Virgin Trains is a step closer to running services through the Channel Tunnel in a blow to Eurostar.
The train operator is granted UK track access for as many as 20 daily return trains to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam from 2030.
mediafaro.org/article/20260817…
#Rail #Europe #VirginTrains #Transport #Eurostar #Business #London #Paris #Brussels #Amsterdam #UK #France #Belgium #Netherlands #ChannelTunnel
💁🏻♀️ TIL: 🔍🏛️ A #study from the University of #Exeter shows that as early as the 1830s, a #London #realestate firm called Brooks and Hedger used cosmoramas to sell high-end estates.
A #cosmorama was a gallery of #paintings viewed through a magnifying lens, giving the illusion of depth and depth of field. Artists hand-painted bird’s-eye views of each listing, offering buyers an early “virtual tour” more than a century before the #internet.
👉 popsci.com/technology/19th-cen…
#history #1800s #19thcentury #tech #technology #innovation #culture #victorianera #art #science #zillow
Cosmoramas were an 1840s version of Zillow—but with paintings.Mack DeGeurin (Popular Science)
🧵 2/2
...the Soho Society, a Westminster City Council funded "community group" which does not appear to be representative of any but a tiny minority of residents and businesses in this part of London.
theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/m…
Soho Society, funded by Westminster council, is ferociously opposing all new proposals, venue owners sayHelena Horton (the Guardian)
🧵 1/2
the-independent.com/life-style…
Terrible stuff. The recommendation that sales of alcohol and food should be “by waiter or waitress service only” is entirely at odds with what a pub should be.
This draft licensing policy from the Conservative controlled Westminster City Council reflects the influence of...
#London #Pubs #Verticaldrinking
A London council has been accused of trying to outlaw the great national pastime of leaning on objects or spilling onto the street while enjoying a tipple.Helen Coffey (The Independent)
FINAL park - number 23! St Paul's Gardens, Hammersmith.
I know nothing about this park either, we only stopped on the way to the pub. But innit pretty through the fence?
Then we drank pints and congratulated ourselves - 23 parks in 4 hours! Feel so lucky to live in #London because it absolutely rocks.
@fehrtrade & @NotTheLBCGuy hit 4 more parks on the way home and 1 before we met in the morning so their total is 28. And we've barely scratched the surface.
Weaver's Fields near Bethnal Green was hard to get a pic without people in, but there WAS a Deliveroo rider just out of shot so it's important for me to stress that if you go to any of these parks you can usually order takeaway to a map pin. Because #London does not fuck about.
I don't personally like takeaway much, but I have often been surprised/amazed that this is possible. What a world.
Whatever you do, though, do NOT have a barbecue - this shit is a tinder box.
Just north of Victoria park is Well Street Common - very similar in look and vibe, but usually a bit quieter than the big place. Good for serious conversations over cans of gin and tonic, or for rolling a spliff where no one will see.
So far all these parks have been within about 1 mile of each other. We've barely even started on the park crawl. Eat my #London-loving ass, New York.
"If you are using your microphone, you are more likely to be arrested under the #TerrorismAct",
— warned a heroic officer of the #MetropolitanPolice in #London on Thursday.
Luckily for Londoners, this microphone #terrorism was halted by prompt arrest of the #terrorist.
I heard no mention of #PalestineAction. It seems that this was a crackdown on Microphone Action. And Karaoke.
#MetPol keeps London safe from karaoke.
Video via Tony Zimnoch facebook.com/share/r/1DE6FdubU…
Arrested today in London for having the 2nd best Karaoke Collection in the World. The UK is quite mad.www.facebook.com
#London, Thursday: heroic #MetropolitanPolice officers arrested at least 117 terrorists, mostly elderly.
In a sinister escalation, many of the terrorists displayed no sign of their opposition to #genocide or support for #PalestineAction. #MetPol arrested the terrorists for the sickening crime of sitting on the pavement.
Others were arrested for attending court as summoned.
Video by #AmnestyInternational
Reports at novaramedia.com/2026/07/30/wro…
standard.co.uk/news/london/pal…
Protest outside Westminster Magistrates Court held before it was confirmed Huda Ammori can challenge Home Office decision to ban the groupMatt Watts (The Standard)
#Transport for #London Freedom of Information release:
#TfL has published a B2007 #DLR livery diagram and a B23 exterior design concept in response to a Freedom of Information request for high-quality livery diagrams covering all DLR rolling stock. TfL said it holds some of the requested information but does not hold drawings for the B92 fleet. The B2007 technical schematic, produced by Bombardier, details the exterior livery layout, dimensions and paint specifications, including RAL colour codes, door finishes and compliance with BS6853 Category 1b standards. The B23 design concept includes a 3D exterior rendering with NCS and RAL colour specifications for the cab surround, bodyside panels, window band, end walls and other exterior features.
tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transpare…
schöner reisen mit der #DB
gestern: #Edinburgh - #London: ca. 4 Std. Fahrt, +3 Min. Verspätung
heute Mittag: #London - #Brüssel: 2 Std. Fahrt, 0 Minuten Verspätung
Der Anschluss - #ICE kam aber gar nicht mehr bis Brüssel sondern nur bis #Leuven. Wir sollten mit einem Regionalzug forthin fahren. Verspätung +25 Minuten zu Beginn, +70 für #Köln vorhergesagt. Das Onlinesystem (und die Displays an Bord) hat aber allen zunächst erzählt, er sei wieder pünktlich.
"London Underground users should know about toxic dust risk, whistleblower says"
#UK #UnitedKingdom #London #Emissions
theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/j…
Former tube network cleaner says tribunal vindicated his health concerns, including about asbestos, that could affect publicMatthew Weaver (the Guardian)
"Draft London plan prioritises brownfield but allows green belt release"
#UK #UnitedKingdom #London #Environment
edie.net/draft-london-plan-pri…
The draft London Plan outlines housing growth, Green Belt changes and stronger climate adaptation and biodiversity policies for the capital’s future.Sidhi Mittal (edie)
Section of Roman road discovered directly under Old Kent Road #london #uk 🇬🇧
bbc.com/news/articles/c4gpwqgw…
#history #histoire #archaeology #Archaeologie #archaeodons #RomanArchaeology
It provides the first physical proof sections of the Roman road survive beneath the modern road.BBC News
reports out that Mathias #Döpfner CEO of Axel Springer and Elon Musk Buddy is taking part in the #London Nazi event.
Please read
unearthed.greenpeace.org/2026/…
and
bylinetimes.com/2026/03/30/spi…
/ cc @schmidt_fu @SWeiermann
"Skinny Dipping On The South Bank" - April 2024
Acrylic painting 11" x 14" (28 cm x 35.5 cm)
#acrylicpainting #art #artist #artshare #bare #bridge #bskyart #gay #gayart #landscape #lgbt #naked #naturism #naturists #nude #nudists #nudity #painting #queerartist #realism #river #london #thames #swim
Another early start on the rails with the people who actually wake #London up before the office folks get going.
Pleased to report the #ElizabethLine is running just fine from the east this morning.
Crossposted with @openvibe
Anyone in #London using the #ElizabethLine might want to check before they leave as is knackered out east.
Crossposted with @openvibe
When I lived in #London in the mid noughties I first became aware that the tubes operated in temperatures above the legal limit for cattle with no upper limit on number of people per carriage…just one of the reasons I don’t miss living there.
What you loathe but ultimately tolerate in your 20’s now seems life threatening.
#Capitalism is what led us to this very dark hot hell hole.
What are the statistics for passing out and heart attacks on tubes this summer?
theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/j…
The tube cannot easily be adapted to cope with heatwaves, making conditions almost unbearableRosie Peters-McDonald (the Guardian)
London is always the best hub for me to enter and leave this part of the world.
Just friends, familiarity, comforts.
Can confirm 
"A group of fans of the #Moroccan #soccer team chanted an #antisemitic and #homophobic slogan in the #Netherlands, while a #London police officer was injured in #rioting following the team’s elimination from the #FIFA #WorldCup at the hands of #France on Thursday night.
Footage showed a crowd of men and teens in #TheHague chanting, “All #Jews are #gay,” while waving Moroccan and #Palestinian flags, after France won 2-0.
While some who shared the video online claimed the #soccerfans were chanting outside a place where they believed #Israeli tourists were staying, the video appeared to show the crowd outside a health clinic and an address at which there doesn’t seem to be a hotel or guesthouse.
Others said that the crowd shouted “#Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas,” but that chant did not feature in the videos, and could not be verified."
timesofisrael.com/morocco-socc…
Crowd gathers outside building chanting 'All Jews are gay'; 4 arrested in Amsterdam; London police officer hospitalized with injury from glass bottle during clashesToI Staff (The Times of Israel)
This will probably significantly improve the Wagamama experience
My two fave London coffee shops at the moment are:
- oma
maps.app.goo.gl/WZ2FUcdzQYQkmt…
And
- Gibson’s
Five seconds to enter the UK.. (for some passports)
THIS SATURDAY (Jul 11), I'll be at the Idler Festival in #LONDON:
2/
The Idler Festival is a weekend of philosophy and merriment, comedy, talks, music, workshops and salons in the bucolic surroundings of Fenton House andJulia Lasica (Idler)
(URL replace addon enabled for X, YouTube, Instagram and some news sites.)
"Air pollution deaths in London fall 40 percent over five years"
#UK #UnitedKingdom #London #AirPollution
optimistdaily.com/2026/07/air-…
London air pollution deaths fell 40 percent in five years, even as updated science shows the real toll was worse than previously thought.The Optimist Editorial Team (The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News |)
Sometimes its very difficult to believe people when they say antizionism isn't antisemitism when political statements turn into racialized epithets at the drop. of. a. fucking. hat.
"The #MetropolitanPolice are investigating after clips emerged of #antisemitic abuse during #London’s #Pride march on Saturday.
Footage widely shared online shows #Jewish attendees being harassed and intimidated, while police officers are seen watching on and making no arrests.
In one clip, people holding #Israeli and rainbow #LGBT+ flags can be seen being told to “go back to your #Zionist homeland”, and being subjected to shouts of “you kill #Arab children, you kill #gay children” in reference to the war in #Gaza.
A woman also appeared to shout “f[uck] you, #Jews” during a confrontation[...]
standard.co.uk/news/london/met…
The Met have confirmed that a formal review is now underway to determine if any hate crime offences occurred during the eventTom Place (The Standard)
It's the first Sunday in July, so the #MetPol gathered in central #London to perform the traditional arrest of 84yo Rev #SueParfitt.
Brave #MetropolitanPolice officers fearlessly risked their lives to atend a small peaceful gathering and remove the serial #terrorist before anyone was hurt by hearing that mass slaughter in #Gaza is a bad rhing.
Please remember these shocking scenes when you hear if #PalestineAction being defended.
Keeping #London safe! #MetropolitanPolice #Metropolitan arrest notorious #terrorist!
On Sunday, 84-year-old Rev #SueParfitt was arrested again, under the UK #TerrorismAct. She was speaking outside #NewScotlandYard on the anniversary of the proscription of #PalestineAction. Parfitt faces up to 14 years in prison for her crime.
Heroic cops have protected Londoners from the horror of hearing the #genocide in #Gaza condemned.
defendourjuries.net/
wedonotcomply.org
Jurors have an absolute right to acquit a defendant according to their conscience Juries put the moral intuition of ordinary people into the heart of the criminal justice system.Defend Our Juries
Flower shower 3/3
Highgate cemetery. Delightful in every way. By Douglas Adams's headstone, a jar of pens and pencils in place of flowers in a vase. Some visitors passing by didn't know who Douglas Adams was!!! Oh well. Plenty of other famous graves.
Recently bought some wild garlic for my garden, but took care to plant it in a container. Not ready to convert my garden to a sea of ramson just yet.
#highgatecemetery #london #allium_ursinum #wildgarlic #ramson #ramslök #spring #tombs #graveyard #triptych #pixelfedsweden
💁🏻♀️ TIL: 🕷️💨 The jungle #huntsman #spider from #Queensland reached 3.59 meters per second, doubling the previous #arachnid speed record.
Researchers at #Imperial College #London measured 162 #species across four #continents to study spider #locomotion. They found that longer legs relative to body size predict greater speed.
👉 newscientist.com/article/25320…
#biomechanics #arachnids #animals #science #biology #evolution #australia #wildlife #invertebrates #nature
The most comprehensive database ever compiled of how fast arachnids can run has shown how leg anatomy and evolutionary history influence spiders’ running speedJames Woodford (New Scientist)
Transport for London's #ULEZ scheme cleaned London's air:
Gas boilers now biggest source of #AirPollution in central #London, study shows
"The findings highlight the success of transport interventions, such as the London Low Emission Zone and the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), in significantly reducing #NOx emissions from vehicles."
phys.org/news/2025-04-gas-boil…
#TfL
A new study has revealed a significant shift in the sources of nitrogen oxides (NOx) pollution in central London, with gas boilers used for heating now identified as the primary contributor.University of York (Phys.org)
💁🏻♀️ TIL: 🧬🖼️ Researchers at the Royal Botanic Gardens, #Kew in #London have finished digitizing 7.4 million plant and #fungi specimens.
The massive online #database allows scientists worldwide to analyze historical blooming patterns and identify species at risk of extinction. By using #AI, the team can now distinguish between nearly identical #plants to accelerate global #conservation efforts.
👉 goodnewsnetwork.org/7-4-mil-pl…
#botany #museum #science #history #data #biodiversity #nature #biology #botanicalgardens #uk #england
The new archive is just one part in an international group of herbariums aiming to assess as many plants and fungi species as possible.Andy Corbley (Good News Network)
Thermometer shows 23.5C overnight in Welsh capital as climate crisis makes such extreme temperatures more severe and more likelyDamian Carrington (the Guardian)
#Transport for #London has doubled the area of #wildflower verges across its network to 520,000 square metres in two years, equivalent to around 72 football pitches. The expansion forms part of efforts to boost biodiversity and improve climate resilience across the capital.
New sites have been created in Enfield, Bexley and Sutton, while existing verges in areas including Redbridge and Hillingdon continue to provide habitats for wildlife and accessible green spaces for residents.
TfL’s approach, introduced through pilot schemes in 2019, involves reducing mowing and removing grass cuttings to encourage wildflower growth. The verges provide food and shelter for insects, birds and small mammals, while also helping to store carbon and reduce emissions from maintenance work.
Surveys carried out with Butterfly Conservation recorded around 720 butterflies from 22 species in 2025, with average sightings rising by more than 50 per cent compared with the previous year.
tfl-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/t…
PN-206 TfL has doubled the amount of wildflower verges to 520,000m² in just two years – equivalent to around 72 football pitches Butterfly sightings across sites increased by more than 50 per cent last yeartfl-newsroom.prgloo.com
In Tianjin tragen Polizisten 40 Gramm leichte KI-Brillen, die Gesichter in Millisekunden scannen und direkt mit Datenbanken abgleichen.Christoph Jehle (Telepolis)
31,’ created by Banksy for the 2005 Santa’s Ghetto exhibition in London, depicts a modern interpretation of the Biblical Nativity scene. Mary and Joseph are seen approaching Bethlehem, but their path is obstructed by the towering, graffiti-covered Israeli West Bank barrier, which stretches across the landscape. The contrast between the traditional Nativity figures and the imposing concrete wall adds a poignant commentary on contemporary political tensions in the region." title="‘Vandalized Oil Painting #
