Thomas Ableman
@freewheeling.info
🚇 Was Strategy & Innovation Director Transport for London
🖊️ Freewheeling Blog / Podcast www.freewheeling.info/blog
SUBSTACK: Freewheeling Bitesize: https://freewheelingbitesize.substack.com/ & History of Europe in 75 Railway Journeys http://bit.ly/3EQNOPA
🖊️ Freewheeling Blog / Podcast www.freewheeling.info/blog
SUBSTACK: Freewheeling Bitesize: https://freewheelingbitesize.substack.com/ & History of Europe in 75 Railway Journeys http://bit.ly/3EQNOPA
Pinned
Thomas Ableman
@freewheeling.info
· May 4
Welcome to A HISTORY OF EUROPE IN 75 RAILWAY JOURNEYS
Riding the rails through 1,000 years of European history
open.substack.com
My happy place is the compartment of a European train, with a cup of coffee in one hand and a history book in the other.
Hence a Substack exploring European history based on my travels.
Each month the story of a different period through the prism of a ride.
open.substack.com/pub/historyo...
Hence a Substack exploring European history based on my travels.
Each month the story of a different period through the prism of a ride.
open.substack.com/pub/historyo...
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
Expanding airports (while cancelling high-speed rail) is a very poor investment during a climate crisis.
November 30, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Expanding airports (while cancelling high-speed rail) is a very poor investment during a climate crisis.
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
Two more Conservative MP rejects hop over to Reform UK. Jonathan Gullis and Lia Nici.
More and more, Reform UK looks simply as if the Tories ran off stage, then came back on two minutes lates, wearing a comedy moustache-and-glasses disguise. ~AA
uk.news.yahoo.com/former-tory-...
More and more, Reform UK looks simply as if the Tories ran off stage, then came back on two minutes lates, wearing a comedy moustache-and-glasses disguise. ~AA
uk.news.yahoo.com/former-tory-...
Former Tory MP Jonathan Gullis defects to Reform UK
He joins Daniel Jellyman
uk.news.yahoo.com
December 1, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Two more Conservative MP rejects hop over to Reform UK. Jonathan Gullis and Lia Nici.
More and more, Reform UK looks simply as if the Tories ran off stage, then came back on two minutes lates, wearing a comedy moustache-and-glasses disguise. ~AA
uk.news.yahoo.com/former-tory-...
More and more, Reform UK looks simply as if the Tories ran off stage, then came back on two minutes lates, wearing a comedy moustache-and-glasses disguise. ~AA
uk.news.yahoo.com/former-tory-...
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
Under Mahmood's current proposals, presumably would have been deported to Czechoslovakia in 1945, when it was "safe" again.
R.I.P. Tom Stoppard, playwright most famous for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.
Born Tomas Straussler in Czechoslovakia he fled his home during the Nazi occupation and found refuge in Britain at the age of eight. He later discovered all four of his grandparents had died in the Holocaust.
Born Tomas Straussler in Czechoslovakia he fled his home during the Nazi occupation and found refuge in Britain at the age of eight. He later discovered all four of his grandparents had died in the Holocaust.
Sir Tom Stoppard, playwright famed for his wit and depth, dies at 88
Winning an Oscar for the screenplay for Shakespeare In Love, he captivated the hearts of audiences for more than six decades.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 29, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Under Mahmood's current proposals, presumably would have been deported to Czechoslovakia in 1945, when it was "safe" again.
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
This is very good. You also don't need to fly for business travel: I've been to Brussels, Amsterdam, Milan and Seville all by train.
What we need to do is to ensure that people have time to do it. (Which might mean we need to think about how we offset childcare for parents away on business travel)
What we need to do is to ensure that people have time to do it. (Which might mean we need to think about how we offset childcare for parents away on business travel)
We're destroying both places and the planet through too much tourism. This is why we need a Frequent Flyer Levy
www.freewheeling.info/blog/cheap-f...
www.freewheeling.info/blog/cheap-f...
Cheap Flights Cost Too Much: How to Make Flying Fair — Freewheeling
There are too many tourists. It’s destroying both places and the planet. It’s time for a Frequent Flyer Levy.
www.freewheeling.info
November 29, 2025 at 12:31 PM
This is very good. You also don't need to fly for business travel: I've been to Brussels, Amsterdam, Milan and Seville all by train.
What we need to do is to ensure that people have time to do it. (Which might mean we need to think about how we offset childcare for parents away on business travel)
What we need to do is to ensure that people have time to do it. (Which might mean we need to think about how we offset childcare for parents away on business travel)
Introduce yourself with 5 cars you've owned
Corgi Mini
Corgi Police Car
Lots of little ones in Sim City
Then nothing for the last 28 years
Corgi Mini
Corgi Police Car
Lots of little ones in Sim City
Then nothing for the last 28 years
Introduce yourself with 5 cars you've owned
*cracks knuckles*
Renault 4
Austin Allegro Equipe
Fiat Strada
Nissan Micra
Mini Cooper Estate
Currently: Škoda Scala, the first time I’ve bought new.
*cracks knuckles*
Renault 4
Austin Allegro Equipe
Fiat Strada
Nissan Micra
Mini Cooper Estate
Currently: Škoda Scala, the first time I’ve bought new.
Mine’s quite boring 😞
Introduce yourself with 5 cars you've owned
Vauxhall Chevette
Ford Orion
Ford Mondeo
Renault Scenic (mk1, mk2 and mk3)
Kia Niro EV
Introduce yourself with 5 cars you've owned
Vauxhall Chevette
Ford Orion
Ford Mondeo
Renault Scenic (mk1, mk2 and mk3)
Kia Niro EV
November 29, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Introduce yourself with 5 cars you've owned
Corgi Mini
Corgi Police Car
Lots of little ones in Sim City
Then nothing for the last 28 years
Corgi Mini
Corgi Police Car
Lots of little ones in Sim City
Then nothing for the last 28 years
We're destroying both places and the planet through too much tourism. This is why we need a Frequent Flyer Levy
www.freewheeling.info/blog/cheap-f...
www.freewheeling.info/blog/cheap-f...
Cheap Flights Cost Too Much: How to Make Flying Fair — Freewheeling
There are too many tourists. It’s destroying both places and the planet. It’s time for a Frequent Flyer Levy.
www.freewheeling.info
November 28, 2025 at 11:05 AM
We're destroying both places and the planet through too much tourism. This is why we need a Frequent Flyer Levy
www.freewheeling.info/blog/cheap-f...
www.freewheeling.info/blog/cheap-f...
What did the Budget mean for transport?
Podcast Budget Special: www.freewheeling.info/the-freewhee...
You can find The Freewheeling Podcast on Apple Podcasts here: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t... and at Spotify here: open.spotify.com/show/4yFWkWG...
Podcast Budget Special: www.freewheeling.info/the-freewhee...
You can find The Freewheeling Podcast on Apple Podcasts here: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t... and at Spotify here: open.spotify.com/show/4yFWkWG...
BUDGET SPECIAL with Sir Michael Holden — Freewheeling
The Budget has finally been unveiled. But what does it mean for transport? In this week’s episode, I review the budget with Sir Michael Holden, former Chairman of Directly Operated Railways. We dis...
www.freewheeling.info
November 28, 2025 at 10:19 AM
What did the Budget mean for transport?
Podcast Budget Special: www.freewheeling.info/the-freewhee...
You can find The Freewheeling Podcast on Apple Podcasts here: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t... and at Spotify here: open.spotify.com/show/4yFWkWG...
Podcast Budget Special: www.freewheeling.info/the-freewhee...
You can find The Freewheeling Podcast on Apple Podcasts here: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t... and at Spotify here: open.spotify.com/show/4yFWkWG...
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
By all means cover the attack lines and rebuttals in the report that follows. But the actual headline here should be not be shaped by either side's partisan briefings.
November 27, 2025 at 1:11 PM
By all means cover the attack lines and rebuttals in the report that follows. But the actual headline here should be not be shaped by either side's partisan briefings.
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
My happy place is the compartment of a European train, with a cup of coffee in one hand and a history book in the other.
Hence a Substack exploring European history based on my travels.
Each month the story of a different period through the prism of a ride.
open.substack.com/pub/historyo...
Hence a Substack exploring European history based on my travels.
Each month the story of a different period through the prism of a ride.
open.substack.com/pub/historyo...
Welcome to A HISTORY OF EUROPE IN 75 RAILWAY JOURNEYS
Riding the rails through 1,000 years of European history
open.substack.com
May 4, 2025 at 2:50 PM
My happy place is the compartment of a European train, with a cup of coffee in one hand and a history book in the other.
Hence a Substack exploring European history based on my travels.
Each month the story of a different period through the prism of a ride.
open.substack.com/pub/historyo...
Hence a Substack exploring European history based on my travels.
Each month the story of a different period through the prism of a ride.
open.substack.com/pub/historyo...
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
The slavish devotion to motoring is one of the most frustrating things about UK public policy over the past decades
November 25, 2025 at 6:20 PM
The slavish devotion to motoring is one of the most frustrating things about UK public policy over the past decades
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
beginning to believe I would actually vote for a dead pigeon on a stick if it just promised to restore the fuel duty escalator
November 25, 2025 at 4:40 PM
beginning to believe I would actually vote for a dead pigeon on a stick if it just promised to restore the fuel duty escalator
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
On Bregman, I was there in the audience and I can’t see what the BBC have gained by removing this line except more bad publicity. I will say that no such edits or censorship occurred when I gave the Reith Lectures and free-speech defenders might want think about whether this is the world they want.
November 25, 2025 at 12:11 PM
On Bregman, I was there in the audience and I can’t see what the BBC have gained by removing this line except more bad publicity. I will say that no such edits or censorship occurred when I gave the Reith Lectures and free-speech defenders might want think about whether this is the world they want.
Please share this. The BBC must NOT be censored by Donald Trump!
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Please share this. The BBC must NOT be censored by Donald Trump!
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
The Government has announced rail fares will be frozen. Good!
But that doesn't mean free public transport would be a good idea.
Here's why.
www.freewheeling.info/blog/why-fre...
But that doesn't mean free public transport would be a good idea.
Here's why.
www.freewheeling.info/blog/why-fre...
Why Free Public Transport is a Bad Idea — Freewheeling
Free public transport must be a great idea, right? It’ll get people out of their cars and helps low income families with the cost of living. I hate to be a party pooper, but it’s a thoroughly bad id...
www.freewheeling.info
November 23, 2025 at 7:32 PM
The Government has announced rail fares will be frozen. Good!
But that doesn't mean free public transport would be a good idea.
Here's why.
www.freewheeling.info/blog/why-fre...
But that doesn't mean free public transport would be a good idea.
Here's why.
www.freewheeling.info/blog/why-fre...
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
If you’re a journalist who’s still on Twitter, from now on in your writing you have to replace “the American people want” with “troll bots in Eastern Europe demand”
Being there makes your judgment suspect. I don’t care how savvy you think you are, you’re marinating in a disinformation campaign.
Being there makes your judgment suspect. I don’t care how savvy you think you are, you’re marinating in a disinformation campaign.
November 23, 2025 at 4:27 PM
If you’re a journalist who’s still on Twitter, from now on in your writing you have to replace “the American people want” with “troll bots in Eastern Europe demand”
Being there makes your judgment suspect. I don’t care how savvy you think you are, you’re marinating in a disinformation campaign.
Being there makes your judgment suspect. I don’t care how savvy you think you are, you’re marinating in a disinformation campaign.
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
His article was actually about how we shouldn’t forgive Hunt, and why the British media has moved on so quickly from asking why a Tory government t was designing economic policies that bordered on negligent.
November 23, 2025 at 12:43 PM
His article was actually about how we shouldn’t forgive Hunt, and why the British media has moved on so quickly from asking why a Tory government t was designing economic policies that bordered on negligent.
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
Semi-relatedly, it's not unconnected that the public find the media condescending and elitist when some of the outlets that are most supposed to be explaining this to them treat basic details as "nerd stuff" they'd, by implication, be too thick to understand.
November 23, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Semi-relatedly, it's not unconnected that the public find the media condescending and elitist when some of the outlets that are most supposed to be explaining this to them treat basic details as "nerd stuff" they'd, by implication, be too thick to understand.
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
I've realised what "See it, say it, sorted" is advertising: driving
I'm at a station and there's a constant barrage of announcements about danger. *See it say it... Transport Police... Mind the gap... For your own safety..." You know what doesn't constantly tell me I'm in danger? My car
I'm at a station and there's a constant barrage of announcements about danger. *See it say it... Transport Police... Mind the gap... For your own safety..." You know what doesn't constantly tell me I'm in danger? My car
"See it, say it, sorted" is annoying because it's obviously a marketing slogan. I'm just not sure what they're selling. Fear of public spaces?
November 22, 2025 at 4:45 PM
I've realised what "See it, say it, sorted" is advertising: driving
I'm at a station and there's a constant barrage of announcements about danger. *See it say it... Transport Police... Mind the gap... For your own safety..." You know what doesn't constantly tell me I'm in danger? My car
I'm at a station and there's a constant barrage of announcements about danger. *See it say it... Transport Police... Mind the gap... For your own safety..." You know what doesn't constantly tell me I'm in danger? My car
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
This does feel like a major crossing of the Rubicon – the world's best-funded and in many ways most powerful public health agency is now actively pushing disinformation.
I know there's a *lot* going on to care about at the moment, but this one really is significant, and matters well beyond the US.
I know there's a *lot* going on to care about at the moment, but this one really is significant, and matters well beyond the US.
The CDC website now disseminates disinformation about vaccines, claiming erroneously that infant vaccines might cause autism, when we know conclusively that they do not. It is difficult to overstate just how dangerous this is. www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safe...
November 20, 2025 at 2:03 PM
This does feel like a major crossing of the Rubicon – the world's best-funded and in many ways most powerful public health agency is now actively pushing disinformation.
I know there's a *lot* going on to care about at the moment, but this one really is significant, and matters well beyond the US.
I know there's a *lot* going on to care about at the moment, but this one really is significant, and matters well beyond the US.
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
You just couldn't plan properly, because that exposes that taxes would have to go way up
Ailbhe Rea tipped me over into actually hating Reeves with the anecdote that when she was warned the draft manifesto was boxing in a future Labour Government she responded; "that'd be a nice problem to have"
Ailbhe Rea tipped me over into actually hating Reeves with the anecdote that when she was warned the draft manifesto was boxing in a future Labour Government she responded; "that'd be a nice problem to have"
November 19, 2025 at 9:29 AM
You just couldn't plan properly, because that exposes that taxes would have to go way up
Ailbhe Rea tipped me over into actually hating Reeves with the anecdote that when she was warned the draft manifesto was boxing in a future Labour Government she responded; "that'd be a nice problem to have"
Ailbhe Rea tipped me over into actually hating Reeves with the anecdote that when she was warned the draft manifesto was boxing in a future Labour Government she responded; "that'd be a nice problem to have"
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
There is no cure for their poison except to challenge its assumptions. Nothing is gained by pretending to agree with it, or mollifying it.
November 18, 2025 at 2:55 PM
There is no cure for their poison except to challenge its assumptions. Nothing is gained by pretending to agree with it, or mollifying it.
Reposted by Thomas Ableman
A major problem for a government with an essentially performative policy approach is that it encourages / incentivises all other parties to so the same thing - what’s the point in being substantive if the actual government (whose competitive advantage should be governing) can’t be bothered…?
November 18, 2025 at 7:47 AM
A major problem for a government with an essentially performative policy approach is that it encourages / incentivises all other parties to so the same thing - what’s the point in being substantive if the actual government (whose competitive advantage should be governing) can’t be bothered…?
Tory voters want Tory governments to improve the economy while Labour voters want Labour governments to improve public services.
The Tories were annihilated by their own side for failing to do what they're meant to do. Labour risk the same fate.
Labour will be judged on schools and hospitals.
The Tories were annihilated by their own side for failing to do what they're meant to do. Labour risk the same fate.
Labour will be judged on schools and hospitals.
November 17, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Tory voters want Tory governments to improve the economy while Labour voters want Labour governments to improve public services.
The Tories were annihilated by their own side for failing to do what they're meant to do. Labour risk the same fate.
Labour will be judged on schools and hospitals.
The Tories were annihilated by their own side for failing to do what they're meant to do. Labour risk the same fate.
Labour will be judged on schools and hospitals.