METRORAIL SPECIAL WITH THANKS TO

In 1825 one man set out to do the impossible - Despite what the papers said, TfL were not given construct the first ever tunnel beneath the tidal river London’s railways to manage this month. But for Thames. This is the story of Marc Brunel’s sixteen-year the first time there is perhaps agreement that this quest to make engineering history and change the might be the way forward. world of subterranean construction as we know it. FROM PAGE 37 FROM PAGE 53

INSIDE 4LM | 03 A TYPEFACE Sponsored feature FEEDING THE MONSTER | 19 FOR THE The challenge of fitting out Crossrail SIR PETER HENDY: THE EXIT INTERVIEW | 67 UNDERGROUND In conversation with one of rail's most influential men By John Bull

The first modern sans-serif and a typeface that made design history. This is the story of how it was In association with: created - and of the men who saved it from being abandoned forever. FROM PAGE 8

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 1 A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

“I love London Reconnections! How can I give money to the site?” It’s surprising how often we’ve heard that question. It’s one for which we have never really had an answer.

Over the last few years, London Reconnections has gone from strength to strength. What started simply as a blog has grown into a widely respected website read by industry experts and interested casuals alike. We consistently draw over 100,000 visitors and shift over a terabyte of data every month. Not bad for a site focused solely on transport.

We have been quoted in TfL board meetings and have debated transport on television. We have sat on London Assembly panels, lectured at the London Transport Museum and appeared on Great British Railway Journeys.

We have broken stories on the redistribution of control of London’s railways and the colour of Crossrail’s Roundel. We have discussed the reality behind “driverless trains” and what went wrong at London All advertising, sales, press and business communication by post should be address to: Bridge. We have explained why these things matter both to the industry London Reconnections and to the public at large. It has been an amazing journey for us so far 3 Broomfield and so last year we decided to go one step further - into print London E17 8DZ And that's what you have in your hands (or rather, on your digital [email protected] device of choice) right now, thanks to issue sponsors Thales UK. Like [email protected] us, Thales are critically aware of the important role transport plays in [email protected] London. Like us, their interest in the city's railway networks is far from The team at LR Towers academic. They have a key role to play in the delivery of new signalling John Bull - Editor (and more) for the Underground's Sub-surface Railway Lines, a topic Alan Hannaford / “Pedantic of Purley” Mike Olivier / “Long Branch Mike” on which we have written many thousands of words over the last eight Nicola Badstuber years, with no doubt many more to come. Jonathan Roberts / “JRC” Liam Egerton / “Lemmo” For this Metrorail special, they have been kind enough to provide a Bob Robinson / “Mwmbwls” brief look at how they're attacking the challenge of upgrading the Neville King - Advertising Manager Georgia Morgan - Designer world's oldest metro, which sits alongside a "best off" selection of past LR issues and a sneak peak at some content from issue four. We hope Our eternal thanks to… Ben Myring, Tony Badsey-Ellis, all of our you enjoy it all. Grahams and the wonderful cast of thousands who comment, correct and join us for drinks If you do, then let us know on Twitter at @lonrec or come on over to every month (details on the website) Metrorail stand 30 and say hello! Copyright All content is Copyright London Reconnections and may not be reproduced without explicit consent.

| 2016

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 2 INSIDE 4LM METRORAIL SPECIAL

Inside 4LM Delivering the world’s largest signalling upgrade

114 STATIONS. 191 TRAINS. PROGRAMME DIRECTOR ANDY BELL TALKS ABOUT UPGRADING THE OLDEST METRO IN THE WORLD.

In 1863, an underground railway Today, the London Underground between Paddington and Farringdon encompasses 402 kilometres of track, was opened. Dubbed the ‘Metropolitan serving 270 stations and 11 lines. In Line,’ this revolutionary service allowed 1982, it carried 498 million passengers. steam trains to haul nearly 40,000 In 2015 that figure was 1.34 billion. passengers in gas-lit wooden carriages, And demand is still rising. The need between eight stations. It was the start for extra capacity has never been more of something extraordinary. urgent.

3 LONDON RECONNECTIONS SPONSOR FEATURE

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 4 INSIDE 4LM METRORAIL SPECIAL

INCREASING CAPACITY WITH FOUR LINES MODERNISATION Four Lines Modernisation (4LM) is a project to upgrade the signalling systems of four of London Underground’s most important railway lines: Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan. Between them they account for 40% of the Underground’s traffic.

It is the world’s biggest project of its kind.

Unique features of the project include five complex rail junctions, 113 stations and 191 trains, interfacing the system with 4 depots, six sidings (two of them major), and the integration and presentation of existing CCTV and PA systems with a central control centre.

“There is a significant logistical challenge,” said 4LM Programme Director Andy Bell. “To avoid disruption, most of our on-site work takes place between the hours of 1.30 am and 4.30 am. Three hours. That’s a small window for a large task.”

The on-site work is carried out by a workforce of 400 engineers. But to maximise productivity, a similar number of people work behind the scenes, prefabricating equipment and fixtures, meticulously testing systems and software, and minutely planning for every contingency.

The aging infrastructure presents additional challenges: parts of it are 150 years old, the cabling is ancient by modern standards, and one-of-a-kind legacy systems take time to understand. Plus, some of the technology due for replacement is around 50 years old. It all presents a challenging task that needs to be done quickly and accurately with no unexpected surprises.

5 LONDON RECONNECTIONS SPONSOR FEATURE

THALES HAS REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE. WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE AND WE UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 6 Earl’s Court Underground station, sub-surface concourse, c1937

To deliver the benefits as early as EXPERIENCE COUNTS “There are some firms out there with possible, the network has been divided good signalling technology,” conceded into 14 ‘Migration Areas’ for a carefully The size and complexity of 4LM Bell. “But there is a world of difference phased rollout. The first five of these requires the project lead to bring all of between installing equipment on a brand are centred on the Circle line, which is the stakeholders together. It’s essential new network as it is being constructed, the track which carries the most to give everyone a voice, while making and working within extremely small passengers. The improvements to the sure that they are collaborating as part windows in an environment that has Circle line will go live at the end of of a unified team with clear shared evolved over 150 years.” 2019, bringing faster, more frequent goals. That philosophy is firmly trains to the travelling public years embedded in the Thales/LU ‘One “The population of London is expected ahead of the final completion date. Team’ approach. to grow to 10 million by the year 2030. We’re making sure that the rail system When it’s complete, 4LM will boost “Thales has real-world experience. can cope with that. Come what may, the the number of trains to 32 every hour. We’ve been here before and we London Underground will be ready and Peak passenger capacity will be understand the challenges. We have fit for purpose.” increased by an overall average of 33 %, already successfully upgraded the with dramatic improvements of 65% on signalling systems of the Northern Line the Circle and Hammersmith & City and the Jubilee line. We excel at This was a sponsored feature by: lines. collaboration and project leadership: when we partner with a customer we take the term ‘partner’ very seriously indeed.”

7 LONDON RECONNECTIONS thalesgroup.com

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Transport15_English_C37189.068_273x210_Apr16_LondonReconnections_v1.indd 1 30/03/2016 11:00 A TYPEFACE FOR THE UNDERGROUND METRORIAL SPECIALL A TYPEFACE FOR THE UNDERGROUND

By John Bull

On Monday the 2nd July 1979, Eiichi Kono walked into the offices of Banks & Miles, one of London’s most renowned graphic design agencies. It was his first day at the firm as a typographer, and he was very excited. Admittedly Eiichi didn’t actually know what he’d be working on – they’d been slightly vague about that – but he was excited nonetheless. This would represent his first major typographical job, and that was something he’d been working towards for some time.

Eiichi had been working in the optical printing industry in his native Japan for some years when, in the mid-seventies, he had experienced what he would later describe as a “mid-career crisis.” Switching directions, he decided to explore a career in something that had fascinated him for some time – typography.

8 LONDON RECONNECTIONS Regular ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890?!&

Bold ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 1234567890?!&

He chose to begin his journey into the The typeface was, of course, Johnston world of typography at the London Sans and, although Eiichi didn’t know College of Printing – a choice partially it at the time, it was a typeface created motivated by memories of previous time by Edward Johnston and unique to spent in London. Visiting the city on the London Underground. It was this holiday he had, like many tourists, found typeface that helped motivate him into the transport network rather daunting. becoming a typographer and indirectly His initial apprehension though soon this that meant when Colin Banks (one disappeared. The ever-present roundels, of his course assessors and the “Banks” he discovered, made stations easy to part of Banks & Miles) offered him a locate and identify, and the easy-to-read job as a typographer post-graduation, he signage really impressed him. leapt at the chance.

“The symbol was accompanied with a It was also this typeface, Colin Banks simple, elegant, slightly old-fashioned told him when he arrived, that Eiichi alphabet.” He would later write, “At would be working on. He had been first, I thought it was Gill Sans; it wasn’t hired to redesign Johnston Sans. Futura, and definitely not my then favourite, Helvetica.” “That morning,” says Eiichi, “was a bit of a shock.”

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 9 A TYPEFACE FOR THE UNDERGROUND METRORIAL SPECIALL

GOING BACK TO THE BEGINNING

Eiichi’s shock at being asked to redesign a simple typeface may seem a bit over the top. In part, this is because typography (and indeed professional writing in general) is no longer as dark an art as it used to be – the modern Earl’s Court Underground station, sub-surface concourse, c1937 computer has put an end to that.

In the main, however, this is because Pick had started working at the Corporate design, Pick believed, should few people realise just how much of an “Underground Electric Railways be consistent, it should be easy to grasp important typographical – and indeed Company of London” (as it was then and (almost above all else) it should historical – landmark the humble known) back in 1906, but it was after his look good. “Underground Font” really was. Created appointment to the position of Publicity almost 100 years ago, in design terms Manager in 1908 that he really began This belief grew, in part, from work Johnston Sans literally helped create the to leave his mark on the railway. In a Pick carried out on promotional poster modern world. career that would eventually span over 30 campaigns for the Underground in years, Pick would be directly or indirectly 1908. Noting the success of a similar So perhaps before we continue our look responsible for creating almost all the campaign carried out by the North at Eiichi’s role in Johnston’s history, iconography we now associate with the Eastern Railway, Pick commissioned a we should take a trip back to the very Underground – the Roundel, the map, series of posters depicting the various beginning. A beginning that, slightly the moquette, the famous posters – all interesting landmarks and locations strangely, begins in 1908 not with the Pick’s work in some way. Pick wasn’t a Londoners could get to by Tube. Pick man who actually created Johnston, designer himself, but he knew a good one tried to ensure that all the posters but with a man who just thought it when he saw one and – perhaps more produced were of a very high visual was about time there was some bloody importantly – he believed in a couple of quality, and the campaign was a success. design consistency on the Underground simple design concepts that seem obvious It was even more successful, he noticed, – Frank Pick. now but which were almost revolutionary when he took things further and back then. made sure that the posters were well illuminated and positioned with an eye to where they would actually be noticed – a principle that over the next few years he extended to maps and signage.

10 LONDON RECONNECTIONS Earl’s Court Underground station, sub-surface concourse, c1937

By 1912, therefore, with a reputation number of smaller rivals. When the Pick even briefly tried to turn his hand high from his successes and a growing typefaces were bad, Pick also noted, they at creating a typeface of his own, based understanding of the power of good adversely affected passengers’ journeys entirely on circles and squares, but soon design and usability, Pick was finally and that was bad for both commuter realised that his skills lay very definitely able to turn his attention to something and company. Pick decided that the in concepts not actualities. that had been bugging him since Underground needed a consistent his very first poster campaign – the typeface and he was going to give it Finally, in 1913, Pick realised that (as multitude of differing typefaces featured one. Making this happen, however, soon always) the solution to the problem was across the Underground. turned out to be harder than he thought. to do what he always did – hire someone good and get something brand new made Pick had first really noticed this when In his quest for a typeface Pick turned just for him. As usual, Pick soon found he had commissioned his original his gaze onto the various options himself briefing the perfect candidate for poster campaign – the designs that already available, but soon he realised the job – Edward Johnston. came back were all good (hardly that nothing really matched up to what surprising given his ability to spot he wanted. The closest Pick found talent), but they often featured differing an already-existing typeface that felt text styles – something that he felt right was the one recently created came across as a bit sloppy. Further for WH Smith by the famous (and years as the Underground’s growing posthumously infamous) type designer design star had only reinforced this Eric Gill. It wasn’t quite what he wanted belief – not only did the inconsistency though and because WH Smith was in typefaces everywhere look a bit already becoming a feature of station haphazard, but it also served as a forecourts anyway he rejected it, feeling permanent and unwelcome reminder that it would confuse passengers. of the Underground’s origins as a

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 11 A TYPEFACE FOR THE UNDERGROUND METRORIAL SPECIALL

CROSSBAR

X-HEIGHT Aa Bb

ASCENDER

CAPITALCc HEIGHT Dd Ee Ff Gg 123?!& DESCENDER

BASELINE

12 LONDON RECONNECTIONS CREATING THE TYPEFACE

By 1913 Johnston was a man already It took three years (in fact all likelihood it their covers,” Johnston would later say, making a name for himself in the probably didn’t – Johnston was notorious “in one small backwater of the lettering world of type. Then 35, Johnston had for leaving commissions until the very trade, tradition had preserved an only really discovered his talent for last minute), but in 1915 Johnston otherwise extinct species; a really good (and love of ) typography in his mid- delivered to Pick a character-set that met block letter.” twenties. By 1906, however, he had every single one of those demands. Pick already been recognised as a man who was, quite simply, delighted. Having settled on producing a sans- had almost single-handedly revived and serif face, Johnston’s other big influence rediscovered the art of calligraphical Little documentation remains covering was the lettering on Trajan’s Column. type and lettering, and was the much- the design process undertaken by From there he took the principle of loved teacher of many of print’s future Johnston whilst working on Pick’s new classical dimensions and extended it. All greats – including Thomas Cobden- typeface. What is obvious, however, is the strokes on his new typeface would Sanderson and the aforementioned that Johnston – a man, remember, who be the same width, and the circles (on Eric Gill. Johnston’s book, Writing had form for reviving lost arts and styles the “o” and “p” for example) should be and Illuminating, and Lettering would – decided that he’d do exactly the same exactly that – perfect circles. become (and indeed still is) one of thing again. For what Johnston created the “must read” texts for anyone in the for Pick was the very first modern “sans- The resulting typeface that Johnston typographical world. serif ” typeface. delivered to Pick (uppercase in 1915, lowercase a year later), is the fruit of Pick met Johnston via a mutual Sans-serif ’s are fonts without the little those influences, but also has its own acquaintance – Gerald Meynell, “kicks.” Open up a word processing unique touches. Next time you look at who owned the Westminster Press. program and print out this article in the tube map look at the letters “i” and That meeting, combined with Pick’s Times New Roman. Then print it out in “j” in lowercase. You’ll notice that the assessment of Johnston’s abilities and Arial (or Helvetica if you’re on a Mac) dots are actually diagonal squares – a recommendations from several of and look at the difference – you’ll see touch that hints at the broad-nibs of Johnston’s former pupils (including that the letters in the Times version are Johnston’s calligraphical past. Other Gill), soon made Pick realise that he slightly more ornate around the edges. little touches like the hooked base had found his man. This is because Times is a “serif ” font to the lower-case “l” give the face and Arial is sans-serif. In the simplest, personality, whilst also helping to meet The typeface should have “the bold most generic terms, this is the difference Pick’s goal that each letter be subtly simplicity of the authentic lettering between the two families. distinguishable at speed (although of the finest periods” Pick wrote to Johnston admitted he did this partially Johnston. It should also, he told him, be Sans-serif typefaces, therefore, are those to stop bad typesetters putting his “l” easy to read from a moving train and “flourishless” families like Verdana, too close to other letters, one of his pet in bad lighting, be noticeably up-to- Arial, Helvetica and Calibri. Faces peeves). Overall, Johnston delivered a date with the times, and yet also be that bless documents everywhere and magnificent typeface, and Pick quickly completely different from anything found virtually the entire internet. Sans-serif set about ensuring that it manifested on other shops and signage. Finally, in faces are, in many ways, the living across the entire network, furthering its true Frank Pick style, Johnston was told embodiment of text in the 21st Century fame and helping kick off a worldwide that each letter should be “a strong and and Johnston, with the typeface that he sans-serif revolution. unmistakeable symbol.” delivered to Pick, almost singlehandedly revived them as a valid and useful style. As if accomplishing the above was not enough, Johnston then finished it all off It was a brief that Johnston would later admit to two by creating the Roundel. influences on the design of his typeface many a designer would – walking home one evening with Eric All of which brings us, nicely, back to Gill in the early 1900s, he found himself Eiichi Kono. have blanched at, but focusing on the various tradesmen’s not Johnston. wagons that featured simply drawn signage in sans-serif style. “Here, on LONDON RECONNECTIONS 13 A TYPEFACE FOR THE UNDERGROUND METRORIAL SPECIALL

REINVENTING A CLASSIC

Eiichi’s shock is now hopefully more Other typographers had stepped in over Banks & Miles’ arguments ultimately understandable – he was not simply the years (including Percy Delf Smith, won out, and London Underground being asked to rework an old typeface, one of Johnston’s pupils) to extend it gave them an almost Pick-like broad he was being asked to touch up an at different times. By the 70s though, brief to rework Johnston. Luckily, acknowledged “Old Master.” London Underground’s advertising in Banks & Miles, they had found a agencies were getting increasingly company who understood the overall If Johnston’s creation was so good frustrated at its inflexibility and (in a ethos that Pick had been after, and though, why was Eiichi being told to move that would have had Frank Pick which was still – with modification – work on it? spinning in his grave) abandoning it relevant today. all together. Its internal use was also Partly this was due to changing becoming increasingly half-hearted. In the person of Eiichi Kono, Banks & technology. The typeface still only Miles themselves had also been lucky. They existed in the form of wooden and metal It was clear that a decision needed to had found someone up to the mammoth printing blocks for each letter, whilst the be made on the future of Johnston Sans task with which he had been presented – world had moved on to photographic and London Underground approached although he wasn’t entirely confident that printing methods. various graphic design agencies he was up to the job at the time. and consulted on the subject. Many It was also because the typeface was recommended dropping it completely “The prospect was daunting,” he would increasingly being called upon to appear in favour of other faces (Helvetica was later write, “because I had no experience in places and positions for which it had considered, as was Univers Bold) but in type design and very little English never been designed. The documents, ultimately one agency – Banks & Miles language. There had been no serious signage and advertising campaigns – stepped forward and suggested an typeface design project in my design that London Underground were now alternative:- Rework Johnston into a school days, and I expected that in the producing increasingly pushed the limits proper, fully extended, typeface. office there would be at least a kind of of the typeface. It wasn’t good in very preliminary training or what drawing small print, for example, and it lacked Johnston wasn’t just a typeface, they tools to be used, what guidance for variable weights (such as a bold version) insisted, it was now part of the London a novice designer ‒ size the original and italics. Underground. Get rid of Johnston they artwork should be, how to typeset with claimed and you’d diminish slightly newly drawn letters. I remembered one None of this was really Johnston’s fault everyone’s image of what constitutes college day in 1975 when our tutor – he’d been asked to design something the Tube. took us to the drawing office of the that would work on signage and in Monotype Corporation in Salfords. They headlines and that was precisely what “It is perfectly reasonable for designers had impressive purpose-built drawing he’d delivered. Indeed he’d actually called to want to change things and make equipment, precision machines and it “Underground Railway Block Letter” their mark,” John Miles would later many skilled draughtsmen and women. – almost expressly indicating that he say, “but not changing something is a In contrast, my tools were very basic: didn’t regard it as a complete typeface. perfectly legitimate design decision. It can pencils, felt tip pens, a Rotring pen sometimes be better to retain the existing with 0.1 mm nib, Winsor & Newton’s core and make modifications – and fine brushes and some photographic perhaps improvements around the edges.” equipment in the darkroom.”

14 LONDON RECONNECTIONS Eiichi was not simply being asked to rework an old typeface, he was being asked to touch up an acknowledged “Old Master.”

Over the next 18 months, however, As Mike Ashworth, London Whilst Johnston (or variations of it) (and after overcoming his initial shock), Underground’s Head of Design and had been used on non-Underground Eiichi effectively rebuilt Johnston from Heritage (and one of New Johnston’s transport before ( Johnston himself the ground up. current guardians) points out though, designed a condensed version for Johnston himself would probably bus-blinds in the twenties), suddenly He studied what documentation and disagree with that assessment. a serious question arose – should ideas Johnston had left, and drew and Johnston be confined to London traced letters by hand before filling “As a typeface,” Ashworth says, Underground, or should it become the them in with pen and altering them “Johnston underwent plenty of changes official typeface of this entirely new through photography and photocopy, throughout the twenties and thirties consolidated organisation? creating new weights and experimenting and Edward Johnston himself was to find sizes and standards that worked. nearly always complicit in the process – “It was a big thing to consider,” I’ve been lucky enough to read some of Ashworth explains, “if it was to be He soon found, to his sadness, that in the letters.” the house style everywhere, then there some cases Johnston’s original rules had were genuine fears we’d be asking to be adapted or ignored – some of the “Johnston is an evolved and evolving too much of it. It worked well on the Trajanic proportions had to be lost in typeface,” he continues, “and always was.” Underground, but if we started putting order to make the typeface work well at it on the License Notices of black cabs, lower point sizes with the x-height (the The “evolving” part of the statement above would we have been taking away some height of the “sticks” on letters such as is obviously still pertinent. Whilst Eiichi of its power?” “h”) having to be changed as well. leaves our story now having successfully reinvigorated Johnston for the modern Eventually though the decision was taken In the end though Eiichi was able technical revolution, Johnston itself has to do exactly that – a new version of to produce the first truly complete not remained unchanged. Johnston went organisation-wide as “TfL Johnston typeface, which Banks & New Johnston,” and few can argue that it Miles christened “New Johnston.” “Frankly,” Ashworth continues, “the hasn’t stood up to the challenge admirably. Johnston typeface has seen more change London Underground were delighted. in the last eight years than in the previous Johnston would endure. eighty. It’s to the credit of Johnston – both typeface and creator – that it’s kept Some purists argue that because it its honesty and recognition throughout.” contains changes to elements such as the x-height, New Johnston is a corruption Those changes aren’t simply of Edward Johnston’s original work, and typographical. The transition to modern, in the strictest of terms they may well be computerised digital format was largely correct – something Eiichi himself would a painless one, thanks to a continuing freely admit to. relationship with Banks & Miles and the quality, documentation and methods used by Eiichi Kono when creating New Johnston. A more complex change arose, however, with the creation of Transport for London in the late nineties.

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 15 A TYPEFACE FOR THE UNDERGROUND METRORIAL SPECIALL

INTO THE FUTURE

Today, Johnston remains a fundamental “The most recent major change was to part of the London scene, a situation the numbers 1 and 4 earlier this year. that TfL are keen to ensure continues, Not a lot of people noticed until a although not at the expense of the poster appeared advertising engineering enduring fidelity of the typeface itself. work on Valentines Day – then I got a lot of emails!” “We continue to make subtle changes” Ashworth admits, “but we’re very wary Going forward, Johnston and its role about doing too much and are always will undoubtedly undergo changes again. happy to roll back changes if they end Indeed few would have been surprised up not feeling ‘right.’ when it became the primary typeface used on TfL’s new website recently.

AS WITH MANY THINGS ON THE UNDERGROUND, HOWEVER, THE IMPORTANT THING IS FINDING THE BALANCE BETWEEN HERITAGE AND FUNCTIONALITY.

The heritage and importance of the It is TfL and London Underground, “In fact,” he admits, “I can think of Johnston typeface cannot be denied – the of course, that need to ensure that this a couple of places where Metronet result of the vision of Frank Pick and the balance is found going forward – a role accidentally used the public version brilliance of Edward Johnston. Indeed that, for now at least – they appear to of the typeface licensed by the London Johnston’s creative skills are perhaps take very seriously indeed. Transport Museum, and even they don’t best memorialised by the blue heritage look out of place. plaque that graces his former residence in “I believe that the ultimate test as to Hammersmith – the only blue plaque to whether we are doing our job properly,” “And no,” he adds after a brief pause, feature text in a custom typeface (you can Mike Ashworth concludes, “is whether “before you ask, I’m not going to tell probably guess which one). a sign containing a new variant of you where they are!” Johnston can be placed on a platform The functionality comes from the wall and not look incongruous with the impressive work of Eiichi Kono and signage that has been on that platform others in ensuring that the typeface for twenty years or more. If it does, then has maintained its usability in the we need to think again.” modern world.

16 LONDON RECONNECTIONS London underground heritage sign at Maida vale tube station Photo: Joris V: jorisinterior.wordpress.com/

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 17 IN THIS ISSUE FEEDING THE MONSTER METRORAIL SPECIAL

By John Bull FEEDING THE MONSTER

We talk to Crossrail’s Chief Engineer about Thameslink, Crossrail and the engineering challenges behind two of the UK’s biggest rail projects.

19 LONDON RECONNECTIONS LONDON RECONNECTIONS 20 Crossrail and Thameslink are two of the largest rail projects in the UK, featuring as many contrasts as similarities. Having arrived at from Thameslink in June 2015, Crossrail’s Chief Engineer, Chris Binns, is one of the few people who has helped shape both projects from engineering perspective.

We sat down with Chris and asked him to talk us through his experience with both projects, and explain what makes each of them unique.

21 LONDON RECONNECTIONS STARTING WITH SIGNALLING

We begin by asking Chris to describe Although this was Chris’ first “It was absolutely a problem on his relationship with Thameslink. interaction with the Thameslink project, Thameslink though and so the it would not be his last. In 2009 he restructuring was aimed at making sure we “Signalling is very much my returned to the to review its approach could process things quicker, move design background.” He explains. “I was in to engineering and to lead it through decisions through and not be so reliant on Network Rail doing the insourcing of a resulting restructure as Head of the HQ element at Network Rail. Which signalling, and then in 2008 I was asked Engineering. it is this that places Chris was working, but was taking longer simply to do a three week feasibility study on in an almost-unique position - someone because we had to have dialogue with Thameslink, looking at the possibility of intimately aware of the engineering them. And so we did a lot of things that the use of Automatic Train Operation challenges faced by two of Britain’s put ourselves in a position where we had there. So, effectively, combining metro major railway infrastructure projects. heads of discipline clearly identified in the technology with heavy rail technology for Thameslink programme who could make the first time on the national network. We ask what he believes the key decisions largely of their own volition, challenges facing Thameslink were when or at least could have the dialogue with “That three week exercise became quite he took up post in 2009. Network Rail HQ themselves.” productive,” he says, “so we turned it into a three month feasibility study, “The main challenges at the time were So, we suggest, a key challenge on got extra help, and then it became fully that design decisions weren’t being Thameslink was finding a good signed up by the DfT. The business case made quickly enough.” He says. “Now balance between local autonomy and was tremendous. It enabled us to get that’s always a challenge on the big central governance? an extra four train paths per hour just programmes because the number of by putting in a technology solution on design decisions that need making is “Yes.” He confirms. “And it was quite the trains and infrastructure, as opposed just, well, absolutely massive.” successful in that we didn’t lose the to having to build new viaducts or central governance, but we were able to anything else.” work through that on a personal basis with whoever back at HQ had to deal with a particular area.”

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 22 FEEDING THE MONSTER METRORAIL SPECIAL

MAKING DECISIONS

We ask whether he feels that finding “Indeed what we’ve got - and what I’ve “I’m a little unusual, i think in that i that balance has been a similar issue inherited in coming here - was actually like both the planning and implantation on Crossrail. a very good legacy of getting ready to do sides of things. I like the feasibility all of this. And as a result we’re in really stages because I like looking at maps, “No. It’s interesting actually.” He muses. good shape. Crossrail standards have deciding where people flow and want “I think the difference is that as a special been written and they’ve drawn on the to flow, and I like the back-end and the purpose vehicle Crossrail is set up to do best practices and people’s experience’s fact that we deliver to the public.” the programme itself. It has links back as they’ve joined the team. into TfL and also back into Network “So when Crossrail were looking to Rail. But in terms of most of our Having touched on the fact that he first change their Chief Engineer to focus on assurance framework, it is mostly what joined the project last year, we ask Chris the systems side of things… well that this special purpose vehicle has written what brought him to Crossrail in the just seemed like a great opportunity.” itself in its earlier history.” first place. He laughs. “Now okay that framework draws “Well it wasn’t actually something I was on Network Rail practice, London planning to do!” He laughs. “But I could “I mean, come on. In the end, two Underground practice and even East see that it was exciting and changing hundred million people a year are going London Line - i.e. quite recent TfL - over here, and that all the tunnels and to use these services. And I’ll get to say practice. But it’s much more self-contained. civils were starting to be completed.” ‘I was part of that.’ I love that!”

We ask whether this is one of the “That meant the big challenges now benefits of Crossrail being a Special were going to be systems engineering Purpose Vehicle (SPV), something that and railway engineering, which is where is naturally not an option on many UK I have more of a background. rail projects. And Thameslink wasn’t entirely finished, “Definitely.” He agrees. “That is a but it did feel like we’d done all of the benefit. You have to then watch out, basics. So at the point I left six of the obviously, because there are differences fifteen platforms at London Bridge were and you have to manage them. But I done - and the design is essentially the think it is a benefit that we’re set up to same for all of the platforms - and we just do this programme. That’s it. We’ve were well into the system trials, and the got all the things we need to do that.” integration lab was up and running. So I could see that things were well on their way to being delivered and, in fact, still are, very successfully.”

23 LONDON RECONNECTIONS

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POSSESSIONS AND PRODUCTION LINES

Having been at Crossrail long enough “I think maybe a good way of summing actually you had the station contractor now both to understand its engineering up the way work on these projects is using their tower crane to help get a bit challenges and to begin to leave his different,” he continues after pausing more time out of the possession.” own mark, we ask him how similar to the think, “is to think of Thameslink signals and fit out here are to similar as obviously a possession based “I think the need with the possession work on Thameslink. project whilst Crossrail is more like a based scenario for really tight production line.” partnerships and multiple partnerships “I’d say there are more similarities than was greater than I see the need for here.” differences.” He says. “But that there are It’s a solid metaphor. What are the probably different emphases.” differing challenges then, we ask, of the “I mean we do have it here!” He adds two approaches? quickly, pointing at the walls of his “On Thameslink we were taking apart office, which are covered in interface an existing, working railway. And “Well on possession-based the real and relationship diagrams. “But it’s not so the planning involved was just so challenges are that you plan in great got that same intensity of working those intense. Ultimately you’re dealing with detail for possessions, and those might interfaces in quite the same way. So we ten minute slots on a nine or ten day not be available for another year if you do have it, in the design in particular, but blockade. It’s very detailed, very intense get them wrong.“ it’s not that logistical partnership quite so and even the stagework planning at much. There’s more flex in the approach.” London bridge... I mean, I think it “So take London Bridge as an example. was all but two weekends every year We would plan, as we have done with What then, is the key challenge of the planned to do something, just to reshape all the stages, to open a platform or production line scenario that he now finds everything and get things done.” a couple of platforms in a stage. If himself working within at Crossrail? you missed that it would be a year “By contrast the great luxury of before you could get in and do the “It’s... it’s just the sheer volume of work Crossrail is that largely, in the central same volume of work. And so what that can go on in parallel, because it’s a section, it’s a greenfield site - with the we always had on Thameslink was greenfield site.” He explains. We’ve got obvious exception of Whitechapel. And the consideration that if we don’t eight stations all going through their it is different. It’s more about logistics do this, then it is a year delay on the processes at the same time. So for the then and the fact that it’s in a tunnel programme. Straight away. With all the central team you get much more of a and we’re all climbing over each other marching costs for the year which, okay, parallel path.” trying to get things done.” you could scale a bit down. But it’s still a year on the project! And so a great deal “I mean, it’s almost like we’re feeding “But there are underlying similarities of attention was given, and the contracts a monster!” He laughs. “It’s just a huge in terms of the design, which is always were constructed, in such a way that machine that you have to keep feeding, a challenge on big programmes like everything was about time.” and the quicker you feed it the more it this. It’s always a challenge to have wants to consume.” design ready for build. And we’re always “It’s why,” he continues, “the approach struggling, I think, both on Thameslink at London Bridge of four or five “That’s the difference for me. With and here on Crossrail. You want to build different suppliers and Network Rail possessions on the national railway you this next week, for example, but the in a partnership was structured entirely only want to be shutting one or two design’s not quite there So what do you around collaboration.” places so you’re not forcing people onto do to get that over the hurdle next week?” buses or, worse, multiple bus journeys. “A good example of that was when they So by definition you can’t be changing were using a tower crane to take out every station at the same time. Whereas track panels from the old railway in a here we absolutely are. Every single one possession. They did that because it was of these stations is doing the same stuff, quicker than using the conventional at the same time. It’s intense - great - Kirov crane, pulling the panel out onto but intense!” a wagon and taking it away by rail. So

25 LONDON RECONNECTIONS “With possessions the stages are much “One of the things we’re doing right “At Crossrail we’re just now getting more sequential, for example. So that now to strengthen that in Crossrail,” into the period where systems interact gives you a chance, once you’ve designed he explains, “is that for the engineering with the stations.” He continues. “So your stage works pattern, because you teams we’re going through a slightly we’re just exploring all of that at the can design all your design activities and revised engineering model. We’re moment, in effect. We’ve planned for schedule it to be a bit more loaded. It’s making sure that all the site teams have it, obviously, and it’s here now in big still a challenge, because all projects of the necessary competencies. Indeed volumes, but now is really where the this scale are a big challenge, but it’s we’re actually doing a methodical systems are meeting the structures that slightly more smoothed out. Whereas process right now of reviewing all the we’ve built and the contractor, with their here in Crossrail it’s just a massive competencies of the engineering people designer, is detailing a design based on parallel machine. And everyone’s doing there so that we’re able to delegate more what we as an employer planned out it all in parallel.” out to each of the parallel sites.” with our consultants a long time ago. So we’ve got all these issues of trying We ask whether this makes Crossrail We ask whether all of this leaves him to thread pipework through structures. much more of a challenge simply in feeling, at times, like he is riding a tiger. Crossrail has to work quite hard, terms of staying informed and aware of because we’re the systems integrator what’s going on. “Oh yeah!” He laughs. “And the funny here, to bring people together. Bring the thing, the thing that I find brilliant, is that suppliers together to make sure they’re “Yes.” He confirms. “Our critical issues every day I’ll come in and I’ll be doing coordinating.” meeting on a Monday morning? Big something different. I can be involved volume of information to share. So in an electronic systems discussion one Talk of contractors implementing things you have to manage, shift and sort it. minute and a tunnelling one the next. that were designed some time ago Typically we’ll get through all the high There might be a setting out issue, a leads us to ask whether this is another priority items, but those items are right mechanical issue... it changes every ten difference between the two styles of across the programme.” minutes, and that’s... that’s just great. I love project. That on a possession based it. I learn something new every day. railway you tend to find out very quickly From a chief of engineering perspective, if you’re design decisions are wrong, he says, this produces a much lower Moving beyond the design and planning whereas with the production line issues signal to noise ratio on Crossrail over process, we ask whether possession may not become obvious for some time. Thameslink which is something that has and production line scenarios require a to be accepted and managed. different approach with the contractors. “It;s a big concern.” He admits. “But we’re trying to make sure we still “We rely on the fact that people are “Well the normal thing with possessions learn lessons. Indeed recently we working on critical issues outside of that is that suppliers and contractors had a ‘lessons learnt’ session on train meeting.” He says. “That they’ve sifted will push back to their own domain, introduction from what’s been going on them all, using the ‘red / amber / green’ their own part of the scheme.” He with the Class 700 train introduction. approach to categorisation. So we’re explains. “Now we actually changed Network Rail were able to share with then able to focus mainly on the reds at that on Thameslink to make it more us things that have gone right, and the management meetings.” collaborative, to make everyone more things that have gone wrong, with that dependent on everyone else and having introduction with Siemens. And we’re It also means accepting that decisions the sort of logistics meetings where now trying to avoid some of the pitfalls have to be made locally, and that the people were talking about how they they’ve had with Bombardier on our people with the skills to do that need to could help each other. But that’s quite train. Some of the other things we’re be in place at site level. unusual. Normally you do tend to get doing build on good lessons learnt from much more siloed, discipline driven them. Such as our integration facility, behaviour in possession scenarios.” so we can trial all the software and hardware offline before we get to real trains and real drivers.”

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 26 FEEDING THE MONSTER METRORAIL SPECIAL

FROM CONCEPTUAL TO PHYSICAL

With systems work now well under way, we ask whether he feels that Crossrail is now moving firmly from being a conceptual railway to a physical one.

“It is.” He says. “One of the things I say to my heads of disciple is that one of our roles, as well as the day-to-day deluge of stuff because the programme carries on, is now to get our heads up and look at the horizon.”

“These two process flows on the wall are a good example of that.” He says, pointing. “They’re looking at the end and working back, and saying ‘what are the things we’ve got to finish?’ And most of that is what many in the public would just consider bureaucracy, but they’re the things that will allow us to say that this railway is safe to operate. That it’ll perform. That it’ll be maintainable. Those are the things that I try and encourage people to look at now. Because we have to know what our end game is and be ready for it when it comes.”

“Now there are moments were it still all feels a bit conceptual.” He admits. “We’re still doing a lot of hazard review panels, for example, where it is all about assessing conceptual risk and making decisions. And those are, by definition, quite theoretical moments. But even there, once we’ve made those decisions we just have to stick with them now. Because there isn’t time to go back and revisit.”

“Basically there’s an interesting combination of theoretical stuff going on in parallel with getting a team down and saying: ‘Right. Decision made. We’re doing it this way.’”

27 LONDON RECONNECTIONS BUILDING PEOPLE AS WELL AS RAILWAYS

With so much going on, we ask what We comment that skilling up and has been the most personally satisfying empowering people is something that part of the job in recent months. Chris clearly feels is important.

“In February we made decisions on “It’s more than that. It’s critical.” He all of the technical specifications for says, emphatically. “One of the things interoperability,” he says, after a brief that’s really important is setting up moment of thought, “which have been an environment in which people can changing under our feet as European make decisions. That was one of the big governments have been updating them. focuses at Thameslink, which came out We’ve made decisions on them, clause of that engineering review and flowed by clause, on where our frozen baseline right through. So I see my role here as was and where we were going to try and a facilitator for the design decisions and move forward to satisfy the new stuff.” the engineering which has to go on. And I think that, fundamentally, is what “Another one, which would seem almost the position of Chief Engineer is all bureaucratic but is really important in about. And it’s a funny position, really, terms of design decisions, is accrediation because by definition you’re spread really of all of the people that are lead engineers thin. So what you have to be focused on the programme. It’s really satisfying on is not setting up things which block to get letters back from the infrastructure others, and I’ve got structures which managers confirming that they’ve allow people to make decisions and interviewed all the people that are here, move on.” in place, and confirm that they are people we can rely on to make decisions.” The principle, we suggest, of hiring smart people and getting out of their way. “And that’s really satisfying. We’re building a railway, but we’re building “Yes! And that’s been the great thing people as well. And that’s essential. That on both programmes. And here at accreditation process may sound like Crossrail, in particular, I have a world a really tedious thing to do, but if you class team. The size of this project project yourself forward to November has attracted the best people in their 2017 we can’t afford the time then professions, and they’re just amazing to wonder if the person who took a people to work with. Now to be fair, decision on a design a year, or two years Thameslink had the same effect in back, was a competent person with the Network Rail. It was a big programme right experience. It’s really important.” and people gravitated towards it, but this is a bigger scale again and the same has happened.

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PAYING IT FORWARD

As well as building people, Crossrail also Sharing that knowledge is something represents a wider learning opportunity that Crossrail are keen to do. Not least for the UK rail industry at large. We because it also provides an opportunity ask Chris what lessons he feels he has to gain knowledge back. already learned which should be taken to heart by future projects.” “At the beginning of this year I requested, and was invited back into, “It’s difficult to predict what we’d take the heads of engineering meetings at forward,” he says, “but if I was going on Network Rail.” He says. “Just to see to another programme right now I’d say what they’re sharing, and to share that you can’t get your integration lab some of ours. And I’ve done the same up and running quick enough. That the thing with the lead discipline engineers earlier you start planning your systems here. Because I think there’s a real integration stuff the better. You need to disadvantage if we don’t keep connected focus from really early on, on systems with the wider industry. In that you integration. Those are the key things. get the best people in their profession Because you can build structures and so into a special purpose vehicle, they on, but unless your key systems are there spend five, six, seven years here and if you can’t actually use them.” they’re not connected back to the rest of the industry then it’s seven year old knowledge. We have to keep up with what’s going on in the wider national network, and indeed what’s going on in London Underground.”

“We’re very focused, you see.” He continues. “And that’s good, but it’s also a risk. We’re set up just for this programme, and it would be very easy for us just to ignore everything that’s going on around us. But actually, when it comes to declaring that we can safely open this railway, we’ve got to be able to make comparisons with the rest. And we’ve got European specifications we’ve got to comply with as well.”

29 LONDON RECONNECTIONS GETTING PHYSICAL

With the conversation heading back We ask whether he’s worried about towards the subject of the physical bricks through his windows from the railway, we ask what he feels the most track engineers of the future. important decision he has had to make so far has been. “More likely to be Christmas cards, hopefully!” He laughs. “That’s what I’m “All of the ones we’ve made recently!” aiming for anyway!” He says, with a laugh. “The key asset for any railway is the track and we’ve “The track laying has gone really well made some key decisions related to so far though.” He says. “It’s set out track design. Really good decisions I almost to the millimetre like we planned think, but you can’t go back afterwards! it. When we started out, there was an This will be the track that’s running. awful lot of pressure to get going and get And once you’ve got two hundred going fast on the production line of the million people a year using it, you can concreting machine. But to be honest it only get in on the hours overnight to do took them a while to ramp up, and they anything different. You have to take a lot were doing that because they were setting of care over those decisions!” it out right. And we can be really proud of what we’ve put in. There’s no dilution Making those decisions, he says, is always of quality and that’s really important a strange mixture of fear and elation. because you have to get the basics right.”

“You have loads of information, That success, he explains, is at least in workshops and meetings.” He explains. part because of the relationship Crossrail “But ultimately you have to make the had built up with the contractor. decisions and move forward. And it’s always a balance between the “They were taking as much pride and programme schedule, between how care in it as our own engineers.” He says. many tests you’d want in an ideal world “So we, the client, were looking over and against the time available, the theory, saying ‘are you sure you’re happy starting the practicality... I love all of that. It’s slowly?’ And their surveyor was having just... it’s what I find exciting.” that argument with their own engineers who wanted to crack on, and that was nice. We didn’t have to push hard to get the quality we needed.” LONDON RECONNECTIONS 30 FEEDING THE MONSTER METRORAIL SPECIAL

CONTRACTOR RELATIONS

That kind of relationship with “So as I was leaving the signalling team contractors and suppliers is something to work on Thameslink there were Chris feels is crucial to delivering the already people saying: ‘You know what, railway. As is the importance of having we should outsource more!’ and that an internal knowledge of the things will always happen I think. I think all contractors are being asked to deliver. you can do is keep challenging where you are and whether you’re moving too “All my career has been about setting far in one direction. Certainly i think up educated clients or working with the model here of a special purpose them.” He explains. “When I joined vehicle set up to deliver the programme Network Rail it was to in-source and be informed about what it wants, I signalling. Because Railtrack had lost think that works well. It’s not a model all it’s signalling expertise. It could no applicable everywhere, obviously! There longer say what schemes it wanted. are lots of different models. But I think It had no idea. They were paying it’s one that has adapted itself well to consultants to give a view, but they had the level of work being done and is no idea. So that was my role for the charging along doing it.” first five or six years there. And then, both Thameslink and Crossrail teams “It’s been fascinating walking into a are all about being a client that can programme already doing things that make decisions. Which is great.” way. There’s so much that’s been thought through. In fact a lot of the time here I “I think that experience set the mould find it’s about finding the right person for me. Joining an organisation that had who’ll then say ‘Oh yeah, six years ago clearly struggled... I mean, John Armitt we thought about that!’ And out comes famously did a speech where he said we the document from the cupboard!” should cancel all signalling for a year because we have no idea what we’re “And there’s some good systems here doing! Getting back from that, and that allow us to do that. Sounds silly, getting the programme running again, but a great document management was a tremendous experience. But it was system for example. In fact, a lot of almost frightening the level it had been inter-relationships between Thameslink outsourced too.” and Crossrail. I know both Information Management Teams have been talking “The trouble is, there’s a pendulum effect to each other, for example, and it shows in this industry, and there has to be in in both programmes. We’ve got about a way. But you always have to test and two million documents here in our say ‘have we swung too far?’ So I almost systems, and you can find them, and get kind of accept that every five years or so them on your desk quickly.” you have to do a bit of the other.”

31 LONDON RECONNECTIONS WORKING ON THE EDGES

Whilst Crossrail’s central section is Working with Network Rail does bring greenfield, it also relies heavily on some challenges. interfaces with, and work by Network Rail. How does that affect his thinking, “It can be quite difficult sometimes,” we ask. he admits, “because they have a huge programme of works to integrate with “My accountability is for the whole thing.” and not every one of their programme Chris says. “For the end-to-end railway, so priorities will fit with ours perfectly. I do try and think of the ‘four pillars’ of the So we’ve got our National Grid site at railway - will it perform? Is it operable? Is Kensal Green, for example, which we it safe? Can it be maintained? And that delivered last April. But Network Rail applies end-to-end.” have reprogrammed their electrification around the Paddington corridor and “So, for example, I’m a representative don’t actually need it yet. Now that on the railway assurance board we’ve set doesn’t effect our programme, but up for Crossrail, which considers papers it does show how over time those that cover end-to-end operation. Even milestones can drift apart slightly.” the safety management system for RfL is going to that panel. And so I spend We ask whether it also occasionally my life trying to keep me head up and leads to opportunities to change the think about the end-to-end operation. programme of delivery as well. Will it work together? Will it integrate together? And we’ve got teams doing “Yes, and we have to make sure we’re that as well, including our testing and looking far enough ahead to make sure commissioning strategy people, who are that all the things we do need are there looking at how we test the interfaces. So in time. Again, at the western end, Network Rail deliver a load of stuff, we that’s quite complicated because there’s deliver a load of stuff and that all needs a big corridor to work with and it’s in to bolt together somewhere. And we full time operation. So things like the have to exercise it right across.” slewing of line six is one we’re working on with them. They’re going to slew it “In fact this is my bible at the moment!” in a possession that suits Network Rail, He says, grabbing a weighty paper so we’re going to need to work around manual from his desk. “Infrastructure that with our programme to make sure management boundaries! And it’s we can get to Royal Oak portal with got appendices showing where our construction.” everything ends, even down to which bits of concrete are managed by which infrastructure manager when they’re alongside each other - at Pudding Mill Lane, for example. And this is the sort of detail you just have to get into - who’s managing this bit of wire? This bit of concrete? This bit of Circuitry?”

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 32 FEEDING THE MONSTER METRORAIL SPECIAL

GETTING HIS BOOTS DIRTY

Given his background and experience “Building that culture in is about It’s clear that despite being aware of his delivering on the ground, we finish our establishing it early as a principle. So own limitations and the need to avoid conversation by asking how hard it is for one of the first things I did in coming in being drawn too much into the detail, Chris to resist the urge to get stuck into was to say that I wanted to be working Chris still enjoys being involved. We ask tactical, rather than strategic, decisions. with a team that was confident, that whether he still occasionally gets the could be delegated to and that could satisfaction of spotting a problem that Has he ever found himself, for example, make their own decisions. And that I’d someone else had missed. making teeth-sucking noises and stand behind them to do that. So that’s making suggestions on site visits. why the accreditation was important.” “It still happens occasionally!” He says, with clear pride, “I find with most “No! Or at least I hope not!” He says, “Speaking personally I think one of design things, even when they’re not laughing. “I think you bring your the things that’s really important is to within my discipline, it’s about paying experience in and yeah, sometimes acknowledge to myself and others that a level of detailed attention to things. you say ‘well I wish that had happened I can’t now do any one aspect in detail. And one of the things I pride myself on earlier’ or whatever, but no. In fact, one Even with my signalling background, is trying to spot details early! So I quite of the things I’ve worked quite hard to I have to try and make sure that I’m enjoy it when I spot things! do is to make sure that people aren’t not making a signalling decision that I worried about challenging what I say.” don’t have enough information about. “But I’m by no means infallable,” he And also things move on. I’m not going adds quickly, “and that’s why I like ‘Because the worst thing you can to every signalling meeting anymore. I working with people who know they possibly do at my level is get into a can’t. I’ve got a multi-disciplinary role.” can challenge me, and they also know position where people might be tempted that I’ll say when I don’t know things. to say ‘Oh, well, if the Chief Engineer Within that role, though, he feels it is Someone did comment to me the other said to do it like that...’ and then not still important to get his boots dirty. day that they were a bit unnerved by the think about doing something else. I fact that I said: ‘well, I don’t know, let’s think it’s quite important that you have “One of the things I’m really keen on is have a look.’” robust discussions and challenges, and getting out as often as I can. I don’t get I don’t want to be treated any different out as often as I’d like! But I’m normally “I don’t think I’ll ever stop doing that to anyone else. What I will do though, out once a week and there are a lot of though. Because I still get a kick out of and what I’m paid to do, is arbitrate. sites to see.” that. It’s satisfying.” So if there are three views and we need to pick one, then I’ll pick one. But if “Getting out there is really, really “What can I say?” He says, with a smile, I’m contributing to a document, for important, because the thing is, if you “I love building stuff. It’s what I do.” example, then I’m just another reviewer don’t do that then you’re only getting the as far as I’m concerned.” side of the story that comes through in a report. And a typical engineering issue that bubbles up to the surface is that you’ll hear that someone is very firm in their view that everyone else is mad, and that this is the only way to do something. And if you haven’t either heard the other view, or seen the reality on the ground as to why people are doing things the way they are, then it’s impossible to make an informed decision.”

33 LONDON RECONNECTIONS

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By John Bull

PEACE ON OUR LINE DEOLING LONDON’S RAILWAYS 37 LONDON RECONNECTIONS DESPITE WHAT THE PAPERS It is not often that rail consultations are greeted with unabashed excitement. SAID, TFL WERE In this the reaction to January’s announcement that Transport for London (TfL) and the Department for Transport NOT GIVEN (DfT) are to jointly consult on shared governance and standards for London’s LONDON’S rail network is a strange thing indeed. That a simple statement of intent could provoke such a passionate response RAILWAYS TO speaks volumes about the current state of commuter services within the Capital. Among regular travellers MANAGE THIS there is a perception that London is ill-served by the majority of the Train Operating Companies (TOCs) that run MONTH. BUT its railways, and it is a perception that is difficult for the TOCs to argue against. Just how low their stock has fallen in FOR THE FIRST the eyes of many of their customers is perhaps summarised best by a recent ill-advised social media campaign by PEACE ON South West Trains. To mark the 20th TIME THERE year of the current franchise’s operation the TOC asked people to share their IS PERHAPS favourite memories on Twitter. OUR LINE THE RESULTS AGREEMENT WERE PERHAPS DEOLING NOT QUITE THAT THIS MIGHT WHAT THE OPERATOR WAS LONDON’S BE THE WAY EXPECTING. RAILWAYS FORWARD. LONDON RECONNECTIONS 38 PEACE ON OUR LINE? METRORAIL SPECIALL

BURSTING THE BUBBLE In the face of this, the general reaction There are, however, a couple of qualifiers is perhaps understandable, as is the in the statement before that list: reaction in the press. “TfL’s London Overground to take command of the “The n w agreement will look capital’s entire suburban rail network” at ways to give millions of rail proclaimed the Evening Standard. “All suburban rail services in the capital will passengers a better experience by be rebranded as London Overground” examining the potential for a it continued. Other news outlets soon wide range of improvements.” followed their lead. Similarly it’s easy to see why a couple SADLY of other bullet points caused such excitement about takeovers and the THIS ISN’T timetable for action: FACTUALLY “Under the proposals, TfL would CORRECT. become responsible for services mostly or wholly within the For making this mistake the Standard (and others) perhaps can’t entirely be GLA boundary, with the DfT faulted. Rarely has a consultation been remaining accountable for outer presented quite so emphatically as an suburban services. actual announcement, and several bullet points in the Mayoral press release – The first ranchise coming up for practically leap off the page: renewal is South West services in 2017, followed by Southeastern in “– introducing more frequent 2018 and South Central (Southern) services, more reliable trains, better services, as well as Great Northern interchanges and increased capacity services from King’s Cross and – the creation of a London Moorgate currently operating as Suburban Metro service with the the Govia Thameslink ail (GTR) potential for more than 80 per franchise, in 2021.” cent of stations to have a train In that excitement though it is perhaps every 15 minutes, up from 67 per easy to miss that there is actually cent today, as well as the potential nothing explicitly linking those two for more regular services via statements together. Clapham Junction, South East Indeed the contrast between the style of London and Kent. the press release and the consultation it is promoting becomes even clearer when one – developing new rail lines to looks at the actual consultation document connect poorly serviced areas and itself. The release is a breathless statement to support new homes and jobs.” of apparent facts. The consultation is facts without a great deal of detail.

39 LONDON RECONNECTIONS “TfL’S LONDON OVERGROUND TO TAKE COMMAND OF THE CAPITAL’S ENTIRE SUBURBAN RAIL NETWORK” PROCLAIMED THE EVENING STANDARD

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 40 PEACE ON OUR LINE? METRORAIL SPECIALL

STAYING GROUNDED There are an awful lot of genuine positives to be found in this consultation, which we will explore both here and on the website at a later date. First though it is very important to clearly establish what it doesn’t do:

IT DOES NOT IT DOES NOT SPECIFY WHICH SAY THAT ALL FRANCHISES WILL LONDON’S PASS TO TFL FOR RAILWAYS WILL ANAGEENT ECOE PART ALTHOUGH IT OF LONDON PROIDES A OERGROUND GENERAL IDEA OF THE SCOPE IT DOES NOT COIT TFL OR THE DFT TO ANY SPECIFIC IPROEENTS IT DOES NOT IN SERICE LEELS SET OUT A OR QUALITYOF TIETALE SERICE FOR THE DEOLUTION OF ANY SERICES

What it does do is offer real options for both TfL and the DfT to take shared steps forward in all of those areas. Those shared steps are loosely defined, but that is to be expected in a consultation rather than an announcement. 41 LONDON RECONNECTIONS DEVOLUTION TO TFL FRANCHISING DÉTENTE To understand what changes this There is nothing inherently wrong with It is on the subject of franchising that consultation proposes one must first this model, but it only works when this consultation arguably represents the understand the differences between the demand can rise or fall in response to biggest genuine leap forward. Whilst it way TfL manage their surface railway positive or negative actions taken by the makes no promises on how franchises network and the way that the DfT operator. Unfortunately, the explosive will be run, it strongly suggests that manage theirs. growth of rail demand in London over TfL and the DfT have agreed to better the last fifteen years (due to population partition responsibility for running We have explored the different models growth and geographic shift) means them. In this, it suggests adopting an in detail before. In the simplest terms, that many trains are now operating at approach which first appeared in a both bodies effectively subcontract capacity. There is thus no incentive for TfL-commissioned NERA report back IT DOES NOT IT DOES NOT the operation of the railway lines that the operator to deliver a good service, in 2011. Existing franchises should they manage, but they do so in slightly whilst the fragmentary nature of the either be split or remodelled into ‘Inner’ SPECIFY WHICH SAY THAT ALL different ways. contract distribution means that the cost and ‘Outer’ London franchises. TfL of improving services beyond current will then be responsible for contracting FRANCHISES WILL LONDON’S Very broadly, the DfT use a franchise levels is more than the profits any operators to run the Inners – the lines PASS TO TFL FOR RAILWAYS WILL model whereby – within limits – the individual operator might make. where their concession model will operator is free to offer whatever work best – whilst the DfT will retain ANAGEENT ECOE PART service they feel is best at whatever By contrast, TfL operate their own responsibility for the Outers. ALTHOUGH IT OF LONDON price-point they feel the market will franchises on a concession model. Here, bear. Basic free market principles are TfL set a specific level of service and Just how that breakdown will shake out PROIDES A OERGROUND intended to ensure that passengers quality they expect the operator to is not defined here. This is important receive a decent service, because deliver, regardless of actual passenger to state, as it demonstrates that there GENERAL IDEA otherwise they would simply vote numbers. This means that TfL carry is still plenty of work to be done – and OF THE SCOPE with their feet and take their business all the risk, but it also means that the potentially plenty of disagreement. No IT DOES NOT elsewhere. Run a bad service and operator knows exactly what service franchises are explicitly named for transfer, passenger numbers (and profits) will they are expected to deliver. It also although all of those lines specified in COIT TFL fall, run a good one and numbers means that the responsibility (and the the press releases’ bullet points are listed OR THE DFT TO (and profits) climb. incentive) for improvement remains as possible options. Of all of them, the with TfL, who can take a wider view most explicit suggestion is that all the ANY SPECIFIC on what needs to be done. inner London services which form IPROEENTS part of the South West franchise will IT DOES NOT In London, this has proven to be a very be passed to TfL – explicit because IN SERICE LEELS successful model indeed and for many the consultation confirms that such a SET OUT A years TfL has petitioned to be given change cannot happen in 2017, but that OR QUALITYOF the responsibility for more London a transfer in 2019 would be possible TIETALE SERICE franchises on which to operate it. thanks to a breakpoint in the franchise, FOR THE which is currently out to tender. DEOLUTION OF ANY SERICES

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 42 PEACE ON OUR LINE? METRORAIL SPECIALL

A QUESTION OF TIMESCALES TOWARDS A LONDON SUBURBAN METRO Just as no specific franchises are mentioned, neither is any timetable for Between the timescales involved and transfer or improvement. That the end the proposed split between Inner points of existing franchises represent the and Outer services, the consultation earliest opportunity for such transfers to effectively confirms that we can expect take place is relatively obvious, and those to see both TfL and the DfT managed expecting an immediate impact as a services running in London for the result of this consultation would do well foreseeable future. to remember that fact. On a positive note though, what it also In this vein, it would seem that confirms is that the two bodies are SouthEastern travellers would likely be looking to take a much more unified the first to see their franchise change approach to specifying the minimum hands in some way, but even that level of quality and functionality (in terms wouldn’t be until 2019 and presumes of people, stations and rolling stock) that TfL and the DfT don’t decide to that they require from their respective make use of the breakpoint in the South operators. It is this that is meant by the INNER West franchise first. concept of a London Suburban Metro. This isn’t the suggestion that everything This may seem a long way off, but should become one network (whether realistically it is hard to see much London Overground or something else), happening before. This is not just a which other new sources seem to have reflection of the contractual reality mistakenly suggested. It is simply a term that already exists, but also of the that TfL and the DfT are applying to complexities involved in taking over their unified base specification concept. an entire line. This is something we’ll explore in more detail in our next issue, but the reality is that recent experiences on West Anglia have taught TfL that the logistics involved in taking over an TfL AND DfT ARE entire line are considerable and cannot be rushed. Indeed sources suggest that, despite hints within the press release LOOKING TO to the contrary, TfL themselves have made it very clear that taking over any new services before 2019 would be TAKE A MUCH a considerable challenge, even if the opportunity to do so existed. MORE UNIFIED OUTER APPROACH TO SPECIFYING THE MINIMUM LEVEL OF QUALITY AND

43 LONDON RECONNECTIONS FUNCTIONALITY. INNER

OUTER

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 44 PEACE ON OUR LINE? METRORAIL SPECIALL

DELIVERING REAL, IT’S ABOUT HOUSING. AGAIN. A PLACE AT THE DECISION TABLE NOTICEABLE IMPROVEMENT External factors, however, may well One other external factor may simply Perhaps the most misleading element of present themselves. Most notably the prove to be TfL itself. The organisation the press coverage of this announcement issue of housing. Earlier in this issue we has long sought a more influential so far has been the suggestion (explicit looked at several ways that the demand place at the table where decisions or otherwise) that passengers can expect for housing in London has begun to on infrastructure improvements are to see a quick improvement in the have a real impact on transport funding made, and in effect this consultation quality of service they now receive. and the shape of the network, and offers exactly that. For it will be an As the consultation makes clear, this the same holds true here. Indeed it is inevitable consequence of the transfer simply isn’t the case. noticeable that the consultation makes of franchising authority. This translates heavy mention of the impact that Local to a greater ability to influence where A glance at its appendices shows that all Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) might Network Rail’s infrastructure efforts are of the specific short-term improvements have on transport decision making, aimed. Sole responsibility for certain passengers are likely to see are those going so far as to highlight the coming parts of the network also increases TfL’s that are part of the existing franchise extension of the Metropolitan line to options for commissioning work outside agreements. New rolling stock, better Watford as an example of how things of (but approved by) Network Rail where staffing levels and station environment might happen in future. money allows – something TfL did to changes are all suggested as possible great effect during the work to expand future improvements, but in nearly all The choice of this specific example may the existing Overground network to five- cases sit firmly in either the ‘middle’ or at first seem curious to those familiar car length. Here external contracts, paid ‘long-term’ columns. In reality, these with the project, which has seen both for directly by TfL, were used to extend two columns translate to about seven costs and timescales increase as well the platforms at Brondesbury. year steps in rail terms. This means that as the forced handover of the project those expecting rolling stock changes from Herts. to TfL. Viewed through the on South London rail services will be window of LEP contributions, however, waiting until 2026 at the earliest. The the reason for its inclusion becomes same applies to timetable or service clear, as a significant contribution to the frequency changes. Indeed in multiple cost of the extension’s construction has places the consultation stresses that the come from local developers. majority of the improvements it also suggests are currently unfunded. Barring external factors coming into play, that is likely to remain the case.

45 LONDON RECONNECTIONS I HAVE HERE A PIECE OF PAPER… What this consultation ultimately is, Indeed so sudden a u-turn, at least from then, is a promise of cooperation yet to the outside, does this appear to be that come. It isn’t confirmation that things it is tempting to wonder what outside are about to get significantly better for effects came into play. Transport policy London’s commuters in the short term, is never formed in a vacuum, and with nor a binding contract between TfL a Mayoral purdah rapidly approaching and the DfT on the future shape of and candidates such as Sadiq Khan London railways. and Caroline Pidgeon putting rail devolution at the heart of their current It should not be underestimated, campaign messaging, it is hard not to however, just how huge a milestone suspect that the current government a simple agreement to cooperate is. may not have felt that taking some For almost as long as LR has existed wind out of those particular sails wasn’t we have been covering the complete something of a potential bonus. contrast in opinions and approaches taken by the DfT and TfL to running Whatever the reasons for this surprise London’s railways. TfL have long announcement, ultimately it is almost demanded more control and the DfT certainly good news for London as a whole. have long resisted those calls. Those looking for quick changes, For a long time relations between the however, would do well to manage two bodies on this particular subject were their expectations. Right now this is decidedly icy, and whilst it is certainly simply progress on paper. And good true that in recent months this has shown as that is, as Neville Chamberlain once signs of thawing such a dramatic u-turn discovered, that kind of progress can is something few would have predicted. be very fragile indeed.

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 46 2015 MEDIA PACK INFORMATION

Crossrail: The End of the Beginning (Issue 2)

FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2008, LONDON RECONNECTIONS HAS SWIFTLY CEMENTED A POSITION AS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL SOURCES OF TRANSPORT NEWS AND ANALYSIS WITHIN LONDON AND THE UK. Find us online at http://www.londonreconnections.com THE END OF THE BEGINNING WHY SHOULD I ADVERTISE? WHAT IS LR MAGAZINE? HOUSE. ISSUE ZERO

This is the only completely new surface station on Crossrail. There is an adjacent DLR station of the same name, but the two stations will be treated as two entirely NOT A CHEAPSKATE STATION separate entities with an Out of Station Interchange (OSI). Immediatel y to the w House statio est of Custo A visit to the vicinity of the Custom n is the easter m It is very logical to have Custom House station on the for the Abbey W What House Crossrail station site makes one n portal is not known is hether surface. Firstly, the land was available as the North the centr ood br hanc to enter be an w very aware that building it is far from al underground section of y crossovers loc there will CUSTOM HOUSE Crossr leading up fr ated on the r Woolwich end of the North London Line had closed a few a minor task. It will be much more ail. The tunnel entrance wil om the por amp pr ther tal. years earlier – the area now being served by new nearby substantial than the former station it obably be visible fr m the platf m.l e are no indic Although Bef o ther l be, atio ntns that at pr • A trusted brand with engaged readers As part of our plans to better serve and DLR services. Secondly, there is the rather obvious fact will replace. Crossrail’s general ethos ore work could begin o tal, or e wil a ful ese l cr v e could that even the most frequent of London’s commuters are the DL n the por potential y be v osso er her THE FIRST of doing more than the minimum is R track needed to be slewed l ery useful in the e ent of o erv to make spa a problem in the C not Morlocks yet – people usually begin their journeys at evident here and the station is clearly v on at o ce. With this going the Cr onnaught tunnel or surface level so where possible it makes sense to have the intend to cater for considerable future ne end and the r bishment ossrail tunnel under the Thames o efur as it w station there. Thirdly, CrossrailSTAT utilises the existing but f the Connaught tunnel at the other ould enab potential growth. end, at Custo . le trains to terminate disused Connaught Tunnel under the RoyalION Docks and it THAT worksite spa m House and it c ly didn’ ce was at a premium putting a crossov Potential issues with is easier to link into this on the surface than attempt a sub- lear WE WILL building the statio t make sense to start to the tunnel porer on a ramp so c expand our readership, we are excited to surface connection. Fourthly, and no doubt crucially, it is n unnecessarily early. tal ma lose Constr limited opti y, wever,ho hav LOOK uction of the portal appears to ons here. e generally hundreds of millions of pounds cheaper to build be comple on the surface than to do soAT underground. S US te although, not prisingly I ther t an sur The pro C TOM e is not ye vision of a cr y track there. It was , in the vicinit ossover so wher at thes ate por y of Custo me e tals th T ing be co m House could HOUSE. Machines ( unnel Bor nsidered impor TBM) J tant as currently completed their sec ndessic shorta and drive. Ellie ther le be wil only t o bet wo crosso ers located • Reach current decision-makers ween Paddington and the veastern announce our expansion into print. For This is the onl portals. One wil y co Crossr mpletely ne at F l be in centr ondon ail. There dja is an a w surface statio isher Street in Holborn andal L the name, but the t cent DL n on other at Whitec wo statio R station of the same NOT A hapel. separate entities with tationa ns wilInterl be treated as tw CHEAPSKATE S ATION n Out of S o entirely A visit to the vicinit T It is very logic change (OSI). House Cr atio y of the Cu al to have Custo ossrail st n site m stom surface. Firstly, very awar the lan m House statio e that building it is farakes fr o Woolwic d was available a n on the a minor task. It wil ne the fi rst time this will off er advertisers the 21 h end of th s the Nor om e N LONDON years earlier – the ar orth London Line had c th substanti l be m e uch mor RECONNECTIONS ea no al than the f DLR services. Secondly, w being ser losed a f wil eplacel r . Crossrail ormer station it ved by new near ew that even the most fr o there is the r by of doing mor ’ enerals g ethos not Morloc equent of L mm ather obvious fa e than the minimum is ks y ndon’s co uters ar ct evident here and n is clearl surface le et – people usual the statio vel so wher ly begin their journey e intend to c or co e pos ater f y statio e.n ther sible it makes sense to have thes at potential gro nsiderable future Thirdly, Crossr wth. • Engage with new demographics and disused Co ail utilises the existing but nnaught Tunnel chance to be associated with the LR brand is ea sier to link into this on thunder the Royal Docks and it surfa nnectioce co e sur n. Fourthly, face than attempt a sub- g allenery hundr and no doubt cr y, it is o fan the sur eds of millio uciall ce than to do so undergrns of pounds cheaper to build future decision-makers and to engage directly with our readership. ound.

21 LONDON RECONNECTIONS • Readers work both for London and Issues are published bi-monthly with a

LONDON RECONNECTIONS nationally-focused transport companies focus on quality and design. Distribution 22 or government agencies. is both digital and physical.

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KING OF THE UNDERWORLD By John Bull

53 LONDON RECONNECTIONS IN 1825 ONE MAN SET OUT TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE – CONSTRUCT THE FIRST EVER TUNNEL BENEATH THE TIDAL RIVER THAMES. THIS IS THE STORY OF MARC BRUNEL’S SIXTEEN-YEAR QUEST TO MAKE ENGINEERING HISTORY AND CHANGE THE WORLD OF SUBTERRANEAN CONSTRUCTION AS WE KNOW IT.

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 54 PEACE ON OUR LINE? METRORAIL SPECIALL

AN ENGINEERING GENIUS

On 2 March 1825 the Thames Tunnel He was, the papers said, an engineering If anyone seemed likely to build the Company began construction of what genius. During the Napoleonic wars he Tunnel, therefore, it was he. But as the they hoped would be the first tunnel had invented the first ever automated weeks wore on and a fifty-foot-wide beneath the Thames. On the banks of manufacturing process for making circular brick tower began to loom larger the river at Rotherhithe, bricklayers rigging blocks and thus the Royal Navy, and larger on the Rotherhithe skyline, and labourers began their work as the who got through a staggering 100,000 people began to wonder whether maybe curious watched on. The project had blocks a year, loved him (although someone should have a polite word with been garnering a certain amount of apparently not enough to pay his this celebrated figure because… attention ever since it had been granted invoices). He had also invented the first royal assent the year before, and its goal true production line process, which he Well… was an ambitious one – the construction put to use making cheap, quality, mass- of a tunnel beneath the river large produced boots for the army. …Wasn’t he meant to be going down enough for both people and horse- not up? drawn traffic to use. It was a goal that True, the Navy’s apparent inability many thought was impossible. to locate their chequebook and the Contrary to perception, however, the fact that the sole had fallen out of chief engineer knew exactly what he Over the next few months, London the boot market after the war had was doing. In order to dig, he knew, you watched as the company’s workforce seen him confined to debtors prison, needed a shaft. For a project like this went about their business under the but whilst there he had designed an it also needed to be a big one – a deep, supervision of the energetic Frenchman impressive bridge for the river Neva at wide shaft lined with solid walls to hold who had been appointed to be the St Petersburg on behalf of the Tsar, and the earth back. The digging and shoring company’s Chief Engineer. the British government had become so of this would have been a dangerous and worried about the possibility that he expensive enough task in solid ground, might leave the country to build it that let alone in the soft earth by the Thames. they ultimately paid off all his debts from the national purse.

55 LONDON RECONNECTIONS HAD AN IDEA... ENGINEER BUT THIS

As the tower got taller it also got By Brunel’s time the need for a way to heavier and, inch by inch, with scientific reduce pressure on these bottlenecks inevitability, it began to sink into the was acute, but building a new bridge soft riverside earth. In fact, by 6 June simply wasn’t an option. Ironically, the 1825 the 40ft tower had, with a little bit very vessels that made a new bridge of help (and with men digging out the necessary also meant it was impossible inside as it went), sunk completely into to build one. Any bridge would have the ground. to be large enough to allow tall ships to pass underneath – an engineering Marc Brunel, Chief Engineer to the and financial nightmare. Other cities Thames Tunnel Company, had just had addressed the problem by building invented the caisson. bascule bridges that could be raised, but the size of the Thames meant that When most people hear the name it would be some time before a bridge ‘Brunel’ today it is Isambard Kingdom of this style would be technically who springs to mind. Isambard’s legacy possible in London (Tower Bridge, is huge, and he is rightly considered built almost 50 years after the Thames one of the greatest Britons ever to have Tunnel was completed). lived. Yet many do not realise that it is to his father, Marc that Londoners (and Given the constraints, it is perhaps not indeed the world) arguably owe the surprising that Brunel was not the first greater debt. Marc’s work on the Thames to think of a crossing that ran below the Tunnel – which, remarkably, is still in use river rather than above. In 1708 Ralf today – would be the seed from which Dodd, who had been responsible for the all London’s major subterranean railways Grand Surrey Canal, sank a test shaft at would grow. Although it would take more Rotherhithe but declared the geology than fifteen years to complete and extract unworkable. Then in 1805 the Thames a brutal cost in both money and men, Archway Company – the brainchild of the construction of the tunnel would see Cornish tin mine engineer Robert Vazie Brunel face, and largely conquer, all the – attempted to dig a 5ft-high tunnel problems that had until then prevented beneath the river. large-scale subterranean tunnelling.

That a tunnel was required at all was a consequence of the massive increase in traffic to London’s ports that had occurred at the beginning of the nineteenth century. By the end of the Napoleonic wars London was the shipping capital of the world, with the Thames packed with tall ships waiting to load and unload at all hours of the day. As London increased in size, and as more and more shipping unloaded on the south side of the river, the capital’s existing river crossings (London Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge) became increasingly overwhelmed.

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 56 PEACE ON OUR LINE? METRORAIL SPECIALL

57 LONDON RECONNECTIONS INSTEAD OF A MACHINE, IT WAS PEOPLE THAT BRUNEL DECIDED TO PLACE AT THE CUTTING FACE...

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 58 PEACE ON OUR LINE? METRORAIL SPECIALL

In both cases, it was the ground that It was this approach that Brunel initially ultimately foiled the projects. The earth sought to emulate. He decided to design beneath the Thames was soft and thus a device that would cut through the prone to collapse. Worse, the presence earth and funnel the detritus through of the river meant that any large space itself. Its own weight and presence excavated soon fell in and flooded would provide the tunnel with support under the pressure of the water above. while bricklayers followed behind and This prevented the use of traditional built the tunnel lining. Sadly, however, mining techniques and the only man so Brunel soon discovered that this would far who had seemed to have a solution prove impossible – neither manpower to this problem was Richard Trevithick, nor the steam engines then available who had been brought in to try and proved sufficient to be able to power finish Vazie’s tunnel after repeated such a machine. collapses. Trevithick’s solution was an expensive one, however – to use a Undaunted, Brunel modified his plans. series of coffer dams to remove water Instead of a machine, it was people from the immediate area and then drop that Brunel decided to place at the in iron tunnel sections from above. cutting face. He designed an iron This was too risky (and costly) for the and wooden frame which he called a Thames Archway Company’s directors ‘shield.’ Assembled at the bottom of the and the tunnel was thus abandoned Rotherhithe shaft in November 1825, (although Trevithick’s idea itself this was a frame of 36 small chambers, was sound. It was later used in San each large enough to hold a single man. Francisco with some success). Each chamber was fronted by a number of six-inch horizontal boards, which Brunel, however, thought he had a could be removed by the chamber’s better solution. Tunnelling had been occupant allowing the small section of on Brunel’s mind for a while. He had earth beyond to be excavated. Once this originally considered a tunnel for his was done, the board could be replaced river Neva project and had watched and jacked forward, keeping the rest of Trevithick’s efforts with interest. His the earth back. nautical experience – both from his work with the Royal Navy and from his When each of the 36 miners had time as a young officer in the French excavated the space behind their Navy before the revolution – had also boards, the whole apparatus could be fixed in his mind an image from nature: jacked forward, with the frame itself the humble shipworm. He had observed supporting the weight of the roof and that shipworms dug into a ship’s timbers workmen following on behind to fill in by using shell-like projections either a more permanent lining. This lining side of their heads to do the cutting, and would be brick, at least 2ft 6in thick then ate and excreted the pulped wood. and held together with a new type of Roman cement that Brunel himself had helped create.

59 LONDON RECONNECTIONS Luckily for Brunel, engineering ran in the blood. As his own health faltered, IT WAS SLOW he found that he could increasingly rely on his son to take up the daily management of the project. Not yet PROGRESS, BUT IT twenty, Isambard Kingdom Brunel became his father’s presence on the front line of construction. It was on the WORKED. MARC Thames Tunnel that Isambard effectively learnt his craft, and here that he first BRUNEL HAD demonstrated his strength and talent for driving forward large projects. INVENTED THE By February 1827, the Tunnel had been driven forward about 300ft. This was a major achievement given the conditions TUNNELLING SHIELD. of earth, water and air, but it was far slower than Brunel or anyone else had For two years, inch by inch, the tunnel forecast. The project was already well crept forward. It was brutal work beset over budget and behind schedule. In by constant difficulties. London clay an effort to do something about the would give way to gravel with little rising costs, the company’s directors warning, and even with the shield acting ordered the workers wages reduced. This as a support flooding was a constant did more harm than good and, though worry. The tunnel also leaked constantly later resolved, resulted in a strike that and this became a major health hazard brought work to a halt for a time. to all involved. Conditions could be horrific for it is worth remembering The directors also decided, against that the Thames Tunnel pre-dates Brunel’s advice, to open the works to Bazalgette’s engineering feats and thus public viewing at the price of a shilling. Brunel’s Thames was not just a river. It Brunel’s major objection to this was was also an open sewer and repository one of safety. The risk of flooding was for industrial waste. still there, he insisted, and would only grow as the tunnel’s length increased. As early as 1826, Marc Brunel was Brunel knew that the tunnel would forced to leave much of the day-to- soon be perilously close to the riverbed’s day running in the hands of his senior lowest point and by May workers were engineers. Ill health and stress also beginning to find debris such as coal and wrought havoc on their ranks, however, china in the leaks – suggesting that the not to mention on the miners, labourers tunnel was even closer to the riverbed and bricklayers who worked for eight- than they had planned. On 18 May Marc hour shifts amidst the seeping sewage was leading Lady Raffles and her party and oppressive air. on one of the directors’ paid tours when he felt a feeling of real foreboding.

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 60 PEACE ON OUR LINE? METRORAIL SPECIALL

As he slowly recovered, with Isambard Isambard ran. “[I was] most continuing to supervise the work, it soon became clear that the flooding had caused As Isambard and the rest of the tunnel’s public confidence in the project to waver, workforce raced towards the safety uneasy all potentially disastrous given the perilous of the Rotherhithe shaft, the breach state of the company’s finances. In an effort worsened. When the young engineer the while,” he to restore faith, therefore, a rather effective reached the shaft he realised the public relations stunt was staged. In worker’s steps were crammed with those would later say, November 1827 a sumptuous banquet was trying to escape. He turned and sprinted held in the tunnel for the project’s backers. for the visitors’ stairs, but was suddenly “as if I had a swept off his feet by a vast wave of The stunt worked. With the Coldstream water that surged down the tunnel with presentiment.” Guards playing heartily in the background such force that it pushed Isambard and and many notable guests (including several others who had not yet have That evening, as the tide in the the Duke of Wellington, who was a reached the surface right up the shaft Thames rose, the tunnel roof above the keen supporter of Brunel thanks to itself. Some – including a battered and tunnelling shield broke. Water poured the Frenchman’s boot-making efforts) broken Isambard – were lucky enough in, and the workers (and Isambard who confidence was restored and work continued. to be swept over the lip to safety. The was supervising them at the time) were unlucky ones were sucked back down to forced to beat a hasty retreat to the That confidence would not last long. their deaths as the wave lost its force. Rotherhithe shaft. On 12 January 1828, as Isambard was supervising work in the tunnel, Six men died, including Collins and With work now halted, Isambard went he noticed that two miners – Collins Ball. Unlike Isambard, they had been down in a borrowed diving bell to and Ball – were struggling with some unable to free themselves from the survey the damage. It soon became clear shoring on the Tunnelling Shield. A wreckage of the scaffolding. what had happened. Gravel dredgers hands-on manager throughout his life, operating in the Thames had, contrary Isambard headed forward to help them The flood had disastrous consequences to the law, been dredging too deep. The out. Suddenly, as they worked, the three for the tunnel. Not only was the damage tunnel had indeed ended up closer to men were engulfed in a torrent of water. greater than before, but it also robbed the riverbed than expected and this had Marc of one of his most valuable led to the roof ’s collapse. The pressure threw the men back off resources – Isambard. His knee torn, his the frame and shattered the wooden body bruised and (although he didn’t Worse soon came for Marc. The damage scaffolding behind them on which know it at the time) bleeding internally, was repairable and, under Isambard’s the bricklayers worked. Water poured Isambard had insisted on staying on careful supervision, Marc had men lay through the fractured tunnel roof, site in the immediate aftermath and iron rods across the breach and bags causing men and material to be thrown supervising the assessment of the of clay dumped on top. When this had about like ragdolls. As the water sheeted damage by diving bell. Even Isambard’s been completed, the tunnel was pumped down, Isambard found himself pinned capacity for feats of endurance had dry and work began again (although the beneath the remains of the broken limits though, and he was soon flood water left the air in the incomplete scaffolding. Somehow, with the water- forcefully packed off to Brighton and tunnel section even worse than before). level in the tunnel rising quickly, he then Bristol to recover (he’d pass his All this put even more pressure on managed to free himself and crawled time designing a bridge or two). Marc’s health, however, and in August into one of the brick arches that ran 1827 he suffered a paralytic stroke. down the centre of the tunnel bore. Sheltered briefly from the full force of the water, Isambard was able to pull himself up and survey for the first time the damage. He quickly realised that a major breach had happened. The tunnel was flooding. Fast. 61 LONDON RECONNECTIONS Deprived of his right hand, Marc went into By 1831 Brunel had, despite suffering As a result, conditions below ground overdrive. His days were spent supervising a heart attack, managed to undo this quickly became horrific once more. The the repair efforts and speaking publicly damage and the government agreed air was putrid, not helped by the fact that in support of the project’s continuation. that Brunel could seek to draw on over 100 gallons of Thames filth was now His nights were spent poring over the the Treasury’s loan scheme. At the seeping through the tunnel head every days’ work results and writing reports company’s AGM, Brunel had also seen day and gas was increasingly building up to the now-frantic company directors the chairman deposed. in the tunnel as well. This would lead to detailing the state of play. the occasional explosion and small fires Getting the Treasury to actually agree to a which would burn for days, rendering Eventually the breaches were sealed, loan, however, proved incredibly difficult. the tunnel even hotter to work in and but just as work was about to begin on The first proposal was rejected but Brunel leaving the iron-framed tunnelling shield restoring the badly damaged tunnelling continued to campaign, even lobbying the sometimes scalding to the touch. frames the project’s finances finally reached King himself. The second was approved critical point. The company needed an only, heartbreakingly, for Brunel to see The government also rejected a plan by investment of funds to survive but despite the Treasury loan scheme’s funding cut, Brunel to buy his own diving bell. This, the efforts of Marc and his ever-present rendering the approval useless. he’d determined, would have been the supporter, the Duke of Wellington, who solution to the flooding problem. By once again put his public reputation on In 1834, after a third application had having a diving bell above the tunnel the line and vocally supported Brunel, a been rejected, a number of Fellows head at all times Brunel hoped to be able subscription drive failed. from the Royal Society decided to to catch likely flood points in advance throw a dinner in Brunel’s honour. and reinforce them with clay bags before On 9 August 1828, the tunnel face, with At the Spreadeagle & Crown Pub at they broke. Brunel got his ship from the remains of the frames still in place, Rotherhithe (now the Mayflower), which to distribute the clay, but not the was bricked up. The Tunnel seemed they toasted the Engineer’s health and diving bell and thus was largely reduced finished. Marc Brunel, however, wasn’t. formed the ‘Tunnel Club’ – a lobbying to throwing clay overboard blind in the group determined to help Brunel bring hope that it would help. As soon as tunnelling ceased, Brunel his funding plans to fruition. began a relentless offensive aimed at Despite all this, the tunnel slowly securing the funds necessary to complete Finally, in June of that year, Parliament progressed. Burned by flame, sickened it – £250,000 all told. He lobbied signed off on a £270,000 loan. by the water, vomiting and blinded by financiers and businessmen, but soon the gas, the cost to the workers was realised that the only source of likely Work on the tunnel began again in horrific. Lessons would be learnt for funding was the government. Shockingly, 1835. The old, now rusted, shield was the future from the pains suffered by in 1830 Brunel discovered that the removed and a new one, its design Brunel’s workers but that was little help government itself had actually reached improved by Brunel, installed in its to them. Brunel repeatedly petitioned to this same conclusion some time before, place. The work of digging the tunnel be allowed his Wapping ventilation shaft, and had offered a loan to the company proved to be even more brutal than but was repeatedly turned down. Inch by only to see it rejected out of hand by the before. Brunel had planned to transfer inch, the tunnel crept forward and more company’s then chairman – a man who it a significant amount of the effort to the and more the miners found themselves now seemed had been almost willing the Wapping side of the river, not least to digging through mud rather than earth. company to fail by the end. allow ventilation to be taken over from there. The Treasury, however, refused to Then, on the morning of 23 August, the sign off the expense. The wording on the seemingly inevitable happened once again. loan was very specific, they insisted – it was to complete construction that was already started and they would consider this as new work.

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There had been some concern about The tunnel would flood three more Finally, on 16 November 1841, Thomas the water levels in the tunnel since the times, the first of which happened Page climbed out of the Rotherhithe night before, although nothing had whilst both Brunel and Page were ill shaft and knocked on the door of come of it. Brunel himself had been at and sadly cost a life. By now, however, Brunel’s house just a few metres down the site since 4am but left in the middle the process of sealing breaches and the road. On being ushered in, he morning when nothing had developed. cleaning the tunnel had become almost presented the 72 year old engineer with At lunchtime Thomas Page, Marc’s routine. Even during the third, when a clod of earth. Brunel looked at it and primary engineer now that Isambard the water managed to take out all the smiled at Page, who smiled right back. had major projects of his own, was lighting in the tunnel, the workforce about to depart for a meeting with the remained composed and were able to The clod was covered in red brick dust. company directors, but when he heard minimise the damage. In all cases work The tunnel had finally reached the shaft. that the flow of water had increased resumed with little delay. Brunel had successfully built a tunnel slightly above one of the cutting frames beneath the Thames. something at the back of his mind told Progress, however, was still painfully him not to go. slow, just nine-tenths of an inch a day The work did not finish there, of course, in some months. This was because the and it would not be until March 1843 Instead Page headed down to the conditions below ground continued to that the tunnel admitted its first paying shield. All appeared under control but, worsen. Brunel, who turned 70 in 1839, customer. Even then, it was ultimately still wary, Page ordered that a raft, clay was repeatedly bedridden. His condition a financial failure. The money the and other breach-blocking supplies be was not helped by the fact that he would government had loaned the company readied. He also ordered the tunnel visit the site every two hours at all proved enough to complete the tunnel, cleared of visitors and unnecessary times of the day to check for potential but not enough to build the huge personnel and that a note be dispatched breaches. Page too suffered. descent ramps necessary for horse- to Brunel warning him that a breach drawn traffic to access it. may come at high tide. Ultimately, however, it was the workforce who continued to suffer most. Again and As a result, it could take foot traffic only. Page was correct, but it didn’t take again Brunel lobbied the Treasury to allow The tunnel was rightly recognised as an until high tide. By the afternoon water him to build his Wapping ventilation engineering marvel and became one of was rushing in and the workers, under shaft, but he was continually refused. As London’s biggest tourist attractions – the calm and controlled oversight of one newspaper at the time noted with two million people used it in that first Page, were pumping out water and morbid humour, the Government’s policy year alone – but it had also cost almost strengthening the tunnel to try and seemed rather ‘one-sided’. £500,000 to build. Without road traffic stem the flow. Ultimately it proved it could never repay that and, despite unsuccessful and Page was forced On 22 August 1839 the tunnel reached the company’s efforts to turn it into to order the evacuation, but his the low-water mark on the Wapping a bustling subterranean market and management of the situation meant bank. Work continued and on 11 June Christmas fair, it ultimately ended up as a that the breach was far less serious than 1840 work began on the main shaft refuge for the seedier side of London life. it could have been. After the normal at Wapping, to be constructed in the process of diving bell and clay bagging, same way as the first at Rotherhithe. work resumed on 11 September. In May, as the Wapping shaft slowly sank and the main tunnel neared its final destination, a small drainage shaft was dug between the two. That June, Marc Brunel’s three-year-old grandson became the first person ever to fully pass under the river from shore to shore.

63 LONDON RECONNECTIONS LONDON RECONNECTIONS 64 PEACE ON OUR LINE? METRORAIL SPECIAL

IN 1865, HOWEVER, THE TUNNEL FINALLY FOUND ITS USE. IT WAS PURCHASED BY THE EAST LONDON RAILWAY AND BECAME A RAILWAY TUNNEL BENEATH THE THAMES. SINCE THEN THE TUNNEL HAS SEEN PASSENGERS, GOODS, ARMAMENTS AND EVEN RUNAWAY SHEEP TRAVEL THROUGH ITS CONFINES.

Indeed it is still at the heart of London’s The historian Peter Ackroyd once railway network today. If you find described Marc Brunel as “a lord of the yourself on the Overground in south- underworld”. It is probably fair to say, east London (formally the East London however, that he is incorrect. For both line) then look carefully as you pass the engineering legacy he left behind, through Wapping or Rotherhithe and and the cost to both himself and others you’ll see it. that it required, Marc Brunel deserves a greater title. He wasn’t a lord of the Almost two hundred years ago, Marc underworld. He was its King. Brunel set out to do the impossible. At great cost in money, time and men he managed to accomplish something that no one had ever done before, creating a tunnel that many then genuinely regarded as the eighth wonder of the world. In doing so he laid down the foundations for every major subterranean railway that would follow. Others would take the inventions he had created and the lessons he had learnt and improve on them, but to Marc Brunel goes the honour of proving that it could be done at all.

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LONDON RECONNECTIONS 87 THE EXIT INTERVIEW METRORAIL SPECIAL

74 LONDON RECONNECTIONS FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS SIR PETER HENDY HAS OVERSEEN LONDON’S TRANSPORT RENAISSANCE. AS HE PREPARES TO DEPART, WE SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT LEADERSHIP, POLITICS, LONDON’S FUTURE CHALLENGES AND… OF COURSE… BUSES.

“Have you seen these yet? They’re The speaker is in fact Sir Peter Hendy, bloody brilliant. We’ve been trying to London’s Transport Commissioner. get them right for ages.” It’s an abrupt The man responsible for running the start to the conversation, but nearly all capital’s vast and ever-growing system our previous conversations have started of Tubes, trams, trains, buses, bikes and a similar way. On entering TfL’s board more. He is one of the most powerful room the speaker’s eye has immediately and influential men in the city and, been drawn to something technical to certainly in the 150 year history of do with day-to-day transport operations. the Underground, one of the most In this case, the pile of posters successful leaders the network has had scattered on the table at the back of (the “Sir” is not hereditary. He was the room, clearly leftover from a design knighted for services to transport and presentation the night before. the community in 2013).

Soon we are both examining a sample. At “Nine years, five and a half months.” he first glance, the heavy fabric poster seems says, proudly, when I ask him how long no different from any other that might be it has now been. “I’ve done it longer seen on the walls of a work site. Up close, than anyone else since Lord Ashfield by however, it becomes clear that the material some considerable margin - I remember is lighter, whilst still feeling strong, and is working it out for your christmas quiz a also pierced by thousands of tiny holes. few years back!”

“They stop them getting whipped up by His time at the top, however, has now the wind and ripped away.” The speaker come to an end. As we speak Sir Peter explains. “Sounds like it should be has just resigned, having agreed to a simple, doesn’t it? Just poke some bloody request by the Government to take holes in the material! But finding over as chairman of struggling national something that both looks good and is infrastructure firm Network Rail. durable has been hard work.”

A casual observer to this conversation might assume that the smartly dressed man, with neat closely cropped hair and thin-rimmed glasses, is responsible in some way for TfL’s design arm. Or is perhaps in charge of an operations department or works project. They’d be correct - although not in the way they suspected. LONDON RECONNECTIONS 68 THE EXIT INTERVIEW METRORAIL SPECIAL

A LONG TIME AT THE TOP “Leaving this place is a great wrench actually.” He admits. “I’m glad it’s happening quickly because I don’t think I’d be able to cope with it happening slowly.”

For nearly a decade Sir Peter has been as much of a consistent presence in the world of London transport as TfL itself. Indeed it is no coincidence that the organisation he has led has come to reflect many of his own priorities and beliefs, shaped (not without occasional bouts of controversy) by his hands-on, intensive style as Commissioner.

“If you do it the way I want to do it,” he explains of his approach to the role, “then it’s every day. I do a text every morning, of every day of the year, to Boris [ Johnson, Mayor of London] and copy it around to loads of people about what’s going on on the network. Someone else could do it, but I think it’s very important.

“My style of leadership is to make sure the Mayor knows what he needs to know, and to make sure that all the people who work for me know that I’ve told the Mayor what he needs to know.” He continues. “That has its own pressure. If there’s overrunning engineering works on a Monday - which there aren’t very often now - I’ll tell him. And I’ll tell everyone here that I’ve told him.”

That style, it turns out, is one of the reasons why the thought of moving on was something that had begun to creep into his mind even before the Network Rail offer came.

“I’m sixty two and a half,” he says, honestly, “and the one thing I’ve worked out is you can’t do this job at half speed. In my heart I was just beginning to wonder just how long I could keep it up.”

69 LONDON RECONNECTIONS IF YOU DON’T HAVE A VISION IT’S JUST AN OPERATION. AND PICK & ASHFIELD WERE FORMING GREATER LONDON IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY OTHER POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, REALLY.

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 77 THE EXIT INTERVIEW METRORAIL SPECIAL

MOMENTS OF CHANGE Regardless of what the future brings, That difference is hard to dispute. Since Sir Peter’s time, first as head of Surface he first rejoined TfL as head of that very “I don’t know what Transport and then as Commissioner, bus network in 2001, general ridership has encompassed an enormous amount in London has grown 60% whilst the would happen if of change. Much of that - the rise in use of night buses has doubled. Last you asked Ken now, Tube usage, the construction of Crossrail, year, London’s buses saw more than the growth of London Overground - is 2.4 billion passenger journeys. Not just but actually most obvious even to the most infrequent more than any other city in Britain, but user of the transport network, as are the more than everywhere else in England people recognise that drivers for it. Not all of the moments combined. which have shaped London have been although the structure quite so explicit, however. I ask Sir Whilst there were already signs of Peter which key moments he feels are growth when the Congestion Charge was wrong, the sometimes overlooked. was introduced in 2003, it is this that establishment of long Sir Peter credits, at least in part, for “Congestion charging was obviously a kicking off such an epochal change. term funding was a huge step.” He says, without hesitation. “At that moment, I think the bus really good thing to do.” “Ken [Livingston, former Mayor] was service, at least for middle and upper brave. Derek Turner [former MD of class people in central London, changed Street Management] was brave.” from something that you avoided to something you would use. Interestingly, however, it is not the primary objective of the charge - the “The general transformation of the bus reduction of traffic - which Sir Peter service from something which was, sees as the game-changer. by and large, regulated by cost - the cheapest possible cost - to something “It meant we got the money and that set out to carry everybody who had the incentive to change the bus presented themselves in the peaks has service.” He explains. been a huge difference.”

“That did a whole load of things at once.” If the Congestion Charge is one He says, ticking items off an imaginary financial change which has been key to list. “That changed the way people moved the current shape of life in the city then in the centre of the city. It afforded the it is not not the only one. opportunity for real public realm schemes in a way that we’d never done it before. “Oh God and the PPP!” He says, And we put on something like a hundred referring to the disastrous attempts by and fifty buses at once. We put on the the Government to force funding of 148 and several new routes. London’s infrastructure improvements to happen via Public Private “We made a real difference.” Partnerships. “There’s several defining moments there. I mean, in a way the PPP was the defining moment!”

“I don’t know what would happen if you asked Ken now,” he explains, “but actually most people recognise that although the structure was wrong, the establishment of long term funding was a really good thing to do.

71 LONDON RECONNECTIONS “Now as it happened it didn’t work out, “And getting it running again was an and actually taking it out was also a achievement actually.” He continues. good thing to do. But since we left the “I’ll tell the full story some other time, long term funding and took away the but in the end we started the bus nonsense of the contractual detritus service without any permission from that surrounded it, actually that’s anybody. I said to [then Transport transformed the Tube. Commissioner Bob] Kiley: ‘if we don’t start getting people home this city is “It’s transformed the Tube from a going to be full of people at midnight’ management point of view, as they got because the Tube couldn’t run. control back. From a ‘what can we do?’ point of view so that you can see a long “And the fact that the staff came back term plan. And actually taking the PPP in,” he says, with clear emotion, “and back in two chunks, and having a long that it all started again the following term investment plan, has been the morning, was… well, it was a pretty reason why people now think that we good moment for this place. can do the things we can do. “And actually out of that we got “Because, as you know,” he continues, acclamation for the ordinary people who “the Jubilee line signalling? My God do the job on the trains and buses in a way that was hard! But it’s finished. The that people had not recognised up until Northern line wasn’t hard at all and it’s that point. And that’s pretty good for us - finished. The Victoria line is finished. not for me - for us. It took a lot of courage People notice the difference. And then to go back after all that happened.” on the back of that the management has been able to give full attention to reducing delays and making the place work better. And it has.” “THE GENERAL Given the timing of his resignation, TRANSFORMATION OF THE BUS and the conversation, it is perhaps unsurprising that Sir Peter’s third key SERVICE FROM SOMETHING moment is a more tragic one - the 7th July bombings of 2005. WHICH WAS, BY AND LARGE, “If you remember Madrid, where they REGULATED BY COST - THE had those terrible train bombings and it all stopped for a week, the Government CHEAPEST POSSIBLE COST - fell over.” He explains, with a clear mix of sadness for those lost and pride in TO SOMETHING THAT SET OUT those working that day. “But we didn’t close the place down for a week. We got TO CARRY EVERYBODY WHO going again. PRESENTED THEMSELVES IN THE PEAKS HAS BEEN A HUGE DIFFERENCE”

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UNDERSTANDING THE NETWORK Sir Peter’s comments touch on one He stops and thinks for a while of the subjects on which he is almost before continuing. singularly placed to comment - just what is the current relationship between “Look,” he says, passionately, “They’re Commissioner and staff, and what big, big jobs running the Tube and should it be? Should the Commissioner running the Overground. So actually, be politician or engineer? Should they when we sit round this table, I demand be both? that the people that do those jobs do them properly. Their demand in return “Look not everybody can do everything” is that the place has got some leadership, He says, firmly. “That’s the truth of it. I’m that it’s got a handle on the politics, that not an engineer. I don’t pretend to be an it presents itself in a way that supports engineer. I do think two things though. the organisation. And it’s a mixture of those roles actually.” First, when I was a young man here most… well, nearly all of the senior management avoided using the product “WE GOT ACCLAMATION FOR THE like the bloody plague. We had fleets of ORDINARY PEOPLE WHO DO THE JOB cars and chauffeurs and they didn’t use it in the way that ordinary Londoners ON THE TRAINS AND BUSES IN A WAY used it. And they’d also lost touch with the people who provide the service. THAT PEOPLE HAD NOT RECOGNISED And i think it is really important. The UP UNTIL THAT POINT. AND THAT’S attitude of the staff on the Tube is about how they’re managed as much PRETTY GOOD FOR US - as it is about how they are treated by the public and what they are asked to NOT FOR ME - FOR US” do. And if your management aren’t in touch with that I think it’s not very good frankly. It’s a hard job driving a bus, and if you don’t realise it’s a hard job and it’s not particularly well paid…I think the management ought to recognise what you’re doing.

“The other thing I think is I don’t completely reject the notion that you can move between different activities as a manager. But this is a very complex city and a very complex place. And without an understanding of the geography and how the systems work I think you are a bit sunk, actually. It’s not just technical.”

73 LONDON RECONNECTIONS THE PROBLEM OF POLITICS Handling the politics is, of course, “But the thing is,” he says, with a “They need things to champion of course.” another topic on which Sir Peter is smile, “The rest of it still runs, doesn’t He admits. “So the drinking ban? That’s uniquely placed to comment. He is the it? The rest of it still runs! Camden alright. We’ll do that. Why wouldn’t only Commissioner to have worked Town station still opens at 5:30 in the you? I didn’t find any of that particularly under two different Mayors. Indeed morning after a mayoral election and difficult. I still get asked questions were it not for the speed of his departure people go there expecting to get a train! about taking articulated buses out. They he would likely have been seeing in a And actually if you look at the Mayor’s weren’t mine anyway - they belonged to third. I ask what challenges the mayoral Transport Strategy as evidence, the the leasing companies and there’s still a elections bring, and whether managing one that’s written in 2010 is not terribly few of them knocking about.” the shifting politics is hard. different in philosophical terms to 2002. And the reason for that is quite a lot His apparently pragmatic approach to “I never thought that was particularly of what this place has to do is about TfL’s political masters is not one that has difficult, actually.” He says. “When Boris economic growth, and jobs and housing. always existed, as he’s prepared to admit. was elected we wrote down everything he said. And the first time I went to see “And that’s the same with every Mayor!” “I remember London Transport when him I said: ’Here’s a list of what we can He laughs. “They might want to do it was responsible to the GLC [Greater do today - because that’s what politicians more of it and in different places. But London Council]” He says. “It wasn’t want to do - here’s a list of things we can it’s the same stuff. anarchic, but LT was deliberately evasive. do in a bit. Here’s the list of things that They treated the GLC with utter distain. are more difficult. And here’s a little list “Politicians want to do things, that’s They told it as little as possible, got in of the things you probably shouldn’t have why they go into politics. We want to do its way as much as possible and… and, said and that we’re going to find bloody things too. Sometimes they don’t realise I mean, why would you do that? What’s difficult. I didn’t say weren’t going to do what we’re trying to do. Sometimes we the point of that?! What does it do for them - but that we’ll find really difficult.” don’t realise what they’re trying to do. the organisation?! You think you’re at war You’ve got to have a bit of a go at it.” with the people who give you the money? That’s not very bright is it?!

“Now what I think in return is that I expect the Mayor to argue for the organisation, if we do a good job. If we don’t do a good job then we better fix it. That seems to me to be a reasonable bargain.”

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AN AGENT OF CHANGE Sir Peter points to one clear example of “When I left First Group at the end IF YOU LOOK AT where recognising the overlap between a of 2000,” he continues, “they said ‘what political demand and a transport need has do you want as a leaving present?’ I THE MAYOR’S had a huge impact - cycling initiatives. said for God’s sake give me one of those pagers that the guards have on TRANSPORT “I don’t think anybody thought that a the Great Western, so that I know STRATEGY AS dull old transport organisation would whether my train is going to run or not. say: ‘Yup! okay! we’re into public space Because they knew, but the passengers EVIDENCE, THE and cycling! Let’s go!” He says. “But I didn’t. Now you can find it all on a remember standing on the north terrace smartphone. And that’s fantastic, isn’t ONE THAT’S of Trafalgar square with Derek Turner it? Why shouldn’t our staff have [tablets WRITTEN IN 2010 in 2003 after it was paved over. And and smartphones] and find out what’s I remember thinking ‘Actually this is going on on the network. Why can’t our IS NOT TERRIBLY bloody brilliant for this city! Nobody is passengers find out?” ever going to stand up and say ‘actually DIFFERENT IN we want it back as a road.’ On the subject of smart ticketing, PHILOSOPHICAL he is equally effusive. “Now it hasn’t been easy, and it isn’t TERMS TO 2002. popular with everybody, but actually, it “We’re in the vanguard of the retail has proved that the corporate mind of sector in terms of how people pay.” He AND THE REASON this place can embrace new ideas. Bike says. “We’ve had John Lewis come here FOR THAT IS hire? Yeah, okay. Why not? Let’s go and and ask how we’ve got so many people do it. Give us the money.” moving into contactless payment so QUITE A LOT quickly. That’s not a bad place to be for There’s one other area in which TfL a dull old public service organisation.” OF WHAT THIS have clearly been both influential and transformative - the digital revolution in Given his new role at Network Rail, we PLACE HAS TO both information and fares. can’t help but ask whether he feels that DO IS ABOUT TfL have so far been responsible for “The information revolution I take no dragging the railway industry into the ECONOMIC credit for at all.” He says. “Because when world of smart ticketing, rather than it Boris told us to do open data in 2009 being a group effort. GROWTH, AND I was very skeptical indeed. I thought JOBS AND we’d have a load of lunatics doing apps “I think it’s sad that it’s taken so long to which predicted the bus service wrong.” get national rail on the same page.” He HOUSING. says. “But there’s signs that it’s getting “And I was completely wrong.” He admits. there. I think it’s self evident that asking people to turn ordinary currency into your own paper tickets and Oyster is ludicrous when actually you don’t need any of it and just want to go and pay.

“The national railway is behind the curve on that. But it’s getting there. There’s a new attitude there now which, yeah, I think we’d quietly like to take a bit of credit for.”

75 LONDON RECONNECTIONS FUTURE CHALLENGES As we near the end of our conversation, “And now? It’s not the same, because I point out to him that he may not be we turn back to the subject of the role it’s the modern age and there are an engineer, but he is still 100% busman. of the Commissioner - what challenges many public sector organisations. A man whose first job in London await both TfL and the next occupant But… the general concept of some Transport was as a graduate trainee, who of the post? strategic leadership for the city and an has worked on the buses, who is still organisation that delivers it is about as licensed to drive them and who owns “The biggest challenge here is population close as you’re going to get, I think. a classic London Routemaster. growth.” He says, firmly. “Getting people to jobs and building houses. And that’s “And I think what’s really important is “One and a half buses now actually!” he an accelerating challenge. One of the that it’s not just us - TfL - that’s been says, beaming, “Me and Leon [Daniels, reasons why I think it isn’t a land grab successful at that. It’s the city that’s current Head of Surface Transport] each - it’s a no brainer - that we have more been successful. You can put a lot of half own an RT!” influence over the suburban railway that down to having a strategic political service in London is that the only way, leader who has a vision, who is obliged At that moment all talk of current apart from Crossrail, that we’re going to have - through the London Plan transport is forgotten. Picture proof is to get what will be nine million people and the Transport Strategy - a strategic requested and swiftly offered whilst by 2018 shifting around this place is to vision for the development of the city. conversation turns to the history of make everything that the city has got both the RT in general and this bus in work really well.” “If you don’t have a vision it’s just an particular - RTW467, the last one in operation. And Pick and Ashfield were service. It also prompts what is, to me, London’s transport network last faced forming Greater London in the absence an important question - will he still be a similar challenge during its so-called of any other political leadership, really. driving buses at Imber? pre-Second World War “golden age.” Its successful navigation of this period “It was rather easier for them, of course!” was at least in part down to the two He laughs, “You just built the Piccadilly men then at its head - Frank Pick, the line to Cockfosters! But the parallels organiser, and Lord Ashfield, the greaser are quite acute because a lot of that was of wheels. done with money from the government I ask Sir Peter if he feels the challenge, to relieve unemployment, so it was done and the balance of skills needed to meet for some other purpose.” it, are the same now. Strategic vision and an understanding “Pick was an administrator of the of how to carry it out, then, are what he highest order.” He replies. “Ashfield was feels are key. Stepping back and looking a consummate politician and managed at both his comments and his actions, to create a unified public corporation however, it is impossible to shake the out of disparate elements. Oh, and strip suspicion that what has made Sir Peter the LCC of its tramways, which was so successful as a Commissioner is his quite a feat actually! ability to play Pick or Ashfield as the situation demands. Just as hard as it is imagining Frank Pick sitting down with Boris Johnson to discuss his political needs, it is equally hard to imagine Ashfield walking into a room and talking excitedly about the minutiae of poster manufacture.

LONDON RECONNECTIONS 76 A TYPEFACE FOR THE UNDERGROUND ISSUE ONE I THINK WHAT MAKES IT A SPECIAL DAY OUT, IS THAT IT’S A REAL BUS SERVICE - REAL STOPS, PROPER TIMETABLE, TICKETS, ALL THE BUSES HAVE PROPER BLINDS AND A FARETABLE… AND IMBER IS A LOVELY PLACE.

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THE IMBER BUS Since 2009, for one day only in August Eventually, a quiet cough from his staff every year, a vintage bus service operates reminds us that, for a few more days at from Warminster in Wiltshire, to the least, he still has a transport network abandoned village of Imber on Salisbury to run. As we snap back to reality Plain. The combination of classic buses and gather our things, I can’t help but and the haunting, empty buildings of comment that he’s leaving a very large Imber (which was taken over by the pair of boots for his successor to fill. MoD during the Second World War and never reoccupied) makes it a truly “O’Toole said once,” He replies, unique event. One made even more thoughtfully, referring to the former special by the fact that few families or MD of London Underground, “and he enthusiasts who make the trip likely was absolutely right, that you get given realise that one of the volunteers driving this thing for a bit and you better give it those buses is, in fact, Sir Peter himself. to someone else when you’ve finished a bit better than when you found it. “Absolutely!“ He says, confirming his intentions, “Imber is a magical place.” “And that’s right, actually, there are no superheroes in this.” “Everyone’s fascinated by lost villages, and some time ago some bus industry He pauses, and looks up one final time friends and I decided we’d try to run a at the posters and pictures scattered bus service, a real bus service, to one of around the walls. them. The first year was hard - the MoD were suspicious and the route was hard “But it’ll be quite hard to leave behind.” to register as there are no intermediate timing points, but we managed it, and it was a success. This year is year seven!”

“I think what makes it a special day out,” he continues, “is that it’s a real bus service - real stops, proper timetable, tickets, all the buses have proper blinds and a faretable… and Imber is a lovely place, the church is well worth a visit, and the terrain on the way is unlike anything anywhere else in England.”

78 LONDON RECONNECTIONS PRINTED IN ENGLAND