A weekly round-up of London’s rail transport news…

London Underground

The RMT union has confirmed that it is reballotting its 10,000 members working on the London Underground for strike action in a dispute over jobs and pensions. ianVisits

Elizabeth line

The final phase of the staged opening of the Elizabeth line will go ahead as planned next month, in a move that effectively completes the project. ianVisits

Mainline / Overground

Esher Railway Station commuters up in arms as flooded pathway stops them accessing platforms Get Surrey

Nature reserve volunteers want to rewild a Primrose Hill woodland that was cleared to make way for HS 2 now that the railway scheme’s future has been plunged into uncertainty. Camden New Journal

c2c has announced improvements for its customers using contactless payment today. Echo News

Next Saturday will see London North Eastern Railway (LNER) launching a newly named service to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III. ianVisits

c2c announce delivery of new Aventra 720 trains in Essex Echo News

The rail union Aslef has announced three more dates for national rail strikes, having rejected a pay offer from the train operating companies it described as “risible”. ianVisits

Catford Station push back Access for All works until Summer 2023 Local London

World first as HS2 trials dual-fuel piling rig on London site Rail Business Daily

North London station to lose its National Rail services in ‘hammer blow’ to community Standard

HS2: Bachy, Balfour Beatty continue piling at Old Oak Common following D-wall works GE Plus

Plumstead station in southeast London is about to get step-free access as long planned works to add two lifts to the station get underway. ianVisits

London railway stations with less than two trains per hour Diamond Geezer

Miscellaneous

Plans to legislate for minimum levels of service during rail strikes could have “unintended consequences” provoking further conflict, MPs were told Morning Star

A man who drunkenly tried to throw a woman in front of a Tube train as she travelled to Notting Hill Carnival has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. BBC News

And finally: Hornby on track for annual loss as model train maker’s sales boost remains short of internal budgets This is Money

The image above is from April 2012: More photos from inside the Connaught Tunnel