Telecom news

• Microsoft sinks casually drops data centre into the North Sea

  07-06-2018 13:22
  Microsoft’s Project Natick is entering into its second phase of development, and actually sinking a data centre 117 feet into the North Sea, a couple of miles off the coast of Scotland’s Orkney Islands.
  It certainly is a novel idea, and while it does sound like a bit of a PR gambit, there is some sound logic. Its small enough to manufacture and deploy pretty quickly, low temperatures at the seabed reduce cooling bills, around half the world’s population live within 120 miles of
  
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• Waterloo station using remote control drones to keep trains moving

  10-08-2026 15:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  A remotely operated drone is now flying over the tracks at London Waterloo as part of a new effort to reduce disruption caused by trespass and speed up responses to incidents on one of Britain’s busiest rail networks.
  (c) SWR
  The drone, introduced by South Western Railway (SWR) and Network Rail Wessex, is the first in a planned network of automated aircraft that will monitor the railway, inspect infrastructure and provide live intelligence to control teams without the need to send staff on
  
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• Weeks of London bus strikes to hit more than 40 routes from Friday

  10-08-2026 13:45 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  More than 40 bus routes across north, east and central London are facing weeks of disruption as over 1,500 Arriva bus drivers prepare to strike in a dispute over working conditions.
  Unsplash+ License
  The first strike starts this Friday (14th August), with a series of walkouts then planned through August, September and October.  TfL is warning that if the strikes go ahead, little or no service is expected on the affected routes.
  The dispute involves Unite members working for Arriva London No
  
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• London exhibition recreates the bohemian cottage where Lucian Freud learned to paint

  10-08-2026 13:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  In 1937, two men bought a cottage and set up what would become a renowned art school, and nearly 90 years later, a themed recreation has been built in London.The house was at Benton End, bought by Cedric Morris and his lifelong boyfriend, Arthur Lett-Haines, where they set up the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing, which broke from the strict rules governing many art schools of the time.In its time, it would become a home from home for many of the top names in 20th-century art. The hous
  
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• HS2 installs a plaque 40 metres below London to celebrate the Brunels’ engineering legacy

  10-08-2026 10:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  A heritage plaque has been installed inside an HS2 tunnel 40 metres below London, marking the point where the new high-speed railway passes beneath the tomb of one of Britain’s most famous engineering families.
  HS2 CEO Mark Wild and Director of the Brunel Museum install a plaque in the Euston Tunnel (c) HS2
  The plaque has been fixed to the wall of the Euston Tunnel just as it passes beneath Kensal Green Cemetery, where Sir Marc Isambard Brunel and his son, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, are buri
  
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• London’s Alleys: Haven Place, Ealing, W5

  10-08-2026 08:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  This is a very narrow and grimy old passageway right opposite Ealing Broadway station, and if less yeuky, would be a good shortcut to the shops. But no, really, no, don’t use it.Haven Place is most inappropriately named, as it’s neither, but takes its name from Ealing Haven, a piece of common land that used to be crossed by a number of unnamed lanes, one of which followed a similar alignment to The Broadway.
  When the railway arrived in 1839, housing quickly followed, and the common l
  
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• William Morris Society starting regular tours of his Hammersmith home

  07-08-2026 17:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  The William Morris Society is starting regular tours of Kelmscott House in Hammersmith, where William Morris lived for a while.William Morris was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist activist who was closely associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. Even if you don’t know his work, you’ll recognise the style when you see it, as it’s very distinctive in a late Victorian sort of way.
  Although his childhood home is a museum in Walthamstow, his adu
  
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• All ten surviving Van Eyck portraits to reunite in London for first time

  07-08-2026 15:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  All ten surviving portraits by the pioneering Netherlandish artist Jan van Eyck will be brought together in London for the first time this winter in what the National Gallery describes as a landmark exhibition.
  ‘The Arnolfini Portrait’, 1434 and ‘Margaret, the Artist’s Wife’, 1439
  The exhibition, opening at the National Gallery on 21st November 2026, will bring all ten of the artist’s portraits and about half of the twenty or so surviving autograph pictures by
  
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• Tickets Alert: Muppets and Fraggles – a big screen celebration with Q&A

  07-08-2026 13:30 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  Fans of Jim Henson’s beloved creations can relive some of the most memorable moments from The Muppets and Fraggle Rock at a special one-night celebration at the BFI Southbank next week.
  Fraggle Rock
  Taking place on Tuesday 11th August at 6:15pm, Muppets and Fraggles: A Celebration will look back at the pioneering puppetry and storytelling that made Henson’s productions a defining part of many childhoods.
  The 80-minute event will feature a screening of classic clips, followed by a liv
  
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• Sale of affordable prints and watercolours at Bankside Gallery

  07-08-2026 13:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  Bankside Gallery has opened its annual Summer at Bankside Gallery exhibition, bringing together new original artworks by members of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers (RE) and the Royal Watercolour Society (RWS).The free exhibition features contemporary printmaking and water-based paintings, with a wide variety of artistic styles, subjects, and techniques.
  Unsurprisingly, as many artists will be local, there’s a decent selection of London landscapes and buildings, as well as Gail Bro
  
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• Starlink mobile threat has been exaggerated, says T-Mobile CEO

  07-08-2026 06:00 via ft.com
  Boss of US network sceptical that Elon Musk’s planned entry into cell market will solve customer problems
  
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• Barbican Conservatory offering free plant cuttings ahead of its closure

  06-08-2026 18:30 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  If you’ve ever wanted to own a little piece of the Barbican Conservatory, you’ll soon have the chance, as more than 2,000 free plant cuttings are being given away ahead of the glasshouse’s closure for a major restoration project.
  Conservatory space (c) ianVisits
  Each event will also include an opportunity to explore the Conservatory, learn more about its plant collection, and hear about its future plans. The Barbican says additional free openings, tours and special events will
  
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• The London Buzz – 6th August 2026

  06-08-2026 18:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  Old London – Kilburn High Road, opposite Glengall Road
  Today’s London news round-up:
  A west London council has called for a rethink from City Hall, after being told it could have to build thousands of new homes on greenfield sites. BBC News
  Two weeks without electricity in 30-degree heat: a Loughborough Estate family speaks out Beixton Buzz
  The London borough boundaries with fewest crossings Diamond Geezer
  Westminster council has recommended not allowing “vertical drinking&rdqu
  
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• Tower of London to start letting people attend its private “opening ceremony”

  06-08-2026 17:15 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  The Tower of London is rich in ceremonies and traditions, and one which is not usually seen by the public now can be.It’s the ceremonial opening of the Tower each morning, and takes place very early, long before the tourists arrive. Each morning, a Yeoman Warder is joined by an escort of soldiers to unlock the gates of the Middle Tower, also known as the Byward Tower.
  This is the same gate that is locked at night in the Ceremony of the Keys — and where tourists will arrive later that
  
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• Leicester Square car park could make way for homes, hotel and rooftop bar

  06-08-2026 17:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  A 1960s multi-storey car park and residential tower, Huguenot House, just around the corner from Leicester Square, could be replaced by a larger residential tower and hotel, with no car park.
  Huguenot House and car park
  The site is owned by Westminster Council, which has been working on redevelopment plans since 2017, with consultations in 2017 and 2021, and a contract finally awarded to Altius Real Estate in 2025.
  Their plans, designed by Foster + Partners, will replace the entire block of 35 f
  
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• Horse Guards mounted guard suspended for two weeks this August

  06-08-2026 15:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  Bad news for tourists hoping* to get bitten by the horses outside Horseguards Parade, as the Household Cavalry’s famous black horses are going on holiday.
  Horse Guards minus the horses but not the guard – Christmas Day 2008 (c) ianVisits
  The 18th-century stables next to Horseguards Parade are getting a substantial deep clean and other infrastructure-related works, and that means the horses have to decamp to another temporary home and get a break from biting tourists.
  In a statement,
  
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• Contemporary artists take over Hogarth’s historic home

  06-08-2026 13:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  The shortlisted entries for the inaugural Hogarth Prize are now on display at Hogarth’s House in Chiswick, offering visitors the chance to see the winning work alongside a wide range of finalists.The new prize celebrates artists who combine traditional techniques with original thinking. Inspired by Hogarth’s “rebellious ideals of invention and challenge”, it recognises work that engages with contemporary culture while demonstrating strong technical skill. With no set them
  
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• Council repaints Shepherd’s Bush rail bridge – and urges TfL to spruce up the station too

  04-08-2026 17:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  The shabby London Underground bridge over Uxbridge Road at Shepherd’s Bush Market is getting a repaint, with a new colour scheme chosen by local residents.
  (c) Hammersmith & Fulham Council
  The steel bridge, which carries the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines across Uxbridge Road, will be repainted in white, grey and teal after residents selected a design intended to complement the entrance gates to the historic Shepherd’s Bush Market.
  Hence avoiding comparisons with East Pu
  
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• How do children experience war? This exhibition has the answers

  04-08-2026 13:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  War is usually told through battles, generals and shifting front lines.
  But now an exhibition asks what happens when you lower your perspective to a child’s height. Sometimes literally, as a new exhibition at the Imperial War Museum looks at how war affects children and childhood, including refugees, evacuations, play, and education.
  And puts some of the labels at a child’s height.The exhibition relies heavily on reconstructed environments to draw visitors in. There’s a Second
  
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• Young rail passengers to keep half-price railcard fares for longer

  04-08-2026 09:15 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  More than 70,000 young people a year will be able to keep half-price rail travel for longer under new rules that extend the validity of the 16-17 Saver railcard.From 17th August 2026, the railcard will remain valid for a full 12 months from the date of purchase, rather than expiring when the holder turns 18.
  The change means students who celebrate their 18th birthday during the academic year will no longer lose access to the 50% discount before their railcard has run its course. The government e
  
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• East Croydon station’s closed footbridge finally set to open after 14-year wait

  04-08-2026 08:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  A long-running saga of a footbridge across East Croydon station that’s been closed to the public since it was built in 2012 may finally be heading to a resolution.
  The station half of the footbridge — looking towards the closed entrance
  As part of a station upgrade to replace the subway that linked the platforms at East Croydon station, a large footbridge with lifts was constructed at the far end, replacing an old parcels footbridge connected to the neighbouring post office building.
  
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• London Cable Car marks 20 millionth passenger with prize draw

  03-08-2026 16:41 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  London’s cable car has carried its 20 millionth passenger, just over 14 years after it opened in 2012, with the milestone being marked by a competition offering one winner free travel for the next 20 years.The prize is a “Golden Ticket” valid for either one-way or return journeys on the Thames crossing. The competition runs until 16th August, with entries accepted by scanning a QR code at either cable car terminal or through TfL’s online entry page.
  You can enter the comp
  
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• Railway uncovers widespread ‘short-faring’ tickets scam at Waterloo station

  03-08-2026 16:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  South Western Railway says it has uncovered widespread abuse of digital train tickets on one of Britain’s shortest rail journeys, with up to 95% of barcode tickets bought between Vauxhall and London Waterloo believed to be used fraudulently.
  SWR trains at Waterloo station (c) ianVisits
  The scam involves passengers from further out of London catching a train without a ticket, then buying a cheap ticket only for the final section of their journey – such as Vauxhall to Waterloo –
  
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• Tickets Alert: Behind the scenes tours of Lambeth Archive

  03-08-2026 15:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  Next month there’s going to be a chance to step inside Lambeth’s strong room and visit their new archive building.
  (c) Lambeth Archive
  The archive moved into a new building on Brixton Hill in 2023, with a purpose-built strongroom in the basement.
  Next month, as part of the Lambeth Heritage Festival, there will be some tours of the building, including the basement, where you can also meet the team, and explore a selection of treasures from the archive.
  The strongroom is downstairs and
  
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• Flat £15 train fares for return day trips to Southend-on-Sea

  03-08-2026 14:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  The train company c2c is offering a flat-rate return fare for trips from London to Southend-on-Sea and surrounding areas this month.
  (c) c2c
  So long as you buy at least a day in advance, then a flat-rate £15 return fare is available from most London stations served by c2c and also to several stations around Southend-on-Sea.
  The offer is available from your preferred train ticket seller – and obviously from c2c’s website – and is valid throughout August 2026. Also, childre
  
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• It’s the centenary of the modern three-colour traffic light

  03-08-2026 13:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  Today marks the centenary of the first three-light (red, amber, green) traffic lights being introduced into the UK.
  The traffic light artwork at Canary Wharf
  Not the very first traffic lights, as the first was installed outside Parliament in December 1868, but it was more of a converted railway signal and was mainly to stop traffic for a pedestrian crossing.
  It also only lasted barely a month before a gas leak exploded it. Which didn’t really make people keen to try again.
  Although semapho
  
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• GWR train dedicated to Railway200’s Greatest Gathering

  31-07-2026 17:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  It’s been a year since thousands of people marked the 200th anniversary of the railways at the Greatest Gathering in Derby, and today, a GWR train has been dedicated to the Greatest Gathering.
  (c) Alstom
  The design – applied to GWR’s Class 800 No. 800012 – pays tribute to the record-breaking festival held at Alstom’s Litchurch Lane Works last August, which saw some 40,000 people turn up to see the world’s largest-ever gathering of historic and modern rolling s
  
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• Tickets Alert: Tours of the Chelsea Pensioners’ private regimental museum

  31-07-2026 15:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  Although the Chelsea Pensioners now have a public museum next to their home at the Royal Hospital, they also have an older private museum, which is now available to visit on tours.
  Part of the museum in 2010 (c) ianVisits
  Led by one of the Chelsea Pensioner Museum Guides, the tour offers a perspective on centuries of military tradition, personal stories, and national heritage.
  During your visit, you’ll encounter extraordinary objects and displays, including the Queen’s Parade Chair a
  
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• Tickets Alert: Tours inside the former Carlton Cinema, Essex Road

  31-07-2026 14:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  A remarkable building that many people will walk past, itching to see what it looks like inside, now offers occasional tours.This is the former Carlton Cinema on Essex Road, once the largest cinema in the UK, with an interior very much as you would hope if you get a chance to see it.
  For a while, as with many ex-cinemas, it was a bingo hall and is now owned by the Gracepoint church, and to their credit, they’re slowly restoring the interior to its original grandeur.
  And occasionally, a loc
  
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• How a Victorian tunnel could transform the Tower of London’s famous moat

  31-07-2026 13:00 via ianvisits.co.uk
  
  The Tower of London’s moat could be turned into a wildlife-friendly wetland, and all thanks to a Victorian tunnel.
  Illustrative view of the West Moat from the causeway between Middle Tower and Byward Tower (c) Grant Associates/Luxigon
  The defensive moat was constructed in the 1270s on the orders of King Edward I to replace what had been little more than a partial ditch. The moat remained a water-filled feature until the 1840s, by which time it was more of a sewer, and as it was still conne
  
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