Another mystery location!

Another mystery location!
Originally uploaded by London Transport Museum

Anyone have a clue?

Nice picture tho!

New DLR trains update

Here it is the latest DLR car. The new B.2007 stock is due to be in service to all be in service by 2009. Hopefully soon will have them main line testing and I'll be able to bring some more photos to your attension. The new cars aren't compatable with the current stock so we won't see into running with the current stock but they will be forming three car trains once the trackwork is completed. The main focus of this is three car trains between Lewisham and Bank. They will also assist in the new Woolwich extension which opens next spring. This batch is of 55 cars with more due for the openning of the Stratford International link, thats due to open some time in 2010. Meanwhile enjoy this pic.

East London Line Buses Update

It now seems that there has been a change to the East London Line Replacement Bus Service, tho not as big as I thought. Basically Rotherhithe is to lose its special bus service (basically its pointless). However the other three are staying for the moment. Least it will help tidy the map at bit. Tho Im wondering if the March 08 map is already in print, if so they might have to do a new April map to show this (, as a pointer, the zone change to 7-9 instead of A-D still havent been replaced on the Metropolitan's A stock. In fact there still trains showing the line before they introduced A-D a few years ago!). Time will tell tho.

Airtrack

With BAA looking forward to openning T5 next month, I thought it time to look at the £400m Airtrack scheme. The Airtrack scheme is a heavy rail link from Heathrow T5 on the western side. The idea would be to link T5 to Staines then onwards to Waterloo in the east or Reading & Guildford in the west. They have already built two platforms at T5 for the exclusive use by Airtrack. £5m of funding has been raised for the Transport & Works Act. Most of the scheme uses existing railways up to Staines, where remodelling of the station will be needed for the service. Once north of Staines the Airtrack will branch off to run along with the M25. It then goes underground and turns east to meet the T5 station. Currently the aim is that services will start in 2013. BAA have a good history as T5 came in under budget and was finished before the deadline, so maybe we'll get to see this service soon (unlike Crossrail and Hackney & Chelsea lines which have taken decades). There is also long term plans for Airtrack from TfL as they are looking at extending Crossrail Line 1 from Heathrow along Airtrack. What is curious is that Reading is one of the terminal points for Airtrack and it still possible for Crossrail. It could provide Crossrail with a secondly route from Reading into Central London via Heathrow providing a useful link as well as free space up for Waterloo. Note as well that Tfl and BAA are in talks as Heathrow Connect service is likely to be eaten up by Crossrail, keeping Heathrow Express as a seprate product with premium fares to match this. Clapham Junction is also a possible link for Hackney & Chelsea line (aka Crossrail 2) so it could be routed to servce Heathrow from Clapham then onwards to North East London. With a link to the Lea Valley lines Crossrail 2 could run from Heathrow to Stansted via Central London, filling the role of national links instead of using planes for local travel. I won't mention Crossrail 3 (rumoured to be Waterloo to Euston). Fanasty maybe, with with the development of Crossrail, Thameslink and now Airtrack, you never quite know where we are going but this is one way to provide additional travel opitions on new lines. Bit like what the Underground did in the early 20th century. The 21st is to take regional lines to nice big tunnels with the ability to cope with future growth.

No East London Line replacement buses?

ELL/ELR February 2008
Originally uploaded by MackenzieBlu

There's a rumour going around that TfL are going to be dropping the East London Line replacement buses from this saturday. Its been said that the load figures are as low as 200 people a day. Not bad for a lowly used Tube's replacement service that actually doesn't do much. Many its a case of people using local buses rather than taking the alternate buses to link to Tube? Althoug it doesn't show it on the Tube map but Elverson Road (DLR) is walkable from New Cross (and New Cross Gate is a short walk from New Cross Gate). Surrey Quays is the other side of the shopping center from Canada Water. That basically takes care of the need for the ELC bus with people wanting to go into London use National Rail services from New Cross/New Cross Gate, Jubilee from Surrey Quays. Whitechapel, Shadwell & Canada Water are Tube stations so no replacement needed there. That leaves Rotherhithe & Wapping without a link. Rotherhithe has the 381 which links it to Canada Water and Bermondsey Tube stations and is a disable access bus with frequent services. Wapping has the frequent disable acess 100 bus connectioning it to Tower Hill/Gateway, Aldgate and St Paul's among many places. So basically there is no need for these replacement bus services really. But only time will tell.

Kids Mega Map

mega map 20 feb 2--8
Originally uploaded by London Transport Museum

Here is what the Transport Museum did for half term, a hand drawn by kids mega Tube map. There are more photots in there Flickr page, just click on picture to see how they did it. Quite a nice nice tho for the kids to feel like they've actually achieved something. Jus a shame it didnt work out quite right in this picture.

TfL engineering work on 24th February 2008

24th February 2008
Originally uploaded by MackenzieBlu

TfL engineering work on 24th February 2008.

Central Line
Shepherd's Bush station closed untill November 2008

District Line
No service beween Plaistow and Barking. Replacement buses calling at Plaistow, Upton Park, East Ham and Barking.

Hammersmith & City Line
No service from Whitechapel to Barking.

Metropolitan Line
Services north of Moor Park to Amersham/Chesham are suspended with a replacement bus services calling at Croxley, Rickmansworth, Chorleywood, Chalfont & Latimer, Amersham and Chesham.

Northern Line
Highgate station closed.

Piccadilly Line
Southgate station closed.

Victoria Line
Complete line closure due to upgrades works. Two replacement operate. The north one operates from Finsbury Park to Manor park, Seven Sisters, Tottenham Hale, Blackhorse Road and Walthamstow Central. The south bus services runs between Victoria to Pimlico, Vauxhall, Stockwell and Brixton. No replacement between Finsbury Park and Victoria, use alternate Underground services.

Docklands Light Railway
No service from Bank/Tower Gateway to Poplar. Also no service Canary Wharf to Stratford via Poplar. Replacement buses running calling at all stations.

TfL engineering work on 23rd February 2008

23rd February 2008
Originally uploaded by MackenzieBlu

TfL engineering work on saturday 23rd February 2008.

Central Line
Shepherd's Bush station closed untill November 2008

District Line
No service beween Plaistow and Barking. Replacement buses calling at Plaistow, Upton Park, East Ham and Barking.

Hammersmith & City Line
No service from Whitechapel to Barking.

Metropolitan Line
Services north of Moor Park to Amersham/Chesham are suspended with a replacement bus services calling at Croxley, Rickmansworth, Chorleywood, Chalfont & Latimer, Amersham and Chesham.

Northern Line
Highgate station closed.

Piccadilly Line
Southgate station closed.

Victoria Line
Complete line closure due to upgrades works. Two replacement operate. The north one operates from Finsbury Park to Manor park, Seven Sisters, Tottenham Hale, Blackhorse Road and Walthamstow Central. The south bus services runs between Victoria to Pimlico, Vauxhall, Stockwell and Brixton. No replacement between Finsbury Park and Victoria, use alternate Underground services.

Docklands Light Railway
No service from Bank/Tower Gateway to Poplar. Also no service Canary Wharf to Poplar. Replacement buses running calling at all stations.

New DLR trains

It seems we finally have some pictures of the new DLR trains that will come into use sometime next year with the Woolwich extension, all thanks to London Connections Blog. The new B.2007 stock will help expand the DLR fleet to enable three car services. The first batch is for Woolwich Arsenal services that will start early next year. The second batch will be the 'Olympic' stock to work services out of the Stratford International extension. There are getting so many new trains that they build brand new sidings to the Beckton depot last year. When I was there they were nearly finished and this was back in august. Hopefully now they will start filling them!

The new cars are looking quite nice tho Im not sure if they are going to be keeping the doors like that, tho personally I prefer them like that. Sadly there is no offical images yet, I have already asked DLR for some but for some unknown reason they haven't taken any images yet. And this is two months after they recieved there first one. Looks like Ken's forgot for some reason as normally additional rolling stock requires some news coverage to make the people up high look good to the rest of us.

This is what I got last week from DLR press office -

Thank you for your enquiry. I am replying on behalf of mycolleague, David Sanders, who is on leave.I'm sorry but we do not have any photographs available at the moment. We hope to very shortly and will let you know.

Regards Allan Ramsay TfL Press Office

Hmmm shame David is DLR's only press office guy as he's actually a really nice guy! Hopefully be able to update when I get more news.

DMI

Well seems the London Lite today found a scoop on the Tube's DMI (destination boards with countdown times) and why there is a "mysterious difference between 'Tube time' and 'read time' ".

Now yes they arent based on how long before a train is going going to be at the platform but more how long it should take. What it fails to realise is that there is no way to really predict when the trains due. National rail time works the same way. After all it generally takes two minutes between Tube stop (very rule of thumb here). Now if your train is 3 stations away that leads to a 6mins time. Now it only takes an idiot holding the doors open at one of these station while hes mates jump on to delay the train. We've all seen it. Now how do you think that the boards on the platforms put info up? Crystal ball?

Common sense says it has to be a general X amount of time away but basic human interaction means that there is no way to to 100% right with this. The only time that LU can be sure when when its in the tunnel. So next time use your brain Lite.

End of the line......

The final unpainted train on the Tube at Ealing Broadway after its first leg.

I managed to join the train for a short while from West Ham to Ealing Broadway and back to West Ham. The front carriage was full of various staff members and forum members (such as myself) from the District Dave forum. It was nice to be part of the events as staff had made quite an effort to mark the event even if it wasn't 'offically' an event with signs all over the train and announcements all the time. I doubt most people on the train on their way home realised what was going on but a few did and thats a good thing. I've still got the feeling that in 50 years were going to see the reverse of this (after all Tube trains used to be painted!).

One car of the train was still in Ealing depot on monday afternoon waiting its trip up to Derby to be renewed and put in public service for a few years (till the S stock replace it within 10 years or so).

I will be putting more images up on my flickr when I get the chance this week and I will update when I get the chance. In the mean time here a couple of images taken off the cameraphone after the first leg.

As for any future site keep your eyes on the District Dave site, as this forum is not ony good for getting general & techincal Tube questions answered but also events. And I do recommend the site if your another Tube fan like myself.

Its the end of the line for this sight. The final unpainted train on LU runs today. This is a picture of one at Acton Town. Whether you like them or prefer the refurished ones, you wont see this sight again. Tho Im not sure we'll see unpainted again, after all the unpainted replaced the painted! Hope to get some pictures of the final one today with some luck!

Bye bye sliver train.

New Thames tunnel

It has come to light that Metrotidal LTD are planning on building a new tunnel between Medway (Kent) and Canvey Island (Essex). What is werid is that they plan to use it for Crossrail. The plan is for a £2-4bn tunnel link for cars as well as a tunnel linking a pretty rural area of Kent with the wetlands of Essex. Seems the announcement surpised alot of people, least of all the planning boards in Kent. Seems they expected to be told about this before Metrotidal went to the DfT. According to the Kent Messenger, the first the parishes heard of the plans was in the news. Not a good sign really especially from a project of this scale. The RSPB are not amused either with possible affects it will have on the wetlands. And the plan isn't for a nice tunnelling machince, the idea is to sink the tunnel parts in the Thames and then remove the water afterwards. Seems a bit cheap plus the affect on the Thames traffic. The company claim its better for the environment based on the fact that trains are greener. Personally I think this isn';t they big interest but a carrot for the DfT to ok the plan. A new tunnel would help ease the congestion on the Dartford toll. And I think this is the key reason for them to make the tunnel. A nice new tunnel that will bring them cash for the foreseeable future. But we will have to wait and see won't we.

It also see that Metrotidal are hoping that Crossrail gets extended back to Ebbsfleet. They are quoted as saying that the tunnel will link into Crossrail at Ebbsfleet. Now forgive me but that isn't Crossrail, its offical dropped. Its actually the location of the HS1 station and will be, from December 2009, part of Southeastern's high speed rail services from Kent to St. Pancras International using HS1. so as far we have a company wanting to spend billions of punds and yet they haven't got there information correct. And I would love to post a link the Metrotidal's website and quote straight from them but for some reason they haven't got a website (, well Google can't find it).

As you might be able to tell I'm not convinced with the whole scheme. Seems to have come out of no-where, not talking to the revelant people and then not going much details (and even then some errors). Time will tell.


Oh and on a minor note theres a new Tube map out for February 2008. Thats the 4th one in 4 months. Hmmmmmm.

TfL engineering work on 17th February 2008

17_02_08
Originally uploaded by MackenzieBlu

Engineering work taking place on the 17th February 2008. As you can see there is major work on the District and Piccadilly lines west of Hammersmith. Meaning Heathrow loses its Tube connection to Central London. Making the Hex (Heathrow Express) people very happy! The west legs of the DLR are also closed. As seems to be standard for February the Jubilee north of Wembley Park is closed as well. The central line is also spilt in half with no service between Liverpool Street & Leytonstone. This is because of work for the new westbound (towards London) platform at Stratford. This platform will link the bridge across the DLR International line (which also links the Poplar route and the Jubilee platforms) to aid boarding times into Central London. No Bakerloo line north of Queen's Park and no Overground service on the Watford line between Queen's Park and Wembley Central due to NR engineering on the DC lines.

Please note that this map is not offical but more my own work.

TfL engineering work on 16th February 2008

16_02_08
Originally uploaded by MackenzieBlu

Engineering work taking place on the 16th February 2008. As you can see there is major work on the District and Piccadilly lines west of Hammersmith. Meaning Heathrow loses its Tube connection to Central London. Making the Hex (Heathrow Express) people very happy! The west legs of the DLR are also closed. As seems to be standard for February the Jubilee north of Wembley Park is closed as well.

Please note that this map is not offical but more my own work.

Summertime? And The Elephant & Castle.

Well its february but for some reason the British weathers decided to bath us in sun! And I've made the most of it as I can!

Nice walk around Waterloo to Elephant & Castle. Seems like they've been busy re-doing the Elephant station as it had all the hallmarks of a refurished station. Only thing I found wrong was once your on the Bakerloo platforms (heading for the Northern line) there is no signs above head. Simply get on the platforms and then get lost. Im sure at rush hour anyone familar will be lost. Or maybe its Tubelines or Metronet's way of showing off what they've done there? Least we're seeing progress in the TfL (hmmm not really as they were agaisnt it) 'investment' programme. Shame that the Northern line platforms look so messy with the adverts being stripped back to tatters. Interesting metal cage on the northbound platform tho! One note tho, don't put stupid glass entrances on a building as nice as this, just looks wrong.