A Curious Structure On The Western Curve
The picture shows a rather curious white corrugated structure covering the Western Curve at Dalston Junction.
A White Steel Tent at Dalston
When I first saw it, I thought it was some sort of protection for concrete, whilst it was drying.
But it would appear that it’s the ventilation for the railway tunnel under Kingsland High Road. It is designed so that the prevailing westerly winds will draw the air out of the tunnel. I think, it’s also designed to work in case of fire.
This looks to me, like a classic case of very sound passive engineering. An active solution with electrically-driven fans would be a lot more complicated and expensive.
The Western Curve at Dalston Opens Next Week
This was announced on the London News on BBC Breakfast Time this morning.
It will mean that you will be able to get trains direct from Highbury and Islington station all the way to Whitechapel and on to South London.
One of the staff at Dalston Junction station told me today, that all being well this will happen first thing on Monday morning. I’ve just checked using the National Rail Timetable and it leaves Dalston Junction at 6:25.
The Central Express Line
Getting to and from QPR yesterday was simple. I took a 21/141 bus to Bank and then got the Central Line to White City.
The journey back was particularly quick and the average station time was under two minutes.
So why is it quicker than other lines?
The trains were the first on the Underground to have wide outside plug doors and this gives more space inside and makes entry and exit easier. But also these trains are fully-automatic, with an advanced breaking system, that cuts time on stopping from full speed.
In other words, by good attention to detail, you can speed things up a little bit in several ways.
Crushed in at QPR
I said in a previous post that hopefully Ipswich would be lucky to get a draw. And although they played well and had a lot of possession, they lost 2-0.
I enjoyed the match, even if QPR seemed to have squeezed as many supporters as they could into the away end. I asked the stewards to move me as I couldn’t see and all around me were people waving extreme flags.
So thanks to the steward I got a reasonable view, but very inferior to the ones at Sheffield United, Nottingham Forest, Coventry, Barnsley and even Scunthorpe.
QPR should make the Premier League next year, so what the prawn sandwich brigade will make of it all, I don’t know.
I also spoke to a group of cheery police, who said that they’d had the worst pre-match meal in a long time. They hoped there wouldn’t be any trouble, as they’d probably spew it all over everybody in the excitement.
I was also filmed for something called Winkball. I’ll update, if they put it up.
Getting the Hang of IKEA
I need to order a washer/dryer as the current setup is tedious, slow and a bit difficult with the clothes washer in the hall cupboard with the boiler and the dryer in the garage. Every time I transfer clothes in and out, I seem to bump my head somewhere or lose socks on the floor.
After my experiences with John Lewis and Dixons, I thought the best thing to do was go and see the various washer/dryers on offer at Currys at Tottenham Hale. Quite frankly I wasn’t impressed, as they are all large and I just want a smaller one, as anything other than my smalls and towels goes to the excellent laundry. I also wanted to get a prescription, so Tottenham Hale was a good cjoice as there is a Boots there. It’s also just a bus ride to Highbury Corner and then three stops on the Victoria line.
I did notice one disadvantage of not driving at Tottenham Hale.
Where's the crossing?
This was the drive-in lane to Burger King. So if you want to get fat, eat lots of gluten and die before your time, you might take a pedestrian with bad eyesight with you, if you drive to get your burgers.
From Tottenham Hale I took the 192 bus to IKEA, as I needed a couple of bits for the kitchen. I also bought an assortment of picture hooks in a box. But the surprise was lunch, which was a bottle of Belvoir ginger beer and some gravadlax. All gluten-free of course. So I’m now finding IKEA a lot more friendly.
It was then back on the 192 and then the Victoria line to Seven Sisters, where I took a bus to Stoke Newington to pick up some paintings I’ve had framed, including one of my mother, by her brother from A & B Framing.
A & B Framing, Stoke Newington
I’ll admit I did struggle home with the framing and the stuff from IKEA. But I did make it and my mother and her cousin and sister-in-law are now reunited on the wall in my living room.
Cousins Reunited
Judging by the date on the drawing, my mother, who is on the left, was around four at the time. The caption is explained by the fact that my uncle, Leslie, married his first cousin, Gladys.
QPR Tonight!
I’m off to see Ipswich at QPR tonight. I think more in hope than anything else, but a draw would be nice.
I checked the QPR web site for directions and they said not to go to Queens Park station, as it is nowhere near the ground. It obviously happens though, otherwise they wouldn’t have put it up. I shall be going to White City, although I could walk to Canonbury and get a direct train to Shepherds Bush, if the North London Line was working.
Traffic Chaos at the Angel
I said on Saturday that I got very wet in the chaos at Highbury Corner due to road works disrupting the buses.
Today I went shopping at Waitrose at the Angel and getting there on a 38 bus from my previous call in Clerkenwell, I was held up by traffic jams caused by the extensive road works all over the area.
Afterwards, as I’d got a lot to bring home, I decided to take a taxi. the lady driver had to go all through the backstreets to get me home. Someone had told her, that Islington still has money to spend from the 2010-11 budget and are doing as much work as is possible before the deadline.
I certainly will be avoiding the Angel for the next week or so, unless I can do it on foot or by the Underground.
It’s funny, but in all my years, I’ve never hailed a black cab driven by a lady.
If this is true, it sounds like their project management skills are in line with the Cambridge Busway and the Edinburgh Tram.
More Readings of Noise on Buses
A few days ago, I measured the noise on one of the conventional buses that run on the 43 route. It gave a rest reading of 57 dBA and a full speed one of 87 dBA.
Since then I’ve taken a few more readings.
141 – Volvo Hybrid 55/86
141 – Volvo Conventional 61/80
277 – Dennis Conventional 52/85
73 – Mercedes Bendy 67/83
In all cases I was sitting at the back by the engine on the lower deck.
It does seem that they are fairly similar with the hybrid being slightly quieter.
If you search the Internet for London bus noise, you’ll find this chat about the noise outside the Volvo buses that run on the 76 route. Over the last few days, the route has received a batch of new Volvo hybrid buses. So does it pay to complain about bus noise in London?
A Trip To Leitch’s Gem By the Thames
Archibald Leitch has appeared in this blog before, with respect to his first building, the Sentinel Works in Glasgow, and two football stadia; White Hart Lane and Fratton Park.
Today though I went to see Fulham host Bolton in Leitch’s gem-by-the-Thames, Craven Cottage.
I had started my journey from Oxford Street, so I took the Central line to Notting Hill Gate station, where I changed to the District line for Putney Bridge, which is the most convenient station for the Cottage.
Notting Hill Gate Station
As you can see from the picture, it is another example of Victorian architecture worth visiting.
Putney Bridge station is an impressive one about ten minutes walk away from Craven Cottage.
Putney Bridge Station
But whereas many walks from stations to football grounds are boring, this one is through the Bishop’s Park by Fulham Palace alongside the River Thames.
Walking to Craven Cottage
So very different to the approach to say Middlesbrough or Scunthorpe.
Johnny Haynes Stand at Craven Cottage
This picture shows the restored Stevenage Road Stand at Craven Cottage. It was built in the first few years of the 20th Century and has now been renamed after one of Fulham’s most famous players; Johnny Haynes.
The Anonymous Widower 