multitudes" of Londoners.

He said that the Olympic route network around the capital will take up 1% of London's roads, and the Games lanes reserved exclusively for Olympic transport "only a fraction of that 1%". These will only be in operation for 16 days "with a couple of days either side to set them up", he said, stressing that most people in most parts of London would not even be aware of the Olympic routes.

"I genuinely believe that when the games are under way, we will look back at the anxieties as a kind of millennium bug that never materialised because most people travelling in most parts of London will not even notice that the route network exists," Johnson said, in an address to a London policy conference on the city's South Bank.

He urged businesses – from taxi drivers to theatres – to stay in the capital and profit from the £1.2bn extra spending Johnson said was anticipated for the capital during this period.

"I don't think it would be a good idea to shut up your coffee shop or put a tarpaulin over your taxi and head for Greece – whatever the value of the Greek currency." He added: "I believe there is still plenty of time for London business to prepare, plan and profit from the Games."

Johnson later said Transport for London was in discussion with the London Olympics organising body, Locog, about trying to restrict vehicle access permits – VAPS – to as "few people as we realistically can".

Asked whether he intended to bar VIPs from using the special lanes, Johnson told journalists: "Obviously, there is a limit to the restrictions you can place, but I do think we have put fantastic amounts of cash into our transport network. We have got an amazing upgrade of the tube going on ... why shouldn't they go by public transport?"

He added that among those entitled to use the Games lanes were journalists, who could easily make use of the improved public transport available.

"I would respectfully say to journalists ... there is public transport, and I would say to Sepp Blatter, all these people, all the IOC [International Olympic Committee]: why not use public transport? You will enjoy it and find it quick and convenient."

He also gave hope to those still without a seat at any of the Olympic events. "You would be wrong to give up hope of getting into the park itself," he said. "Because there are still Olympic tickets, there are still huge numbers of Paralympic tickets, and there are 125,000 free tickets for London kids that are being used by London schools to motivate them to excel in sport or academic work."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/dec/12/olympic-vips-tube-boris-johnson?newsfeed=true

Good news re extending the Metropolitan Line to Watford Junction from Croxley Rail Link web site :banana:
http://www.croxleyraillink.com/latest-news/funding-announcement-december-2011.aspx

"Funding Announcement December 2011
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
We are delighted to announce that Croxley Rail Link has been awarded the necessary central government funding required for its construction.
Led by Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) the project submitted a best and final funding bid to the Department for Transport on 9 September 2011. This bid outlined the benefits of the scheme and the funding model required for its implementation.
Cllr Stuart Pile, Cabinet Member for Highways & Transport said "Obviously we're delighted that the Croxley Rail Link has been awarded this funding. We've all been talking about this project for many years and we're thrilled that we will finally be able to go ahead with the scheme, which will bring real economic and transport benefits to the south-west of the county."

"We know that lack of transport infrastructure is one of the things holding back economic development in the area, so investment like this will make a real difference to the local economy."
The Mayor of London and Transport for London have been working with HCC on the plans throughout to provide information and support to help shape the proposals.
Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "I have long supported the Croxley Rail Link scheme seeking to unlock a raft of economic, housing and environmental benefits coming from better transport links between Watford, Hertfordshire and London as a whole . It is extremely welcome news to hear that funding for this rail link is now secured, which is now set to underpin the importance of Watford as a key transport hub for the capital."
HCC and London Underground (LU) will now proceed through the Transport and Works Act Order process which is the statutory means for gaining the powers to construct, operate and maintain the link.
The Croxley Rail Link is a proposed diversion and extension of the Watford Branch of the Metropolitan line to Watford Junction via Watford High Street. New stations will be provided on the new rail link at Ascot Road, which forms a park and ride site for the area, and Vicarage Road serving the Watford General Hospital and the proposed Watford Health Campus development. As part of the proposals the existing Watford Metropolitan terminus station will close to passenger services. HCC, LU, Network Rail, Watford Borough Council and Three Rivers District Council are working in partnership to deliver the project.
Following the funding announcement, it is now intended to submit the Transport and Works Act Order in early January 2012, after which a formal six week objections period will commence."

I never thought this project would ever get off the ground.

Are there any plans to use its construction as an opportunity to provide a service between Watford and Rickmansworth and points beyond, or is it just a simple Met extension?

the interior design of the trains seems really comfortable to ride a long journey.:D

I never thought this project would ever get off the ground.

Are there any plans to use its construction as an opportunity to provide a service between Watford and Rickmansworth and points beyond, or is it just a simple Met extension?

Yes it's 20 years in the making and still a number of years before it becomes reality.

The approval for funding is based only on the Met line proposition but by doing this it opens up the possibility of mainline diesel services using the route from Rickmansworth.

the interior design of the trains seems really comfortable to ride a long journey.:D

I think the business case for the extension was more about local transport needs as opposed to commuting to London.

As a Uxbridge branch Met Line user I find that the new trains are worse in the following respects.

1 An enormous reduction in seats
2 Seats are harder than before
3 Majority of seats mean you sit travelling sideways which I find less comfortable to travelling forwards/ backwards
4 Doors often don't open because drivers need to stop more accurately and miss their marks at the platform so you have to walk through to a carriage which has open doors.

However they are better in terms of

1 Suspension gives a smoother ride
2 Less claustrophobic since there are fewer seats
3 More comfortable and consistent on board temperature
4 Less noisy
5 Lower floors so the step up from the platform is easier

When the old trains are replaces the new ones will be unrestricted and accelerate faster so journey times will improve. Also when new signalling comes in the line capacity will increase so there will be more trains.

Overall I like the new trains.

I agree with that analysis, other than the claustrophobic thing, which while true - S stock is more open - doesn't matter as A stock isn't claustrophobic anyway.

4 is sort out-able, 2 wouldn't have been hard to have - while maybe not the quality of A stock, at least better than it is and so is the most disappointing thing.

Another grip is the fun of the announcements and scrolling thing. I arrived at Amersham and used the toilet on platform 2/3. A train arrived from London on platform 2. All the side things said "Baker Street" and, while I was pretty sure that it would be going to reverse in the sidings (as they normally do), I certainly didn't want to take the risk and not get the train having been caught out before by trains leaving for London from platform 2. The train announced that it was going to Baker Street, so I boarded, only to be detrained almost instantly. Going back over the footbridge, there was a lot of people that were crossing, until I told them that the train wasn't actually going to Baker Street, and they turned back.

When actually going into London, the train was billed as fast, until Ricky when they announced a change of terminus and the train was still a Baker Street, but now all stations. At Harrow, being a semi-fast, it became a fast again (with the same automatic change-of-terminus announcement, even though it was always going to terminate at Baker Street).

OK, there were engineering works, and I've had A stock the last time I took a (now timetabled) semi-fast into London earlier this week, so don't know whether it was just the train being changed, rather than timetabled to be a semi-fast. However the Amersham announcement was far more a problem, causing confusion and unnecessary effort by the people crossing the bridge.

That's great news indeed.:cheers:

pn9zANEaofE
^^ http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

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^^ http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

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Tube reliability ‘continues to improve’

Figures published by Transport for London (TfL) show that reliability on the Tube is ‘continuing to improve even while the network carries increasing numbers of passengers’.

The figures for the four-week period from 18 September to 15 October, published by TfL, show that delays caused by problems with signals and points have fallen by 18%, while lost customer hours have been reduced by 212,000 on the previous four-week period.

The upgraded Jubilee line ‘continues to improve, with this period’s lost customer hours the lowest for over a year’. Since the Tube became part of TfL in 2003/04 lost customer hours have been reduced by more than 40%.

LU operated 96.5% of scheduled services in the four-week period, with the year so far standing at 97%.

During the period 91.9 million people used the Tube, the highest ever number in a standard four-week period, with more than four million people using the Underground on Friday 14 October.

...

http://www.rail.co/2011/12/15/tube-reliability-continues-to-improve/

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xAiOcctbmvM
:)

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:) although too bad this ain't a series ;)

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I can't tell whether the passengers must've been irritated by the on-board announcments ...

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Film set :sly:; Trafalgar Square being worked on, will reopen; test area for raising platforms per wheelchair accessibility

that looks like where they filmed the movie "Creep"

6eI_wJMKTXk
:) featuring Standard tube stock 1927 -- I love its crazy noisiness too
:)

rwsqZ_RWrY05'23": Odd, TfL having taken great pain to switch an eight-car Cravens 1962 sandite train to their corporate livery :sly:

NPsx7UfGP80
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon14.gif -- must've been a heatwave, 1'42" :D
Those pre-war, 1938 Bakerloo units weren't exactly slow themselves :uh:

5KU0jkwCVmg
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon14.gif http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon14.gif http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon14.gif -- whoosh (I'd always presumed the speed 60MPH, not 70)

I'm not sure whether episodes of Series 3 in Michael Portillo's Great British Railway Journeys (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_British_Railway_Journeys) appear on the Global BBC iPlayer, (Series One and Two are on their Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/user/GreatBritishRailway1) account however), but in the first week of the first series, after being in Norfolk/Suffolk, he visited East London, where he went on a ride on the now unused Royal Mail Underground service.


Fenchurch to Embankment
Michael Portillo takes to the tracks with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook. Portillo travels the length and breadth of the country to see how the railways changed us, and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains. Following the route of the Great Eastern Line, Michael takes a ride on a secret miniature railway hidden beneath London's streets, rings the bells of the famous church of Bow, and tries his hand at station announcing at Fenchurch Street station.

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How come most brand new stock made by Bombardier the past several years comes with absurd, squealing brakes; the manufacturer never used to?

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http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

edit

British Institutions: London Underground

The Tube is more confident now than at any time in memory. What is going on?

Bank, Northern line

It is 8.24 on a winter’s morning. The world is in economic meltdown and the masters of the universe are arriving in the City of London, heading for the office, feeling very unmasterly indeed. And to get there they have to confront probably the busiest, most complicated pinch point on the entire London Underground system.

There had been a four-minute gap before the latest northbound train came in, depositing hundreds of dazed-looking passengers on to an unusually narrow platform to mingle with the changers from the other five lines that converge on the linked stations of what is officially called the Bank-Monument Complex.

This is London doing an imitation of the Tokyo subway, almost doing an imitation of a Calcutta tram. It is always the worst part of the day, the evening rush being far more elongated.

Apart from anything else, the noise is terrifying. There are three sets of conflicting instructions: from the blokes on the platform herding the cattle-passengers; from the live station announcer over the loudspeakers; and from the computerised message-system blurting out its eternal stream of drivel.

“Severe delays on the Victoria line.” “Please check for delays at the weekend.” “There will be no services at all on the Docklands Light Railway.” “The next train is approaching.” “This train is for High Barnet.” “Something or other is happening at Lambeth North.” (It must be a defective lift; it’s always the lifts at Lambeth North.)

“Please be advised you do not get Edgware trains from here in the morning.” “I appreciate you need to get to work but please let passengers off the train.” “When boarding please use all available doors.” “Look to your left and right, see if there are any empty doors.”

Had I stayed any longer, I doubtless would have been told that unattended luggage may be destroyed, that skateboarding is prohibited and possibly, that God is Love and The End is Nigh. Hasn’t London Underground ever heard of the wisdom of crowds? Don’t they know that humans are remarkably adept at sorting out difficult situations if officials just stop yelling instructions?

Bank station has been a head-scratcher ever since it became London’s first major interchange shortly before the death of Queen Victoria in 1901. The new Central line (“the twopenny tube”) had headed east in as straight a line as you ever get in London: under Oxford Street and Holborn to avoid the problem of paying off property-owners overhead. This was fine until it hit the spider’s web of narrow streets that converge on the Bank of England.

The area was so built up that everything at the station had to be subterranean, ticket offices and all; and the platform space was so constricted that the Central line platforms are more horseshoe than straight, making Bank the “mind the gap” capital of the world (some say the track had to bend round the Bank of England vaults) and the Northern line congestion far worse than it ought to be.

“Are you ever going to sort this place out?” I asked Bob Fleming, an amiable Geordie in charge of modernising the six lifts and 15 escalators that serve Bank and Monument.

“By 2021,” he said. “It’ll be fantastic then.”

The weird thing is that he seemed to be telling the truth. There is a huge improvement programme: diabolical for passengers in the short term, but a potential game-changer after that – one that will eventually see one Northern line platform being diverted to create far more space. And Bank is not the only beneficiary.

. . .

Paddington, Hammersmith & City line

There are worse messes, and Paddington is one of them, where the District, Circle and Bakerloo lines are at one end of the main line station and the Hammersmith and City a solid hike away at the other. This has become even more of a nuisance since 2009, when the Circle line ceased to be a circle and trains began running on a frying-pan shape route between Hammersmith and Edgware Road. The journey from Paddington to King’s Cross and Farringdon – the world’s very first underground route – is now more difficult than it was in 1863. Edgware Road is a cold, baffling, inconvenient place to change.

The Hammersmith & City station still has direct trains, but it is a diabolical place. There is only one proper ticket machine, which had a long queue when I arrived: my Oyster card, naturally, had chosen this moment to run out. I asked a station man where the ticket office was. “Downstairs,” he said. This was not quite what Shakespeare called “the lie direct” but it was what he called “the lie circumstantial”. The office is indeed downstairs but also several hundred yards away, at the other station.

...

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/84bf7ca6-3c0b-11e1-bb39-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1jXkDREHJ

2012 Cable Car

by meharris75.

http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l526/meharris75/DSCF1291.jpg

http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l526/meharris75/DSCF1292.jpg

2012 Cable Car

by meharris75.

http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l526/meharris75/DSCF1291.jpg


I have to say, I really hate how they introduced corporate branding to the Tube map from this poxy little cable car. Emirates seems to have got a hold on so much advertising.

Well, they are taking more than half of the cost, so it couldn't be any other way.

Tube carried ‘highest number of passengers’ in December

Figures published today by Transport for London (TfL) show that London Underground (LU) carried the ‘highest number of passengers in its history during December’. Friday 9 December 2011 saw the highest number of daily passenger journeys ever recorded on the Tube, with 4.17 million journeys made.

That figure is almost seven per cent higher than the corresponding day in 2010. The week ending Saturday 10 December was also a record-breaker, with a new weekly high of 24.9 million people using the Tube as the festive season got into full swing.

The news comes on the back of the latest Tube performance results published by TfL for the four week period from 16 October to 12 November.

They show that the Tube carried 94.6 million people during that period, up by more than four million on the same period last year. LU operated 97.5 per cent of scheduled kilometres during the period, an improvement of one per cent on the previous period. Reliability, as measured by the amount of delays caused to customers, has also continued to improve.

Since the Tube became part of TfL in 2003/04 delays ‘have been reduced by more than 40 per cent’.

Other improvements delivered during the four-week period include the expansion of the new air-conditioned ‘s-stock’ fleet running on the Metropolitan line to 21 trains and the rollout on stations of new electronic service update boards, providing customers with more detail about the status of their services.

...

http://www.rail.co/2012/01/06/tube-carried-highest-number-of-passengers-in-december/

-FNyqyLmXaA

I don't understand how come you take to sharing videos filmed through misleading lenses, for, e.g., the footage above makes me muse whether Victoria Line stations must be ageing horribly :dunno:

I don't understand how come you take to sharing videos filmed through misleading lenses, for, e.g., the footage above makes me muse whether Victoria Line stations must be ageing horribly :dunno:

The stations don't look that bad. Just like a standard tube station, nothing special or bad

UhLPiFJROSg
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

I don't understand how come you take to sharing videos filmed through misleading lenses, for, e.g., the footage above makes me muse whether Victoria Line stations must be ageing horribly :dunno:

The same as posh, it isn't the best resolution, but it doesn't look that bad.

2012 Cable Car

[I][SIZE="1"]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7168/6707411627_ec8f959374_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianvisits/6707411627/)
Southern Terminus Building (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianvisits/6707411627/) by IanVisits (http://www.flickr.com/people/ianvisits/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7169/6707411007_d68cc558e0_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianvisits/6707411007/)
Southern Terminus Building (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianvisits/6707411007/) by IanVisits (http://www.flickr.com/people/ianvisits/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6707409125_19263e6dc6_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianvisits/6707409125/)
Northern Pylon from Dock Road (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianvisits/6707409125/) by IanVisits (http://www.flickr.com/people/ianvisits/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7023/6707410269_f82a4a31b6_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianvisits/6707410269/)
Northern Pylon from a DLR station (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianvisits/6707410269/) by IanVisits (http://www.flickr.com/people/ianvisits/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7022/6707407595_9a81bdb91f_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianvisits/6707407595/)
Two forms of transport (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianvisits/6707407595/) by IanVisits (http://www.flickr.com/people/ianvisits/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7021/6707408361_0ae27c1a50_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianvisits/6707408361/)
Cable Car and Dinky Little Railway (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianvisits/6707408361/) by IanVisits (http://www.flickr.com/people/ianvisits/), on Flickr

resolution, but it doesn't look that bad.
Resolution? doesn't look that bad? I bet its distortion would've made rakish Twiggy even blush, back in the day :sly:

Sorry, but I don't see distorted things there. It's simply not full screen.

Might this screen shot help:

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/distorted.jpg
^^ clickable... (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=87598190#post87598190)

So far, I'm noticing these too-squished moving images to videos seemingly launched from (i.e., limited to) the UK ... I know the tubes are slim there, but not that slim! :dunno: (Maybe I needn't be under the impression that you launch videos here without fully watching them [for the purpose of their {data} integrity]? :dunno:)

TfL policy seems encouraging, in that they've opted for harware for their (signalling) training purposes instead of relying on computer simulation, which I bet must be the medium drawn upon here around N America:

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Okay, got your point.:cheers:

Might this screen shot help:

So far, I'm noticing these too-squished moving images to videos seemingly launched from (i.e., limited to) the UK ... I know the tubes are slim there, but not that slim! :dunno: (Maybe I needn't be under the impression that you launch videos here without fully watching them [for the purpose of their {data} integrity]? :dunno:)

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Which Is London’s Best Tube Station?

Yesterday’s poll on the worst stations on the network brought out all grumbles many and varied. We were heartened, therefore, to find an similar outpouring of opinion when we asked our Facebook followers for the best Tube station in London.

Here are the top 10 best underground stations:

Station Votes

Westminster 61
Canary Wharf 40
Baker Street 28
Southgate 15
Caledonian Road 14
Angel 9
Canada Water 9
Oval 9
St John’s Wood 8
North Greenwich 7

So, a clear winner in Westminster, with most voters citing the impressive architecture for their fondness (two commenters compared it to a zone from old TV show The Crystal Maze). Stations on the Jubilee extension, which opened a little over a decade ago, fared well in general. Four of the top 10 (Westminster, Canary Wharf, Canada Water and North Greenwich), including the top 2, are from this period. Older architectural styles were also rewarded. Although Southgate won’t be familiar to many readers, the station makes it into fourth place for its 1930s flying saucer-like design.

One other pattern was particularly heartening: the friendly, courteous and sometimes entertaining demeanour of London Underground station staff. Caledonian Road features so highly for this reason, and it was also a contributory factor at Angel and Oval, where the ‘quote of the day’ whiteboards are cherished by commuters. Warwick Avenue didn’t make the top 10, perhaps because it is little-used compared with the bigger stations above, but two people commented on the ‘friendliest man on the underground’ who dwells within.

Thanks to everyone who contributed comments, votes and likes to this non-scientific, light-hearted survey. In total, we received 296 votes for 63 stations.

http://londonist.com/2012/01/which-is-londons-best-tube-station.php

^^^

Another vote here for Westminster. The first time I entered the place I had never even heard of it and I was awestruck. It is a magnificent piece of architecture.

Wi-Fi access to be available on London's Tube network by this summer

Transport for London has announced that commuters will be able to access the internet in advance of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Following a successful trial at Charing Cross station, TfL has confirmed that Wi-Fi access will be provided at 120 stations throughout the Tube network, enabling travellers to go online when waiting at platforms. Wi-Fi services will be unavailable when passengers are travelling from station to station within Tube carriages.

The assertion that access will be available in advance of the London 2012 Olympics follows the collapse of a similar attempt to provide commuters with internet access last year. Then it was claimed that the UK’s four main mobile operators would provide the service, but those plans never came to fruition. TfL has yet to announce which company will take responsibility for the service. Gareth Powell, TfL’s director of strategy and service development said: “We are in the final stages of the tender process. London Underground is continuing with preparations to install the necessary infrastructure and is on schedule to complete the project as planned. An announcement of the chosen service provider will be made in early spring, leaving plenty of time for this to be delivered to customers in time for the 2012 Games.”

Details of possible charges to consumers have yet to be confirmed. During trials at Charing Cross station commuters could access travel information for free, but access to other sites was free only for BT customers.

The announcement follows a partnership between O2, Westminster council and Kensington and Chelsea council to turn part of the capital into Europe’s largest free wireless hub. When introduced, that deal will allow residents and visitors to the boroughs to access internet services for free but it has been suggested that advertisements will be embedded within the service.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/uk/london/9035567/Wi-Fi-access-to-be-available-on-Londons-Tube-network-by-this-summer.html

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Vinci wins £44m Tube train depot building jobs

London Underground has awarded Vinci a £44m contract to upgrade its train depots in Ealing and Upminster.

Work on Ealing will get underway first for completion next year, with the Upminster depot revamp expected to be completed by 2015.

The rebuilding and upgrade work for the two District Line train repair depots will be carried out by Taylor Woodrow, which beat two other bidders.

Works include extensions to existing depot buildings, swimming pool inspection pits, extensive modifications to signalling and M&E services while maintaining the depot operations.

http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2012/01/25/vinci-wins-44m-tube-train-depot-building-jobs/

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Cable Car

the south crane being assembled today:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7166/6765751081_691b4eabf4_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/6765751081/)
London Cable Car Crane (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/6765751081/) by wawd (http://www.flickr.com/people/wawd/), on Flickr

:cheers2:

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Channel 4 to air new Tube workers documentary

Channel 4 is airing a new one-hour documentary chronicling the experiences of London Underground staff.

The broadcaster describes the show as “a rare glimpse into the depths of the iconic Tube network that passengers don’t see, as workers reveal the dilemmas and pressures that they must reconcile to keep this hugely complex and strained system running.”

Actors voice the precise words of Tube staff as “they negotiate the difficulties of storing dead bodies after suicides and the hazards of an ageing infrastructure while fixing signal failures.”

Confessions from the Underground airs 10pm, 2nd February on Channel 4.

http://www.mayorwatch.co.uk/channel-4-to-air-new-tube-workers-documentary/201218807

^^^^ oh Beat me too it.

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Did you watch any of this, coz its videography briefly sampled is horrid?

Yep, watched it all. And I completely disagree with you. :)

So this was the plan for the new Camden Town station. I've seen no debate on this so I wondered if anybody had an opinion. Would it be worth knocking down the dirty nightclub, one of the many markets and the popular church?

http://www.jesticowhiles.com/project-info.php?p=3004

So this was the plan for the new Camden Town station. I've seen no debate on this so I wondered if anybody had an opinion. Would it be worth knocking down the dirty nightclub, one of the many markets and the popular church?

http://www.jesticowhiles.com/project-info.php?p=3004
I think Camden Town station badly needs redeveloping but I don't like the plan as conceived here. Something a bit more in harmony with its surroundings is more likely to receive planning permission, though resolving the demolition plans with local interests will be hard. The nightclub is an eyesore and the market can adapt. I don't know much about the church however; in fact I can't even picture in my memory where exactly it is!

The current Camden Town station exterior does look a bit tired, and a redevelopment is welcome in principle given the severe overcrowding experienced every weekend. I'm not too bothered about the Market needing to go indoors - architecturally this has nothing on the Camden Lock or Stables markets.

So this was the plan for the new Camden Town station. I've seen no debate on this so I wondered if anybody had an opinion. Would it be worth knocking down the dirty nightclub, one of the many markets and the popular church?

http://www.jesticowhiles.com/project-info.php?p=3004

I don't any of those are really worth keeping but I agree with Cairns, that proposal also doesn't fit. The surface building I mean, the new station would be great.

I agree with you guys, but as I said elsewhere, maybe the large footprint was required to help pay for it? The underground bit of the station was superb.

Camden Town needs more/bigger entrances, more circulating area above ground and redevelopment underground.

If some of the existing street frontages can be kept then the internal area can be redeveloped and more entrances achieved, and the station expanded and redeveloped underground.

I always thought that there should be a circular area under the junction akin to Oxford Circus...

London 2012 Olympics: Do we love the Jubilee Line?

Mayor of London Boris Johnson says Olympic chiefs should use London Underground's Jubilee Line to get to events this summer. But what do others make of the silver line that runs from Westminster's corridors of power to some of the capital's most deprived areas?

Steven Thornett cuts a dashing figure in his dark overcoat and top hat, and the head doorman at the Park Lane Hilton is combating London's rush hour traffic with a smile.

"Quickest way to Stratford? Jump on the Jubilee Line - take a left on the corner and it's a five minute walk to Green Park. You'll be there in 40 minutes," he says, before whistling over a black cab for a Middle Eastern family and helping an American businessman haul his luggage through the hotel's front entrance.

The Hilton, where Abergavenny-born Mr Thornett has worked for eight years, will act as the headquarters for the International Olympic Organisation during London 2012, and VIP delegations from across the globe will be staying at Park Lane hotels.

They will mostly be shuttled to event venues in a fleet of coaches and chauffeur-driven BMWs along 30 miles of Games Lanes for Olympic officials and international media, among others.

The lanes will take up a third of an Olympic Route Network that covers 109 miles in the capital (as well as 170 miles outside), which is aimed at guaranteeing reliable journey times for those involved in London 2012. The Games Lanes have sparked anger from businesses and residents concerned about increased congestion and traffic restrictions.

On Monday Mr Johnson urged the IOC chiefs and sponsors to forego Games Lanes and instead take advantage of London's public transport system, which has seen £6.5bn of improvements ahead of the Olympics. "Get on the Jubilee Line because they'll love it," he said.

But what's to love about the Jubilee Line?

...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16809835

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Could the DLR or Bakerloo line be coming to Bromley?

South London is very much the poor relation of its northern counterpart when it comes to public transport. DAVID MILLS looks at how things could one day change.

A series of transport projects are on the horizon which could potentially see major rail and tram extensions into the borough. Transport for London has started to look at the business case for transport improvements across the capital, but it could be a while before anything happens as recommendations are not expected until 2017.

Suggestions mooted could significantly enhance Bromley's connections with other parts of London. These include bringing the Docklands Light Railway, Tramlink or Underground to the borough.

TRAMLINK

A £170m plan to extend the Croydon Tramlink to Crystal Palace was shelved in November 2008 by the Mayor of London along with £3bn worth of other transport projects in the capital. It is understood this could be now back on the cards along with the possibility of an extension from Beckenham Junction to Bromley.

Under the council's local implementation plan, the Tramlink coming to Bromley town centre would happen any time from 2022 to 2030 at a cost of £100m, although this figure is said to be underestimated.

When the Crystal Palace extension was considered in the early 2000s, a proposed route was suggested from Harrington Road via stops in Penge Road, Anerley Road, Crystal Palace railway station and terminating at the bus station.

DLR

It has been the council's formal policy to bring the DLR to Bromley North for some time now. The South East London Rail Access Study looked at several ways of improving rail connections in the area.

For Bromley this involved extending the DLR from Lewisham to Bromley North via Hither Green and Grove Park.

UNDERGROUND

The study also considered extending the Bakerloo line from Elephant & Castle to Lewisham via Camberwell and Peckham or Old Kent Road and then on to Beckenham Junction and Hayes, with another option running from Lewisham to Bromley North.

However it cites deliverability issues with the lack of a depot location, as well as the additional cost of tunnelling and lack of reallocation of train paths to National Rail.

The council says it is unlikely to support any extension to Hayes which results in the loss of direct services to Charing Cross, Cannon Street or London Bridge.

Portfolio holder for environment Councillor Colin Smith said: “We strongly believe that either the DLR or possibly the Bakerloo line must be extended to Bromley North as a priority.

"This will bring huge benefits to our residents by enabling them to make quicker and easier journeys to not only central London but also Docklands and east London. This remains our very clear message to Transport for London. We also remain supportive in principal of the possible extension of tram link to Crystal Palace.”

http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/9487309.Could_the_DLR_or_Bakerloo_line_be_coming_to_Bromley_/

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Three-car trains to Woolwich Arsenal

London’s Docklands Light Railway introduced three-car operation on its Bank – Woolwich Arsenal route with effect from January 30, adding capacity for an extra 1 500 passengers/h ahead of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

This means all DLR routes are now worked with three-car trains during the morning peak periods, apart from the orbital Stratford – Canary Wharf and Stratford International – Woolwich Arsenal routes.

DLR also stepped up evening peak frequencies across its entire network, moving from 9 min to 8 min headways to match the morning service. This will enable it to carry 4 000 extra passengers/h during the 3 h period.

Bank – Woolwich trains will run every 8 min, interspersed with Stratford International – Woolwich trains to provide a 4 min headway on the branch from Canning Town. The Tower Gateway – Beckton service will also run every 8 min, whilst headways on the busiest route from Bank to Lewisham route will be cut from every 4½ min to every 4 min.

DLR Director Jonathan Fox said the three-car trains would provide the Woolwich line with ‘50 per cent more capacity direct to the City of London’. The other changes put DLR ‘in an excellent position ready to step up and meet the challenge of the 2012 Games. The extra capacity enables us to test our capability between now and July, so the network will be poised ready to deliver trains when and where they are needed during the events.’

http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/three-car-trains-to-woolwich-arsenal/archiv/2012/01.html

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Did anyone watch the tv show about the underground the other night ?

The dead bodies controversy one?

Yes that was a bit shocking to know

I don't think the Tube has proper places to store dead bodies and the network can't stop because of it.

Do you have any reference please?

^^What do you mean exactly?

Sorry, maybe I used the wrong word :)

I meant: can you post any article/link about this "Tube dead bodies" problem? The thing seemed creepy and I was curious about that :D

:)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/9055982/Dead-bodies-stored-in-cupboards-on-the-Tube.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16809835

I have no idea why the jubilee line is being said to be the most direct and such route to the olympics when blatantly its the central line from central london. On the jubilee line all your doing is going over the thames and back 4 times. its 10 stops from bond street to stratford on the central line while its 12 on the jubilee. Anyone care to change my mind?

TfL agrees with you, for their journey planner shows a five-minute saving using both the Metropolitan and Central lines instead of just the Jubilee from Baker St Stn.

London Underground recruits 300 Tube station staff

London Underground (LU) is recruiting 300 Tube station staff in a move union bosses claim has been caused by a 2010 policy of cutting 800 jobs.

LU announced plans to cut the jobs in 2010 as part of cost saving measures. But the RMT's Bob Crow said LU had "been forced into recruiting 300 new staff to try and plug the gaps" and called the policy a "massive blunder".

LU responded by saying: "We are just filling vacancies left by people leaving or being promoted."

It added: "There are no new posts or new jobs."

Transport for London's (TfL) 2010 plans led to a series of 24-hour strikes on the network. But it said its number of station staff would remain at around 5,200, despite the new vacancies.

'Promotion opportunities'

An internal bulletin from LU on the new jobs reads: "It has been over three years since our last recruitment campaign, and we are now in a position to fill a number of vacancies in our station operations.

"These vacancies are as a result of a number of promotion opportunities that have been offered to existing staff who have moved on to be train operators (as lines run more services), station supervisors or work in other roles across the business."

RMT union leader Bob Crow said: "Having dumped 800 safety-critical station staff as part of Mayor Boris Johnson's cuts programme, TfL are now admitting they have made a massive blunder and have been forced into recruiting 300 new staff to try and plug the gaps.

...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-16906917

Regarding which is the best route to the summer games, the Jubilee or Central lines

On the jubilee line all your doing is going over the thames and back 4 times.

Ah, but the view from up there is wonderful... :lol:

Sorry, couldn't resist. The Central line might be the shorter route for the games, but it goes through the city and is pretty well rammed most of the time. I'm guessing there's more spare capacity on the Jubilee.

Derek

Depends on what time of day and what direction you are travelling in - the Central line heading from Bank to Stratford in the morning peak would be rather empty, but in the evening peak would be horrendous (and vice-versa for the return journey).

Jubilee's peak flows head in both directions, due to Canary Wharf. Certainly the morning peak heading from Canada Water to Canary Wharf is massively rammed and heading the other way is pretty bad.

London Underground entrance at Farringdon reopens

The London Underground entrance to Farringdon station has reopened after an eight week closure to ‘restore and expand’ the station.

As part of the Thameslink Programme, Network Rail and London Underground have installed new ticket gates, machines and ticket offices along with new staircases.

Network Rail’s project director for Farringdon, Richard Walker, said: “From 2018 the revamped north – south Thameslink route will meet the new east – west Crossrail service, linking with existing Tube connections.

“With up to 24 trains an hour running in each direction on Thameslink and Crossrail, plus the Tube, Farringdon will be served by over 140 trains an hour.”

Farringdon will provide links to three of London’s major airports, Heathrow, Gatwick, and Luton, plus St Pancras International for Eurostar services.

http://www.rail.co/2012/02/07/london-underground-entrance-at-farringdon-reopens/

The latest plan to cut Tube delays... engineers get flashing blue lights

Tube engineers will be able to travel to problems in emergency "blue light" vehicles in a bid to cut delays on the Underground. For the first time Transport for London emergency responders will be able to cut through heavy central London traffic just like 999 services.

Tube bosses said the move will transform the network and "restore services more swiftly" for commuters. Under the trial launched today, three new response vehicles will be driven by British Transport Police to escort a TfL engineer to the site of a failure.

The team will respond to incidents where public safety is at risk as well as suicides and recovery situations under the same conditions used by police, ambulance and fire services.

Mike Brown, managing director for London Underground, said: "Having the capability to travel with blue lights and sirens will mean that the specialist engineers of our Emergency Response Unit can cut through heavy traffic and respond more quickly."

Alan Pacey, Assistant Chief Constable for British Transport police, said: "Passenger safety will be improved by using 'blue lights'. "Stuck trains will be freed from tunnels more quickly, enhancing passenger safety. There will also be fewer crowd safety issues in stations."

The vehicles will also serve the Overground, Docklands Light Railway and London Tramlink networks. The trial aims to halve the time taken to respond to problems, and to cut disruption and delays before the 2012 Games.

Jon Lamonte, the TfL director responsible for the team, said: "Our specialist unit could be described as London's unknown emergency service. These new arrangements will enable us to carry out our work more effectively.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-24034015-the-latest-plan-to-cut-tube-delays-engineers-get-flashing-blue-lights.do

2012 Cable Car going at a fast pace.

by meharris75.

http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l526/meharris75/DSCF1302.jpg

http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l526/meharris75/DSCF1303.jpg

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London Underground's top engineer David Waboso

With the Olympics rapidly approaching, David Waboso is making sure London Underground is ready to roll.

As the director for capital programmes at London Underground (LU), David Waboso is the teacher-turned-engineer who oversees the delivery of everything contained within the network provider’s investment plan, which includes trains, track, signals, stations, power supplies, control systems and all other related works. He handles £1bn of capital investment and a workforce of 2,500 engineers and project managers, in addition to a further 15,000-20,000 people in the supply chain.

In his wood-panelled office, where countless fellowships hang proudly in rectangular frames, the Imperial College civil-engineering graduate explained that rising passenger numbers and a deeptube network are the two biggest factors he is constantly battling with.

The Tube transports more than a billion passengers a year – which is equivalent to the entire population of India. It is one of the busiest metros in the world and, despite a creaking Victorian infrastructure, it is doing its best to meet the expectations of Londoners and tourists alike through its Upgrade Plan.

’We are expecting a 20 per cent increase in passenger numbers by the end of the decade, which will take us up to five million passengers a day. This is due to the growth of London and the growth of suburbia,’ said Waboso, who tries to dedicate a quarter of his time to being out on site, often riding in the cab with the drivers to hear their views on new trains, stations and signalling systems.

The Tube network is primarily made up of six deep tube lines (Bakerloo, Northern, Victoria, Piccadilly, Central and Waterloo and City) and four sub-surface cut-and-cover lines (District, Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith and City).

Many stations have both deep tube lines and sub-surface lines passing through them and, as connections have improved, so too has the number of passengers going through the ticket barriers.

’A lot of our stations are at or beyond capacity. If we increase the number of passengers in the deep tube sections we have to make sure we can get them in and out of the stations,’ said Waboso.

To meet the demands of rising passenger numbers, there are several colossal projects taking place across the network. These include nine major station regeneration projects at what Waboso described as some of the biggest interchange stations. They include (from west to east): Paddington, Victoria, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Kings Cross, Farringdon, Blackfriars, Cannon Street and Whitechapel.

...

http://www.theengineer.co.uk/in-depth/interviews/london-undergrounds-top-engineer-david-waboso/1011495.article

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:) Funny how the progress of time reveals the superbly classy look (design) to that stock.

Boris Johnson unveils new Farringdon station entrance

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London and Islington resident, was one of the first to tag in at the newly opened entrance to Farringdon underground station.

The gates reopened after being closed for eight weeks while the Grade II sites station was restored and expanded.

The refurbishment, which is part of the £6 billion Thameslink programme, includes 36 new ticket gates, 20 new staircases nine new ticket machines and two new entrances, each with a ticket office.

Speaking at the opening on February 3, Mayor Johnson said: “Farringdon Station has already undergone a massive transformation, with a brand new ticket hall up and running, renovations to the entrances and many more improvements still to come. We are making vast essential upgrades to the transport infrastructure in the capital.

“By the time of the Olympics, this station will also be fully accessible with five new lifts, and before too long Crossrail will interchange here too, making millions of journeys easier for passengers.”

http://www.london24.com/news/transport/boris_johnson_unveils_new_farringdon_station_entrance_1_1209415

Tube incident response ‘Blue Light’ trial

The Tube’s Emergency Response Unit is carrying out a trial with the British Transport Police in an attempt to reach emergencies faster. The trial aims to halve response times and means that Transport for London’s ERU vehicles will travel under the same ‘Blue Light’ conditions used by police, ambulance and fire services.

The ERU is a team operated by Tube Lines on behalf of TfL and ‘will respond to incidents where public safety is at risk such as obstructions blocking the track, broken down trains, ‘person under a train’ incidents and other emergency response and recovery situations’.

The trial involves a new fleet of three response vehicles with new British Transport Police livery driven by a BTP officer under blue light conditions when appropriate.

Mike Brown, Managing Director for London Underground and London Rail, said:

“Having the capability to travel with blue lights and sirens will mean that the specialist engineers of our Emergency Response Unit can cut through heavy traffic and respond to incidents more quickly and so restore services more swiftly for our customers.”

http://www.rail.co/2012/02/16/tube-incident-response-blue-light-trial/

Oxford Circus and Green Park Tube platforms cooled

Platforms at two major central London Underground stations are to be cooled, Transport for London (TfL) has said. Cold water from a borehole will be piped into units which will reduce the temperature at Green Park.

And at Oxford Circus, chiller units are being installed to blow out cool air. TfL has made cooling of the Tube one of its priorities and it is hoped the work at the two stations will be completed in the summer.

Air-conditioned trains

In August, the first air-conditioned Tube trains went into service in the Metropolitan Line and TfL said it plans to roll the trains out across 40% of the network by 2015.

And a cooling system similar to the one being implemented at Green Park using underground water, is being used at Victoria station. But last year, TfL was criticised after new trains on the Victoria Line emitted heat raising temperatures on platforms but that fault has now been corrected.

A heat map that monitored the London Underground on 28 July 2008 - one of the hottest days of that year - found the Central Line was the hottest, with temperatures of up to 32C (90F).

The Metropolitan Line recorded temperatures of up to 27C (81F). The Jubilee Line was significantly cooler with most stations recording temperatures of 25C (77F).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17074704

Blackfriars Tube Station reopens following three-year upgrade project

Blackfriars underground station is back open for business following the successful completion of a large-scale, three-year redevelopment project.

The station has been completely rebuilt as part of a £5.5bn Thameslink development programme after being closed for improvements in March 2009. London Mayor Boris Johnson said: 'The rebirth of this central London station will improve the journeys of thousands of passengers every single day.'

The stunning redevelopment, which has created 13,000 jobs over the last three years, will provide a better interchange between national rail and London Underground services.

The front of the building has also been completely overhauled and modernised with glass panelling. Improvements also include refurbished escalators and platforms, step-free access and a new ticket hall.

The station will now be able to accommodate over 60% more passengers every day. The redevelopment of Blackfriars main line station is also continuing as part of the proposed Bedford to Brighton Thameslink rail project.

It is now the first railway station to span the Thames, with two entrances at the north and south of the river, making London's South Bank and Bankside areas more accessible to passengers.

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/890833-blackfriars-tube-station-reopens-following-three-year-upgrade-project

New Bankside link to tube as Blackfriars Underground Station reopens

District and Circle line trains are now once again stopping at Blackfriars Underground Station after a two-year closure - and now passengers starting their tube journeys on the South Bank or Bankside have an easier route.

Tube passengers with a travelcard or Oyster pay-as-you-go can pass freely through the National Rail Station at Blackfriars which, since December, has spanned the Thames with entrances on the north and south banks.

An Oyster pay-as-you-go passenger entering the station from Bankside must touch their Oyster card on all three sets of barriers before boarding a tube train, as well as at the end of their Underground journey. If they do this, their card balance will automatically be adjusted so they are not charged for passing through Blackfriars mainline station.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson visited the station on Monday to see the new-look interchange for himself.

"With its magnificent ticket hall, brand new lifts and escalators, and more than double the previous capacity, the rebirth of this central London station will improve the journeys of thousands of passengers every single day," said Mr Johnson.

"An incredible amount of hard work and expertise has been invested in these improvements, and Blackfriars is now set to become a truly world-class station."

Laurence Whitbourn, Network Rail's senior programme manager for Blackfriars, said: "Rebuilding Blackfriars Underground station was a hugely complex engineering challenge; we excavated, demolished and rebuilt the whole station while Underground trains continued to run beneath our feet, and Thameslink services ran overhead.

"The new Underground station brings our plan for the whole of Blackfriars one step closer to completion. Both tube and rail passengers at Blackfriars stand to benefit from a modern, accessible station; longer, more frequent Thameslink trains; and convenient connections between services."

Some of the hoardings have now been removed from the south entrance at Blackfriars, giving the passenger a clearer impression of what the station will be like when work is completed this summer.

For the last month the Thames Path on the south side of the river at Blackfriars has been shut overnight to allow construction work on the station to continue. A series of weekend closures of the Thames Path have also been announced. The next is this coming weekend (25/26 February).

When the path is closed, pedestrians are diverted via Hopton Street.

Train operator First Capital Connect recently confirmed that weekday late-night and weekend train services on the central London section of the Thameslink route will resume from May this year after athree-and-a-half years of engineering work. The resumption of daily through train services will provide new weekend journey opportunities for Bankside and South Bank residents and easier 7-day links to both Luton and Gatwick Airports.

http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/5841

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17074704

BBC could have done better with that, explaining further the reasons for this high temperatures, why there is so much difference between the different lines, and so on, but the article is very interesting, however.

Oxford Circus and Green Park Tube platforms cooled...

Cold water from a borehole will be piped into units... :sly: (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17074704)
Much leaky tunnelling has never cooled Montreal's metro. If anything, Montreal's leakiness probably creates higher feels-like temperatures due to the humidity factors increased all the further, i.e., add another 8 to 12ºC to the following 21-July-2011 http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon1.gif:
http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/metrochaud.jpg
temperatures in Centrigrade (http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/M%C3%A9tro+becomes+underground+sauna/5141074/story.html)

Either August or September is worse than July...
^^ clickable... (http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/M%C3%A9tro+becomes+underground+sauna/5141074/story.html)


24 Aug 2009 http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/icons/icon1.gif:http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/uk_enl_1251117606/img/1.jpg
^^ clickable... (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8218059.stm)
I'm curious as to how come the Jubilee Line appears cooler :?

^^
The new stretch of Jubilee (Eastbound starting by Westminster) was built in last '90s, with modern standards of ventilation, with many ventilation ducts along the tunnels; that keeps the temperature cooler even in the older stretch

Infact the reason of the (famous) high temperature of London's tube during summer is due to the lack of ventilation. Because of their age (substantially they were the first metro deep tunnels built in the world) construction methods didn't forecast nowadays ventilation standards.
So along the old narrow (just a bit wider than trains) tube tunnels the only vents are the stations themselves.
That way air exchange is too slow and temperature increases, expecially during summer, due above all to the heat generated by the trains which directly reaches the stations.

A vent on the Jubilee Line

http://www.constructionphotography.com/ImageThumbs/A015-00387/3/A015-00387_Ventilation_and_escape_tunnel_on_the_Jubilee_Line_of_the_London_Underground_United_Kingdom_.jpg

Set of pics of the redeveloped Blackfriars Station.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tompagenet/tags/blackfriarsstation/page2/

I've always wondered what those tunnels were! Thanks for letting us know! (Finally something useful on this thread ;) )

I've always wondered what those tunnels were! Thanks for letting us know! (Finally something useful on this thread ;) )

LOL, what are you trying to say? :rofl:

I've always wondered what those tunnels were!

They work for escape as well

Aha! that was some wild-looking photo too :) Is any of those ventilation ducts equipped with any fan?

Aha! that was some wild-looking photo too :) Is any of those ventilation ducts equipped with any fan?

portonuts Is operating a paperfan 24-7 :banana:

what the cable car is for?

what the cable car is for?

Tourish, Just showing off Canary Wharf really and the Dome

Johnson Pledges Push for Driverless London Tube, Standard Says

London Mayor Boris Johnson pledged to push through plans to automate the city’s Underground rail network, doing away with the need for drivers, if he wins a second term in May, the Evening Standard newspaper reported.

Johnson said in an interview with the Standard published today that he’s prepared to take on rail unions that have disrupted services on the Underground, known as the Tube, with strikes. The Docklands Light Railway already runs driverless trains.

“I don’t want to sound confrontational but if there’s going to have to be a fight over this then I’m the person that can do it,” Johnson told the newspaper. “The revenue that comes into the DLR from automation, from making sure that you don’t have personnel doing things that are unnecessary, greatly exceeds the cost of running it. And you can use that revenue to invest in new systems. I want to be the Mayor who delivers that.”

Recent polls for the Standard have shown the race for mayor between Johnson, a member of Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservatives, and his Labour Party opponent, former Mayor Ken Livingstone, is too close to call.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-27/johnson-pledges-push-for-driverless-london-tube-standard-says.html

2012 Cable Car

by wawd.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7040/6935833395_ef9acea130_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/6935833395/)
Cable Car London Construction (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/6935833395/) by wawd (http://www.flickr.com/people/wawd/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7047/6789717312_425b4da872_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/6789717312/)
Cable Car London Construction (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/6789717312/) by wawd (http://www.flickr.com/people/wawd/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7036/6789715186_6fec167bb3_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/6789715186/)
Cable Car London Construction (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/6789715186/) by wawd (http://www.flickr.com/people/wawd/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7197/6789713554_44cfdd7385_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/6789713554/)
Cable Car London Construction (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/6789713554/) by wawd (http://www.flickr.com/people/wawd/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7204/6789707352_fcc3fd9574_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/6789707352/)
Cable Car London Construction (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/6789707352/) by wawd (http://www.flickr.com/people/wawd/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7189/6935834689_a24dac3b89_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/6935834689/)
Cable Car London Construction (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/6935834689/) by wawd (http://www.flickr.com/people/wawd/), on Flickr

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-27/johnson-pledges-push-for-driverless-london-tube-standard-says.html

Yikes .. that's going to cause quite a stir and likely a few more strikes. How much can they save from labour costs? I recall the Piccadilly Line alone has a budget of several billion pounds a year, but what percentage of that would go to driver salaries?

According to a recent BBC documentary on the tube the annual budget for the entire Underground is £4bn (half comes from ticket sales and half from Borrowing and the Government) over £1bn of that is investment to upgrade it and salaries make up about £4m a day (£1.46bn a year). Not sure how accurate those figures are but clearly salaries are a major element and the drivers are the higher paid of the various groups of employees who recently negotiated a pay deal that will see their pay exceed £50k a year if news reports are to be believed.

LOL, what are you trying to say? :rofl:

Flooding of news stories that generate no disucssion by a one Portonuts. Same with all the London threads, compare to say some of the Paris threads where real discussion takes place. I personally only ever come to the London threads if I see the last poster wasn't Portonuts.

New BBC series.

TrhslXjN5xE

the Paris threads where real discussion takes place
If you're referring to the metro one, I wouldn't ascribe as much realness to it as you appear to be ;)

According to a recent BBC documentary on the tube the annual budget for the entire Underground is £4bn (half comes from ticket sales and half from Borrowing and the Government) over £1bn of that is investment to upgrade it and salaries make up about £4m a day (£1.46bn a year). Not sure how accurate those figures are but clearly salaries are a major element and the drivers are the higher paid of the various groups of employees who recently negotiated a pay deal that will see their pay exceed £50k a year if news reports are to be believed.

Well, but I won't make that of a difference. The real advantage of driverless trains, is that due to better signaling systems etc. this gives a lot higher capacity in the system. I think that is the "real" advantage, given the price of installing these systems (and only slow impact on nubmer of driver, because there will still be a "train manager like on the DLR"), it doesn't make that much of a difference.

Flooding of news stories that generate no disucssion by a one Portonuts. Same with all the London threads, compare to say some of the Paris threads where real discussion takes place. I personally only ever come to the London threads if I see the last poster wasn't Portonuts.
If there was a Facebook-type 'Like' button I would have used it for your post. :)

New BBC series.

TrhslXjN5xE

Has anybody else (mainly in the UK) been watching this interesting series - Monday 2100 on BBC Two?

So far it's dealt with station staff having to deal with drunk and/or violent passengers - or simply those that have fallen asleep and ended up at the line's terminus, ticket inspectors, fare evasion, track maintenance and the arrival on the Metropolitan Line of the new 'S' stock.

(You see - it's not too hard to post a link and try to start a discussion, is it? ;))

loved the new stock! not so keen on the vomiting lol! have enjoyed both the first 2 programs! its such a huge organisation and you got the impression some of the day to day operation was a bit "wing and a prayer"!!!

Episode 2

XKGKQSb58yM

oB33a_MPJl4

iLPPVUUYhx8

grtDD6pYUlY

Yeah I loving this show too. Getting round London would be a nightmare without the tube think alot of people don't understand this fact.

If you're referring to the metro one, I wouldn't ascribe as much realness to it as you appear to be ;)

At least if someone posts something it is generally theirs and they generate discussion, albeit by 3 or 4 people, but makes it interesting. As opposed to here where there is little discussion.

I don't see heart-wrenching squealing ever amounting to discussion :hahano:

Episode 3.

9UBttMwkrXY

The real advantage of driverless trains, is that due to better signaling systems etc. this gives a lot higher capacity in the system. I think that is the "real" advantage, given the price of installing these systems (and only slow impact on nubmer of driver, because there will still be a "train manager like on the DLR"), it doesn't make that much of a difference.

That is one real advantage, but I think the most important advantage of driverless trains is that they never go on strike.

Well
if there has to be for safety reason a train manager, I can guarantee you these can go on strike.

Same with the people working in the control room of the automatic trains, thay can go on strike.

So there is always a human factor involved, meaning they can go on strike

Well
if there has to be for safety reason a train manager, I can guarantee you these can go on strike.

Same with the people working in the control room of the automatic trains, thay can go on strike.

So there is always a human factor involved, meaning they can go on strike
And since they work on the tube I think that's a given...;)

Virgin Media wins London Underground wi-fi contract

Virgin Media has won the contract to provide wi-fi to the London Underground.

The contract is only for ticket offices, escalators and platforms because it would have required major construction work to have added connectivity to the network's tunnels.

From July 2012 all Tube passengers will initially be able to connect to the internet for free. After the Olympic and Paralympic Games it will be a pay-as-you-go service.

Virgin Media's mobile and broadband customers will be offered continued access as part of their subscriptions. Other non-paying users will be limited to a site showing online travel information.

The firm said it intended to introduce wi-fi to 80 stations by the summer, and by up to 120 stations by the end of the year.

The company's chief executive, Neil Berkett, said: "We'll help people make the most of the city and will continue to evolve the service, ensuring everyone can benefit from a service London will be proud of."

Transport for London (TfL) estimates that four million people use the Tube every day.

...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17373523

pSOR2jGv2uc

Episode 4 - Upgrading the Tube

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Morgan Sindall awarded Tube cooling project

Morgan Sindall has been awarded a £9 million contract by London Underground. The project involves creating a system to cool the platform areas at Green Park Tube Station and will involve the installation of eight air handling units on the platforms.

The work is taking place on an ‘accelerated timescale’ in order to meet the Summer deadline, when extra numbers of passengers are expected to use the Underground network.

Jag Paddam, managing director of Infrastructure at Morgan Sindall, says:

“We are delighted to have been awarded this project. Morgan Sindall has previously worked on similar Cooling the Tube projects for London Underground and we will be applying this past experience to ensure this project is completed on time and for the benefit of the travelling public.”

Morgan Sindall said the design work is underway and the project is due for completion in Summer 2012.

http://www.rail.co/2012/03/06/morgan-sindall-awarded-tube-cooling-project/

#Post 2448 - I dare anyone to not think of Massive Attack (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi76bxT7K6U&ob=av2e) during the scenes where they have meetings about the overly-sensitive doors on the new stock.

2012 Cable Car

by chest.

http://constructionchest.smugmug.com/Architecture/skyscrapers-under-construction/Holes-in-the-ground/i-VpJrcg4/0/X3/MG8234-X3.jpg

http://constructionchest.smugmug.com/Architecture/skyscrapers-under-construction/Holes-in-the-ground/i-cg6Zr2f/0/X3/MG5664-X3.jpg

http://constructionchest.smugmug.com/Architecture/skyscrapers-under-construction/Holes-in-the-ground/i-2MgJqgT/0/X3/MG8223-X3.jpg

http://constructionchest.smugmug.com/Architecture/skyscrapers-under-construction/Holes-in-the-ground/i-sBjDcSz/0/X3/MG5647-X3.jpg

http://constructionchest.smugmug.com/Architecture/skyscrapers-under-construction/Holes-in-the-ground/i-pQmRDJs/0/X3/MG8225-X3.jpg

http://constructionchest.smugmug.com/Architecture/skyscrapers-under-construction/Holes-in-the-ground/i-qv4W6TP/0/X3/MG5631-X3.jpg

http://constructionchest.smugmug.com/Architecture/skyscrapers-under-construction/Holes-in-the-ground/i-4MWFNQz/0/X3/MG5639-X3.jpg

http://constructionchest.smugmug.com/Architecture/skyscrapers-under-construction/Holes-in-the-ground/i-Q8wWXsq/0/X3/MG5643-X3.jpg

http://constructionchest.smugmug.com/Architecture/skyscrapers-under-construction/Holes-in-the-ground/i-r2LcNb6/0/X3/MG5657-X3.jpg

http://constructionchest.smugmug.com/Architecture/skyscrapers-under-construction/Holes-in-the-ground/i-q7SjCpN/0/X3/MG8218-X3.jpg

the construction chest (http://constructionchest.smugmug.com/)

So, how much alleviation to the Olympic crush might this atmospheric mode of transport end up yielding? :sly:

So, how much alleviation to the Olympic crush might this atmospheric mode of transport end up yielding? :sly:

Do I detect some sarcasm? The answer is really not much. As a cable car system, its throughput per hour isn't that high, and it links a relatively small part of London's population to the Olympic site.

Some? Much! for my question's rhetorical ... I don't anticipate any commuter riding it, much like none was to be seen in the following one filmed ;)I said for MASS TRANSIT!!!
k7SloK5w6R4Merely because of the Olympic proportions to the extensiveness of Brazil's own example, this mode even solicits being categorised mass transit.

Nothing recognisable in following the progress of this installation of London's in this very thread ;)

It will be able to carry 2500 thousand passengers an hour but I don't really think that would make a difference to London's rush hour. Besides, this won't probably be used as a daily transport.

Episode 5 - Rush Hour

JowTyzuosFw

It's good to see that they are doing some drastic moves to enhance the service of the Central and Circle lines. But they seem to be affected by a capacity that are not intended for the numbers of passengers they're having.

Great videos btw.

It's good to see that they are doing some drastic moves to enhance the service of the Central and Circle lines. But they seem to be affected by a capacity that are not intended for the numbers of passengers they're having.

Great videos btw.
Crossrail will go some significant way in relieving that problem.

How must've TfL made revenue (on its staff?) through some recruitment agency?

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/trainrover/RAF.jpg
^^ clickable... (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=89042722#post89042722)

A4WZ4sN0xJw

Episode 6 - Overnight

UfxDlQnWAmM

A4WZ4sN0xJw
Either the UK or London itself must be going down the tubes :uh: How on earth did that stupid radio station get licensed insofar as to be occupying the FM band? :?

Jubilee line ‘biggest risk’ to Olympic transport plans

The London Assembly Transport Committee has said the Jubilee line on the London Underground is the ‘biggest risk’ to the 2012 Games transport plans.

The Assembly has written to the Mayor Boris Johnson to ‘welcome good progress’ but express its ‘concerns’ regarding the ‘heavily delayed upgrade works and regular disruptions’ on the Jubilee line.

The line is the only Underground line to see an increase in delays caused by infrastructure failures during the latest published performance period.

The Jubilee line is ‘also yet to run the increased fleet of trains Transport for London (TfL) has promised’, the Assembly said.

Caroline Pidgeon AM, Chair of the Transport Committee, said:

“Given the scale of the challenges, some disruption to the transport network is inevitable. Keeping the capital moving smoothly during the Games will be nothing short of a Herculean task.

“The amount of work that’s going in to getting our already overburdened transport network ready to carry millions of extra athletes, officials and spectators is very impressive.

“We are, however, keen to get some reassurance about the few areas – like the Jubilee line, local parking arrangements and the Olympic Route Network – that are still letting down what are otherwise very robust preparations.”

http://www.rail.co/2012/03/16/jubilee-line-biggest-risk-to-olympic-transport-plans/

London Underground Maps get Olympic Facelift

Hop on the Underground at "Jesse Owens" station. After one stop change at "Carl Lewis." And then ride the Tube all the way to "Michael Phelps." That, sports fans, will get you from central London right to the Olympic Stadium.

The subway system in the British capital has taken on a new look with Transport for London's Olympic Legends Map. Instead of Picadilly Circus, Baker Street and Knightsbridge, the map has changed the names of 361 stations to celebrate Olympic athletes.

"There were heated debates and a few late changes of heart, but we are happy with the result: dozens of nations represented, all 2012 Olympic sports accounted for, and Ali and Phelps, two of the greatest Olympians of all time, guarding the Stratford gateways to the games," map designers Alex Trickett and David Brooks said in a joint statement.

Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals in swimming at the 2008 Beijing Games and has 14 overall, gets the honour of being the main Olympic stop, which is usually known as Stratford.

The nearby Stratford International station on the Docklands Light Railway is named Cassius Clay, the original moniker of boxing great Muhammad Ali, winner of the heavyweight gold at the 1960 Rome Olympics.

The new map brings in famous Olympians from a variety of sports, including 2008 men's tennis singles gold medallist Rafael Nadal, gymnastics great Nadia Comaneci, five-time Tour de France champion Miguel Indurain and 1992 Dream Team players Michael Jordan and Larry Bird.

"The map not only celebrates multiple gold medal winning athletes but also features other extraordinary athletes who may not have won an Olympic gold medal but are recognized for their abilities or in some cases, famous defeats," the TFL said.

...

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news/newsid=1230093.html

Driverless trains won’t blow away Tube strikes

This week has seen the Mayor once again pushing one of his big ideas for re-election: driverless Tubes, bringing with them not just a more high-tech Underground but an almighty confrontation with the Tube unions.

In the midst of endless wrangles with the unions over Olympic bonuses, Boris Johnson might imagine that’s a popular gesture with voters. Yet he is both dead right and completely wrong about “driverless” trains.

Driverless is a misnomer. Such trains would be operated by a central computer, overseen by human controllers. There are already dozens of metro systems around the world that use such trains. In Copenhagen, for example, the computer controls everything centrally from the running of the trains to the opening of the doors, with just a handful of operators in the control centre — but nevertheless with stewards on every train.

In London we already have two versions of “driverless” trains. On the Victoria, Jubilee and Central lines, under the Automatic Train Operation system (ATO), the driver operates only the doors at stations — and can also drive the train or stop it in an emergency. Meanwhile, on the Docklands Light Railway there is no “driver” but a “train captain” able to take over the operation if there is a problem. The DLR can work like that because it operates at lower speed than the Underground and its one major tunnel section has a walkway alongside for easy evacuation.

Such centrally controlled trains have several advantages. Computers are normally better in terms of fuel efficiency. And the gap between trains can be shorter, using a more sophisticated system of signalling.

...

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/comment/comment/driverless-trains-wont-blow-away-tube-strikes-7603112.html

Christian Wolmar obviously hasn't seen/heard Boris on LBC (reposted a few posts up), where he himself attacks the views that Wolmar attacks in an identical fashion. Of course, such lazy journalism is to be expected from Wolmar. At least he like the idea and wants a modern tube - normally when I read him he's pining for the glory days of BR.

Everyone wants a modern Tube (or should at least) but I don't see drivers going away anytime soon.

3sgeBOEJG3k

Imitating a British accent and pulling off tantrums are the only things that Wolmar seems to excel at ... Boris Johnson's full name itself constitute's the foolish pretender of a transport consultant's second tag in his Website's tag cloud ... I suspect his 'expertise' must've revealed his being a right corporate stool once denationalisation of BR started.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c94/blk00ws6ta/Smilies/jerkit.gif

No matter the newness to its fleets, London's more recent tubes themselves no longer strike me as appearing modern.

0XCSO4E8SV4

Delays on London Underground at ‘lowest since 2003′

Delays on the London Underground are ‘at their lowest’ since 2003/4, Transport for London has said. The latest figures on London Underground’s performance were published last week.

The figures, covering the period 8 January to 4 February, show that the percentage of scheduled services was 97.1%.

Average delays for the financial year to date – as measured by the number of customer hours lost to disruption – are at their lowest since 2003/04, Transport for London said.

This period is the sixth consecutive period where delays are down compared to the equivalent periods during the last financial year.

The latest figures also show accessibility improvements around the network, with more than 98% of lifts available at LU stations during the period.

Work included returning Earl’s Court to full step-free status, with lifts there returned to service ‘four months ahead of schedule’ following a nine-month programme of works to increase lift reliability.

http://www.rail.co/2012/04/02/delays-on-london-underground-at-lowest-since-2003/

l1vXaqSogks

Google Maps adds live Tube data

Google has added live Tube information from Transport for London in preparation for a surge in public transport use during the Olympics.

Writing on the Google Maps blog, Thijs van As, said that "Ahead of a busy summer in London, we are bringing real time service alerts for the London Underground to Google Maps. We’ll let you know of any disruptions on the Underground that are happening at the time you need them most. To see these alerts, click on a station in a timetable or in the public transport directions results".

Transport for London has also recently made live information about buses available via its own website, sparking a number of new apps, but Google has yet to include these in its new service.

The new Tube data will be incorporated into Google Maps online and on mobile phones. Updated every 30 seconds, it will also include details of planned engineering works in its journey planner.

Last month Google updated its maps service to show real-time traffic conditions, allowing it to calculate the shortest route to a user's destination. Where Google has enough information, roads are colour-coded based on the level of congestion. Green routes are moving well, while red routes are slow.

The new feature is available on Google Maps on the web and for Android mobile users in Britain, the US, Canada, France and Australia. It covers major routes across Britain and several cities, including London, Glasgow and Manchester.

Google Maps now offers a choice of routes and drivers can choose which one to follow based on current traffic conditions. The feature could eliminate the need for a dedicated satnav for Android mobile users.

Szabolcs Payrits, a software engineer on Google Maps, wrote on the Google Maps blog: "If the roads you're traveling do not yet show the current traffic information, don't despair. You can help your fellow drivers and improve traffic data about road conditions and speeds by turning on the My Location feature on Google Maps for Android."

Google will use the information received from Android mobile phones to get better traffic data.

The search company previously estimated journey times using the longest journey time taken from historic data. The new feature updates constantly and so provides more accurate estimates.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/9182770/Google-Maps-adds-live-Tube-data.html

I've mentioned previously on this Thread (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=86378198&postcount=2304), that there was to be a One Hour documentary about the London Underground on the National Geogrpahic channel, well:-

LFdpyp9vqx8

^^Thank you.

Working night to five with London's tube workers

By Li-mei Hoang

A light breeze moves through the cavernous tunnels of London's underground train network, a rarity for the workers whose heads are bent down while methodically sifting rocks and dust armed with just a brush and metal pick.

Among them is Michael Emordi, one of 10,000 night workers employed by London Underground to help ensure its subterranean railways are in top condition for the capital's four million commuters and prepare an already creaking system for the influx of half a million visitors for this summer's Olympic Games.

Emordi works as a "fluffer" manually removing hair, fibres and dust shed by passengers every day in the underground railway system, which if left to build has the potential to bring down the whole system.
It's a tough job but one of the many important roles that night workers perform in the dirt-caked tunnels beneath London's bustling surface to ensure the smooth running of the world's oldest underground transport system, which most Londoners simply refer to as "the tube".

Transport for London (TfL), which is responsible for the majority of London's transport system, including the London Underground, expects to see an additional 500,000 passengers on the tube during the Olympics, a number that has seen many voice their concerns over whether the system can cope with the influx.

London Underground Chief Operating Officer Howard Collins told Reuters that is a challenge his organisation is prepared to take on.
But providing a perfect service during the Olympics may be difficult to achieve, said Collins, who hopes that the company's experience of dealing with delays will help ease congestion on a service which carries 1.1 billion passengers annually.

...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/feedarticle/10176995

Blackfriars Station

http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/7172/70342942010f4a47ceb5b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11561957@N06/7034294201/sizes/l/in/photostream/

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/6041/6267828262ef212df7e3b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11561957@N06/6267828262/sizes/l/in/photostream/

the tube is so expensive and i hate it

the tube is so expensive and i hate it
I hope you mean you hate the fares on the tube...not the whole of the tube itself, because that would be a shame. :ohno:

LU is terribly expensive to maintain. People don't like it surely but the fact is that passengers numbers keep growing.

szM4OcuUuko

CT2actWwUdU

RMVOsSPuZvk

rcM5Y8YBPrU

Once upon a time, Bomb-a-dear manufactured subway stock inherently free of the squealing brake syndrome ... that obsolescence of theirs is at least ten years old now :ohno:

Huh?

i heard boris is going to introduce new wireless trains for the LU, does it mean tube drivers and staffs will lose their jobs?

Huh?

That's my reaction to most of his posts, read them 20 times, and some kind of meaning seeps out eventually.

think I heard about Bombardier doing this

Once upon a time, Bomb-a-dear manufactured subway stock inherently free of the squealing brake syndrome ... that obsolescence of theirs is at least ten years old now :ohno:

you mean that the breaks are squeaky? I kinda like that lol, kinda has to the whole mystical feel of the tube :cheers:

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Pics taken 2 day ago

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http://i44.tinypic.com/4n9sn.jpg

http://i40.tinypic.com/npn8ky.jpg

LU is terribly expensive to maintain. People don't like it surely but the fact is that passengers numbers keep growing.

Because you don't have any other choice :dunno:

When crossarails be there a lot of people will avoid LU no?

i don't really like the london underground because it is way too extensive and expensive.

i think it is the oldest and second largest subway system in the world but if i had a choice i'd rather drive my own car than taking the tube. :cheers:

Because you don't have any other choice :dunno:

When crossarails be there a lot of people will avoid LU no?

The Tube and Crossrail have different purposes.

i think it is the oldest and second largest subway system in the world but if i had a choice i'd rather drive my own car than taking the tube. :cheers:

If you are from North America, it isn't surprising that you would choose the car. But I bet a car is not a good option in London. I remember reading a survey that said Londoners were the biggest users of public transportation in Britain.

Cycling Sundays was often quicker than driving back in the '70s ...

Are there just six episodes to that BBC series?

Is the Congestion Charge to blame for the tube's overcrowding?