What A Difference A New Train Makes
Getting back to Central London after a match at Wembley has been difficult all of my life, although since the new Wembley Park station has been built it’s been a bit better, especially when the police get their Triggers out.
But these last two days home after 70,000 plus crowds at Wembley have been much easier because of the new 8-car S-Stock trains. These take passengers on the Metropolitan line at 1,400 in each air-conditioned train load, On both days, I went all the way to Moorgate station for a friendly 141 bus almost to my door.
The trains are an enormous improvement and will get better, as track improvements and retirement of the A60-Stock allow higher speeds.
I Called It Right
I know a few Koreans and so I went with them to see them play at Wembley tonight against Gabon. We were a bit higher up in Club West.
Korea v Gabon at Wembley
The view was a bit better, than for the game last night.
It wasn’t an exciting game and the goalless draw was about fair. But it meant that Korea came second in their group.
When Great Britain won, it meant that the tickets, I’d bought on spec to see the quarter-final in Cardiff won’t have to be sold on.
I just felt the two teams might meet there. And I was right!
So it’ll be off on a High Speed Diesel Train on Saturday. What better way is there to travel to see your team?
The Silver Routemaster
First are running SRM 3, a silver Routemaster on one of London’s two heritage routes; number 9.
The Silver Routemaster
I use route 9, occasionally to get from Bank to Trafalgar Square. The last time, I used a Routemaster and was surprised at how many working people were on the bus.
How many museum pieces are still working full time on a normal cost public service?
Canoe Slalom At The Lee Valley
These pictures show the general view of my journey there, the venue and some of the competition.
I’ll post a separate one on the food and some video later.
I should say though that everything was very well-organised. Here’s a few points.
- My friend, who cycled all the way from Kingston, even found that the bike park had guards and was very secure.
- I only got my tickets on Sunday night, and it would appear that this was because, they did a nifty bit of rigging with the stands and created some more seats.
- There didn’t appear to be many unoccupied seats.
- The ticket collection worked very well and I was also able to collect my athletic and boxing tickets, I bought on Sunday.
- The view was excellent, as you can see from the pictures.
It was an enjoyable day and I’ might even go again in a couple of years time, as I believe they’re having a World Championships here.
Olympic Travel Directions
They do seem to be written for those, who have no idea where they are going. I’m going to the Canoe Slalom today and they recommend going to Cheshunt and then have a 28 minute walk.
In May 2011, I did a recconaissance and found that it was just as easy to get there from Waltham Cross as from Cheshunt. Not sure yet how I’ll go, but I could go to either, as it is pleasant walk along the river from Cheshunt and I have tickets to collect.
The guy I’m going with, is actually cycling from Kingston. He’s also stopping off at his office in the city.
It does strike me though, that some of the directions they’re giving aren’t the best. They were talking on the radio this morning about going to the equestrian events at Greenwich through London Bridge. I would take the DLR from Bank to Cutty Sark station and walk up.
I was on the DLR yesterday at lunchtime and it wasn’t very busy. Cinderella is certainly going to be the star of this ball. Who’d have thought this stop-gap railway built on the cheap would perform so well? I did, but then I’m a fan of London’s forgotten railway. I’ve always said that no visit to London is complete without a ride on the DLR. After all it does go to some very important venues and tourist sites.
The Germans And A Few Others Have Landed
There were quite a few ships around Canary Wharf today.
The Deutschland came in last year. The Octopus is owned by Paul Allen, one of the co-founders of Microsoft.
Shouldn’t the latter have had a blue hull?
Note the floating gangway across the dock to the yachts. When I first saw it, I thought it was a version of a floating gangway, I saw some years ago in the South of France, which consisted of a series of hexagonal chambers linked together. I don’t think it was though.
The Emirates Air-Line Was Quiet
It was the quietest I’d seen the Emirates Air-Line, since I started crossing it every Sunday morning, with the possible exception of when it was raining.
I had a gondola to myself, but as the weather was good with no wind, there was no sway. The more in a gondola, the better they seem to ride.
My Usual Sunday Circuit
For four Sundays now, I’ve done a circuitous route to Canary Wharf, using the DLR, the Emirates Air-Line and the Jubilee line. Although today was the second competition day in the Olympics, I did it again today. These pictures were taken on the way to Royal Victoria Docks station for the cable-car.
it’s one of best parts of the DLR for photography and I sat on the south or right side of the train looking towards Canary Wharf and the Dome.
How To Not Lose A Wallet
I should say that I keep one credit card, my rail passes and my Freedom Pass in a little folder that I keep in my pocket, so I can just pull it out to touch the various Oyster readers on buses, trains and tubes.
On Saturday, I managed to lose the folder on a bus, as my nose was running so much, that I must have dragged it out with a tissue, which I was using every minute or so.
I’d just cancelled the credit card and reported the Freedom Pass as lost, when the bus driver phoned to say, he’d got the folder and would take it to the depot at the end of his shift at 19:00. He had got the number from a card I keep in the folder containing my e-mail address and mobile number.
So I went to the garage at Leyton at the time he said and after a few minutes he turned up and gave me the folder. So job done! Stagecoach didn’t even have a charity box for a reward, but I rectified that on-line to one of the charities I support.
By Monday, my Freedom Pass was reactivated and then yesterday, I got a new AMEX card.
So we may complain about service, but I can’t fault anybody here.
The Anonymous Widower 