Latest news with #Overground
Daily Mirror
17-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
London Underground station's name changed because original was 'stupidly long'
London's Underground is made up of hundreds of stations with some of them being named after some unusual things - but one was so odd that it had to be changed London's intricate transport system is a labyrinth of countless Tube, Overground and Docklands Light Railway stations. Among the renowned termini such as Liverpool Street, Waterloo and Euston, there are some with rather peculiar names. Consider, for example, Cyprus and East India on the DLR, or the iconic London stations named after pubs like Swiss Cottage and Angel. While these names might perplex tourists, one station's name was so bizarre that railway chiefs ultimately decided to alter it. Tucked away on the Metropolitan line between Wembley Park and Northwick Park in North West London, you'll stumble upon Preston Road, reports MyLondon. This station, inaugurated in 1908, originally catered to a local clay pigeon shooting site for that year's Olympic Games in London. However, when it came to christening this stop en route to Harrow, succinctness wasn't a priority. The station was initially dubbed Preston Road Halt for Uxendon and Kenton - quite the mouthful that doesn't exactly fit snugly onto a sign. It's also the only station name with an instruction in it, advising anyone journeying to Uxendon and Kenton to switch services. Between 1931 and 1932, the station was relocated to the other side of the road bridge where it presently stands. Following this move, the Metropolitan line station was finally rebranded to its current title, Preston Road. The Zone 4 station is not only famous for its name but also for its impressive collection of platform plants and flowers. These stunning horticultural displays have bagged numerous awards, making the wait for passengers a truly enjoyable experience. This is particularly true for those waiting at Preston Road, which is only serviced by 'slow' trains that stop at all stations. Both fast and semi-fast trains skip the stations between Wembley Park and Harrow-On-The-Hill.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Power cut cripples Tube
London Underground services have been suspended because of power failures. Electrical supply problems are affecting the Elizabeth, Bakerloo, Jubilee and Northern lines as well as the Overground's Suffragette line. TfL's website said a 'power failure' had led to the partial suspension of the Elizabeth line in its central tunnelled section between Paddington and Abbey Wood. Passengers were reportedly being evacuated from the Elizabeth line. The Bakerloo line has been fully suspended, while the Northern line is suspended from Euston to Kennington and from Stockwell to Morden. Sources said a brief power supply 'blip' caused the lines to be suspended, starting with the Bakerloo line. The blip, or brief loss of power, caused a number of vital systems to shut themselves down. This included signalling-related systems used to control the trains, a source said. They added that power has been restored after the blip, but resetting those systems takes time. National Rail Enquiries said on its website that disruption to the Elizabeth line is expected until 5.30pm. This is a breaking news story. More to follow Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Daily Mail
30-04-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Revealed: Map shows worst traffic hotspots for May bank holiday as Brits brace for double whammy of chaos on the roads and rails
Britons are being warned to avoid driving this Friday amid fears of road chaos as motorists plan a million more leisure trips by car for the May Day bank holiday. The worst jams on Friday are expected in the late afternoon and evening when holiday and commuter traffic combine – with motorists urged to travel before 10am. Experts at the RAC also encouraged drivers to take to the roads before 11am or after 3pm if they are travelling on the Saturday, Sunday or Bank Holiday Monday. Some 17million motorists are set to hit the roads between Friday and Monday, with traffic hotspots expected to include the A720 Edinburgh bypass towards Dreghorn. The M25 clockwise from the South Mimms interchange to Essex could see delays of 40 minutes from 4pm on Friday as commuter traffic combines with holiday trips. And the M5 southbound is expected to see delays of a similar duration from 7pm between the J15 Almondsbury interchange at Bristol and J23 for Bridgwater. Rail passengers were also warned to expect disruption this weekend, particularly in and out of London Euston and Victoria stations, and between Carlisle and Glasgow. Transport for London has warned of part-closures on the Bakerloo, Circle and District lines as well as the Overground's Lioness, Suffragette and Windrush lines. The Met Office expects the weather to be warm on Saturday with 21C (70F), but it will not be as hot as later this week when 29C (84F) is possible on Thursday. Conditions on Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday will be cooler and cloudy with 16C (61F). This Friday is expected to see the most leisure travellers on major roads over the weekend, with the RAC's study suggesting up to 3million journeys could be made. This is slightly above the 2.9million and 2.8million planned on Saturday and Monday respectively. Sunday could be the best day to travel with 2.4million trips scheduled. Drivers are also planning an additional 6million journeys at some point between Friday and Monday. This takes the four-day total to 17.1million - up on the 16million total in 2024. Data from transport analytics specialists Inrix suggests Friday will see the most congestion, with journeys across the UK predicted to be delayed by 28 per cent more than normal. But millions of Britons still plan to make the most of the first May bank holiday, even though the four-day Easter weekend was only a fortnight ago. The most popular reason for getting away this weekend is to see family and friends, cited by 34 per cent of drivers. This was followed by shopping and running errands (17 per cent) and going on a short break (10 per cent), according to the study of 3,041 UK adults for the RAC by FindOutNow. RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: 'Although the Easter break was just two weeks ago, our figures suggest this weekend will still be hectic on the roads as millions take advantage of another bank holiday. 'This week's very warm weather may not last right into the weekend, but with lots of daylight hours there's still plenty of opportunity to get out and about. For drivers that have a choice, it's best to avoid Friday evening as that's when leisure traffic will clash with commuter journeys. ' She also urged drivers to check their vehicle oil, coolant and screenwash were all at the correct levels before starting the engine, and ensure tyres are damage-free, have plenty of tread and are inflated properly. Trains are set to be disruption on some key routes this weekend, with National Rail highlighting several areas of note. The first is London Euston, where lines to and from the station will be closed on Sunday and Monday. Alternative ways of getting to and from central London will be available from the North West, Birmingham, Milton Keynes and Watford. Journeys south of Milton Keynes Central may require travel on replacement buses, and using trains running on alternative routes. At London Victoria, on Saturday and Sunday no Southeastern services will call at the station and will instead be diverted. Southern will also have a reduced service to and from Victoria. Meanwhile on the England-Scotland border, from Saturday to Monday buses will replace trains between Carlisle and Glasgow via Lockerbie. On Saturday and Sunday, buses will replace trains between Carlisle and Edinburgh, and between Carlisle and Dumfries. Brian Paynter, Network Rail Capital Delivery head of track, said: 'There's a lot of great work happening over the Early May bank holiday to improve the reliability and safety of the railway for passengers and freight. 'We know some of this will be disruptive, but bank holidays remain the least busy time for carrying out complex upgrades. 'I'd like to encourage people to plan ahead at and recommend to those planning journeys to or from London Euston, to travel either side of the Early May bank holiday weekend for the most straightforward journey.' Transport for London said there would be no service on the Bakerloo line from Queen's Park to Harrow & Wealdstone on Sunday and Monday. The Circle line will have no service from Edgware Road to Tower Hill via Victoria on Saturday and Sunday. And the District line will have no service on Saturday and Sunday from Edgware Road and Embankment to Ealing Broadway, Kensington (Olympia), Richmond and Wimbledon. The Docklands Light Railway will be down from Saturday to Monday between Westferry and Poplar to Lewisham, and Stratford International to Canning Town. Elizabeth line will have no service from Paddington to Ealing Broadway on Sunday until 7.45am, and a reduced service between West Drayton and Maidenhead and at Heathrow Terminal 4 on the same day. On the Overground, the Lioness line will have no service from Euston to Willesden Junction on Sunday and Monday and the Suffragette line will have no trains from Barking to Barking Riverside on Sunday and Monday. The Windrush line will have no service after 9pm on Sunday.
The Hindu
27-04-2025
- The Hindu
Public Safety Act: Two suspected overground workers detained in Jammu & Kashmir's Budgam
'Budgam police in Jammu and Kashmir have detained two suspected Overground workers affiliated with terrorist ranks under the Public Safety Act (PSA),' police said in a statement. According to an official statement, in a decisive move against terrorism and acting tough against ANES (Anti-national Elements), District Police Budgam on Sunday (April 27, 2025) detained two 'hardcore' Over Ground Workers (OGWS) affiliated with terrorist ranks under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA). The Overground workers have been identified as Tahir Ahmad Kumar, a resident of Pakerpora and Shabir Ahmad Ganai, a resident of Karpora Pakerpora. 'The arrests followed sustained efforts and actionable intelligence indicating the involvement of the duo in providing active support to terrorist outfits operating in the region. By invoking the Public Safety Act, authorities have ensured their detention to prevent further threats to peace and public order,' it added. The detained individuals were instrumental in facilitating terrorist activities, including movement, shelter, logistical support, and their continued engagement in anti-national activities, role in motivating local youth to join banned (terrorist) organisations. 'The imposition of the PSA was deemed necessary, and their detention marks a significant step towards dismantling terrorist support networks in the district,' the statement read. 'The Budgam police have reaffirmed their resolve to act firmly against all elements endangering the safety and security of the region,' it said, adding that the general public is once again urged to play an active role in maintaining the security of Budgam by reporting any information related to anti-national, anti-social or drug-related activities in their vicinity to the police.
Telegraph
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The woke Overground names Sadiq Khan rejected
A lesbian bookshop that shut down in the 1990s and an obscure sub-genre of reggae were among the list of names for London Overground lines rejected by Sir Sadiq Khan. Under last year's rebrand of the Overground, the mayor also rejected a plan to name one of its six new lines after a Second World War hero who saved the lives of hundreds of Jewish refugee children. Each of the Overground's six lines was given a diversity-themed name last year by Sir Sadiq, prompting derision from Londoners who are paying an estimated £6.3 million for the production of new signs and logos. The list, which was published by the London Centric news website, had been compiled by design agency DNCO, which said that it had been 'asked to lead a citywide co-creation naming project by Transport for London '. 'Now each of the six routes will have its own name and identity, celebrating London's diversity in the public realm, a pledge from Mayor Sadiq Khan,' the agency said on its website. However, critics branded the February 2024 move 'virtue signalling', 'patronising' and a 'pointless gimmick'. Among the full list of names that Sir Sadiq was asked to pick from was that of Sir Nicholas Winton, who saved 669 Jewish children from Nazi Germany's rampage across Europe in 1939. Another suggestion put forward was Sisterwrite, an Islington bookshop known for its lesbian literary section and which closed down in 1993, as well as Lovers Rock, a reggae sub-genre that was exemplified by Janet Kay's 1979 hit single Silly Games. Other rejected names in the list that Sir Sadiq picked the new Overground names from include 19th century footballer Jack Cother, who played for Watford FC in 1897. He is thought to be the UK's first Asian footballer. Also in the list of potential new Overground line names was the so-called Battle of Cable Street, a violent clash between far-Right and far-Left protesters in the East End in 1936. It led directly to the outlawing of political uniforms in Britain, denying the British Union of Fascists' infamous Blackshirts the ability to wear Nazi-inspired regalia. TfL said that names of individuals were automatically rejected in favour of highlighting groups of people, London Centric reported. The Telegraph previously reported on demands for an Overground branch to be named to honour the Irish 'navvies' who dug the capital's canals (known in the 19th Century as 'navigations', a name that survives today on the Lee Navigation in north London) and built large portions of Britain's railways, having emigrated to the mainland following the Irish potato famine of the 1840s. Keith Prince AM, the City Hall Conservatives' transport spokesman, said: 'Improving the representation of communities in London may be well-intentioned, but this £6 million splurge does nothing to improve the service on the Overground, or the wider TfL network, and indeed takes away from the money available to support vital community policing and housing needs.
