I Didn’t Get On The iBus
I let this bus go when I got to the stop.
I Didn’t Get On The iBus
I don’t like it’s up front advertising especially for Apple products, but I was talking to a guy with an adorable ten week old baby in his arms. Anyway with 38 buses, you only have to wait a minute or so for another one. And when it did turn up, it was a New Bus for London. These are now saying that they accept credit cards.
Credit Cards On The Buses
Who needs a car, when personal transport is so frequent. It did seem to me though, that with all that advertising the iBus was rather slower than the new bus I was on.
The Slow iBus
I’m always reminded of the joke about how you make an Apple computer go faster. You drop it from a taller building.
The New Buses for London seem to be faster over a distance than the standard ones. I think partly it’s due to the hybrid drive, which gives good acceleration, but also as passengers seem to get on and off a lot quicker.
They Don’t Just Rescue Dogs
The BBC is showing this news story about rescuing a dog from the icy waters of Lake Erie.
Many years ago, I visited one of our Artemis clients on the shores of Lake Michigan. I’m not sure of the time of year, but it was very cold and there was snow everywhere, when we flew into Benton Harbor. I remember the guy at Hertz had got all the engines of the cars running in the parking lot.
The client I was visiting was the nuclear power station called AEP Cook. I’ve been over several nuclear power stations and together with the old Sizewell A, this was the one, that was run in the most professional manner.
I remember asking whether they got any problems with the locals. The answer was that because waste heat from the power plant, in the winter, the ice tended to melt and the warmth also attracted the best fish in Lake Michigan. So regularly, they had hauled fishermen out of the water, who’d fallen through the ice.
Some people need their heads examined.
That was also the trip, where we had lunch in a restaurant that reminded us of the Rook Restaurant sketch in The Two Ronnies. Except the ubiquitous element was beans, as that is the area of the United States, where navy beans are traditionally grown.
A Double-Sided Card Holder
Like many in London, I have my Freedom Pass or Oyster Card in a small plastic folder.
My Freedom Pass Folder
I used to keep one of my credit cards in the same folder, so I didn’t have to carry a full wallet. But now that the Oyster system can read credit cards, I don’t want to confuse the system and get charged as well. So now, I just have the Freedom Pass in the folder. But it is inconvenient, as I often have to get out my wallet to say pay in Waitrose.
What is needed is a folder which is say blue on one side and red on the other. With one colour face up you get the Freedom Pass or Oyster Card on the reader and the other way up, the credit card can be used on a swipe terminal.
It could even be embossed on both sides, so that the blind would get the right card on the reader.
Of course it would be in something better than cheap plastic, like leather.
I think, judging by the gossip I’ve heard, that Transport for London, are getting a bit of a problem, with the system charging an inadvertently swiped card, instead of the Oyster or Freedom Pass.
London’s Swedish Black Cab Driver
I found this article about London’s only Swedish black cab driver.
I wonder what other unusual or unexpected nationalities drive London’s black cabs.
I remember years ago, when we lived in Suffolk, our postman was Californian. He’d come in the USAF, married an English girl and he’d stayed.
He actually preferred the climate, just like the Swedish cab driver says he does.
London’s Boxing Day Nightmare
I asked for luck as I set out for Charlton and more or less achieved my objective in that I got to the match without trouble. After taking my pictures at Kings Cross, I took a 205 bus towards Bow, with the intention of getting the DLR to Lewisham. I wasn’t sure of where the bus went, so I changed at Mile End to a 277 bus and picked up the DLR for Lewisham at Westferry station.
The Reliable DLR
As ever the DLR did its bit, but then it doesn’t have drivers, who have to have a party on Boxing Day.
I changed at Lewisham to a 380 bus, which meandered through Blackheath and other green parts of Greenwich to The Valley.
Meandering Through Blackheath
It must be one of the smallest buses operated in London.
A Small Bus
But I suppose, it does have the advantage, that any hooligans arrested at The Valley can be sent directly to jail.
The nightmare started after the match, which was characterised by a first half display by Charlton, that was almost as bad of that by Ipswich at Leicester.
Normally, to get to The Valley, you take a train to Charlton station next to the ground from central London. But it was Boxing Day, so the trains weren’t running. The Underground wasn’t running either as the drivers weren’t, but in getting to Charlton, it’s not much use.
So I was left to struggle home on the buses.
And struggle I did, as they were rather overcrowded to say the least.
It took me three hours to get to the Angel, as I had to change twice at Lewisham and Bank. The second change wasn’t the best, as due to the delay, I needed the toilet, so I took the first bus that came and had a pit-stop at Carluccio’s in Upper Street. At least, I got a bus home virtually immediately.
If we are going to have Sales in the shops and a full sporting program on Boxing Day, wouldn’t it be a good idea to have a full bus, train and Underground service, albeit with a reduced frequency.
Roll on driver-less trains like the DLR. I know it’s not as simple as some think, but as a control engineer, I know that trains can be without drivers, provided there is a train captain, like on the DLR.
The Old Kings Cross Station Is Nearly Down
The dreaded 1973 extension to Kings Cross station is being finally demolished this Christmas, as there are no trains and passengers.
There are some good pictures here on the BBC of the history of the front of the station.
It is intended that the new public square in front of the station will open in August 2013.
Wish Me Luck!
I’m leaving soon to go to Charlton to see Ipswich play.
How I’ll get there I’m not sure of at present, as ASLEF are having their usual Christmas party, a day late.
I think if London had a referendum on driverless trains, there’d only be one result.
Crossrail Is Not Just About Digging Tunnels
Crossrail in my view is a rather unique project. This report on the BBC shows an archaeological side.
Judging by the large number who turned up at the pop-up exhibition, it would appear to be money well spent.
The Emirates Air-Line Was Surprisingly Busy
There wasn’t much of a queue at the ticket desks on the Emirates Air-Line today, but you had to wait a minute or so to get on and the cabins seemed to be fairly full. Perhaps more people are doing what I do and using their Oyster cards.
I was also able to take this view of the Crossrail site at Limmo and the conveyors taking the spoil to the barges.
The Crossrail Site At Limmo
Considering the weather, the visibility wasn’t too bad.
What A Load Of Old Rubbish!
This sculpture is by Canning Town station.
What A Load Of Old Rubbish!
But it does have a rather unusual charm.
The Anonymous Widower 