What’s Gone Wrong With Danny Welbeck?
I’ve always thought that Danny Welbeck wasn’t as good as others say he is.
But his performance today in scoring two goals for England in Basle against Switzerland tonight, impressed me a lot more.
Can it be that the drifting ship that Manchester United has become over the last few years, was unsettling him? Moving to Arsenal seems to have released his shackled mind!
Perhaps, Wayne Rooney needs to move to freshen him up?
Is Essex Road Station Ripe For Redevelopment?
Essex Road station in London, is architecturally-challenged to say the least. if you venture underground to the trains, there are a couple of large clean lifts and dimly-lit passages to stations, that still have echoes of Network South East.
Essex Road Station
But things are looking up on the trains front, in that the new Govia Thameslink franchise has committed to running more trains through the station, including later on weekday nights and at weekends. It also looks like Crossrail 2 has decided on its route and it would appear that the chances are, the new line will by-pass Essex Road station.
The station sits on a prominent and quite large corner site as this aerial view from Google shows.
Essex Road Station
So it would appear that a whole lot of reasons exist for the site to be redeveloped as perhaps much-needed quality housing. Transport links, size and location are all good and the deep-level station is in crying need of a refurbishment. The only constraint is that provision might need to be left for a very unlikely new rail or Underground line.
Properly developed it would be an asset to the area.
How Will The New Govia Thameslink Franchise Benefit Me?
Although I don’t live directly on Thameslink, I’ve just looked at the Wikipedia entry for the new Govia Thameslink franchise. The section on franchise commitments is significant and includes the following.
Half hourly King’s Lynn to London services
At present there’s only one train an hour for much of the day.
Increasing Great Northern suburban services to four trains per hour via Enfield Chase and New Barnet
I think it’s just three trains at the moment. As these go into Moorgate, it will make it easier to get to Barnet, Hertford etc
Great Northern suburban services to run to Moorgate on weekends and weekday evenings
This is a big change and it will help spectators get to the Arsenal. Hopefully, it might take a bit of pressure off Highbury and Islington station, when Arsenal are at home.
Working to extend Oyster to Epsom, Gatwick Airport, Luton Airport Parkway, Welwyn Garden City and Hertford North
This will be good for me, as when I travel to any of these stations, I won’t need to buy a specific ticket, provided I touch in and touch out.
I suspect other things will happen, but this is a good start.
Living close to Essex Road station, I would use it more, if it was open for more hours and was a more welcoming station architecturally.
So on balance it’s a good thing!
The Anonymous Widower 