Miniature Tube Trains, Wapping Shafts & Red Buses - Open Weekend at London Transport Museum Depot - 10th - 11th March 2012

Definitely one for your diary. There's a fun filled time to be had at one of the popular London Transport Museum Depot, Acton open weekends on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 March 2012. It's one of the rare times you'll see the London Underground run like clockwork, as model train layouts are exhibited by professional and amateur modellers. Displayed in various sizes and scales, and in intricate detail, the display covers all modes of London travel from Underground trains to trams.


Lego tube by jemimahknight
In addition to pretending you're a giant amongst all of the model trains there is a fantastic collection of  over 370,000 objects at the Museum Depot, which includes road and rail vehicles, posters and artworks, engineering drawings, signs and ephemera.


You can also go on a curator led tours of the small object store, ride on the Depot’s miniature railway, which features steam and electric trains and take a trip on full size heritage vehicles. The Wootton Electric Tramway, has been brought over especially from the Isle of Wight, and will carry visitors along its own tracks around the Depot powered by overhead electric wiring.


Miniature steam train by johnzebedee
Plus there's a series of talks over the weekend. The puntastic Robert Hulse, Director of the Brunel Museum, will give a talk entitled "Victorian Engineering at its best" on Saturday 10 March 2012 at 12.30pm and 3.00pm. He'll discus the famous Victorian Father and son engineers Marc and Isambard Brunel whose best known achievement was the Thames Tunnel, the world’s first under water tunnel.


On Sunday 11 March 2012 it's the turn of buses.  At 12.30pm and 3.00pm, Roger Torode, author of the newly published book Midland Red Style (written in partnership with Malcolm Keeley), will be talking about the Midland Red bus’ style, engineering and design along with the bus’ surprising life with London Transport. Roger will also be signing copies of his book and answering bus related questions.


Midland Red 6249 WHA249H by AndrewHA
Book tickets as soon as you can as these are seriously very popular weekends and the queue to get in is normally very long.


Wootton Electric Tramway by johnzebedee
Tickets cover both Saturday & Sunday and cost £10.00 for adults, £8.00 for senior citizens, £6.50 concessions and £5.00 London Transport Museum Friends. Accompanied children under 16 get in free.

I'll be there (with Jemimah Knight) geeking out over the mini Tubes and some of the wonderful signs and ephemera. Plus it will be a great opportunity to hear Robert Hulse speak again and I'll time how long it takes him to make a pun about Wapping Shafts.

Update - here's my blog post of my visit to the Museum Depot on Saturday 10th March

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Rejected Tube Map Cover Designs

In 2007, London Underground approached Turner Prize winning artist, Jeremy Deller, to design a new cover for the Tube map. If they'd done their homework this wouldn't have made much sense. As Deller is a "militant cyclist". However, not wanting to turn away a commission, he took the familiar colours of the Tube lines and turned them into a bicycle. Thinking that getting on a bike  wasn't perhaps the best advert for the Tube, London Underground turned Deller's design down. He produced a portrait of one of TfL's longest serving staff members instead.


You can see the rejected cover on display towards the end of Deller's retrospective at the Hayward Gallery, Joy in People, under the does-what-it-says-on-the-tin Ronseal title "Rejected Tube Map Cover Illustration"  which opened on 22nd February and runs until 13th May 2012 . 

I also love this mock up of a 2012 Olympics London Underground Map Cover by Max Roberts. Another illustration that's unlikely to see the light of day as a physical Tube map cover, as the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games are strict about the usage of their rings.


Max says "The logo itself doesn't quite match the way in which the official rings are linked, this is because its actually based on Henry Beck's 60-degree map interchanges of 1940."

I await the actual Tube Map Cover that will inevitably be produced for the Olympics with baited breath.  Perhaps Wenlock & Mandeville will be decked out in Tube line colour scarfs?  Maybe the official logo will be repurposed with the jagged edges of the much maligned image transforming into a Tube Map?  One can only wonder.

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Underground Photo Exhibition Opening at theprintspace Gallery

theprintspace gallery are running a free photographic exhibition from 2nd - 21st March 2012 called 'Underground'. It brings together three photographers exploring a subterranean theme. 

London based street photographer, David Solomons will be exhibiting a selection of images from his series ‘Underground’ taken on the Tube. The images were shot over a three month period between 1994 and 1995, using colour with a flash to illuminate the dark interiors of the London Underground.


Photography by David Solomons
David said "On seeing Bruce Davidson's Subway, I became inspired to produce something similar for my first serious attempt at a project.  Using a flashgun on the Tube was a pretty scary proposition and one where I was mostly able to only fire off one shot at a time, unless I was able to ask some subjects beforehand.  It became a very steep learning curve, and has since stood me in good stead for my regular street work (which I now practice without using flash)"


Photography by David Solomons
There will also be photography from another London based photographer, Dylan Thomas depicting inanimate objects in unrecognisable and unfamiliar spaces and New York based photographer, Gesche Wurfel exploreing how superintendents decorate their work and living spaces in the basements of apartment buildings in New York.

The exhibition opens with drinks on 1st March 2012 from 7pm-9:30pm. theprintspace gallery is at 74 Kingsland Road, London, E2 8DL Nearest Tube Old Street Thanks to Julian Gajewski @37603 for letting me know about this.

Update - Opening night
It was lovely to see so many people at the opening night on 1st March and also good to see the shots in the gallery

I managed to get a shot with lots of oranges and auburn tones together!

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Soldier boychik: Disenchanted Chasid turns to the military

And here's the English version.

http://www.jta.org/news/article/2012/02/26/3091847/soldier-boychik-disenchanted-chasid-turns-to-the-military

Ticket Inspectors feature on 2nd episode of BBC2's The Tube

The second episode of BBC2's documentary on London Underground staff focusses on ticket inspectors.  The Tube, a six part series airing each Monday at 9pm, takes a behind the scenes look at the day-to-day running of the Underground.


Here's the summary of tonight's episode: "Every day, 60,000 journeys are made and not paid for, costing London Underground £20 million a year in unpaid fares. The programme follows Diane McConnell and Denese Brunker, two of the Tube's longest-serving ticket inspectors, and other plain-clothes revenue inspectors as they pursue fare evaders across the network.  Find what happens to the evaders and how the money from tickets is spent."

I'm assuming the picture above shows Diane & Denese not in their plain clothes, as they hardly look unobtrusive in those outfits.

As penalty charges for fare evasion increased from £50 to £80 (that's now around the same amount as the charge for speeding) on Sunday 19th February 2012, this episode may well show why that increase was made.


Alternative to Penalty Fare by Peter F
Steve Burton, Director of Community Safety, Enforcement and Policing at TfL, said: "While the level of fare evasion on the network is low, it continues to cost Londoners millions of pounds every year ...... We know that our honest, fare paying passengers feel angry when they see others not paying for their journey and this should reassure them that we are tackling this issue head on."


Hopefully there will be some coverage of people who have genuninely lost tickets.  But I'm expecting most of the episode will cover the numerous creative excuses coming from Tube travellers on why they haven't got a ticket. 

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Steam Train on the London Underground - Video - Test Run for 150th Birthday Celebrations

On Saturday 25th February TfL & London Transport Museum staff carried out a test designed to demonstrate whether it would be possible to run a steam locomotive on the London Underground for its 150th anniversary celebrations in 2013.


Photo by Leon Daniels
Two trains: Beattie 30587 the steam locomotive coupled to 1923 Metropolitan Electric loco 'Sarah Siddons' went on a test run through Baker Street Tube station. All the trains are being restored with the help of fundraising from London Transport Museum friends.

Leon Daniels, TfL's MD for surface transport who was part of the team said: "It left Lillie Bridge depot after 0100 and ran from Earl's Court at 0135 via the District line to Edgware Road. After a stop it then proceeded to Baker Street. At Baker Street the loco was run with protracted steam venting whilst heat and smoke levels in the station were tested. Later it shunted east to west and ran back to Edgware Road. Other trains - composed of S stock and C77 stock - ran around the steam loco train testing the effect on passing trains. With the tests complete the train ran back to Lillie Bridge via Earl's Court."


"All went very well. But the sight and sound of a steam locomotive on the Underground was pure magic. It is, of course some 40 years since there was any steam propulsion on the Underground and then of course for engineering/permanent way reasons. The last passenger train hauled by steam here was in 1905. A truly historic night out!"

Indeed! It would be amazing to travel on some of these trains next year. The romance of steam trains is still fascinating to most people and I'm sure that any journeys like this would hugely popular. Hat Tip to IanVisits

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Update: Bob The Angel Tube Cat - Book Cover & Video

Received an email just this morning asking me about Bob & James, and when he will be around Angel London Underground. It's one the many emails I get about Bob the Angel Tube Cat & his Big Issue owner who have a book deal and  their story was also featured on Catster's blog (Catster's a massive online community for cats).


His book publishers, Hodder & Stoughton have produced a lovely video of the pair briefly telling their story.


The cover of Bob & James book is now on Amazon and the book will be on sale on March 15th 2012.


Bob & James are on Twitter @StreetCatBob if you want to see their latest news.


There's more lovely photos of Bob and James's in the Bob the Big Issue Cat & James Flickr Group.  Really looking forward to the book coming out now & wish Bob & James every success with it.

James, with Bob the cat, will be signing copies of the book at Waterstones, Islington Green at 6pm on Tuesday, March 13.

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Sexiest WATCH: HUBLOT FOR BASELWORLD 2012

Exotics are big this year!! there is no surprise how much i love the Python print as you've not only seen it all over LAdyFozaza's collection but big designers like Chloe among many more...

 even on timepieces, as Hublot reveals the stunningly beautiful Boa Bang, a paean to the sensuous allure of snakeskin. The Boa Bang 41mm, available in stainless steel or a warmer 18k red gold, boasts an embossed snakeprint on the straps and dials, which are also embellished with bezel-set diamonds and baguette gems.

In flamboyant, Amazon jungle green or a more subdued Sahara brown, the Hublot Boa Bang aims to impress serious watch collectors as well, with its in-house HUB4300 mechanical chronograph movement. The Boa Bang is an extravagant investment piece that will see you through Fall and beyond - after all, exotics are a perennial feature in every season's collection of fine accessories.

sourceluxuryinsider

Marni for H&M countdown....

Lets face it.. Marni isnt for everyone.. 

a unique & signature style that will instantly lift you to another Fashion Dimension

But if its not your style.. 

you realize you can always make it your own..

cause owning a piece of Marni is like owning a piece of Fashion History!

your kids and grandkids will be grateful

you werent too limited with ur fashion..

after all.. 

its how you wear it... 

So how would you wear urs??? 

OUT MARCH 8th!!! 

Prince Charles Test Drives Tube Train

Prince Charles seems to have a fondness for being in London Underground drivers' cabs. He opened the Jubilee Line in 1979 and was pictured in the front of a train, but yesterday he actually drove a Tube train. Not in London though, but over 120 miles north in Derby.


Charles was on a tour of the Bombardier's manufacturing site, test driving the new Metropolitan, District, Hammersmith and City and Circle Line stock and meeting London Underground employees.


In the video above you can see how he is instructed by a member of staff. Rag Gahonia, has worked at Bombardier for nearly 35 years, said the Prince was traveling at at 45mph.

The Daily Telegraph reported Rag's thoughts:  "I showed him how to drive and he followed all the instructions and was really good. Did it perfectly. Stopped nice and smoothly."

Sounds like Charles could find a new career as a train operator in that case. Not sure what Bob Crow & other union leaders would make of it though.

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Roundel - Guess Where Tube 16 - Win a Mind the Gap Keyring

As no one got the last Guess Where Tube, I've decided to make this one easier and carry over the prize. I saw this lovely example of one of the older roundels on my travels on the London Underground  this week.  You just need to guess from exactly where I took the photo from.


For visitors unfamiliar with the "Guess Where Tube" game it's where I ask you to guess from exactly where on the London Underground, certain pictures from the London Tube Flickr group were taken from.

I don't normally offer prizes, but as no one got the last one, which did have a prize I'm going to carry it over to this one.  I think it's fairly easy.


Anyway the prize is a  lovely rubbery Mind The Gap Key Ring. You have until UK time 11.59pm on Sunday 4th March 2012 to make guesses. Try not to look at the comments before you when making your guess.

Make your guesses in the comments below and either leave your blog or twitter name or email address so I can get in touch with you if you're the lucky winner. Anyone who just enters as "Guest" with no means of identifying how to contact them, won't be included in the contest. The person who is the most exact will win & if there's more than one person who guesses the same most correct place, I'll put names into a randomizer & select from there.  Good luck.

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Photos & Review of Christian Wolmar Talk - "How the Tube Created London"

Last night The Westminster Society hosted a fascinating talk "How The Tube Created London" given by leading transport expert @Christian Wolmar. Using over 50 images Christian gave the story of the London Underground and its importance to creating the London we know today.


I'd never seen Christian talk before and considering I have his classic book The Subterranean Railway, it was a great opportunity to hear from someone so clearly knowledgeable about railways and thier relationship to how we live.  I didn't take a lot of notes but the pictures below will give you a flavour of what went on.


Christian opened the talk with some of the founders of the London Underground. James Forbes is pictured above, was the guys responsible for the early Circle Line. The other was Edward Watkin. One responsible for trains going clockwise, the other anti clockwise. Their constant bickering meant the Circle Line took twenty years to complete, a lot longer than the construction of many other early Tube lines.

Hammersmith was the first area to have two Tube stations back in 1873 and as we all know still has two now - on the District & Hammersmith & City Line. Both conveniently called Hammersmith and neither connected well with each other. You have to cross a very busy road to change from one to the other.


When South Kensington Tube was first opened, there was a charge for using the underground subway that helped people reach the many museums on the Cromwell Road easily.


Like many people Christian seemed to be a fan of Leslie Green's distinctive red brick stations. Gillespie Road Tube (now Arsenal) pictured above was opened in 1906 and a classic example of Green's stations. Green designed 63 London Underground stations, many on the Piccadilly Line.


Pictured above is the London Underground's only circular or spiral escalator installed at Holloway Road in early 1900's. It was a rather weird experiment and quickly dismantled as the idea never took off. Parts of the escalator now live at the London Transport Museum's Depot at Acton.


Christian also featured the nearby disused York Road Tube (the talk was held at The London Canal Museum in King's Cross) and mentioned there were now attempts to re-open the staiton.  Ajit Chambers from The Old London Underground Company is making the most headway on that mission to try to re-open abandoned London Underground stations.


I loved the fact that early designers of the Tube network were very experimental and this rather futurist monorail by Australian, Elfric Wells Chalmers Kearney, was patented in 1911. He founded the High Speed Tube Railway Company. Proposals included the construction of a Kearney Tube system which would run across London from Cricklewood to Crystal Palace. Sadly his ideas never made it past the drawing board in London and no-one was prepared to run the risk of taking up his ideas.


Another fascinating fact from Christian was that there used be a display of animals killed by trains at Charing Cross Tube. Someone had the bright yet rather morbid idea of collecting the wildlife from the tracks and stuffing them for all to see.


Christian ended his talk with a much loved illustration of the a 3D cutaway of the many tunnels and interchanges beneath Piccadilly Circus Tube. My full set of photos from this How The Tube Created London talk are here.

After a break, with more wine, there was an audience Q & A with Transport Minister, Theresa Villiers. A number of questions mainly focussing on Crossrail were put to her. But also questions on the lack of accessibility of most of the London Underground to people with disabilities or those needing more step free stations.

I went along to the talk with IanVisits & TheLondoneer and am sure that both will be blogging about the event and will probably have more on some of the issues in the Q & A.

I'd like to thank The Westminister Society for hosting such a great evening. It was also a chance for me to see inside the rather cute & quirky London Canal Museum, a place that I'd never visited before. Also thanks to Christian Wolmar for being an excellent speaker - I'd certainly go to hear him again.

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Aldwych Tube in Mock Terrorist Attack Exercise

On 22nd and 23rd of February 2012, TfL will be taking part in a 2012 Olympic Games 'live' exercise called 'Forward Defensive', working in partnership with the Met Police and the Home Office. The two-day live exercise will try to gauge what lessons emergency services & London Underground staff have learned since the July 7 bombings in 2005.   Disused Aldwych London underground station, (called Oxford Circus for this exercise), will be the scene of a mock incident on the Tube network.


If you're around the station mid morning on Wednesday, you'll see people evacuated onto Surrey Street as part of the test on Wednesday. Other security work will be carried out through to Thursday.

Emergency services, cabinet ministers and London Underground staff will be acting as though it is August 8 and 9, predicted to be two of the busiest days in London during the Games. More than 2,500 people are expected to be involved in the simulation.


 Met Police Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison, who is also the National Olympic Security Coordinator, said "This is part of a national exercise. The majority of stuff that the public will see, because clearly they will not be underground, will be the people coming out of the Tube system afterwards.

"It is for us testing our first responders capabilities and what we have learned to make sure that we have got that in place from 7/7 (the July 7 2005 bombings).

"A significant amount of work has been done in relation to those recommendations. At their heart, they're about further developing partnership working, and further developing the response that has to be put in place, not only by the three emergency services but also by Transport for London"


Assistant Commissioner Specialist Operations Cressida Dick, the National Director of Counter Terrorist Policing during the Games, called it “one of the extreme scenarios that we could face”.

She said: "This exercise and its scenario is not as a specific result of intelligence. The scenario has been planned for many many months. We will be doing our very best to prevent such an attack but it would only be right that we test our response to such an attack."

See The Guardian for more on this.  It's great to see this exercise taking place and watch out on TV news this evening for coverage.

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bimba & lola's fun & rebellious S/S 2012

The bimba & lola 2012 Spring-Summer collection recovers its fun and rebellious spirit with designs inspired in the ground-breaking philosophy of the Memphis Group and their obsession with Las Vegas. Neon lights, casino halls, star motifs, cowboys and the showbiz glitz burst in an explosion of colour that  finished with shiny and metallic surfaces, pervade in strong looks filled with mixes and contrasts.

The campaign, photographed by Alice Rosati and starring the Slovakian model Kinga Rajzak, dresses a forthright woman that dreams of an optimistic, light and exulting look.

MODEL: Kinga Rajzak

PHOTOGRAPHER: Alice Rosati

MAKE UP/HAIRSTYLE: Beatriz Matallana

ARTISTIC DIRECTION/ARTWORK: bimba & lola

Blackfriars Tube finally Re-Opens after 3 year closure

As from 20th February 2012 finally you won't see Blackfriars station with a crossed out line running through it on the London Underground map or additions like the one below.


Train map on the platforms by IanVisits
As I think I've mentioned on the blog in the past and to people I meet in person, I rarely get excited about new station openings, unless they are ones I use on a regular basis. Blackfriars will be useful for me on the occasions the London Bloggers Meetup group is held in a pub near the bridge!

As that's not particularly regularly, I've left it for people who are much better than me at covering station openings & re-openings to explain & show what went on yesterday. IanVisits has a great post with lots of pictures of the shiny new station.  He notes how the opening caught many by surprise: "Several months late, or a week early, depending on how you look at it, Blackfriars Tube station unexpectedly opened to the public this morning".


New ticket hall and entrance by IanVisits
I like the happy faces of the staff in the control room


New control room at Blackfriars Tube by IanVisits 
The crew over at Londonist also covered the re-opening and were there for the pre rush-hour rush:


Photo from Londonist
"Fresh from a closure that lasted three years, Blackfriars has been completely rebuilt. The station now sports cream tiling throughout, replacing the Seventies-looking brown and orange pattern of its previous incarnation."

Paul Robertson also has a set of photos and a video is here. Ironically Paul notes that although shiny, as with most things on the London Underground,  there were still problems:


Escalator Notice by Paul Robertson
"On the very first day the station was open after a three-year modernisation programme, guess what? A broken-down escalator. Business as usual, basically."

Indeed!

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