If It Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It!
Formula One has just proven the title of this post, with their new qualifying system.
The qualifying yesterday was a joke, as it didn’t build up to the crescendo like it used to do.
Why do people have this desire to tinker with formats and rules?
If you change something in a system, you must make sure you don’t alienate your users or audience.
When I updated Artemis, I made sure that nothing was ever deleted, as I didn’t know how every one of our thousands of customers used the system.
So many versions of updated software is a retrograde step to many people.
For instance, I would be like to buy a new computer with Windows Vista and Office 2003.
That may be a bit unusual, but then if I find something that suits my lifestyle, I don’t change it!
- I was with my wife for forty years.
- I had my last car; a Lotus Elan for, twenty-five years.
- My briefcase is well over thirty-five years old.
- My smart jacket is nearly thirty and still smart.
- I first saw Ipswich play in 1961.
Why change?
Sadly, as in the case of my wife, you have to occasionally.
A Trip To Tattenham Corner
Tattenham Corner station was built to serve the racecourse at Epsom as this Goggle Map shows.
Tattenham Corner Station And Epsom Racecoiurse
Perhaps because of the racecourse and the Downs, unlike Epsom which is in Fare Zone 7, Tattenham Corner is in Fare Zone 6, so it is in Freedom Pass territory.
I went to take these pictures and it should have been an easy trip from London Bridge, but I got the wrong train and had to change at South Croydon and Purley.
It was very much a trundle through typical Surrey countryside of woods, fields and semi-detached houses.
I do wonder if the team that decided that Cambridge would be the other end of the Thameslink service from Tattenham Corner were racing enthusiasts, but it will certainly come in handy for racing, as driving from Newmarket to Epsom is not that easy.
I also wonder, if as Thameslink develops, then this station will get used as a Park-and-Ride station close to the M25 for London, as the Class 700 trains will be a large increase ion capacity.
My Least Favourite Roundabout Gets Pedestrian Lights
When you go to Birmingham City to watch a match from Bordesley station, you take your life in your hands to cross the road. I reported the bad roundabout in A Pedestrian Crossing From Hell.
But look what’s happening!
My Least Favourite Roundabout Gets Pedestrian Lights
Hopefully, the lights will be working before someone gets killed.
From Leeds To Burnley Manchester Road
I’d gone to Burnley for the football via Leeds, as the West Coast Main Line seemed to be partly closed and I also wanted to take a look at the recently-opened Apperley Bridge station, which I wrote about in The New Apperley Bridge Station.
The trains across the Pennines on Saturdays are an hourly service at xx:08 from York to Blackpool North, that calls at New Pudsey, Bradford Interchange, Halifax and Hebden Bridge, on the section of route I would travel.
The train was busy and I was unable to get any decent pictures, but my 12:08 departure dropped me on time in Burnley Manchester Road station at 13:11. I wrote about the scenic qualities of the route before in The Scenic Route From Leeds To Manchester.
Burnley Manchester Road station doesn’t have a taxi rank, but I was able to hi-jack an empty one and the driver took me to my Premier Inn just north of the town centre and Turf Moor for a fiver.
It was a hard-fought match and a goalless draw was a fair result.
The Premier Inn is a useful one, as it is only a few minutes walk down and up the hill to Turf Moor.
One of the staff told me, that they get a lot of walkers and cyclists using the hotel as a half-way point on the nearby Leeds and Liverpool Canal.
Kew Bridge Station And The New Brentford Stadium Site
I went to Kew Bridge station to see if anything could be seen of the new Brentford Community Stadium site.
You can’t see much of the stadium, but to my mind you could make the station a lot more attractive.
Look at this Google Map of the station and the Southern part of the stadium site.
Kew Bridge Station
Note.
- The stadium is proposed to be on the northern part of the cleared site backing on to the northern side of the triangular junction, of which two of the lines meet at the station.
- The South-Eastern part of the site will be mainly residential.
- The closeness of the London Museum of Water and Steam and the River Thames to the station.
- In Transport for London’s plans for the Gospel Oak to Barking Line, extension to Houslow via the Dudding Hill Line and this junction is a distinct possibility.
- The platforms at Kew Bridge station are very long.
- If trains were ever to be restored to the northern side of the junction, a station begind the stadium could be connected to Kew Bridge station by lineside walkways.
- If trains were ever to be restored to the eastern side of the junction, they could serve Kew Bridge station.
- The Kew Bridge station building is Grade 2 Listed.
I think that even an average architect could make Kew Bridge station, a superb gateway to the stadium and the other developments.
Trump Forgot The Ace Of Clubs
This article on the BBC web site, is entitled Donald Trump loses wind farm legal challenge. This is said.
Donald Trump’s legal challenge to a planned offshore wind farm has been rejected by the UK’s Supreme Court.
The UK Supreme Court is probably the end of an expensive road.
My late friend; Brian, would have said that an old accountancy phrase would apply – Screwed, Glued and Tattooed.
Seeing as it’s Scotland, perhaps it should be the Scottish version – Screwed, Glued and Bagpiped. I’m certain, there are a large number of Scots, who have innovative uses of a set of bagpipes as an instrument of torture.
There is this article on the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group, entitled EOWDC partners welcome Supreme Court decision. This is said.
Vattenfall and Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG), partners of Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm Ltd, the company behind the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC), welcomed today’s Supreme Court decision.
Andy Paine, Project Director for AOWFL, said: “This is another significant step forward for the EOWDC. It affirms the scheme’s potential to position Scotland, and particularly the North-east, as a centre of innovative offshore wind power. The project partners remain committed to seeing the EOWDC come to fruition and delivering long-term economic benefits to the region.”
It certainly looks like Trump didn’t have the heaviest club; the Ace, in his bag.
I’ll leave the last word to the Professional Golfers Association, as detailed in this report on the BBC entitled Donald Trump controversy bad for golf – PGA chief Sandy Jones. This is said.
The chief executive of the Professional Golfers’ Association says the ongoing controversy generated by Donald Trump is “not a positive thing for golf.”
Trump, who owns two Scottish courses, has been criticised for comments made during his bid to become the Republican Party’s US presidential candidate.
And Sandy Jones says the negative publicity around Trump is bad for golf.
“Sadly his political campaign in America seems to be getting in the way of all the great things golf offers.”
Tìoraidh!
Brentford’s New Stadium Is A Step Nearer
This article in the Construction Enquirer is entitled Go-ahead for Brentford FC stadium and 650 homes.
The article describes how detailed planning permission has been secured and that given the result of a Public Enquiry is settled, construction will be completed for Brentford to move in at the start of the 2018-19 season.
The new stadium will have a capacity 20,000 as opposed to 12,300 for Griffin Park.
This Google Map shows the new stadium’s location in Lionel Road South.
Brentford’s New Stadium
Most of the site and all of the stadium are within the triangle of rail lines above Kew Bridge station, which is at the bottom of the map. The M4 Motorway curves round the North side of the site.
Maps from the club, show that the stadium lies alongside the railway line at the top of the triangle.
This Google Map shows an enlargement of just the area of the development.
Enlarged Map Of Site
This line goes between Brentford and South Acton stations, although there are currently no passenger services, but there have been services in the last twenty years. It should be noted though that Transport for London have thought about using this line to extend the London Overground to Hounslow station.
Having met one of TfL’s property experts, I feel that they would be amenable to plans to use the air space above the line.
The line at the bottom of the triangle is the Hounslow Loop Line, where Kew Bridge station is very convenient for the ground.
The triangle is completed by a curve that connects the North London Line to the Hounslow Loop Line.
It should also be noted that at the eastern edge of the main map is Gunnersbury station, which along with Kew Bridge station is one of the proposed ways to get to the stadium.
I do wonder, if TfL’s ambitions for the London Overground, would be heklped by a station on the line at the top of the triangle.
On a first look, it looks like a good attempt to squeeze a football stadium into West London.
A Better Experience In Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes has never been my favourite place, since I used to take my late son; George, to his boarding school, which inevitably meant a trip round the endless roundabouts. I was then mugged in the city by the street furniture, that I wrote about in A Pedestrian-Unfriendly City.
So when Ipswich were playing MK Dons, I thought I’d give the city one more chance.
These are a few observations.
- The London Midland train was filthy and swimming in beer. I would assume it was supporters going to London.
- There is no information at Milton Keynes Central station, as to how you get to the ground.
- Bus 1 from Milton Keynes Central station, drops you just a rather cluttered short walk from Stadium MK.
- There are no signs or maps for Away supporters, as to what is the best route.
- Someone told me, that if you drive to the ground, parking costs £7 and you have to pay on-line.
- I’ve never been to a British stadium before, where burger vans and tea stalls outside the ground, were conspicuous by their absence.
- Several of the larger restaurants outside serve gluten-free food.
- The stadium has some of the best handrails I’ve seen in a ground.
- Coming back I just missed a bus and had to wait half-an-hour for the next small but full bus in a freezing cold shelter. I’d have taken a taxi, but there was no sign of a taxi rank.
I’ve never seen a ground, where it is assumed that everyone comes by car or supporters coach before.
I would have been distinctly miserable if Ipswich hadn’t won!
Milton Keynes is going to have to improve the buses. The number one bus, that I caught links Stadiujm MK and Milton Keynes Hospital to the stations at Milton Keynes Central and Bletchley.
This Google Map shows the area of Milton Keynes.
Milton Keynes Stations, Stadium MK And The Hospital
Milton Keynes Central station is in the North West corner, with Bletchley station st the bottom. The other station at the right is Fenny Stratford station on the Marston Vale Line, which will be incorporated into the East West Rail Link.
This map shows the route of the proposed line.
East West Rail Link
Wikipedia talks about extending the Marston Vale line to Milton Keynes Central, but although the track has been created, no trains have run.
Chiltern are also looking to extend their Aylesbury service to Milton Keynes Central via Bletchley, so hopefully this might prompt improvement in the bus services to Stdium MK and the Hospital.
I doubt it will, as Milton Keynes is one of those places where you’re a total loser, if you don’t have car and why should their taxes provide for better bus transport for the disabled, elderly and those that can’t drive.
I think we need a law in this country, that every hospital should have at least a four buses per hour direct service to the main railway and bus stations.
The Development Of White Hart Lane Stadium And Station
This report in Construction News is entitled Mace selected as construction partner on £400m Spurs stadium job.
The report talks about the next major milestone, being the decision of Haringey Council’s Planning Committee on December the 8th.
Let’s hope that this drawn-out saga is at last getting near to the next phase.
This picture taken from the report, shows an architect’s impression of the area after the stadium has been built.
New White Hart Lane Stadium
The image is from the South and you can see the railway line through White Hart Lane and Bruce Grove stations to the left of the stadium and Tottenham High Road.
It also shows a direct approach from the stadium to the railway line, where it will connect to a new southern entrance to White Hart Lane station.
This Google Map shows the area now.
White Hart Lane Stadium And The Rail Lines
Note.
- The site acquired by Tottenham Hotspur around the current stadium is substantial and there is plenty of space to create one of the best stadia in London.
- White Hart Lane station is to the West of the stadium site on the Lea Valley Lines on the West side of Tottenham High Road. It is a walk of about two hundred metres from the stadium.
- Northumberland Park station is to the East of the stadium on another of the Lea Valley Lines. It is a walk of about five to six hundred metres from the stadium.
- Note the Sainsbury Superstore on the North Side of the already cleared site for the new stadium.
The relationship of the new stadium to White Hart Lane station, is illustrated by this enlarged Google Map of the proposed route between the two.
White Hart Lane Station To Stadium
Note how the platforms of the current station extend to Whitehall Street, so the proposed new Southern entrance to the station, would be on a walking route to the front of the stadium. Plans on the web hint, that a wide high-capacity walking route will be provided between the station and stadium.
As to the design of the station itself, I found this image on the web.
Proposed Southern Entrance To White Hart Lane Station
Bruce Castle, which is a magnificent Grade 1 Listed sixteenth century manor house is on the other side of the line , in the extensive Bruce Castle Park.
Bruce Castle Park
So the design of open arches would link the whole area together.
As I’ve said many times on this blog, all stations should provide a proper entrance into their destination!
It should also be noted, that the current White Hart Lane station has platforms capable of taking the new Class 710 trains of eight or more carriages. So there should be enough capacity to get passengers to the new stadium by public transport, especially as the other side of the stadium can be walked from the slightly further away, Northumberland Park station, which if plans are carried through could be on Crossrail 2 by 2030.
If Tottenham Hotspur, with the help of Haringey Council and Transport for London, don’t bring all this together to create one of the best stadiums in Europe, then they don’t deserve to be successful.
Up Yours, Putin!
I tend to think that the reports of doping by Russia’s athletes, like this report in the Guardian entitled How Russian athletics’ rotten system built a wall to conceal doping and deceit, could be more significant politically. than anybody thinks. After all it follows a very similar pattern to their dealings with Ukraine and other former Soviet possessions, where Russia thinks itself to be able to ignore the standards of the rest of the World.
They should be banned from the Olympics in Rio!
I also suspect that the bombing of the airliner in Egypt was not deliberately targeted at a Russian plane. If that is the case, as some experts have said, it was Putin’s bad luck and our good!
The sooner Putin is removed from power, the better it will be for everyone. Except perhaps for a few Russian oligarchs!
My father, who was a very strong anti-dictator and anti-fascist would rate Putin alongside Hitler and Stalin.
He would have laughed like a drain at Peter Brookes cartoon in The Times, where Putin is shown laying a wreath sfter the air crash, with a speech bubble of “What sort of a rat blows hundreds of innocent civilians out of the sky?” As he turns to walk away, you can see his rodent’s tail.
Is liking cartoons in my genes?
The Anonymous Widower 