The Match Girls’ Strike of 1888 has been commemorated with a blue plaque at the site of the former Bryant and May match factory in east London. In early July 1888 around 1,400 of the Bryant and May match factory’s predominately female workforce walked out in protest at the dismissal of a number of their co-workers. We actually have a great article about this whole story … [Read more...] about Match Girls’ Strike of 1888 commemorated with blue plaque in east London
London News
New giant waterlily and ‘botanical wonder of the world’ discovered in Kew
A giant waterlily held in Kew’s Botanic Gardens for 177 years has been revealed as a species new to science and “one of the botanical wonders of the world”. The famous giant waterlily, genus Victoria, was named after Queen Victoria in 1852, and was believed to include two different species. But scientists have confirmed the massive plant in Kew is a third type. It is the … [Read more...] about New giant waterlily and ‘botanical wonder of the world’ discovered in Kew
Wacky racers descend on Alexandra Palace for soapbox challenge
Amateur racers from around the world have donned wacky costumes to take part in Red Bull’s Soapbox Race. Thousands of spectators descended on Alexandra Palace in London on Sunday to witness the event on its return to UK since 2019. The 67 teams of amateur drivers and crews were tasked with creating homemade non-motorised soapboxes to race on the steep downhill … [Read more...] about Wacky racers descend on Alexandra Palace for soapbox challenge
Eurostar boosts train services between London and Amsterdam
Eurostar will run more direct trains between London and the Netherlands to meet growing demand, the company has announced. A fourth daily weekday service will operate in both directions between London St Pancras International and Amsterdam via Brussels and Rotterdam from September 5. The extra service from London will depart at 6.16 am, with journey times of around three … [Read more...] about Eurostar boosts train services between London and Amsterdam
London City Airport bids to ease Saturday flight ban
London City Airport wants its ban on flights after 1 pm on Saturdays to be scrapped. The airport is also calling for more flights to be allowed early in the morning and late at night. It claimed the measures are vital to allow it to meet future demand. But residents’ organisation Hacan East warned the plans will “anger” local communities. London City has launched … [Read more...] about London City Airport bids to ease Saturday flight ban
Freddie Mercury’s childhood stamp collection to go on display this summer at The Postal Museum
The childhood stamp album of the late Queen singer Freddie Mercury is to go on display at The Postal Museum in London this summer. The 54-page album consists mostly of stamps from the British Commonwealth and showcases his upbringing in Zanzibar, Tanzania, and his artistic passion. It will be on display from July 13 to October 30 as part of the museum’s events to mark 50 … [Read more...] about Freddie Mercury’s childhood stamp collection to go on display this summer at The Postal Museum
Heathrow Airport told to reduce passenger charges
Heathrow Airport must reduce its passenger charges amid a surge in demand for flights, the aviation regulator has announced The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said the cap on the west London airport’s average charge per passenger will fall from £30.19 today to £26.31 in 2026. This is equivalent to nearly a 6% reduction each year when the effects of inflation are removed, … [Read more...] about Heathrow Airport told to reduce passenger charges
City of London urged to reconsider plans to demolish historic Barbican buildings and Museum of London
A campaign has been launched urging the City of London Corporation to reconsider its decision to demolish historic buildings, including the Museum of London, in the capital’s Barbican. The Museum of London is in the process of moving to a new location in the old Smithfield Market and the old museum will be going vacant. The City of London Corporation has submitted plans to … [Read more...] about City of London urged to reconsider plans to demolish historic Barbican buildings and Museum of London
Heathrow passenger numbers at 79% of pre-coronavirus levels
Heathrow has announced that passenger numbers were at 79% of pre-coronavirus levels last month. Some 5.3 million people travelled through the west London airport in May. Although that was around a fifth below the total for the same month in 2019, it represents nearly an eight-fold increase on May last year when the UK’s Covid-19 travel restrictions were in … [Read more...] about Heathrow passenger numbers at 79% of pre-coronavirus levels
It’s a hit! More than one million journeys were made on new central section of the Elizabeth line
More than a million journeys have been made on the central section of London’s new Elizabeth line railway in the first five days since it opened. London mayor Sadiq Khan said he was “proud to see the roaring success” of the stretch of the line which began operating between stations in Paddington, west London and Abbey Wood, south-east London on Tuesday morning. Transport for … [Read more...] about It’s a hit! More than one million journeys were made on new central section of the Elizabeth line
‘Monumental’ Monet Waterloo Bridge masterpiece expected to fetch £24m at auction
One of Claude Monet’s “monumental” paintings of Waterloo Bridge will go under the hammer for an estimated £24 million in London next month after being in the possession of the same US family for seven decades. Waterloo Bridge, Effet de Brume, which depicts the London landmark cloaked in fog as the morning sun breaks through, has been described by auction house Christie’s as a … [Read more...] about ‘Monumental’ Monet Waterloo Bridge masterpiece expected to fetch £24m at auction
In Pictures: Costumed fans attend MCM London Comic Con
Heroes and villains descended on the ExCel in East London across the weekend for the annual MCM Comic Con event. Enthusiasts dressed as their favorite characters from the worlds of film and animation for the three-day celebration of all things pop culture. The creative costumes – many handmade – raised some eyebrows on London's public transport system. From … [Read more...] about In Pictures: Costumed fans attend MCM London Comic Con
In Pictures: Thousands travel on Elizabeth line on first morning of passenger service
Thousands of people traveled on London’s £18.9 billion Elizabeth line railway in the first few hours of operation on Tuesday morning. Hundreds of transport enthusiasts gathered at stations in Paddington, west London, and Abbey Wood, south-east London, to be on the first trains, which departed shortly after 6.30 am. Transport for London (TfL) commissioner Andy Byford said the … [Read more...] about In Pictures: Thousands travel on Elizabeth line on first morning of passenger service
Countdown to Elizabeth Line opening tomorrow!
London’s new £18.9 billion Elizabeth line railway opens on Tuesday. The delayed and overbudget line will boost capacity and cut journey times for east-west travel across the capital. Services will begin in new tunnels under the center of the city at 6.30 am. Large numbers of transport enthusiasts are expected to be on the first departures. The Elizabeth line … [Read more...] about Countdown to Elizabeth Line opening tomorrow!
New Tube map with Elizabeth Line published by Transport for London
Transport for London (TfL) has released a new Tube map with the Elizabeth line included for the first time. The new east-west railway has been added to the map ahead of its opening on May 24. It is displayed as a double purple line rather than a solid line to “differentiate the Elizabeth line as a new railway as opposed to a London Underground line”, TfL said. The Queen … [Read more...] about New Tube map with Elizabeth Line published by Transport for London
Queen beams in sunshine yellow for surprise visit to open Elizabeth Line in London
The Queen has made a surprise appearance to officially open the completed Elizabeth line, named in her honor. She was given an Oyster card and shown how to use it on a ticket machine. The 96-year-old monarch, who now rarely carries out public engagements outside of her royal residences, joined her youngest son the Earl of Wessex at Paddington Station for the royal visit … [Read more...] about Queen beams in sunshine yellow for surprise visit to open Elizabeth Line in London
London buses given purple makeover ahead of Platinum Jubilee
Eight London buses have been given a purple makeover to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Transport for London (TfL) said the vehicles began displaying their commemorative wraps on the capital’s roads on Friday. The revamp was funded by operators Arriva, RATP, Abellio, Go-Ahead, Metroline, and Stagecoach. Passengers using the Elizabeth line, Jubilee line, or … [Read more...] about London buses given purple makeover ahead of Platinum Jubilee
Crossrail is Coming: Frequently Asked Questions about the New Elizabeth Line Opening May 24th
The long-awaited Elizabeth line will finally open on May 24. Here are 10 key questions that have been asked about it and about what impact it will have on transport journeys in London. What area will the Elizabeth line cover? It will run from Reading in Berkshire and Heathrow Airport in west London, to Shenfield in Essex and Abbey Wood in south-east London, via the … [Read more...] about Crossrail is Coming: Frequently Asked Questions about the New Elizabeth Line Opening May 24th
Finally: London’s new £19bn Elizabeth line to open on May 24 – Crossrail Arrives!
London’s delayed and over-budget Elizabeth line railway will finally open on Tuesday, May 24, Transport for London (TfL) has announced. Services will initially operate from Mondays to Saturdays, allowing further testing and software updates to take place on Sundays. Crossrail – the project to build the new east-west railway – was due to be completed in December 2018 and was … [Read more...] about Finally: London’s new £19bn Elizabeth line to open on May 24 – Crossrail Arrives!
Qantas promises 20 hour non-stop flights from London to Sydney by 2025
Qantas has promised to start direct flights from Sydney to London by late 2025. The Australian airline has ordered twelve airbuses capable of flying non-stop to the UK and the US’s major cities. The long haul Sydney-London flight will take roughly 20 hours, making it one of the world’s longest. Qantas already provides a direct 17-hour flight between London and Perth. The … [Read more...] about Qantas promises 20 hour non-stop flights from London to Sydney by 2025
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella to End London West End Run Early
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s theatre group has faced criticism after it was announced that the West End production of the musical Cinderella is to close, with some current and future cast members suggesting they were only told when the news was made public. The production will close in the West End next month less than a year after its premiere. The show, which is being staged at … [Read more...] about Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella to End London West End Run Early
Musician performs inside London’s ‘Super Sewer’ to mark end of tunneling
A live concert was held inside London’s new ‘Super Sewer’ to commemorate the end of tunneling, before it closed forever. Composer and musician Rob Lewis gave a performance nearly 70 meters below ground inside the sewer – otherwise known as the Thames Tideway Tunnel – on Friday morning. The London-based artist played the cello to accompany his piece, called Tunnel To Tide, … [Read more...] about Musician performs inside London’s ‘Super Sewer’ to mark end of tunneling
Rail traveler gets surprise proposal at London’s Euston station
Euston station was the unlikely venue for a romantic proposal as a long-distance couple got engaged at one of the UK’s busiest interchanges. With commuters going about their business around them, Nirmal Chohan, who lives in London, got down on one knee in front of the departure boards as his girlfriend Vidya Patel arrived at the station on a visit from her home in … [Read more...] about Rail traveler gets surprise proposal at London’s Euston station
70ft living tree sculpture to stand outside Buckingham Palace for Jubilee
A huge sculpture made up of 350 British native trees is to be erected outside Buckingham Palace to mark the Queen’s historic Platinum Jubilee. An artist’s impression shows how the 70ft structure, made up of small trees in aluminum pots “sprouting” from timber-plank branches, will tower over the palace gates during the four-day bank holiday weekend in June. It will form a … [Read more...] about 70ft living tree sculpture to stand outside Buckingham Palace for Jubilee
Good News! Florence Nightingale Museum to reopen on International Nurses’ Day
The director of the Florence Nightingale Museum has said fighting to reopen after the pandemic has been an “emotional roller-coaster”. The London museum celebrating the most famous figure in nursing history will open again on May 12. It marks the 202nd anniversary of her birth and International Nurses’ Day. David Green said it has been a “long and tiring time” … [Read more...] about Good News! Florence Nightingale Museum to reopen on International Nurses’ Day
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