Tag Archives: Trains

Commuter Communities

Posted on October 10, 2017 by julianstodd

I spend a lot of time on trains. As transport goes, trains are my favourite: mountainous Swiss railways, trundling and erratic rural English ones, the wonderful grandeur and quaintly outdated American system, they all give you both function and aesthetic: … Continue reading →

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Running Away From The Circus: Change In Two Dimensions

Posted on May 19, 2017 by julianstodd

I came across this wonderfully written story charting the final performances of Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus this week. The whole circus travelled by train, nearly 70 carriages, over a mile long, some for storage and transport, but … Continue reading →

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Switzerland: Beauty Through Utility

Posted on August 16, 2016 by julianstodd

I do like a train: there’s something beautiful about utility and power, the simplistic design linked to function, the constrained and stripped back potential of the system. Cars show off, they are all about streamlined curves, lacquered wood, increasingly integrated … Continue reading →

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New York: Separation

Posted on March 30, 2015 by julianstodd

“I left him“, she said, walking slowly in the brilliant sunshine, “last month“, as she passed by where i was sitting, on one of the benches on the Highline, sipping my coffee. “But i’ve met someone“, slightly breathless, the cable … Continue reading →

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Edgelands

Posted on February 6, 2015 by julianstodd

Trains transect spaces: urban to rural, city to the sea, valleys to highlands. And in between? Edgelands: spaces left unclaimed, unloved, spaces that form the thin black line between zones. Narrow, bordered by order, but in themselves chaotic, overlooked, lost. … Continue reading →

Posted in Edgelands | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Dr Beeching’s Axe

Posted on September 3, 2014 by julianstodd

I love ticking along on the train: the carriage rocking, dappled light flashing across the table as the early autumn sun flickers through the trees. Villages, farms, towns, all passing by as my own little ecosystem remains constant. A slight … Continue reading →

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The Innovation Factory: tangles and lines

Posted on June 11, 2014 by julianstodd

I’m reading a great book about lightbulbs. I’d never stopped before to really thing about them. At best, they were something i lamented when they failed and grumbled at when i ran out of. I’d never considered them as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Agile, Innovation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Autumn (or Fall!)

Posted on October 15, 2013 by julianstodd

It’s a fresh morning: the first of the year with a thick wooly jumper to keep out the chill. A heavy dew on the car windscreen and fellow passengers on the train sporing scarves and hats over weary eyes. As … Continue reading →

Posted in Continuity, Introspection, Learning, Learning Journey, Reflection | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments