Shell out
Royal Dutch Shell announced that it is to move its HQ to London and become a fully British company. What’s its history?
— The company has its origins with a London antiques dealer, Marcus Samuel, who in 1833 diversified to import oriental shells as fashionable decorations. After his death in 1870, his sons Marcus Jr and Samuel diverted their interests to oil, building a fleet of tankers to import it from Dutch Borneo. The business merged with the Royal Dutch Company in 1907.
Take the tram
The government is to abandon the eastern leg of HS2 and offer Leeds a tram system instead. Which does Leeds need more?
Leeds to London trains cover the 170 miles in 136 minutes — an average speed of 75 mph. HS2 trains would take 81 minutes at an average speed of 126 mph.
To Leeds’s suburbs from the city centre:
Rothwell by bus, 30 mins (ave. speed 8 mph)
Yeadon by bus and train, 33 mins (7.5
Get Britain's best politics newsletters
Register to get The Spectator's insight and opinion straight to your inbox. You can then read two free articles each week.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in