Barking Riverside Extension
The new London Overground extension to the Gospel Oak to Barking Line (GOBlin) which extends the route from Barking to Barking Riverside has now opened for passenger service. The new line serves a new residential district being built along the banks of the Thames. An intermediate station (Castle Green) is progressing along.
Images taken by Diamond Geezer on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dgeezer
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Silvertown Tunnel
This is a new river tunnel in East London which will help relieve the existing Blackwall Tunnel crossings and enable more cross-river bus services. The first TBM has completed its travels under the Thames and will then be rotated to back the return trip for the second tunnel bore.
Images sourced from Riverlinx: https://www.riverlinx.co.uk/gallery
Lower Thames Crossing
A new Thames crossing to relieve the current bridge and tunnel crossing at Dartford. It would see 14.3miles of new road, 50 new bridges and viaducts and the longest road tunnels in the UK at 2.6miles. It will also be the world’s third largest tunnel bore.
Images sourced from National Highways: https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-r...hames-crossing
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Trolleybuses
TfL have one of the largest bus fleets in the world, with around 9,000 vehicles, of which 850 are zero-emission. TfL originally set a target of a zero-emission fleet by 2034, but have now brought that forward to 2030, which means some 8,150 buses (plus more for any new services) will be replaced in the next 7-years; a mammoth undertaking further complicated by the issue that many of London’s buses are double-deckers for which there are limited zero emission options.
A new technology being trialled on two bus routes is the deployment of charging stations at the end of a route. These charging stations have a pantograph that descends to make contact with the bus. This 10-minute ‘opportunity charge’ means that a bus doesn’t need to return to a depot for a charge thereby maximising the efficiency of the fleet. [I]Image sourced from
Alexander Dennis on Flickr:
https://twitter.com/ADLbus/status/1585275703355899913]
East West Rail
Work continues on East West Rail, a railway line that will one day connect Oxford to Cambridge (recreating the old Varsity Line) and provide another orbital rail line around London with multiple interchanges to existing lines. The sections from Oxford to Bicester, and from Bletchley to Bedford already exist. The section from Bicester to Bletchley is under construction and consultation is ongoing as to what route (and stations) for the Bedford to Cambridge section.
Photos taken by Phil Marsh: on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Marshrail + Map sourced from East West Rail: https://eastwestrail.co.uk
Partially also a HS2 video as it shows where the two lines will bisect (but there won’t be a station).
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Bakerloo Line Extension
According to IanVisits website:
https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles...contract-59353, TfL have awarded engineering consultants Dr Sauer & Partners and Arup to develop plans further for the Bakerloo Line extension into south-east London. The Old Kent Road corridor that the line would follow is due to experience substantial redevelopment over the coming decade with thousands of homes due to be built.
Image sourced from TfL: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-t...line-extension
East Coast Main Line Upgrade
One of the biggest upgrades across the British rail network in recent years is adoption of European Train Control System (ETCS) which digitalises the railway (no more lineside signalling) and can enable the roll out of automated services. The requirement for in-cab signalling is seen as a lower cost upgrade for congested commuter and intercity corridors compared to building more tracks or even a new line. ECTS
The first section to switch to ECTS was the Northern City Line (which runs from Moorgate to Finsbury Park where it joins the East Coast Main Line), and they are now looking to get ECTS rolled out across the rest of the ECML by 2025 which will allow for more frequent and faster services as trains can run closer together more safely.
The below video is 3-years old but it gives some idea of the project
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Grand Union Trains
Grand Union Trains is a new operator planned to commence services in 2025 between London and Carmarthen in Wales using a freight-only route which will reduce journey times to London from west of Cardiff by 20-minutes. The company have also lodged an application for intercity services to Stirling in Scotland.
Image sourced from Grand Union Trains: http://www.granduniontrains.co.uk
Cooling the Tube
Interesting article by IanVisits looking at a trial by TfL’s in-house engineers looking to solve the engineering question of cooling the deep level Underground lines where air-conditioning systems and fans are impractical.
https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles...erground-56180
Luton Airport DART
Unlike London’s other airports, Luton is located 1mile north-east of the Midland Main Line meaning passengers alighting at Luton Airport Parkway to take a shuttle bus to the terminal building. That will end this year with the opening of the Luton DART a people mover that will run from terminal to station. The DART has been built to factor in an eastwards extension to a future Terminal 2. The station building will also have a second overbridge drastically increasing capacity for the station.
Luton Airport Parkway Station pictures taken by Scott Cooper on Twitter: https://twitter.com/darloscott/statu...65463777529856 + Luton DART pictures taken by DMC Contracts Ltd on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DMCContractsLtd/...02873968902145
Strand Pedestrianisation
Pedestrianisation of the Strand from Arundel St to Waterloo Bridge is now complete. Previously, the Strand and Aldwych was an unpleasant gyratory with the historic St Mary Le Strand church sandwiched between traffic. The new layout is befitting the historic route linking the City and Westminster.
Image 1 sourced from Heaton Moor Park on Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatonmoorpark/s...44637109731329. Image 2 + 3 taken by Dr Nigel Fletcher on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nigelfletcher/st...82105694638080. Image 4 taken by [V]Richard Harwood KC[/B] on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardHarwood2/...86226619195392
St Paul’s Gyratory Remodelling
The City of London are exploring options for existing gyratory layout running from St Paul’s up to London Wall. Option 1 is the most aggressive and envisions partial closure of King Edward St (which would become an extension to Christchurch Greyfriars Church Garden) and widened footways and cycle infrastructure.
Images sourced from City of London: https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/serv...pauls-gyratory
DLR – New Trains
CAF are construction 43 new trains, of which 33 will replace existing units and 10 will help to increase capacity. The first trains are undergoing testing with the intention of first entering service in April 2023.
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Next Generation Departure Boards
Network Rail are now rolling out their next generation HD departure boards which replaces their orange LED boards that came to dominate British train stations. In some situations such as at Euston, the old giant boards are being relocated across the concourse to reduce congestion.
Before + after Charing Cross images sourced by IanVisits: https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles...-station-59660 + Waterloo pictures taken by [Diamond Geezer[/B]: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dgeezer + Euston pictures sourced from Network Rail: https://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...ion-passengers