St Mary's in Paddington, famous for royal births and the discovery of penicillin, is to be rebuilt to towering new heights.

Founded in 1845, St Mary's has since built up piecemeal, to no masterplan, beside Paddington Basin. This ageing congeries is increasingly falling apart; a section of the hospital had to be closed recently upon the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), which is prone to collapse; just one of its problems.

"Despite spending millions of pounds every year on maintenance, we can't keep up with the rate of deterioration," says Imperial College Healthcare, the Trust responsible for the site.

Solution: rebuild from scratch.

Plans have now been shared of how the Trust plans to erect an entirely new hospital on part of the site, which would consolidate departments into one mighty 30-storey tower. This would reach around 185 metres (above sea level), or about 156 metres above ground level, which would put it slightly taller than Guy's Hospital at London Bridge.

Says the Trust:

The busiest and most urgent services will be on the lower floors, so they are the easiest to reach, while wards will be in quieter areas with more privacy and natural light. And outdoor and communal areas, such as roof gardens, are being integrated into the design to support patients, visitors and staff. There will also be a helipad, bringing St Mary's major trauma service into line with other services across the capital.

According to the Trust, construction of the tower would begin on a part of the site that can be freed up relatively easily. This would allow the existing facilities to continue until the tower was ready. After that, the rest of the site would be cleared to make way for new life-science facilities and public spaces. Already approved is the Fleming Centre, tasked with finding solutions to antimicrobial resistance.

You may be wondering "What about the Alexander Fleming Museum?", which contains the preserved laboratory of the discoverer of penicillin. This is housed in the Clarence Building, a listed structure, which will be retained and upgraded as part of the scheme.

The plans would constitute a major change for the area, both at ground level and on the skyline. More importantly, the 800-bed hospital would bring modernised patient facilities with better integration between departments.

Image: Matt Brown

The scheme is funded by the Government's New Hospital Programme, and could be complete by 2035.

If you'd like to have your say on the plans, then an online consultation is running until 17 July, with various drop-in sessions also available.

TfL now says that construction could begin on the extension in 2029. Image: TfL

More details of plans for the proposed DLR extension have been revealed — including layouts for new stations at Beckton Riverside and and Thamesmead — as part of a public consultation.

The DLR extension, first officially proposed by TfL in 2020, would see a long-awaited station at Thamesmead, a town built in the 1960s, which has infamously lacked a rail connection ever since (even though it could've had up to three railway stations). A second DLR station would be built opposite Gallions Reach Shopping Park at Beckton Riverside, a sweeping area of regeneration in Newham.

Plans for the station at Beckton Riverside. Image: TfL

TfL's consultation — which is live from now until Thursday 16 July 2026 — includes plans for Beckton Riverside station, featuring a pedestrian footbridge with lifts for crossing the tracks; and for Thamesmead, which will be a raised station. The two will be joined by a new tunnel under the Thames.

As well as asking for views on the two station designs, TfL is after feedback on construction methods, and potential impacts of the extension build on local communities and the environment.

Plans for the station at Thamesmead. Image: TfL

In all, says TfL, the extension could support up to 30,000 homes and 10,000 jobs.

Says the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan: "This is something I've long called for — alongside London's businesses and communities — because it will not only transform travel in a historically underserved part of our city, but also unlock thousands of new jobs and homes, boosting the economy across the capital and indeed the country."

Various construction commencement dates have been mooted; we've heard 2027 and 2028 — and now TfL says "construction could begin in 2029, subject to funding and approvals". Whether the line will be ready for passengers by the 'early 2030s', as previously estimated, remains to be seen. But for residents of Thamesmead who've already been waiting some 60 years, what's a a few more years?

You can get involved with the consultation, until 16 July 2026.

Chair of the Friends of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens Sue Price with Kensington Gardens Park Manager Andy Williams, admiring the restored Elfin Oak. Image: Royal Parks

London's most magical tree — certainly its most magical dead tree — has just been restored.

It was in 1928 when the hollow stump of a 900-year-old oak tree was moved from Richmond Park to Kensington Gardens, where the children's illustrator Ivor Innes slowly yet skilfully carved a village of magical folk into the wood: elves, fairies, goblins, witches and forest animals.

Amazing how a tree stump has brought joy to so many over almost 100 years. Image: Royal Parks

Two years later, the Elfin Oak was unveiled on 25 July in 1930, and has delighted scores of children ever since — not to mention many adults, including Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, who was photographed in front of it for the inside cover of the Ummagumma album.

Spike Milligan would be pleased to see the latest restoration. Image: Royal Parks

The tree has taken its fair share of weathering, both by the natural elements, and vandals. The latter prompted park keepers to enshroud the tree in an old raven's cage from London Zoo.

Needless to say then, the Elfin Oak has been through a few restorations. In the mid 1960s — and again some 30 years later — the comedian Spike Milligan lobbied to save and renovate it, as documented in the BBC's 2021 radio drama, Spike and the Elfin Oak. The tree stump gained Grade II listed status in 1997.

The fantastical tree stump was Grade II listed in 1997. Image: Royal Parks

Now, the Royal Parks charity has unveiled the result of conservation repairs, carried out by DBR Conservation, in which the tree's 97 figurines — including Wookey (the little old witch), Huckleberry (gnome) and Harebell (fairy) — have been expertly and sensitively restored, once more vibrant, glossy and rendered in intricate detail.

Visibility of the Elfin Oak has also been improved, including the removing of a mesh lining, and a reduction in the number of bars encasing it.

Just look at the detail on this. Image: Royal Parks

Says Andy Williams, Park Manager for Kensington Gardens: "Kensington Gardens is one of the most magical parks for children and part of its appeal is the Elfin Oak, where elves, witches and owls inhabit a secret world. We are delighted to help restore this much-loved treasure back to its former glory."

Magical, really, how a tree stump has brought so much joy to so many people.

The Elfin Oak is free for all to enjoy. You'll find it by the entrance to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens.

A start date for construction of the City of London's tallest building has been announced. Image: © Dbox

Farewell to 1 Undershaft, hello One London.

A start date for construction of the City of London's tallest building has been announced, along with a new name.

The office tower formerly known as 1 Undershaft will begin construction in 2028 for a completion in 2033. It will stand 309.5 metres tall, the same as The Shard. It will also boast a viewing gallery operated by London Museum.

But what of the name? 1 Undershaft always prompted a bit of a snigger. The peculiar moniker references the local road and church (St Andrew Undershaft), which in turn recall a giant maypole that once thrusted into the skies hereabouts.

Historical flavour has now given way to blandness. The tower will hereafter be known as One London, a reflection of its prominence on the skyline.

One London (centre) as it may appear. Image: © Dbox /Eric Parry Architects

The name is not exactly original. Apsley House, former home of the Duke of Wellington at Hyde Park Corner, was historically known as Number One London, as it once constituted the first building of note when approaching London from Kensington. We wonder, also, how journalist Dave Hill will feel about its similarity to his independent local news website OnLondon.

Meanwhile, Simon Usborne has previously pointed out the rash of new-builds that use the 'One' device to attract foreign investment. Examples include One Blackfriars, One Nine Elms, One Kensington Gardens and One Tower Bridge. The addition of One London brings the trend to its natural climax, even if it doesn't finger the Undershaft.

The Aviva Tower (centre) under the 'white sheet of death' awaiting demolition. This will be the site of One London. Image: Matt Brown

One London will be built on a plot of land between the Cheesegrater and Gherkin, currently occupied by the Aviva Tower, also known as the St Helen's Tower. This 1960s skyscraper will be the largest skyscraper ever demolished in London, at 118 metres.

The scheme is being developed by Aroland Holdings and designed by Eric Parry Architects.

Click/tap for larger version

What would the Tube map look like if we boiled it down to just the bits the stereotypical tourist is interested in?

Tourists are the only group of people who really need a Tube map — at least for the centre. Locals already know their way around, and business visitors take cabs. So if we only need to cater for the sightseer, then the map condenses down somewhat.

The map above shows only the stops that the stereotypical tourist might be interested in. We've substituted the official names for more helpful descriptors.

(Of course, we realise that many visitors have a more sophisticated itinerary... this is just a bit of fun.)

This article was inspired by an earlier map we made (way back in 2008), which really pared things back to just 12 stations on three lines:

Created by Matt Brown in 2008

What would you add to the tourist Tube map?

Looking for rooftop bars open before July? Here's our roundup.

Until now, very few people have had access to these iconic Tube trains hoisted above the Shoreditch streets. Image: Village Underground

Most Tube trains are beneath our feet, but here are two you have to crane your neck to see.

For 20 years, the two decommissioned Jubilee line stock carriages — in true Shoreditch style, zealously graffitied — have been perched above the Village Underground venue, just above the sagacious motto "Lets [sic] adore and endure each other".

The first thought to cross anyone's mind is "Can I go inside these?" and until now the answer has been "No, not really". Used as office space by the Village Underground team, very few people have able to access the Tube carriages, save the occasional Open House event.

All that is changing from Friday 3 July, when London's most gawped-at Tube trains open to the public... permanently.

The new rooftop bar opens on Friday 3 July. Image: Village Underground

Marking its 20th anniversary, Village Underground is opening its roof space as a 300-capacity terrace bar, serving 'draught beers, signature pours, and a curated wine selection', as well as food from Bad Boy Pizza Society. The rooftop will be open every Wednesday-Sunday thereafter.

Says Auro Foxcroft, Founder and CEO of Village Underground: "For nearly 20 years, we've had this suntrap spot on the Shoreditch skyline to ourselves, so it's exciting to finally be able to share it with our audiences and the local community. The train carriages have been part of how we've used the space day to day — from working to interviewing artists — and this feels like the natural next step, opening them up and making them part of the space for everyone to enjoy."

One of the trains being hoisted into position back in the day. Image: Village Underground

The rooftop bar will bring satisfying equilibrium to the transport-loving drinkers, who can already sip cocktails on (ersatz) Tube carriages underground in Cahoots, Soho.

Our abiding memory of clambering aboard one of the Village Underground trains some years ago was just how hot and stuffy it was — although nothing, we hope, a couple of standing fans and an icy Aperol spritz can't fix.

Village Underground Rooftop, Shoreditch, open from 3 July 2026

In an extract from the new, expanded edition of his wonderful book, Seats of London: A Field Guide to London Transport Moquette Patterns, Andrew Martin opens up a very special cupboard that any transport geek would love to glimpse inside.

Where moquette that hasn't made the cut goes to live out its days.

On the eighth floor of TfL's offices in Stratford is a metal-doored cupboard, of the kind you'd expect to be stuffed with old ring binders. But this one is full of moquette.

Each sample is about the size of a towel, and most were stowed away here soon after being delivered from the weaver. These are the lost moquettes: never applied to a train or sat on by a single bottom even for the shortest hop between Covent Garden and Leicester Square.

"TfL's design team habitually refer to their 'colour blanket': a long, multicoloured strip that is a sort of moquette equivalent of a Pantone swatch."

"Moquette is so weird," says TfL's Paul Marchant. "You can't make a decision about it until it's been manufactured." Back in the 1930s even being one of Britain's greatest 20th century artists was no guarantee of seeing a whole train upholstered with the moquette you'd been commissioned to design. Neither of Paul Nash's two patterns made the cut; one never made it past a sketch. The main reason is that woven colours can come out very different from the CMYK shades selected and viewed on a backlit computer screen. It's why TfL's design team habitually refer to their 'colour blanket': a long, multicoloured strip that is a sort of moquette equivalent of a Pantone swatch. (It would also make an eye-catching — though rather pendulous — scarf.) Several 'design routes' and colourways are woven, and sometimes one just doesn't come off. On my visit a variant of the new Metropolitan line moquette being developed had just arrived from Camira. You could get away with its rhubarb-and-custard effect on an MCC tie; not as something to stare at all the way home to Amersham.

Poplar, a variant of the new DLR moquette.

In the cupboard there's a variant of Poplar, the new DLR moquette, with a slightly more literal representation of the local architecture. A moquette from the Barber Osgerby design studio for the Elizabeth line has the same dense horizontal stripes as that selected, but warmer tones (orange, green, brown) and — above all — no royal purple.

'Lost' S-Stock moquette: "there's a delicacy about it, suggesting cobwebs."

An S-Stock moquette created by Paul's team during Covid features diamond shapes created out of thin diagonals in the sub-surface line colours; there's a delicacy about it, suggesting cobwebs. These 'lost moquettes' represent an alternative reality, not only for trains and buses, but also for Londoners themselves. Moquette is, to use an obvious metaphor, part of the fabric of our lives, as familiar to some as the cover of their sofa; like any aesthetic object, it affects mood.

"A certain type of person, rooting about inside this cupboard, will prefer all these rejects to the ones used."

Someone who would have found in the blue-green and orange colourway of the moquette designed by Pat Barrow for the Victoria line in the late 1980s a beauty absent from the mainly red and blue one that got the nod might have said 'yes' rather than 'no' to the marriage proposal they received on a Vic line train. But Barrow's Vic line moquette languishes in the 'lost' cupboard, along with a green, black and orange one Barrow did for the District at the same time.

A certain type of person, rooting about inside this cupboard, will prefer all these rejects to the ones used. We all know the type (I think I'm one myself): melancholics, forever brooding over the path not taken.

Seats of London: A Field Guide to London Transport Moquette Patterns by Andrew Martin, published by Safe Haven

All images: Safe Haven Books.

This is a sponsored article on behalf of ARK Shoreditch.

Shoreditch has been synonymous with cool for quite some time now. But this vibey neighbourhood can feel a teeny bit intimidating sometimes — and with a frankly dizzying array of Things Going On All The Time comes the risk of small fish, big pond syndrome.

How then, to go about creating a sense of belonging here? Well, you could become a member of ARK Shoreditch, a new haven of community and creativity set to launch this summer...

ARK Shoreditch is the latest venture by ARK Living, which creates community-first co-living developments in top tier London locations. It joins ARK Wembley and ARK Canary Wharf in offering all-in-one amenity-stuffed spaces to stay, live, work and socialise.

You can stay at ARK Shoreditch for as little as one night — ideal for short-term visitors who want to experience London as local — or sign up for a 12-month membership and really make the neighbourhood your home. For however long you decide to hang your hat here, you'll enjoy a fully-furnished studio apartment and access to all of ARK Shoreditch's community facilities.

So, what kind of perks can ARK Shoreditch members expect, then? Amenities include dedicated co-working spaces (no more tapping away at your kitchen table!); a gym; a wellness studio; a cinema room; an internal garden space with a retractable roof for sunny (and not-so-sunny) days; a games room for foosball, pool and table tennis; and — forgive us for burying the lede here — two whole rooms dedicated entirely to karaoke. It's all about removing any sense of isolation from urban living, giving you ample opportunities to find your people, quite literally on your doorstep.

There are tons of community events to choose from, too. These include film nights, arts and craft workshops, fitness classes, charity drives, professional development events, and supper clubs (did we mention that ARK Shoreditch also boasts a communal kitchen?!)

The playroom at ARK Canary Wharf

As for the studios themselves? These are stylish, functional, design-led spaces with kitchens, en-suite bathrooms, comfy double beds featuring built-in storage, and a TV. Utility bills and wifi are included in your monthly membership fee, and a cleaning service is available too. Should you run into any hiccups, there's a team onsite 24/7 to help.

Of course, you didn't come to Shoreditch to stay inside all the time — not when you're a sub-20 minute walk from delights like...

• Columbia Road Flower Market
• Hackney City Farm  
• Brick Lane
• London Fields
• Too many vibey bars and restaurants to count (Morito, Sager + Wilde and Little Georgia are among our favourites, and we're betting your new neighbours will have a ton of recs too).

And it goes without saying that — being in Zone 2 — you're in plum position to take advantage of everything else the capital has to offer.

Intrigued? Find out more about ARK Shoreditch here. Oh, and if you're thinking of moving here, you should know that the studios are getting snapped up FAST, so enquire today to avoid disappointment.

Image: Matt Brown

London Bridge is the only one not falling down.

Well, it can seem that way. The capital's crossings seem to be in the news every few weeks for some kind of metal fatigue or introduced weight limit. What gives? (Hopefully not the carriageway.)

To make sense of it, we've prepped a little graphic showing all the crossings with some kind of problem or restriction, with more information down below:

Note: for visual clarity, unaffected rail bridges are not shown.

Hammersmith Bridge

Hammersmith Bridge is absolute chuffing bliss at the moment... if you're a pedestrian or cyclist. Gorgeous, Victorian suspension bridge, leafy views, all untroubled by the growl of engines. If you did need to get across in a car or bus, then bad luck. The 140-year-old bridge, designed by Joseph Bazalgette, has a history of structural problems. The latest set have seen the span closed to motor traffic since 2019, much to the chagrin of Barnes residents who've lost a major plank of connectivity. The repair cost keeps spiralling and the politics are messy. It's going to stay this way for a long time yet.

Putney Bridge

Putney Bridge. Often clogged with traffic, but looks just dandy from down here. Image: Matt Brown

A bit of a cheeky entry, as this bridge remains fully open to motors, pedestrians, cyclists, scooters, people on space hoppers and any other legal form of transport. That flippantly listed space hopper might be faster than a car, however. Recent changes to the road network at the southern end, coupled with the ongoing closure of Hammersmith Bridge, have made this one of the most clogged crossings in the capital.

Albert Bridge

This spindly crossing has 'I'm a bit fragile' written all over it. Literally. It's most famous for its signs informing soldiers to march out of step, lest they provoke a resonant wobble. Hence, the bridge's nickname of 'the trembling lady'. The bridge has deteriorated in recent years, and was closed to motor traffic in February 2026 'for up to a year' after cracks were found in the cast iron supports. Opened in 1873, it was never built to take the weight of modern traffic. So, an optimist might say that, with cyclists and pedestrians still welcome, the bridge is living up to its original design specifications.

Albert Bridge. Image: Robert Lamb, creative commons licence

Vauxhall Bridge

Vauxhall Bridge has always looked a little tatterdemalion. The deterioration is now official, after TfL announced a weight limit to the 120-year-old span. No vehicles over 18 tonnes will be allowed to cross from July 2026. Except for buses. And emergency vehicles. TfL are keen to point out that the bridge remains safe, and that the restrictions are to prevent further damage while a repair plan is formulated... but it all feels like a first step towards more severe restrictions at a later date.

Vauxhall Bridge. Image: Matt Brown

Lambeth Bridge

Lambeth's been closed a fair few times of late, mostly to make the bridge safer for cyclists. It also suffers from structural issues, however, and has been placed on the same 'critical' list by TfL as Vauxhall and Westminster bridges. It remains open for now, but will need serious work in the near future.

Westminster Bridge

As with Lambeth Bridge, TfL considers Westminster Bridge to be in "very poor condition" and in need of major upgrades. It, too, remains open... for now.

Let's hope they don't fix those 'interesting' shadows. Image: Matt Brown

Hungerford Rail Bridge

The rail bridge into Charing Cross is also in a sorry state. Major track maintenance has not been carried out since the 1990s. Hence, the bridge will close for 22 days, from 26 July to Sunday 16 August 2026. That means the complete closure of Charing Cross mainline station. The Golden Jubilee footbridges either side will remain open.

Blackfriars Bridge

Parts of the bridge were partitioned off during the first part of works in 2022. Image: Matt Brown

The bridge remains open to pedestrians, cyclists and motor traffic, but parts of the walkways are currently halved in width by fencing. The span is undergoing a bit of an overhaul, including a multi-million pound paint job — started four years ago, but delayed thanks to the works on the super-sewer. In accordance with ancient City custom, a bale of hay has been suspended from the southern arch, to alert boats to the works.

Underground roundel at night. Image: Matt From London

Two planned 24-hour Tube strikes which were due to happen this week have been called off at the last minute.

Members of the RMT Union were due to strike on 19-20 May (12pm Tuesday-11.59am Wednesday) and 21-22 May (12pm Thursday-11.59am Friday). All strike action on these days has now been cancelled.

The strikes are in protest against the planned introduction of a compressed four-day working week for Tube drivers.

An RMT spokesperson said:

At the 11th hour the employer has shifted its position allowing us to further explore our members concerns around the imposition of new rosters, fatigue and safety issues.

The dispute is not over and more strike action will follow if we fail to make sufficient progress.

Additionally, further Tube strikes which were scheduled for 16 and 18 June have now been moved forward to take place on 2 and 4 June instead, if the dispute hasn't been resolved by then.

This feature first appeared in May 2025 on Londonist: Time Machine, our much-praised history newsletter. To be the first to read new history features like this, sign up for free here.

A two-car DLR train passing over West India Dock in 1987. Image: K Krallis, creative commons

It still feels like a vision of the future. The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) sashays along its east London viaducts, glides among the gleaming giants of Canary Wharf, then dips under the Thames to Greenwich. All with no driver.

The DLR was officially launched on 30 July 1987 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II became the first person to sit at the front and pretend to drive the train, thereby initiating a tradition that is now a rite-of-passage for any new Londoner.

Image: TfL

She even paid her right-royal way. Both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh reportedly deposited 40p in the Island Gardens ticket machines ahead of boarding. Their ride didn’t go entirely smoothly. The automatically driven train paused too long at one station, and stopped short at another, prompting an alarm. In the latter case, the royal bodyguards had tried to force the doors open before the train had stopped, which was their normal practice when in a motorcade. Both embarrassments were quickly corrected by manual override, and the first DLR journey was done.

I don’t think the Queen ever rode the DLR again. Had she done so, later extensions could have taken her to stations named after her great, great-grandmother (Royal Victoria), her great, great grandfather (Royal Albert), her great-great-great-great-great-uncle (Prince Regent), and her grandfather (King George V). She might have interfaced with her own Elizabeth line at Custom House or Woolwich, and the Jubilee line (named after her Silver Jubilee) at three further stations. This is, then, our most patriotic rail service, suitably dressed in red, white and blue.

Of course, the DLR didn’t just pop into existence on that glitchy summer’s day. It was several years in the planning, with a fascinating origin story. Many of the memories and anecdotes that follow come from a senior member of the project team that planned, built and operated the DLR. He or she speaks on condition of anonymity. For the sake of convenience, I’ll call them Sam.

From an old tea house in Blackfriars…

The first stirrings of the DLR go back to the 1970s. London’s once bustling docks had largely closed down by this point, superseded by modern facilities at Tilbury and elsewhere, which could handle large container ships. These historic sites were left to tumbleweed, as so memorably depicted in the film The Long Good Friday. But only for a few years. All this land, so close to the river, was ripe for redevelopment, and various schemes for new offices and residential districts were considered. Any such development would need new transport links. Light railways and ‘minitrams’ were the preferred options, first touted in a report of 1973. A tube line was considered, though initially deemed too costly.

Nothing got off the page until 1981, when the government established the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC), a powerful agency charged with rejuvenating the docks. The LDDC gave London Transport the task of planning out a light railway system to connect the City to the regeneration sites.

This is where ‘Sam’ comes in. They were part of the leadership team who would plan the routes, manage the contracts, get the thing built and eventually operate the new railway.

They had plenty of relevant experience. Years earlier, Sam and some colleagues had looked at the feasibility of bringing back the Finsbury Park to Highgate line (which had closed in 1954) as a light railway. Those plans never got anywhere, and today the route is the popular Parkland Walk trail for bikes and pedestrians. The rejuvenation of the Docklands presented the perfect opportunity to pursue a light railway, and Sam was made part of the senior team. From the start, the project would be managed in an unusual way:

“It was being used by London Transport’s MD of Rail, Tony Ridley, as a test-bed for a 'tighter' management style,” says Sam. “He was also keen that we kept a distance (physical and organisational) from both London Underground and London Transport’s corporate functions, so we didn't want to be in 55 Broadway or other existing offices.

“We actually were based in some old London Transport properties above Blackfriars Station. There had been a Lyon’s Coffee House at Blackfriars, which had been bombed in the war, and we occupied the first floor of that old Lyon’s corner house. It was rather wonderful. And we started to put together the DLR project there.”

Where the magic happened. The Blackfriars first-floor offices where the DLR was masterminded. Image by Tim Brown from the wonderful book London’s Transport in the 1980s, which I’ve reviewed here, and urge you to buy if you like this sort of thing. The building and, indeed, the building that replaced it, have since been demolished. The Bon Appetit cafe, seen on the right, served as “a sort of staff canteen, and also to provide sandwich platters for meetings and so on”. It survived until 2013, though its building remains.

The base was small and quirky, but proved the perfect hub for the project. “The offices were pretty austere and very hard to make, and keep, presentable — we really were squatters and, at times, it felt like it, but I think the setup helped shape the great team spirit we had. It was also a good compromise location for those of us coming from the north of London, those coming from south London, and those commuting in by main-line rail”. Sam also recalls watching the Lord Mayor’s Show from its windows, which overlooked the procession route.

In those days senior LT staff were provided with tea (or coffee) and biscuits each morning and afternoon. As they were away from 'Head Office' they received an allowance, which they used to provide refreshments for everyone: part of the team culture.

So the project kicked off. Task number one was to work out where the railway would run. “The first thing I did,“ says Sam, “was cycle around the area with a photographer, to see what we could do and what the possible routes were. We found we could use a lot of disused structures [such as existing viaducts]. We felt there was surplus capacity on Fenchurch Street, that we could actually go into Fenchurch Street, but British Rail baulked at that.”

They ended up with the western terminus at Tower Gateway, which Sam informs me was previously the City of London’s winter weather equipment site. The quick and (relatively) cheap solution has since been eclipsed by the DLR terminus at Bank, but Tower Gateway remains in use as perhaps the most quintessentially 1980s building in London. If anyone ever proposes to demolish it, then I, for one, will object.

It’s not everyone’s idea of a handsome building, but the DLR’s Tower Gateway terminus deserves preservation for capturing the essence of the 1980s like no other building. Image: Matt Brown

Value for money

The budget for the project was £65 million (£77 million adjusting for inflation). That sounds like peanuts today. London has houses that cost more. But, of course, £77 million went a lot further in the mid-1980s. Even so, it was still a very tight budget for a new rail system covering 7.5 miles of track. To save money, the stations were designed in kit form, with a standard platform canopy, and other design elements. The project was eventually delivered on time and on budget. It was also delivered beyond the original specification. This would evolve to become a driverless railway. It even gained a station when office developers at Heron Quays paid to have a halt at their development, which was absent from the original plans.

Heron Quays platform, pictured in 1990 with nearby docks still largely undeveloped. This station was not in the original scope, but was paid for independently by a commercial development. Image courtesy of Peter Tabor.

The £77 million budget was jointly handled by the Greater London Council (via London Transport), and the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC). These two organisations — one socialist-leaning, the other a top-down let’s-get-things-done agency — had starkly contrasting attitudes to development. They were often at loggerheads. “At that time,” says Sam, “the GLC and LDDC didn't recognise each other, so we couldn't hold meetings in either of their offices. That led to all sorts of difficulties in [ensuring the] funding was exactly 50:50. I had to go get a cheque from one of them each month and show it to the other to show that they were writing a cheque for the same amount. I kid you not.”

Despite the fiscal gymnastics, the railway turned out to be a bargain at £77 million. “The government had made that money [back] before we’d turned a wheel,” says Sam. “The land value of docklands was increased by DLR, because of accessibility, by way more than 77 million, so that railway, actually didn't have to make a profit or anything. It would pay for itself at the national level long before [services began].”

Trains, planes and… rockets?

The DLR initially ran with 11 two-car units supplied by the German manufacturer Linke-Hofmann-Busch (now part of Alstom). Sam was invited to attend the rollout of the first train from the production line. The DLR Board's Chairman and Deputy Chairman wanted to go with him, but they were not prepared to stay overnight. The solution was to privately hire a small aircraft, with the Deputy Chair himself piloting the plane from Elstree aerodrome to a sports ground in northern Germany. “I paid for the fuel and the lease on petty cash,” says Sam. It’s a far-cry from the micromanaged travel arrangements that senior managers would have to adhere to today.

One of the original two-car units, pictured in 1990 near Heron Quays. Image courtesy of Peter Tabor.

Sam also shared an anecdote about the DLR supplier’s history:

“Linke-Hofmann Busch had a little museum of trains they’d built. There was some fabulous kit, such as a very famous train called, rather risibly, the flying hamburger. But in the middle, there was a cylindrical thing… which turned out to be a V2 rocket motor. In the Second World War, they’d been making V2 rockets. So the DLR was actually the company’s second export to East London… We kept quiet about it at the time because we felt there was still a degree of German phobia”.

Teething troubles

The building of the railway proceeded relatively smoothly. Almost all of the initial network followed old tracks, including the section from the City to Canary Wharf, which revived Victorian viaducts from the London and Blackwall Railway (closed 1968).

One novel problem was encountered when laying the tracks, as Sam recounts: “The railway ballast for the line was delivered using ballast wagons (the sort where there is a hatch on the bottom so the ballast can be released directly onto the track bed). These had previously been used for a grain shipment and so we soon had a fine crop of corn growing through the track. The urban farm at Mudchute had (and still has) a flock of sheep and these inevitably ended up on the track, causing chaos during our test running.

“It also attracted the peacocks that lived in the All Saints churchyard at Poplar, with similar results — we were aware of the problems and bad publicity that would occur if we were to run over peacock or sheep.” Another minor challenge presented itself just north of the peacock peril. “I had real difficulty,” says Sam, “in persuading the staff at the school at Bow Church that they should no longer be telling children that they could 'nip over the fence' onto the [previously disused] track to retrieve lost footballs.”

A modern DLR train snakes through a building site. Even now, Docklands contains many development sites. Image: Matt Brown

As with any big infrastructure project, legal challenges emerged. “Somewhere around Langdon Park station, which was not built until many years later, the line runs through an artificial tunnel. This was built to shield some new multi storey blocks of flats from the presumed noise of freight trains using the line when they served the docks. In fact I don't believe any such trains ever did run. As a result some additional dwellings were constructed above the tunnel, and we had a massive claim for compensation when we started running DLR trains. In fact the nuisance (noise/vibration), when measured, was small, and if any compensation was paid it was small”.

The most notorious incident, however, came during the testing phase. On 10 March 1987, a manually driven train overshot the terminal station at Island Gardens. It crashed through the end of the viaduct and dangled precariously over the street below. Fortunately, the three workers onboard escaped without injury. The incident provided some spectacular photographs, but the wider project was not derailed. Just four months later, the system was deemed safe enough for its royal inauguration.

Sam remembers well the day that the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh officially opened the line (although it would be a few weeks before the public could ride).

“Our chairman and deputy chairman had been in different regiments in the war — and remember that the war was still quite significant in this period. And they each wanted their military band to be playing. So we had to have one military band at Island Gardens station, and another one in the Poplar depot”.

Lasting legacy

The DLR achieved many ‘firsts’. I was surprised to learn that it was the first line in London to operate a penalty fare system. Previously, anyone caught fare-dodging would simply be asked to pay up on the spot, but no more than the ticket price (prosecution could follow if they refused). Penalty fares upped the ante, and helped London Transport recoup lost revenue by requiring fare dodgers to pay significantly more than the ticket price.

The role of ‘train captain’ (as opposed to driver) was also pioneered on the DLR. That role reflected the system’s most famous ‘first’, the way it moves along without the need of a driver. “The only thing we were worried about was the dispatch of trains from stations,” says Sam.

The Railway Inspectorate, who had authority over whether the railway was safe to run, also had concerns that people might be trapped in doors as the train moved off. “Nobody was confident in those days that the technology was good enough. [The Inspectorate] said we don't mind what you do: either have somebody on the train or somebody on the platform. Well, we had fewer trains than platforms, so we put somebody on the train. But we didn't have them driving. So that was also a huge change. I think DLR was the first automatically operated railway in a non-protected environment”. (Theme parks like Disney had automated trains, but under more heavily supervised conditions.)

The Docklands Light Railway went on to be a resounding success. Numerous extensions have since opened, including links to Bank, Lewisham, Woolwich and Beckton. It hasn’t stopped growing yet, either, with a new under-the-Thames link between Beckton and Thamesmead currently under consultation.

Sam concedes, however, that it wasn’t a triumph in every respect. “One of its planning intentions was to enable the creation of job opportunities in the Isle of Dogs for those who had lost their jobs because of the docks closing. Instead we got Canary Wharf. Not many ex-dockers found work there. In other words it was the catalyst for a mega example of gentrification. Others may see this as a success!”

2010 film Made in Dagenham told the strikers' story.

The female factory workers who went on strike to campaign for equal pay at Ford's Dagenham factory are to be memorialised in a new sculpture.

In 1968, female sewing machinists at the east London plant took part in the first Ford Factory Sewing Machinists’ Strikes, which led directly to the Equal Pay Act of 1970. A second round of strikes in 1984-85 got their skills recognised as equal to those of their male colleagues. Many of those taking part had migrated to London from abroad: a large proportion were of South Asian heritage.

Image courtesy of the Women's Museum and Valance House, work by Ruth Ewan, photography by Thomas Adnak.

The new public artwork consists of two sister sculptures, collectively titled The Dagenham Agates (Individually: Dagenham Agate 1968: and Dagenham Agate 1984-85). They stand at 2.1 metres high in the form of two oversized agate stones — one representing each round of strikes.

The eye-catching pieces are rainbow striped: Dagenham Agate is an industrial by-product formed from accumulated layers of car paint, which Ford employees would salvage chunks of to take home and make into jewellery and decorative objects. Dagenham Agate (1968) is composed of 187 layers, representing the 187 women who went on strike in June 1968, while Dagenham Agate (1984–85) comprises 150 layers, representing the women who joined the later strike.

Raw ‘Fordite’ AKA ‘Dagenham Agate’. Image courtesy of the Women's Museum and Valance House, work by Ruth Ewan, photography by Thomas Adnak.

Artist Ruth Ewan worked with local people to create the pieces. Scotland-based Ewan's previous works include the Silent Agitator clock which appeared in London as part of Sculpture in the City 2019. One of her works was also shortlisted for the next Fourth Plinth installation.

The factory workers' story was told in 2010 film Made in Dagenham, and later in a (too short-lived, in our opinion) West End musical of the same name.

The Dagenham Agate sculptures will be unveiled on Tuesday 23 June 2026, on Chequers Lane in Dagenham, close to site of the former picket line. Eventually, it will be part of a wider Heritage Trail for the Dagenham Green area.

Expect one or two cosplay Captain Jack Sparrows at Secret Cinema's latest experience. Image: RyC - Behind The Lens from San Francisco, United States of America via CC BY 2.0

Secret Cinema has announced its latest immersive film experience — and it's a big one, savvy?

Running for 10 weeks from February 2027, Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Immersive Adventure promises to take London audiences inside "a swashbuckling celebration like no other", featuring immersive sets, live performances, stunts and a band. "Every night unfolds as a high-energy adventure, culminating in a spectacular celebration worthy of the seven seas," claims the press release.

Licensed through an agreement with Disney Theatrical Group, this is the first time the 'Pirates' franchise has been adapted into an immersive theatrical experience, although famously, it started out life as a theme park ride — immersive theatre of a kind.

The experience will be the first to play out at Secret Cinema's new Greenwich venue, currently under construction.

Founded in 2007, Secret Cinema started out as a small-scale pop-up enterprise, with films screened at locations only revealed last-minute. The very first screening was Dreams That Money Can Buy, a surrealist film made in 1947 — a far cry from the 2003 blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

Tickets for Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Immersive Adventure go on general sale on 1 June 2026, and you can sign up for exclusive presale access here.

Charing Cross railway station will be shut for a number of days over the summer. Image: Londonist

Charing Cross And Waterloo East stations will close for the best part of a month this summer, as upgrades are made to 1990s-era track and platforms.

A full closure of the stations, says Network Rail, will be imposed on the 22 days between Sunday 26 July and Sunday 16 August 2026, plus on a scattering of weekends either side, meaning that in all, disruption will last closer to a month.

Though Southeastern services will continue to run throughout, no trains will call at Charing Cross or Waterloo East stations on the following dates:

❌ Sunday 31 May
❌ Sunday 7 June
❌ Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 July
❌ Sunday 26 July-Sunday 16 August (22 day closure)
❌ Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 August
❌ Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October.

Southeastern services that usually run into Charing Cross will be diverted to London Victoria, London Cannon Street and London Blackfriars, with some terminating at London Bridge. Charing Cross Underground services will run as normal.

The £20m works will allow engineers to replace nearly two kilometres of 36-year-old track, as well as rebuilding sections of platform at Charing Cross, upgrade track drainage systems and carry out structural repairs to both the Waterloo East to London Waterloo pedestrian link bridge and the Hungerford Bridge, over which trains cross the Thames. (And to be fair, that's the kind of bridge you want to ensure is in good shape.) The works will, says Network Rail "make journeys safer and more reliable".

You can use Southeastern's journey planner to work out what's what during the closures.

Next week, Londoners face more major disruption, with planned Tube strikes running 19-20 May (12pm Tuesday to 11.59am Wednesday) and 21-22 May (12pm Thursday to 11.59am Friday).

Helen Clifford qualified to become London Transport's first female bus mechanic in 1984. Image: London Transport Museum

Helen Clifford was just 18-years-old when she made transport history.

It was 1984 when she qualified to become London Transport's first female bus mechanic, after completing training at West Ham Garage.

Working at the Finchley bus garage (where she was filmed for a Thames News segment, below) Clifford went on to become a bus driver, a role that London Transport only permitted women to do from 1974. The first to do so was Jill Viner that same year.

Now, Clifford has not one, but two plaques installed in her honour, as part of the Women in Bus and Coach Blue Plaque Scheme: one unveiled at Stratford Bus Interchange, the closest site to the now-closed West Ham Garage; the second at Covent Garden's London Transport Museum, located next to an existing plaque for Jill Viner. (Two plaques commemorate Viner too; one at the museum, another in Kingston.)

"When I started out, I simply wanted to do a job I loved"

Said Helen Clifford, who attended unveiling ceremonies at both plaque locations in May 2026, "It's incredibly special to be recognised in this way, and to share the moment with my family makes it even more meaningful.

"When I started out, I simply wanted to do a job I loved, but I'm proud to know that it helped challenge perceptions and create opportunities for others.

"Seeing how far the industry has come since then is truly rewarding, and I hope my story encourages more women to consider a career in transport."

Helen Clifford unveiling her plaque at Stratford. Image: London Transport Museum

"She broke barriers at a time when the transport sector was overwhelmingly male-dominated"

Added Laura Hadzik, Chair of Women in Bus and Coach: "Today is about recognising not just one remarkable woman, but a turning point in our industry's history. Helen Clifford broke barriers at a time when the transport sector was overwhelmingly male-dominated, and her determination opened doors for countless women who followed."

However, massive disparity remains in the industry. Between 2022-2024, 87% of the UK's bus and coach drivers were male. That's admittedly still better than 2013-2015, when that figure was 92%, but there's a way to go until equilibrium can be claimed.

Helen Clifford continues to drive buses today, not in London, but in Perth, Scotland.

Want to ride buses without paying anything at all? These free heritage rides are taking place in June.

The Weekend Hopper will be available on all London trams and buses... and indeed, tram-buses. Image: Matt From London

A new 'Weekend Hopper' fare will allow unlimited bus and tram journeys inside a day, for six weekends this summer.

Normally London bus/tram passengers operate on a 'Hopper' basis, whereby you pay £1.75 for an hour's worth of travel. Inside those 60 minutes you can catch as many buses/trams as you like, but as soon as you hit minute 61, the dial resets and you're charged another £1.75.

The new Weekend Hopper — introduced by TfL and the Mayor of London, and applied on weekends from 25 July-31 August 2026 — will allow passengers to travel for an entire Saturday or Sunday (plus the bank holiday Monday of 31 August), capped at £1.75.

Despite its name, the fare doesn't give you unlimited travel for the entire weekend.

No doubt the new, if fleeting, fare will prove useful to the summer holiday crowds. It will also be irresistible to the city's network of transport influencers, who'll be seeing just how many buses they can catch in one day (expect those videos to drop on Sunday 26 July).

To mark the launch of the Weekend Hopper, three buses — on the 23, 49 and 295 routes — have been 'wrapped up' as frogs. Ribbiting stuff.

During his 10-year tenure, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has pushed the use of buses, introducing the original Hopper fare when he took office in 2016, and overseeing the introducing of the Superloop system. He is, famously, the son of a bus driver.

The museum will open in Mayfair in 2027. Image: Matt Brown/Ewan Munro via creative commons

It was the address where the Beatles played their last ever live public performance* in 1969; now 3 Savile Row is set to become a seven-storey museum dedicated to the Fab Four.

Titled simply The Beatles, the new visitor attraction — set to open in 2027, according the Guardian — will be based in the Georgian townhouse in Mayfair which the group established as the HQ of their record label Apple Corps. It is Apple Corps which has now re-acquired the building, and it will display archive material throughout.

3 Savile Row features prominently in Peter Jackson's 2021 documentary The Beatles: Get Back, in which the band is filmed cobbling together what would be their final album, Let It Be — and perhaps the runaway success of this film prompted the decision to turn it into a museum. One of the major attractions will be a facsimile recording studio, as well as  the chance to go on the rooftop (cue a rush on cherry red macintoshes, as influencers imitate Ringo, who sported his wife's waterproof).

Beatles lore is etched deep in the fabric of London (along with Liverpool and Hamburg),  a place where the group lived, played and recorded (indeed Paul McCartney still has the St John's Wood house that he bought in 1965). The usually off-limits Abbey Road Studios let a select group of Beatles fans in for tours in 2024, though tickets were steep. It's only right that London has a permanent Beatles museum, and there's literally no better place to put it.

Following last week's news that visitors will soon be able to ascend the BT Tower again, are we witnessing a return to the heady heights of swinging sixties London?

*Semi public anyway; people could hear but not see it.

Plans for the BT Tower's revamp include a rooftop pool. Image: Sam LEGEND

It's been a while since we heard that the BT Tower is going to become a luxury hotel, but further details on the project have now emerged, ahead of public consultations next week.

MCR Hotels — the company which owns around 150 hotels worldwide, including the Eero Saarinen-designed TWA Hotel at JFK Airport in New York City — purchased the lofty London icon in 2024 for £275m, with the aim of turning it into a "hotel‑led, mixed‑use development".

Though we can assume rooms at the Orms Architects-designed hotel will not be thrifty, MCR has now hinted at a handful of things the public will benefit from, chief among them, access to the top of the tower (a privilege currently only afforded to a few occasional ballot winners) and a rooftop swimming pool (we THINK this will be public too). In its early days, the tower had a 120-seat revolving restaurant, plus viewing galleries, but both have been shut for decades.

MCR Hotels has a track record of turning iconic buildings, like the old TWA terminal at JFK Airport, into hotels. Image: Max Harlynking

Other boons for the project, says MCR, will be "a new publicly accessible square", "exciting new retail shops and restaurants" and "public realm improvements, making the surrounding streets greener, safer, and more pedestrian-friendly."

While most admirers of the BT Tower will surely be pleased to see it preserved, many will be waiting with bated breath to see how much it'll cost them to go up it.

Three initial public consultations will be held at the Jeremy Bentham Room, University College London, 23-25 Gower Street on:

Monday, 11 May
5.30pm-7.30pm

Tuesday 12 May
5.30pm-7.30pm

Saturday 16 May
11.30am-1.30pm

A virtual feedback form will also be available on the consultation site from 5.30pm on 11 May.

As yet, no estimated opening date has been announced for the hotel.

Can't wait till June? Check out our article on where else to ride vintage buses in London.

Travel back to an era when buses looked like this. Image © David Bowker

All aboard for free vintage bus rides this June!

London Bus Museum's semi-regular heritage day returns on Saturday 13 June 2026, when buses dating from the 1930s-90s (though mostly from the 1950s-60s) ply the 213 route between Kingston and Sutton, with more heritage buses on the 293 route picking up the baton between North Cheam and Epsom.

Simply show up at a bus stop along the routes on the timetable below between 10am-5pm, and soon enough an RT-Type, original Routemaster — or perhaps another bus straight out of yesteryear — will scoop you up. Some services will even have a conductor on board, handing out facsimile tickets. (Just be aware that if you board a modern TfL service on the route that day, you'll need to tap in and pay a fare.)

The 213 route has been running between Kingston and Sutton since 1921 – well over a century — although even way back then, you had to pay something to ride, so this is an opportunity not to be passed up.

Note that because of the buses' vintage, they're unfortunately unable to accommodate wheelchairs and most modern buggies.

London Bus Museum Route 213 and 293 Heritage Day, Saturday 13 June 2026, 10am-5pm, free

Image: Matt Brown

Trains across southern England — including those running in and out of London — are being affected by a major radio fault this morning.

National Rail has declared a major incident, with services expected to be disrupted until the end of today (Thursday 7 May), saying that:

A fault with the radio system between the driver and the signaller is affecting services on the South England network. Some services may be delayed by up to 90 minutes or cancelled as a result.

The issue is causing delays and cancellations to trains into and out of London stations including Victoria, with National Rail saying CrossCountry, Gatwick Express, Great Western Railway, Southern, South Western Railway and Thameslink, as well as London Overground, are affected.

At present, TfL is operating a 'Good Service' on London Overground lines, with no reports of any delays there — though this could change throughout the day.

• Southern said: "This is affecting services along our whole network, in particular services to/from London Victoria, and along our West Coastway route (between Brighton and Portsmouth/Southampton)."
• Thameslink is warning of disruption "on Thameslink services running to/from Brighton, Horsham, and Three Bridges."
• Southwestern Railway says that "Train services running across the whole South Western Railway network may be cancelled, delayed by up to 90 minutes or revised."
• Gatwick Express services "continue to be significantly affected by this issue".

Gatwick Express is among the services affected. Image: John Lucas via CC BY-SA 2.0

In many cases, tickets are being accepted on local buses or alternative routes, though of course this isn't always viable for long-distance routes. Check with individual train operators for details, as well as info on Delay Repay schemes.

Advice is to avoid travelling today if you can... though that doesn't help the hundreds of thousands of commuters already in London who must find a way home. If you must travel, leave plenty of extra time for your journey, and be prepared for lengthy delays and last-minute cancellations.

Other operators running into and out of London, including Southeastern and LNER aren't currently affected — though it's always worth checking before you travel.

C20 wants Terry Farrell's postmodern 'Palace on the River' to be granted Grade II* listing. Image: Londonist

The Twentieth Century Society (C20) has called for the Grade II* listing of Embankment Place — the glassy barrel-roofed office complex hovering about Charing Cross station.

Charing Cross station lost its original barrel-shaped roof in a tragic collapse in 1905, which was then replaced with a less impressive flat one. It wasn't until 1989 that construction began on Terry Farrell's postmodern 'Palace on the River', an 'air rights' building which suspends nine storeys of offices above the station, isolating the space from the thrum of tracks below.

Farrell's design echoed Charing Cross' first roof — not to mention that of the Royal Festival Hall across the water — creating what the developers Greycoat called "a building of exceptional character on a very important site... a building of drama. A proscenium arch."

"A bloated bauble above Charing Cross station"

Embankment Place, as seen from the London Eye. Image: Penn Station vis creative commons.

Not everyone saw Farrell's building that way; the Independent lambasted it as a "bloated bauble above Charing Cross station that looks like a giant Art Deco wireless". However, Farrell, who died last year, certainly fulfilled the brief for a structure that would stick in the memory. In a picture quiz, most Londoners would place Embankment Place as 'that building above Charing Cross station' or otherwise perhaps mistake it for the MI6 Building — another of Farrell's cartoonish confections. As is often the way with such audacious architecture, feelings towards the building have softened over the decades.

C20 in particular have a soft spot for Embankment Place. "Of all the commercial 'air-rights' developments above London railway termini," C20's Oli Marshall tells Londonist, "this is undoubtedly the most successful and for a building approaching 40 years old, it has certainly passed the test of time." Calls for its Grade II* listing came after the building's owner applied for a COI (Certificate of Immunity from listing), in line with plans to make substantial alterations, as part of a wider revamp for the surrounding area.

A Grade II* listing would severely limit the changes that could be made to Farrell's building. "Now is the right time for its architectural and historic value to be formally assessed," says Marshall.

The battle for Brutalism is won. The fight for PoMo is on

10 Cabot Square, another PoMo structure that's under threat right now. Image: Fred Romero from Paris, France via CC BY 2.0

This is a moment of reckoning for London's PoMo architecture. C20 recently called for the listing of 10 Cabot Square in Canary Wharf, currently under threat of being largely demolished, ahead of proposed redevelopment to the blueprints of the Howells architecture firm. C20 says that Skidmore, Owings & Merrill's early 1990s Neoclassical Chicago-style office block "is the finest example of this type of architecture remaining in Canary Wharf." However, there is still much proselytising to be done, to win critics over to the glories of PoMo architecture.

Oli Marshall tells Londonist: "While the recent listing of the Southbank Centre after 40 years of debate shows that the battle for Brutalism has perhaps finally been won, our Postmodern architectural heritage of the 1980s and 90s still remains widely undervalued and under-appreciated."

The Peter Robinson department store on Oxford Street had its branding printed on selected maps of the debut print run of Harry Beck's Tube map in 1933.

"...the sponsored Tube map is here". So regretfully announced a City AM article in December 2014, on the news that contactless card provider MBNA was paying TfL a handsome fee to have its branding stamped on the iconic London Underground map.

Eight years later, IKEA forked out £800,000 for the privilege of having its logo peppered across the map. People started wondering where this sponsorship madness would end.

Except that the sponsored Tube map was a thing from the moment Harry Beck's famous design was first published — over 80 years before the MBNA map came along.

UERL wore its reservations on its sleeve, by printing on the front: "A new design for an old map. We should welcome your comments."

Beck will forever be remembered as the man who sold his schematic circuit board design of the previously geographical Tube map to the Underground Electric Railways Company of London (UERL; soon after to become London Transport) for the measly equivalent of £600 in today's money.

UERL was highly sceptical that Beck was onto a winner, but in January 1933, printed 750,000 copies nonetheless. Wearing its reservations on its sleeve, UERL had printed on the front of the maps: "A new design for an old map. We should welcome your comments." All 750k maps were gone within a month, a second print run was hastily arranged, and the rest is history.

Harry Beck was infamously paid a nominal fee for his groundbreaking map design. Image: Matt From London

Beck's instant hit was quickly a design classic, one that's revered not just by Londoners and those in the design world — but pretty much everyone everywhere — which is why people can be precious about the idea of 'soiling' it with sponsors.

However, in that original 1933 print run, some maps were indeed 'overprinted', with sponsored branding. Peter Robinson, the department store (which sometimes wrote its name 'Peter Robinson's'), was one such client, with two conspicuously circled red logos (they are, in fact, larger than the roundel itself) printed onto the map, and unsubtly directing map readers towards its Oxford Circus location. (Far more invasive than IKEA's later cameo.)

Another 1933 overprint was for prominent scrap metal merchant George Cohen, Sons and Company, whose North Acton showrooms were flagged inside a bright red rectangle on the left of the map.

Both maps will be displayed by Altea gallery at the London Map Fair in June. The fair itself is free entry, although if you'd like to own one of the maps, that'll set you back £2,400/£2,500.

It's possible that overprinted maps like this one were inserted into trade magazines.

Overprinting like this, by the way, would've been carried out while the maps were first being printed — rather than added afterward by the individual companies — so it was all official and above board.

The print run for the Peter Robinson map would've been quite large, although survival rates are very low. Luca from Altea gallery tells Londonist: "These were ephemeral items, often discarded after use. Condition, combined with unusual variants such as advertising overprints, makes examples like these particularly desirable today."

Relatively few overprints would've been done in the case of the George Cohen map. Says Luca: "Variants such as this one are considered rare, as they were most likely produced in relatively small numbers, for targeted promotional use rather than general distribution."

Sponsorship on the London Underground itself has been in existence more or less from the get-go. We know, for example, that Bovril was being plugged in carriages in 1896.

The London Map Fair, Royal Geographical Society, 6-7 June 2026, free entry

Tibet to Canada without changing? It can be done on the World Tube Map.

Over 300 languages are spoken in London, a city steeped in diversity.

And what better way to represent this, than with a World Tube Map — a country's flag represented at each stop (plus a few religions), contingent on ethnic neighbourhoods & commercial hubs; landmarks & associations; and restaurants/bars. To name a handful:

🇬🇷 Tottenham Court Road: That'll be the Parthenon Sculptures at the British Museum.
🇨🇭Piccadilly Circus: Everyone's favourite glockenspiel clock.
🇯🇵 Holland Park: despite its name, this spot is better known for its Japanese garden.
🇬🇪 Highbury & Islington: the nearby Tbilisi restaurant is home to the best khachapuri this side of Georgia.
🇨🇳 Kew Gardens: Though designed by a Swedish-born architect in England, Kew Gardens' Great Pagoda takes its cue from China.
🇮🇷 East Finchley, Finchley Central, West Finchley: lots of Iranian heritage in this part of town.

"Every time I walked somewhere new, I would notice restaurants, bakeries, and religious buildings — it was a never‑ending discovery."

The World Tube Map is the idea of map maker Arcangelo Martiello, who's behind the Easy Tube Map website. "I was inspired by London's incredible diversity and the way multiple layers of migration have shaped the city," Arcangelo tells Londonist. "Every time I walked somewhere new, I would notice restaurants, bakeries and religious buildings — it was a never‑ending discovery. I wanted to design a map that reflects that richness, celebrating multicultural London through ethnic neighbourhoods, landmarks, and restaurants at every stop, for people of all national, racial and religious backgrounds."

As for Archangelo's favourite stop on the map? "It's difficult to say, but maybe St Peter's & Old Little Italy (Farringdon). It made me reflect on the Italians who arrived in London long before me, even though it has now mostly disappeared. It was also a special place to visit when my mum and my sister came to London."

Check out the full map on the Easy Tube Map website. There's also a centralised map with a handy slider here.

All images: easytubemap.com

Tube strikes take place throughout this week. Image: CGP Grey from London, United Kingdom via CC BY 2.0

At lunchtime today (21 April) a 24-hour Tube strike begins, followed by a second 24-hour strike later this week.

You can read more about this RMT union action — including the reasons behind it, and future planned strike dates — here.

In London today? Wondering about getting home tonight? Read on for everything you need to know about getting around the capital while the Tube strike is happening.

When does the Tube strike start today?

It's a 24-hour strike from 12pm (lunchtime) on Tuesday 21 April, ending at 11.59am on Wednesday 22 April — so it'll affect evening rush hour on Tuesday and morning rush hour on Wednesday.

It's followed by another 24-hour strike from 12pm on Thursday (23 April) until 11.59am on Friday (24 April).

Though the strikes end at midday on Wednesday and Friday, TfL has said disruption will continue into the evening on these days. On Wednesday and Friday mornings, no services at all are expected to start running until around 7.30am. You'll need to find an alternative if you're travelling earlier than that.

Further strikes are also planned for May and June.

What's running (and what's closed) during today's Tube strike?

Photo: Londonist

TfL has said that the whole Tube network is likely to be affected, with a reduced service expected to run across most lines, and significant disruption. Complete closures as follows:

• No service expected on the Piccadilly and Circle lines
• No service expected on the Metropolitan line between Baker Street and Aldgate
• No service expected on the Central line between White City and Liverpool Street

TfL has said that the Elizabeth line, DLR, London Overground, Trams and most bus routes* will be running as normal but are expected to be very busy.

*Note that on Friday, some strikes on bus services in east London coincide with the Tube strike due to industrial action at Bow Garage — full details on the TfL website.

Live updates on the Tube strike

🚇 The British Library is among the institutions altering its opening hours this week due to the Tube strike, closing earlier on Tuesday and Thursday, and opening later on Wednesday and Friday:

Our St Pancras opening hours will be affected by planned tube strikes this week.

For a full list of amended hours, visit our website: https://t.co/JWAyrCEta3 pic.twitter.com/921b1pWFJx

— British Library (@britishlibrary) April 20, 2026

🚇 London's pubs and restaurants could see sales drop by up to 40% during the Tube strike, according to a report published by CityAM, which claims that "the capital’s hospitality industry is set to be the hardest-hit from the industrial action". Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association is not happy, telling us: "As the sector faces a fresh surge in energy and operating costs, this new wave of strike action creates yet more uncertainty that businesses simply cannot absorb. Margins are being squeezed from every direction, and confidence is increasingly fragile. The ongoing disruption to transport services begs the question, who does this actually benefit? Because right now, it’s businesses, workers and the wider public who are paying the price for the reckless actions of the few."

🚇 Among the big events taking place during the strikes is an Alex Warren gig at The O2 on Tuesday evening, leaving fans asking why the concert wasn't cancelled or rescheduled when Coldplay at Wembley and Post Malone at Tottenham Hotspur were both rescheduled due to Tube strikes last September. The O2 has a capacity of around 20,000 compared to the 90,000 fans who were expected to attend the Coldplay concert, and the Jubilee line serving The O2 is expected to run during the strike, albeit with a reduced service.

🚇 Those who are blind/visually impaired will suffer too. Clive Wood, Lead Regional Policy & Campaigns Manager at Guide Dogs explains: "Tube closures can lead to increased traffic, busier pavements, and more crowded public spaces and buses. We also expect greater use of e-bikes and e-scooters, and as we saw last year, many of these were poorly parked and blocked pavements, posing risks for pedestrians with sight loss. For some, these factors may make journeys feel unpredictable or unsafe, and may lead them to avoid travelling altogether, limiting their independence."

🚇 12.28pm: Half an hour after the strike officially started, the TfL status page is showing severe disruption already — including on the western end of Elizabeth line, which isn't directly affected by the strike action. It's due to a (badly-timed) points failure at Hanwell.

Despite TfL initially saying there would be no service on the Piccadilly line, it does seem to be trying to run some sort of service at the moment.

🚇 4.20pm: In addition to the Tube strike, Great Northern is reporting issues on its routes between Brighton and Cambridge.

🚇5.13pm: Here's how it's looking as people start to head home from work. Thankfully it appears the earlier disruption on the Elizabeth line has now cleared up.

The new food market will open in west Smithfield in 2028, subject to planning permission. Image: Matt From London

A section of the Smithfield's Victorian market is set to become a food market and boutique hotel.

While Smithfield's General Market and Poultry Market are already deep into redevelopment, as they metamorphose in the much-anticipated London Museum (slated to open later this year), the future of a triangle of former market buildings, storage facilities and engine structures (built circa 1886-1899) on the west of the Smithfield site — collectively known as the Annexe buildings — had, until now, been undetermined.

Roughly the area where the food market/hotel would be. Image: Google

Now, the City of London Corporation, which owns the site, has revealed a two-stage plan to redevelop these:

• Phase One (touted for early 2028): A new food market featuring independent vendors and 'inclusive programming' to complement activities at the neighbouring London Museum. The market, says the City of London, will be inspired by the historic writings of Smithfield as a 'kitchen of the universe', featuring both established and start-up chefs representing the best of London's diverse cuisine.
• Phase Two (touted for 2030): A boutique hotel with ground-floor retail, plus a pocket park for community events and live entertainment.

The City of London Corporation says it will work with General Projects Limited and Esselco Group Limited to redevelop the Annexe buildings, alongside a design studio whose name will be familiar to many Londoners — Thomas Heatherwick (of New Routemaster/Olympic cauldron/Garden Bridge fame/infamy). No scamps of the proposed development are available at this time.

The food market and hotel will accompany the soon-to-open London Museum. Image: Londonist

Says Chris Hayward, Policy Chairman at the City of London Corporation: "Smithfield has always been London's kitchen, a place of trade, energy and life for over a thousand years. The Annexe redevelopment honours that history while giving this remarkable corner of the Square Mile a bold new future."

Of course, what we'd REALLY like to see is the return of the Cock Tavern, the bunker-like spit and sawdust pub with reverse opening hours, where Anthony Bourdain washed down a full English with a pint of Guinness once upon a time. You sense a cheap 'n' greasy fry up won't be on the cards at Smithfield's new market.

Meanwhile, the City of London Corporation recently won a judicial review concerning the nearby site of what was the Museum of London, in which campaign group Barbican Quarter Organisation claimed the City of London was planning to demolish buildings in the area without properly consider alternative schemes.

The Whittington Stone monument has stood since 1821, with the feline embellishment added in the 1960s.

Richard 'Dick' Whittington — the man who was four-times Lord Mayor of London (thrice in the pantomime version), and bestowed to the city a massive toilet — is enshrined in everything from pantos to pubs.

He is also immortalised in the Whittington Stone, a small monument erected at the foot of Highgate Hill in Archway in 1821, at the spot where a down-and-out Dick supposedly heard the bells call out "Turn again, Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor of London" — calling him back to the medieval City. That quote is emblazoned on the milestone-like monument, and in 1964, was embellished with sculptor Jonathan Kenworthy's limestone cat, referencing Whittington's (likely fabricated) feline accomplice.

Children from local schools have been involved in creative workshops, meeting conservators and contributing directly to the project.

Over the decades, the monument has fallen foul of soot, moss and general erosion, but now — thanks to a project funded by Islington Council and Heritage of London Trust with support from Englefield Charitable Trust — it's been restored to former glory. Work by SSH Conservation has seen stone repairs, recutting and repainting of the lettering, plus refurbishment and repainting of the railings surrounding the monument. A new panel has been installed nearby, giving more context to the Whittington Stone and the story behind it.

Children from local schools, including St John's Upper Holloway C of E School and Yerbury Primary School, have been involved with the project too, some even helping with the repainting. Says 11-year-old Betty Rose: "I think it's important for young people to know the story of Dick Whittington because it's a really inspiring story for all of us and basically it's to never give up and you should always try!"

"It was really nice just knowing about that job [of a conservator] and the work they do. Otherwise, I doubt we would even have half of what we've got around us.": 10-year-old Rufus from Yerbury Primary School.

The annual Whittington Walk — which retraces Whittington's route back from Archway to the City — takes place this year on Sunday 19 April, with many of London's mayors gathering at the Whittington Stone at 10.15am. Sadiq Khan himself is not expected to be in attendance, but he is, only (so far at least) only thrice Mayor of London.

They don't make 'em like they used to. Image: London Transport Museum

Dream of travelling to a bygone London? This May you can do just that, thanks to a series of heritage rides on a 1938 Tube train.

The burgundy-hued art deco style stock — consisting of four carriages, and replete with wooden frames windows, sleek light fittings, and a sumptuous red and green cut and loop wool moquette — is running on sections of the Piccadilly line across the early May bank holiday.

The journeys take place between Northfields and the Heathrow Loop (Saturday 2 May 2026), Cockfosters to Northfields (Sunday 3 and Monday 4 May 2026) and Northfields to Cockfosters (also Sunday 3 and Monday 4 May 2026). There are multiple trips on each day, each with a time slot.

The stock has been lovingly restored. Image: London Transport Museum

Though you can't reserve individual seats, carriages are divvied into 'Gold', 'Silver' and 'Bronze'. (Fitting, if coincidental, given that early London Underground trains were indeed split into classes.)

In all, over 1,100 of these 1938 cars were built — with some still in use in London up until 1988. A handful were recycled on the Isle of Wight's Island Line, but in 2020 these were replaced with 'new' (aka 1980s) London Underground stock.

Nowadays, you can admire these beauts in museums and depots, but you get a chance to ride them a few times a year.

As usual spaces are going fast. Image: London Transport Museum

Unfortunately these heritage rides are very much NOT at 1938 prices: adult tickets start at £25, going up to £30, though there are concession rates for kids. As usual spaces are going fast.

If you're looking for a thriftier heritage Tube experience, you can always hop on the Bakerloo line, the stock of which which is way over half a century old.

Heritage Tube rides, 2-4 May 2026.

Trackside Transformation: The Evolution of British Mainline Stations 1923-1947 is a new book that digs into the station architecture of the 'Big Four' — Great Western Railway, London Midland and Scottish Railway, London and North Eastern Railway, and Southern Railway — between the 1920s-40s.

Here, author Daniel Wright heads south to discover the gorgeous interwar stations built apart from those on the London Underground.

Tolworth station (1939). Image: Philip Butler

When speaking of railway stations in London from the 1920s and 1930s, most would no doubt think of the remarkable work of Charles Holden for the Underground.

Revered in period, and celebrated ever since, his estate of stations from 1923-1947 revolutionised the approach to modern architecture in Britain and left an enduring legacy on the capital's streets.

However, the Underground wasn't the only company building striking stations in London at the time. South of the Thames one of the four national railway firms was designing its own take on the modern British railway station.

Bromley North station (1925-6). Image: Philip Butler

Between the two World Wars, railway commuting in London boomed. The creation of new lines and the rebuilding existing stations to meet the demand occurred at a dizzying pace. Development north of the Thames was the domain of the Underground and Metropolitan railways, but south of the river, it was the Southern Railway which operated and expanded a dense network of mainline commuter routes.

Byfleet & New Haw station (1927). Image: Philip Butler

One of the 'Big Four' railway companies created in 1923 by government legislation, the Southern was responsible for all the mainline rail routes operating from the capital out to the south coast, from Kent to Devon. However, it was also building a significant commuter business for itself in London's suburbs by electrifying its lines to introduce faster and more frequent services, replicating the Underground's service offer, but on the surface. That meant bigger and better stations where existing buildings couldn't cope with increasing passenger numbers.

Surbiton station (1937). Image: Philip Butler

At first, these new stations were designed in a polite neo-classical style, like the charming survivor at Bromley North (1926). This wasn't to last, and within a few years the Southern was being influenced by the same international design trends as the Underground, with its chief architect James Robb Scott designing a collection of modernist/art deco mainline stations in south London. Though much less well known now than those of the Underground, they nevertheless have a lot to offer and when newly built rivalled their Underground cousins in the design and architecture stakes.

Wimbledon station (1929). Image: Philip Butler

The most famous is undoubtedly Surbiton (1937) with its lofty booking hall restored and lit by bronze uplighters, as well as other surviving features like its dramatic clock tower. Recent restoration work at Richmond (also 1937) makes the case for that station too, with stylish 1930s glass signage uncovered and restored, complemented by replica art deco light fittings and an original sign returned from the London Transport Museum in the booking hall.

Chessington North station (1939). Image: Philip Butler

While these two are undeniably celebrated examples of Southern's work, it was the vast number of lesser-known examples built, and the fact that no comprehensive book on the subject existed, that led photographer Philip Butler and myself to create their book Trackside Transformation – The Evolution of British Mainline Stations 1923-1947.

Waddon station ticket hall (1937). Image: Philip Butler

Perhaps one reason Scott's mainline stations are less famous than Holden's Tube stations is that the Big Four's bosses simply weren't as interested in architecture and architects as Underground CEO Frank Pick was. While Pick was promoting his marvellous new stations, the Southern focussed more on publicising the services it offered.

Carshalton Beeches station (1925). Image: Philip Butler

That lesser interest was compounded by nationalisation of the mainline railways in 1948, privatisation in the 1990s which saw stations passing between short-lived franchises, and now re-nationalisation, meaning that their value and 'brand' hasn't always been recognised by their various owners, and maintenance has been inconsistent. Many original features have been lost over the years, more so than at the inter-war Tube stations.
One of the Southern's very first Streamline stations, Wimbledon Chase (1929), has been allowed to deteriorate so much that there are plans to demolish and replace it with a block of flats. Built on the Southern's brand new Wimbledon-Sutton line, which saw off attempts to extend the District and Northern lines to Sutton, its architecture was a clear response to the challenge posed by the more limited Northern line extension to nearby Morden, which included stations by Holden. For now, it is — just — possible to appreciate Wimbledon Chase's mould-breaking concave frontage and the 1920s tiling inside.

Richmond station (1937). Image: Philip Butler

Nevertheless, there are plenty of surviving Southern Railway stations in London's southern suburbs that still possess much kerb appeal, with period features there for those with a keen eye. While completing the project, Philip found himself particularly taken by a later batch of four stations on the Chessington branch line, completed between 1938 and 1939. Each one has a streamlined art deco station building, and the platforms are sheltered by dramatic curved canopies. Unique on the mainline railway network, they were originally lit by rows of circular glass lenses. The lenses are still there but painted over awaiting restoration to their original art deco glory.

Tolworth station (1939). Image: Philip Butler

I, meanwhile, have a soft spot for Waddon (1937). Beneath garish commercial signage is a striking Modernist building which can hold its own against any inter-war Tube station. Little-noticed today, it is a hidden gem of the sort that Trackside Transformation aims to bring to a new audience. Trackside Transformation profiles over 100 stations built or rebuilt by the Big Four nationwide which survive, often unrecognised, to this day. Philip's photographs capture the characters of the range of the stations, from cottage-like stations in suburban and rural locations to art deco giants in city centres, while my pen portraits add historical context.

Trackside Transformation: The Evolution of British Mainline Stations 1923-1947, by Daniel Wright and Philip Butler, published by Art Deco Magpie Publishing.

Warning: This article contains images of nudity.

The World Naked Bike Ride is back on London's streets for 2026!

The World Naked Bike Ride returns to London for 2026, meaning hundreds of nude cyclists will be out and about on two wheels one Sunday in June.

The event takes place in more than 200 cities around the world, and has been a London fixture since 2004. While it's all good fun, the World Naked Bike Ride has a serious message too, acting as a memorable but peaceful message with the following aims:

• Protest against the global dependency on oil
• Curb car culture
• Obtain real rights for cyclists
• Demonstrate the vulnerability of cyclists on city streets
• Celebrate body freedom

The key word here is "peaceful" — organisers are at pains to ask everyone taking part to behave legally and respectfully.

When is the London nude bike ride 2026?

Cycle through central London without your clothes

The World Naked Bike Ride 2026 takes place in London on Sunday 14 June. That's a big change this year: For the first time, the event is taking place on a Sunday instead of a Saturday. Organisers said:

In recent years, the Saturday has become increasingly busy with more traffic, events, road closures, road works, diversions, crane operations, crowds, protests, counter-protests, police lockdowns, and, of course, the Trooping of the Colour. In 2024 we had to rearrange almost everything to avoid the clashes and closures. In 2025 we managed to stick to the plan, but it was hard work

Can anyone take part in the London Naked Bike Ride 2026?

The nude bike ride passes London's famous sights

Yes, anyone's welcome, as long as you are physically capable of cycling the route, you behave respectfully, and are willing to get at least a little bit naked.

'Be as bare as you dare' is the dress code for the event. Happy to let it all hang out? Crack on! (So to speak.) Want to keep your underwear on to protect your modesty? Absolutely fine. Want to don a mask, a headpiece or some sort of fancy dress as a disguise? You do you! However, for safety reasons it's recommended that everyone wears shoes (and a helmet is a jolly good idea too). Body paint, bike decorations, flags, banners and the like are also welcome, as long as they don't interfere with anyone's safety.

Oh, and if it's a remotely sunny day, sun cream is advisable. There are some places that should never, ever get sunburnt.

London World Naked Bike Ride route 2026

Don't forget your suncream!

There are several main London routes for the World Naked Bike Ride, including an accessible route for anyone who can't manage the full length of the other routes. All routes have a different starting point (and time) as follows:

• Clapham Junction
• Croydon
• Deptford
• Hackney Wick
• Kew Bridge
• Regent's Park
• Tower Hill
• Wellington Arch
• Accessible route, beginning near Waterloo station and the London Eye

All routes converge around Westminster Bridge for a grand finale near Wellington Arch at around 5.30pm, with more than 1,000 riders expected. If you're not taking part yourself but are planning on spectating, please do so respectfully, particularly with regards to taking photos of individual riders.

After this, there's an official after party for riders in Cannon Street — it's a ticketed event, aiming to raise money for the World Naked Bike Ride. Although everyone involved does so voluntarily, there are costs involved, such as radio equipment, insurance and road closure fees. Details for the 2025 after-party, including location, are currently TBC.

The World Naked Bike Ride 2026 takes place in London on Sunday 14 June 2026. It's free to take part — just turn up at the start of one of the routes with your bike... and little else.

You can see (NSFW) photos from previous rides here and here.

All images supplied by the World Naked Bike Ride.

The lowdown on the planned Beam Park station in east London.

Beam Park itself is well under way, but work on the proposed station is yet to commence. Image: MRSC via CC BY-SA 4.0

Where is Beam Park?

Beam Park is a new development of around 4,000 houses, being built in the east London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, and Havering. "Homes for local people" runs its League of Gentlemen-esque tagline. 50% of these homes will be 'affordable', i.e. Shared Ownership, while 30% of the development (some of which is built on land formerly used by Ford) will be publicly accessible green space. Plans also feature two primary schools. All told, it's a pretty significant development, and a designated Housing Zone.

Why is it called Beam Park?

The name comes from the River Beam, which forms a section of the boundary between the two afore-mentioned boroughs. It's actually better known as the River Rom, but then 'Rom Park' doesn't sound quite so aspirational.

Beam Park should eventually gets its own c2c station. Image: London Less Travelled via CC BY 2.0

What is Beam Park station?

Beam Park sits — and the new station would be built — between Dagenham Dock and Rainham on the c2c railway, which runs in/out of Fenchurch Street. Given that it's essentially a brand new neighbourhood, with many thousands of new residents (and potentially many more thousands of homes to come in the area), it rightly warrants its own railway station. But planning hasn't been straightforward, and at time of writing (April 2026) construction has not commenced.

Is Beam Park station actually happening then?

Plans for a Beam Park station have been mooted since 2002, so to say that progress has been sluggish would be an understatement. In 2021, with plans for Beam Park station in their advanced stages, the Department for Transport (DfT) got nervy about its financial viability, and refused it funding. There's a nice little exchange about this in the minutes from a 2024 London Assembly meeting between the Conservative Andrew Boff, and Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan:

Andrew Boff AM (Chair): ... Who has caused the delay?

Sadiq Khan (Mayor of London): The previous Government.

Andrew Boff AM (Chair): Funny that.

Khan himself is behind the project, saying "A new station at Beam Park is essential for unlocking thousands of new homes in the area." He pledged £32m in 2020 — money which is yet to be used.

In March 2026, there was a breakthrough when the Government announced final approval of the project, with housing minister Matthew Pennycook saying "a new Beam Park rail station could be accommodated within the existing rail network". Of course, now it's been so long, costs of building the station will have risen.

When will Beam Park station open?

That remains unclear. No schedule has been published, and the Government green light is still contingent on how the project will be funded. Until this time, there will be some degree of trepidation from developers, who will want to ensure the homes they build will be suitably well connected to central London, and in the other direction, Essex.

Looking for somewhere to have a good laugh? We've just updated our roundup of comedy nights in London, featuring MOTH Club, and many, many other venues.

The glittery gold curtain is staying (along with the rest of the club). Image: Londonist

The closure of independent venues in London is a constant (and frankly, exhausting) threat, so it's always refreshing to see a positive news story — and right now, we've got one.

MOTH Club — the ex-servicemen's members club in Hackney Central, known for its live music, and Knock2Bag comedy nights starring the likes of Sam Campbell, Sheeps, Rosie Jones and many other great comedians — was fighting for its future recently, owing to two proposals to build residential blocks directly overlooking the club. This, believed, MOTH Club, would lead to all kinds of noise and disturbance complaints from the new residents — prompting possible limitations, or even closure.

Now, it's been revealed that the first planning application has been refused — a sensible decision that's surely been swayed by the many artists, audiences, local residents and industry stakeholders signing and sharing a petition, as well as lobbying from the likes of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) and the Music Venue Trust.

"This is incredibly welcome news and a defining moment for London’s nightlife." Image: Londonist

"This is a huge win," said MOTH Club to its Instagram followers, "We couldn’t have done it without your support."

Added Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association: "This is incredibly welcome news and a defining moment for London's nightlife. Moth Club is more than just a venue, it is a cultural institution, a platform for emerging talent, and a vital community hub. What we've seen is people power in action, a collective voice that simply could not be ignored."

But the fight, says MOTH Club, is not over; the second planning application is still in progress. "We need to keep spreading the word and make sure our venue continues to be a home for live music, comedy and grassroots culture," says the club.

At Londonist, we've also got our eye on developments at another wonderful London venue, the 'Traf' pub in Wimbledon (it features in our list of 100 best London pubs), which is currently trying to obtain the leasehold from developers. A community meeting regarding this takes place on 15 April 2026.

Meanwhile, TheatreShip in Canary Wharf is also under threat from a skyscraper development, though the planning decision has been deferred after appeals from fans of the venue.

Look closely - that's tomato-flavoured candy floss... apparently 😉

It's 1 April, meaning pranks galore, as companies and institutions everywhere hop on the annual April Fools' bandwagon. Here are some of the best jokes we've spotted in London this year — we'll add to it as more hijinx are revealed.

Candy floss pizza at Zizzi

Italian restaurant chain Zizzi — whose London locations include Strand, Victoria, Canary Wharf and Wembley — claims to be serving up a new candy floss pizza from today, adding "You'd be a fool not to try it!"

The Quattro Pomodoro Candy Floss Pizza features a tomato base, topped with a unique tomato-flavoured candy floss that melts into a sweet glaze that coats the pizza. The vibrant red candy floss topper is placed directly onto the hot pizza just before serving.

In other pizza-flavoured "news" coming out today:

• Indy pizzeria Fatto a Mano launches dough-less pizza, which sees the base removed, leaving just the crust and the toppings. It is, it says, a response to "evolving consumer habits, with increasing numbers of diners seeking lighter options".
• Tinned fruit brand Dole announces the launch of a tinned Hawaiian pizza, which "comes sealed in a tin, designed for maximum convenience and practicality, so Hawaiian pizza fans can enjoy the controversial classic whenever they like". Sounds... Dole-lightful.

Royal Albert Hall gets down with the kids

The Royal Albert Hall — which has offered up many an excellent April Fool's prank in the past — could soon ring with cries of kidz catchphrase "Six Seeeeeeven". It claims to be realigning its target audience, going after Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences with upcoming events such as Doomscrolling in Concert, An Evening of Ragebait, Aura Farming and Brainrot Fest.

James O'Follipar (👀), CEO of the Royal Albert Hall, said: "There's always more we can do to bring in new audiences. We want to be a place where people can Snapchat a twerk; the home of six-seven. To us, ragebait, brainrot and yapping aren't just words — they're central to everything we do."

The Heathrow Express "Training Train"

Passengers can now pack in a 15-minute workout on the way to Heathrow, as the Heathrow Express service teams up with PureGym to launch the "Training Train". Available from 1 April (naturally), the new service transforms the 15-minute Heathrow Express journey from Paddington into a high-energy fitness experience with a set of travel-inspired exercises, from "overhead locker lifts" and "luggage lunges" to "duty-free curls", "passport pocket squats" and "gate sprint drills".

(Perhaps the funniest bit of this is the disclaimer tucked away at the bottom of the press release: "Any references to PureGym workouts or exercise on board are fictional and part of the April Fools' concept. Passengers should not attempt these activities on Heathrow Express services.")

The Gillette "Close Shave" Water Park

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A post shared by Simon Pollock (@londonsuburbia)

Instagram account @londonsuburbia slides in with the news that planning permission has been granted to install a number of "extreme water slides" on the roof of the Old Gilette Factory on the Great West Road in Isleworth. Attractions will be  “carefully named to honour the heritage of our glorious Art Deco razor blade factory”, including the LubriStrip Rapids™, the ProGlide UltraMax Descent™, the SmoothCore™ UltraSlide Pro+, and the fearsome SkinGuard360™ Velocity Run. Ouch.

Reverse Stand Up at Angel Comedy

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A post shared by Angel Comedy (@angelcomedy)

If you get nervous enough sitting on the front row at a comedy show, Reverse Stand Up will have you quaking in your boots. Angel Comedy — slingers of daily stand-up shows in north London — announced its new policy on 1 April, in which audience members will be chosen at random to perform a three-five-minute set ahead of the real comedians taking to the stage. It's all in the name of 'experiencing the spotlight, navigating silence and reconsidering heckling offences'. And fear not; you will be judged 'firmly but fairly'. Hmm, any good dramas on at the theatre?

Croydon plans a waterpark with its own whale

At last, Croydon's half-deserted Whitgift Shopping Centre has found a use for some of its empty units, claims Your Local Guardian. Namely adding in winding slides, indoor lagoons and a central wave pool — to create what developers are calling a 'fully immersive aquatic high street'. Just imagine drifting past shop windows, as part of a 'submerged retail trail' — ingenious! The live whale, 'Whitgift Wally' would pull in extra punters too, although before you get too excited, swimming with him is strictly prohibited. Spoil sports.

Watches for dogs by Olivia Burton

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A post shared by Olivia Burton (@oliviaburtonlondon)

London-based watch and jewellery brand Olivia Burton has announced its "Paw o'clock edit" on Instagram. Details are light, but it's accompanied by a series of photos of dogs wearing watches as dog collars.

River Thames perfume by Secret London

An article published on Secret London this morning claims that "You can now buy a perfume that smells like the River Thames", going on to claim that "The new London startup has captured the essence of the Thames and bottled it up for everyone to enjoy". The CEO of that startup? Joe King.

Smells very similar to City Cruises' prank last year. This year, the river tour company has stuck to the theme with Scratch & Sniff Cruise Cards, along you to smell each landmark as you pass it on the water.

The Simmons hotel

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A post shared by Simmons Bars (@simmons_snaps)

Cocktail bar mini-chain Simmons announces the launch of its first hotel, opening in Soho in 2028. Highlights include private overnight karaoke rooms, teapot cocktail room service, and recovery kits available on request.

IKEA's meatball lollipop

IKEA have announced a "world-first" collab that brings their legendary meatballs to a stick, in the form of a meatball lollipop, complete with a tangy lingonberry finish. "No assembly required" reads the tagline...

The blue water of Bluewater

Just over the border from London in Kent, Bluewater shopping centre is unveiling its glowing blue lake, formed by the introduction of bioluminescent algae earlier this year. The spectacle, it says, is similar to naturally existing bioluminescent lakes in Australia and the Caribbean, and is best viewed at sunset.

If the above have made you chuckle, remind yourself of the best London April Fool's jokes from previous years:

• 2025
• 2022
• 2019
• 2016
• 2015
• 2014

Pssst! We wrote this article especially for 1 April 2026.

Soon set to be filled with cars rather than people: Leicester Square. Image: Daniel from Glasgow, United Kingdom via CC BY 2.0

Leicester Square will reopen to cars, buses and other proper vehicles by September.

The surprise announcement follows recent news that Oxford Circus is to be partially pedestrianised by September. "In order to take the strain from the closure of what is a major London artery," says Phoebe Palter from the London Roads Authority, "we've deemed it necessary to re-divert some traffic to nearby areas."

While all four sides of Leicester Square are resurfaced to accommodate vehicles, the Official London Theatre Ticket Booth will be painted green and used as a cabbie's shelter, and the central gardens "sympathetically transformed into a mass docking station for 500 Lime Bikes". There are also suggestions the ODEON Luxe Leicester Square could become a drive-through cinema.

Meanwhile, Westminster Council are looking at ways to retain a small plaza in front of the M&Ms store, noting the importance of this cultural institution to the local area.

M&M's World. One of many cultural jewels on Leicester Square. Image: Matt Brown

Nearby Trafalgar Square is also being considered for similar 'unpedestrianisation', reinstalling the road that once ran directly in front of the National Gallery, while the bookish Cecil Court could be turned into a dedicated highway for electric e-scooters. The rolling project will be partly funded by the taxpayer, with sponsorship from Lime Bikes and Cerithium Oil making up the rest.

Fully pedestrianised since 1987, Leicester Square is a magnet for visitors looking to indulge in London's foodie scene (both the McDonald's and Gregg's here are well above average size), or to glimpse red carpet appearances at glitzy film premieres for movies which have included Alvin and the Chipmunks, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, and groundbreaking psychodrama Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.

A trio of red, white and blue Mini Coopers will be added to the Square. Image: Romain Coatmelec

The area's cinema heritage has long been celebrated by a series of statues; to coincide with the new through-route for traffic, a trio of red, white and blue Mini Coopers will be added to the Square, representing the iconic cars from The Italian Job (they'll be the models from the superior 2003 remake).

Though proposals for Leicester Square's unpedestrianisation have already prompted ire from local heritage groups, many motorists will view the news as a small victory. In particular, London's rickshaw operators — who've had a tough time of it lately — will be buoyed. Due to historical byways, they will be able to use Leicester Square with impunity, with no restrictions on speed, fares or how loud they blast out 'Last Christmas', even though it's only late September.

Last year, a ban on Leicester Square's buskers was enforced, a move that, in hindsight, was the first step in clearing the way for traffic. Expect to hear the pneumatic drills get to work at 12pm today, 1 April.

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"As a town, Croydon is the very opposite of what Farage and Reform want Britain to look like." Image: Owain.davies via creative commons and Londonist

Outraged Croydon locals have aired their dismay and disbelief that a Reform UK rally is due to take place at the town's Fairfield Halls later this month.

Reform's events page promises both "thousands" and "HUNDREDS" of attendees (clearly they're hedging their bets) for an event at the renowned arts venue, which has prompted a coalition of community groups to pen an impassioned letter to BH Live, the leisure and event operator/social enterprise that runs the venue.

Part of the letter says: "Reform UK have pledged to deport 600,000 black and brown people if they get elected. How many of these people do you think currently live in Croydon? Croydon is a community that celebrates its diversity and the contributions made by people from all parts of the world.

"As a town, it is the very opposite of what Farage and Reform want Britain to look like."

Many others in Croydon have reacted with similar surprise and anger. Said radio station Croydon FM: "Still hard to make sense of how this is being allowed in a borough that prides itself on diversity." "This is so wrong," said one commenter, while another warned that booking the right-wing party will be an "absolute kiss of death" for the Fairfield Halls.

Adding insult to injury is the fact the venue — which first opened in 1962, and has hosted everyone from The Beatles to Big Mama Thornton — is council-owned, much of its recent (and highly controversial) renovation funded by Croydon taxpayers.

Why are Reform — a party with a track record for divisive, often bigoted politics — sniffing around Croydon anyway? According to local blog Inside Croydon, they "could win eight or nine council seats in May's local elections in Croydon, mostly from the Tories". The event, reckons Inside Croydon, will also be used to announce the Reform candidate for Mayor of Croydon, decided on 7 May.

BH Live seems to be keeping altogether shtum about the right-wing rally, which doesn't appear on its website or Instagram account. Indeed, some people's comments on the venue's Instagram account flagging Reform's scheduled appearance seem to have disappeared.

An outfit called Croydon Stands up to Racism is planning a protest on Saturday night.

Londonist has contacted BH Live for comment.

Proposed view of Villiers Street, with the new high level walkway to Hungerford Bridge. Image: Hopkins Architects

Plans have been unveiled for the renovation of 1 Embankment Place — the building which sits above Charing Cross station — with improvements in the works for nearby side streets.

Particularly of note for Londoners will be Hopkins Architects' plans for Villiers Street, the road which runs alongside the western side of Charing Cross station from Strand to Embankment station (by way of London's most famous wine bar), and which is apparently used by 3,000 people per hour (the station, not the wine bar).

The promise is to make Villiers Street "a brighter, more welcoming gateway" connecting the West End with the South Bank, as shown in the top image, with improved frontages to businesses on Villiers Street, as well as The Arches and Embankment Place, which run underneath the Charing Cross station building, and space for new shops, restaurants and cafes.

Proposed view of Embankment Place. Image: Hopkins Architects

The plans reference a "new high level walkway to Hungerford Bridge", the footbridge running across the Thames from Charing Cross. However, such a walkway already exists, heavily used by pedestrians as a route between Charing Cross station and the South Bank. The renderings accompanying the plans (see top image) suggest it'll be smartened up a bit, with the existing escalators opened to the elements (they're currently indoors and undercover).

Victoria Embankment Gardens, the public park next to Embankment station, will see "better pedestrian connectivity" to help people move through the area, presumably in the form of new paths and access gates. Full details should be available here on 25 March.

Proposed view of the new entrance to Craven Passage. Image: Hopkins Architects

As for the 1 Embankment Place building itself, the plans include 35,000 sqm of sustainable office space alongside amenities such as new outdoor terraces; probably not of interest to the average Londoner who's unlikely ever to set foot inside the building. 90% of the existing structure and the majority of the façade will be kept, and — as is now uniformly the case with such projects — there's a 'focus on sustainability'.

A public consultation on the plans runs online 25 March-19 April 2026, with in-person public exhibitions at the Clermont Hotel at Charing Cross on Wednesday 25 March (4pm-7.30pm) and Thursday 26 March (4pm-7.30pm), when there's a chance to meet the team involved in the plans.

Secret Cinema hopes to be settled into its new North Greenwich venue sometime this year. Image: Studio DJL & Dale Croft

It has hosted movie experiences everywhere from Ally Pally to London Fields, but now Secret Cinema plans to put down roots in North Greenwich.

Secret Cinema is anything but a secret; for almost 20 years it's put on increasingly ambitious immersive film screenings, which have seen the likes of Grease's Rydell High School and the futuristic dystopia of Blade Runner's LA recreated at various locations in London and across the globe. Some 1.5 million film and TV fans worldwide have been to a Secret Cinema event. The 'secret' aspect is usually twofold: only clues are given as to what the screening will be of, while the location is kept secret until just beforehand.

The second aspect of this is now set to change, as Secret Cinema has announced it plans to open a purpose-built venue in North Greenwich, not far from The O2 and the soon-to-open Troubadour Theatre.

Secret Cinema did Casino Royale in 2019. Image: Luke Dyson.

The venue is pending planning permission, but assuming the green light is given, Secret Cinema wants to be in its new home by the end of 2026 — thus adding another cultural magnet to an area now teeming with them.

Says Merritt Baer, Artistic Director & Producer of Secret Cinema: "Greenwich Peninsula is the perfect location for Secret Cinema's long-term flagship home. We are committed to bringing world-class immersive experiences to London audiences and are thrilled to work with local businesses and partners to make this happen... We are looking forward to breaking ground on this venue and continuing to bring entertainment's most loved stories to life."

Dyed-in-the-wool fans might  argue that the peripatetic nature of the shows is part of what makes it so thrilling. Image: Luke Dyson.

Occasionally, Secret Cinema has been scuttled by its own soaring ambition; in 2014, the opening shows of a Back to the Future experience were cancelled at the last moment, prompting backlash from those who lost their booking fee.

Having a permanent venue should in theory give the setup more control over organising its experiences, although dyed-in-the-wool fans might argue that the peripatetic nature of the shows is part of what makes it so thrilling.

Still, Secret Cinema says in a press release that Greenwich will be its home "for up to 10 years", suggesting that in the future, it could be up on its feet once more.

Morgan Freeman's dulcet tones can be heard at Baker Street station this Wednesday and Thursday.

If you're at Baker Street station today or tomorrow (18 and 19 March), and think you just heard Morgan Freeman tell you to "mind the bap!", the good news is you're (probably) not having a nervous breakdown.

To celebrate 150 years in the baking biz, crumpet slingers Warburtons called on the butyraceous-brogued Hollywood star to lay down a series of pre-recorded voice announcements.

Waiting on the northbound Jubilee line platform — temporarily rebranded to 'Bakers Street', and complete with crumpet roundels — passengers will be reminded by Freeman to "mind the bap!" and "stand behind the buttery yellow line", alongside various other bready puns.

Perhaps someone pointed Morgan in the direction of our Baker's Tube Map. Next stop: Mary-Berry-Lebone!

Image: National Highways

Enabling work recently began on the longest tunnel ever built under the Thames. It won't be in London, but it will have a big effect on the eastern side of the capital. Here, then, is your simple Explainer for the Lower Thames Crossing.

Where is the Lower Thames Crossing?

Nowhere yet. It's still to be built. But in a decade or so the 2.6-mile twin-bore tunnel will connect Essex and Kent, diving under the Thames just east of Tilbury and Gravesend. This will be the longest road tunnel in the UK.

Image: National Highways

It's not just a tunnel, though. Around 14.5 miles of new road will connect it to major routes either side of the Thames. To the south, the link will reach the A2 and thereby M2; to the north, it'll meet the A13, then carry on to reach the M25 between Junctions 29 and 30.

Who's building this and why?

This is the work of National Highways, the government-owned company responsible for building, improving and maintaining the country's motorways and major roads.

The tunnel is intended to relieve the Dartford Crossing around seven miles to the west. This is the only fixed crossing outside of London to the east. A second crossing would relieve congestion on what National Highways describe as "one of the country's most unreliable roads", effectively doubling capacity.

It's not technically a motorway (it will carry the name A122), but will function much as a smart motorway, with three lanes in each direction and variable speed limits. National Highways describe it as "the most ambitious road project since the M25".

That's one way to look at it, "horrendous scar on the landscape" is another

These things are complex. Digging up miles of countryside to lay down tarmac, then populating it with cars and trucks is a massive, massive assault on the local environment, no two ways about it. Habitats will be lost, trees will be cut down, before we even get to the carbon cost of the construction works and extra emissions from 'induced demand'. The Woodland Trust, Essex Wildlife Trust and Greenpeace have all opposed the plans, along with many other groups.

National Highways would point out that the project will plant more trees than it destroys, including 260 hectares of woodland (though these will take many years to mature). Formerly monoculture farmland will be rewilded for biodiversity. And the whole point of the project is to relieve the congested Dartford Crossing, thereby helping alleviate pollution build-up in that area.

We should also remember that the roads won't open until well into the 2030s, by which time we might expect a much higher percentage of electric vehicles on the road, and therefore lower emissions.

How is this funded?

The project is currently budgeted at £10.6 billion. That's about a tenth of the estimated bill for HS2, though more expensive on a per-mile basis. We're all paying towards it. As things stand, the Government (i.e. taxpayers) are contributing £3.1 billion, while £7.5 billion is coming from private funding.

Why would private investors pay the lion's share of a massive road/tunnel project?

Without getting into the complexities of finance, the key to it all is tolls. The new tunnel will be tolled, presumably at the same level as the Dartford Crossing charge. Investors will get a share of the pot from both crossings over a long period. The Dartford Crossing paid for itself a long time ago and is now generating handsome profits (to the consternation of drivers), which are ring-fenced by the government for transport upgrades. This money will instead go to the private investors.

Lego Batman is another vocal opponent of tolls on the Dartford Crossing. Spotted in Leake Street during the last Tory administration. Image: Matt Brown

The identity of said investors — likely to be pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and the like — has not been announced.

How are things progressing?

The government approved the project in March 2025, and fully committed to the public side of funding towards the end of the year, allowing construction to begin.

The earliest enabling works began in March 2026. Archaeological teams are out inspecting the land either side of the river, utilities are being diverted, and storage compounds for machinery are being built. Teams are also getting to work on creating new wildlife habitats, to mitigate against some of the project's later upheavals. Major construction, including tunnelling, is due to begin in 2028.

How long will this take, and when will it open?

In the unlikely event that the project encounters no major snags, then construction should be complete in "the early to mid-2030s". Last time we wrote about this project back in 2018, it was due to "open in 2027", so adjust your expectations accordingly.

We're going to stick our neck out and randomly predict 26 July 2036.

Can you tell me something mildly amusing about the Lower Thames Crossing?

Yes, the southern connecting road will join the A2 beside the tiny Kentish village of Thong. The junction looks like a thong. This is going to keep us amused for decades.

Image: National Highways

Find out more on the Lower Thames Crossing website, where they most certainly do not snigger about thongs.

Cutty Sark station reopens on 23 March. Image: A bloke called Jerm via creative commons

It's the station with the longest name on the TfL network — and Cutty Sark (for Maritime Greenwich) has been closed for a looong time too: 10 months, in fact.

However, next Monday — 23 March 2026 — the station will reopen, having been fitted with four brand new escalators and a lift. TfL says the station has also been made "brighter, easier to navigate, and more enjoyable to use", and — get this — the works have been completed earlier than anticipated, meaning it'll be up and running ahead of the Easter holidays and the London Marathon (for which this part of London is a popular vantage point).

A new artwork has also been installed in the station, in collaboration with Visit Greenwich, celebrating the local area.

Now's a good time to mention that passengers don't have long left to make the most of a free travel loophole on two sections of the DLR, set to end in April.

In other travel news, six days of Tube strikes have been announced for March, April and May. Though the DLR shouldn't be directly affected, there may be knock-on effects.

London is being blighted with more strikes in June, unless TfL and the RMT come to an agreement. Image: CGP Grey from London, United Kingdom via CC BY 2.0

London is set to be hit by a wave of Tube strikes in June.

Following four days of major disruption in April, there'll be another two lots of 12-hour strikes across the network on:

❌ 2-3 June (12pm Tuesday-11.59am Wednesday)
❌ 4-5 June (12pm Thursday-11.59am Friday)

During these times, there'll be no service on the Circle line, Piccadilly line, the Metropolitan line between Baker Street and Aldgate, and the Central line between White City and Liverpool Street. Service is expected on all other lines, although with significant knock-on effects.

Buses, Elizabeth line, DLR, London Overground and trams will run as normal.

The strikes are by members of the RMT trade union, in protest against the planned introduction of a compressed four-day working week for Tube drivers.

More Tube strikes are set for June. Image: CGP Grey from London, United Kingdom via CC BY 2.0

Says the RMT: "London Underground (LU) bosses are pushing ahead with a plan to compress a normal working week into four days despite the proposals being rejected by a majority of Train Operators in e-referendums.

"Members have concerns about shift lengths, unacceptable working time arrangements, transfer and allocation processes, and the potential impact on fatigue and safety."

If you're thinking that a four-day week on full pay actually sounds rather attractive, members of the ASLEF trade union would agree: they voted to go with the new working schedule, even saying this is the "biggest improvement in working conditions for Underground train drivers in decades". ASLEF's Tube drivers are not striking, hence why the network will remain partially open.

Meanwhile, TfL has said that drivers "can remain on a five-day working pattern" if they want to anyway.

A similar pattern of Tube strikes set for May were called off last-minute, so it's possible the same will happen in June. Keep an eye on the TfL strikes page for the latest updates, including what is and isn't running on strike days.