New Trains for Old
Ever since I’ve lived in West Suffolk, the trains between Ipswich and Cambridge have been on their last legs. But these last few weeks with the cold weather has been a bit of a nightmare, with possibly the worst day shown here. Some days the trains haven’t been able to keep to the timetable because of cold weather, suicides and mechanical problems. On possibly four occasions, the trains have either not turned up or been very late at Dullingham. To make matters worse some journeys out of Cambridge have been very crowded to say the least.
But all was supposed to change today, as larger, faster, more comfortable and very much newer Class 170 have been cascaded onto the service from the Cambridge to Norwich service.
This video shows the first train arriving at Dullingham, exactly on time at 10:06.
And here’s the train at its destination in Cambridge.
The First Ipswich-Cambridge Class 170 at Cambridge
Coming back I did have a problem at Tottenham Hale getting the train to Cambridge, but after diverting to King’s Cross, I arrived at Cambridge to get the on-time 17:12 to Newmarket for a taxi home.
There is only one problem with the new timetable and that is after just getting used to the old one, I have to look up each train to find out their times. But after today’s experience with the new service, it is to be hoped that the timetable will be what happens and not what is supposed to.
London Calling
Today, I’m up to london to check out a few things with the house, but mainly to switch on the gas, as otherwise I won’t have any heating or cooking. I’ve not used a gas cooker since 1970, so that will be a learning process.
I’m now starting to plan a few places that I will visit.
- The Wood Green Cultural Quarter. Just up the road from my father’s print works.
- The Wood Green Empire.
- The Royal Iris at Woolwich. She was in Liverpool, when I was at University.
- Fulham Football Ground.
- The New River.
I shall also explore a few walks.
- The Old Railways of North London and especially Seven Sisters to Palace Gates.
- The canals from Dalston to the River Lee and on to Walthamstowe.
It’s going to be fun!
Bet of the Month
Ipswich is a close town and rumours get around quickly.
The football team has been terible recently and it is not the team I saw at Middlesbrough or Sheffield United.
So what has gone wrong?
I’ve heard several theories and although, I have my own, I’m keeping it quiet.
But let’s assume Roy Keane doesn’t last the week! Ipswich is an honourable man, and Marcus Evans, the owner, doesn’t seem to be a man to act in haste.
So what would happen if a new manager came in. There are after all some good candidates tending their gardens or walking the dog at the moment. There are a lot of good players at Ipswich Town and they probably need rearranging and remotivating more than anything else. So a good man-manager, like Bobby Robson or Alf Ramsey should have no problem creating a team, without too much trouble. The team is almost a bit like a car with contaminated fuel. And then there are the njured players, who should return soon.
So how about two bets if Keane goes; beat Chelsea in the FA Cup and make the playoffs. The odds for the latter are only five-to-one now, so perhaps the professionals have already helped themselves.
The Acceptable Face of Violence
I’m very much against violence, except in one place; the boxing ring. Judging by the reports this morning, the fight last night between Amir Khan and Marcos Maidana was a real thriller.
I like Khan and he seems to be wearing his world championship belt with dignity. It was also reported that when he went training in the Philippines recently, with the incomparable Manny Pacquiaio, who is also trying to do his best for his troubled homeland.
I think it is true to say that the Muslim community both in the UK and worldwide needs more role-models like Khan.
We will have the World Cup in an Islamic country in 2022. It would be wonderful, if the England team contained one or more footballers with Islamic roots.
Up With the Morning Star
Venus has very bright these last few days, as I hope this picture shows.
Venus, The Morning Star
The planet is just above the tree in the middle.
I’ve pointed Venus out to several people lately and they haven’t realised what they are seeing. Knowledge of the stars and planets is something that should be properly taught. At my school, Minchenden, there was an observatory that contained a beautiful telescope in both artistic and scientific terms, that had once belonged to Prince Albert. One night, someone broke in, smashed it all and stole the lens. It was no act of wanton vandalism, but a cold calculated crime. I at least hope that the thief dropped the lens, so got no pleasure from his act.
I always look up when I’m in unfamiliar lattitudes. I remember when C and myself were in a hotel in Alice Springs, a kid of about sixteen had set up his telescope and was showing the guests the night sky from an Australian perspective. We had perhaps an hour of his charming and informed company. I hope that somewhere in the world, he is still following his hobby. Perhaps as a career!
Sadly, we were the only people, who that night took advantage of his company. But how many read their horoscopes every day and act on them?
No wonder the world is in the state it is today, if that is the general view of science.
So what am I doing up at this hour?
I slept well as I usually do, but last night, I spent several hours clearing my loffice loft of my past life. So most of it was old magazines, books and software I no longer need, but the only way to clear it, was to drop everything into a wheelie bin and then transfer it to boxes, which I then threw in the skip.
Clearing the Office Loft
It may have been a long-wnded process, but my shoulders aren’t strong enough to carry the boxes down the rather rickety loft ladder.
So perhaps the adrenaline is flowing through my body. I certainly feel pretty well today, although my left arm is tired.
Melanie Reid on Christmas
I always read her column in The Times Saturday magazine as I find her struggles inspiring. I suspect too, that I am not alone in taking courage from this brave woman, who is fighting back from something a lot worse than I have suffered.
I like the last bit of her piece yesterday.
The new year will bring my countdown to eventual discharge, so I must concentrate as hard as I can right now on myself. My wonderful support group of Times readers will understand, I’m sure, and be there for me in January. I wish you all a very happy Christmas and please, if you are swithering over whether to buy a mohair nose-warmer or rose-petal-stuffed underpants for the person who already has everything, then donate the money instead to The Times Spinal Charities Appeal. For if I’ve learnt one thing this year it is this: what matters this Christmas is love and health, not useless material stuff, nor whether your table decorations are fashionable.
In some ways Scrooge had Christmas right, but for the wrong reasons.
The Stockholm Bombings
I don’t know Sweden well, as I’ve only been once to Stockholm on business. and that was years ago!
I do hope that the Swedish police get to the bottom of this and it doesn’t end up like the enquiry into the murder of Olof Palme, which came to no satisfactory conclusion at all.
We Don’t Want Pastor Jones in the UK
It is reported that the odious Pastor Jones of the Dove Outreach Center is going to come to the UK to speak at a rally of the English Defence League. The two of them deserve each other, but not in this country.
When I see people like Jones, I reach for the sick bucket, as people like him have no place in the tolerant world, where I want to live. After all I’m descended from two groups of immigrants; Jews and Huguenots, who found safety from intolerance and bigotry in the East End of London.
I hope Theresa May does the right thing and bans the visit.
The Anonymous Widower 