What is on this site...

On this site you will find a few published (but little known) works that that haven’t seen the light of day in formal print. These may or may not have been updated, so please just take them ‘as is’.

You will also find some articles or books that have been started but remain incomplete; again, to be taken ‘as is’. There is also some information about various books of mine, plus additions and corrections.

Please regard all this very much as ‘Work in Progress’; it is all liable to frequent adjustment and updating.

You are welcome to view the documents and provided you acknowledge the source you may use the information in accordance with normal copyright conditions. The documents themselves may not be printed or downloaded.

What’s new?

Recent updates to questions about signal boxes and the Underground signal box register. Recent new items include LT Records at the National Archives (Part 2), which is in electronic format only (Part 1 was in print only, and is still available from me). Also additions to LT Traffic Circular Supplements taking the list forward to year 2000 and back (in part) to 1917.

I have added some blocks below to advise of specific updates I make. There will usually be the last four on display. I hope this is helpful.

Updated 7 February
Parish Boundary Markers (Part 1) further updates and corrections and some better images. Note there is now an index of marks available listing them by modern London Borough.

Updated 23 March
New web page added describing the causes and implications of gaps between platform and train on the Underground, and origin of Mind The Gap announcement.

Updated 31 March
Page added with essay on 50 years of Beeching. I don't know why this is a cause for celebration, but as I have words already that could be adapted I might as well chip in.

Updated 27 April and 9 May
Parish Boundary Markers inventory (Part II) updated and additional marks added.

What’s the photo?

It is the roof of the new part of King’s Cross station. I quite like it. Let’s face it, it has to be better than the squalid 1970’s concourse area...

Related resources?

There is the inevitable blog, which I try and keep topical but it get refreshed in fits and starts. It may be found here. Mike Horne Blog; this will open a new web page, or at least a new tab. Items currently topical include driverless underground trains and the new bus for London. I can also be found at @machorne.

Many files are in pdf format...

So you will need a pdf reader. If you do not have a pdf reader on your computer, you will need Acrobat (or another PDF) Reader in order to view them. You can download a free reader from Adobe. When reading the files use Page Up and Page Down for navigation.

Contact the Author

If you have any queries about this site, or any observations about its contents, or can help with any information, then the author will be delighted to hear from you. To reduce the risk of receiving spam, please click on the button below; this will bring up a browser window configured to send me an email from your usual email client.


Why Metadyne?

The metadyne is an intriguing type of electrical machine, akin to a rotating amplifier, and is particularly suited to heavy duty operation where constant voltage input needs to be converted into a constant current (but adjustable) output. The contrived name comes from the greek 'dynamis', meaning power. The machine had was found to be useful for certain types of drive mechanism, including gun turrets and cranes, and to a lesser extent, traction; under this name it was developed in the 1930s and 40s by Metropolitan Vickers and was a development of the earlier Amplidyne machine developed in America.

Whilst there are all kinds of stories I could offer you as to why it is relevant to this site, actually I was after a fairly ambiguous name and just liked it!