I’ve Often Worked On Christmas Day!
My father was a workaholic and would often go down his print works in Wood Green on Christmas morning.
When I became about seven, I would go with him and I would do small jobs.
In those days of the 1950s, it was a bit of a tradition that Spurs used to play at home on Christmas Day in the morning.
So probably for at least three years, we saw Spurs play and then went home to a late Christmas Lunch.
In the ten years or so, that I was writing and supporting Artemis, I would often use the Christmas holidays to develop the software or fix bugs, as I was unlikely to be phoned up to answer a query.
Today, I’m going to lunch with my son and his partner.
Before that though, I am pleased to see that The Times has published a full set of Monday puzzles. So I’ll be busy.
A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.
‘Rollercoasters In My Back Yard’: Welcome To Universal Studios Bedford
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
Britain’s answer to Orlando could be a 480-acre world boasting big rides, bigger films and 7m visitors a year. Some locals are far from enchanted
These three paragraphs introduce the story.
Picture the scene: It’s a snowy Christmas Eve, 2030, at King’s Cross station. Dozens of families from across the UK and Europe gather as the station speakers announce: “The train now leaving platform 9¾ is the Hogwarts Express, calling at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. And Bedford.”
The stuff of JK Rowling’s fiction? Perhaps not.
For, if all goes to plan, a featureless 480 acres of industrial and agricultural land a short broomstick’s ride from downtown Bedford will, by the end of the decade, become one of the world’s most spectacular theme parks.
I have a few thoughts.
Eden Project Morecambe
Eden Project Morecambe will be the first of a new generation of theme parks in the UK.
The new Eden Project is to be developed at Morecambe, which is close to Lancaster. As Lancaster will be an High Speed Two terminus, Eden Project North could be connected to HS2 by a high tech shuttle like the Luton DART. So the Eden Project North will also attract day trippers from a large proportion of England and the South of Scotland.
I believe increasingly we will see theme parks, bringing in their visitors on futuristic public transport systems.
The Location Of Universal Studios Bedford
This map from Universal Destinations & Experiences shows the location of the site of the proposed Universal Studios Bedford.
Note.
- The site is shown by yellow shading.
- The blue lines are major roads.
- The pink lines are railways.
- The rail link running to the West of the site is currently the Marston Vale Line, which is being developed into the East West Railway between Oxford and Cambridge via Milton Keynes.
- The East West Railway will also connect to Ipswich, Norwich and Reading.
- The rail link running to the East of the site is the Midland Main Line, which links St. Pancras station with Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield.
The site certainly has excellent transport connections.
Expanding Rail Connections At Universal Studios Bedford
I believe that in these days of climate change, that theme parks and other attractions like sports stadia and shopping centres will develop their rail connections.
Universal Studios Bedford could have two stations.
- Kempston Hardwick on the East West Railway.
- Their own station on the Midland Main Line.
Note.
- Both stations could be connected by a futuristic people mover transporting visitors around the site.
- Using current train times, trains would take thirty minutes between the theme park and St. Pancras for Eurostar to and from Europe.
- Thameslink’s trains could shuttle visitors to and from Luton Airport.
It should also be noted that several of Southern England’s most visited sites are just a train ride away.
Easy Places To Visit
These attractions would be easy to visit.
- Bicester Village – Direct train from Kempston Hardwick after 2024.
- Cambridge – Direct train from Kempston Hardwick after 2030.
- London – Direct train from the new station after it’s built.
- Oxford – Direct train from Kempston Hardwick after 2024.
- Woburn Safari Park – Direct train from Kempston Hardwick after 2024.
Note.
All trains would be electric or battery-electric powered.
I have assumed that rail services between Oxford and Bedford open in 2024.
I have assumed that rail services between Oxford and Cambridge open in 2030.
Conclusion
This is an interesting idea, which is at an excellent location. But will the locals like it?
We Don’t Make Them Like This Anymore
There was an article in The Times today about the Panama Canal and how its water system needs to be made larger.
It got me thinking about draglines and one in particular; Big Geordie.
I found these two videos of Big Geordie on YouTube.
Big Geordie had been built in Ipswich by Ransomes & Rapier in the 1950s.
This video from the 1930s shows Ransomes and Rapier’s excavators of the period.
Will 22 Ropemaker Street Have Shops?
As I walked past 22 Ropemaker Street on Sunday, the builders appeared to be finishing off the Ground Floor.
Looking at the building’s web site, there is no mention of retail.
- But the web site does show off the transport and walking connections.
- It also has its own entrance for cyclists.
- Car parking is not mentioned on the web site.
- The web site also details the building.
It’s certainly a well-designed office building.
A Walk Over Tower Bridge
It was a nice day today, so I decided to enjoy the last of this year’s sunshine by going for a walk along the Thames from London Bridge and then cross to the North side using Tower Bridge.
Strangely, I’d never ever walked further from London Bridge than HMS Belfast.
These are a few thoughts.
The Shard
I still don’t like it, as it sticks out like a saw thumb on the South Bank.
At least on the North Bank there is a cluster of skyscrapers, which make a more interesting and comprehensive backdrop.
The Tower Of London
I’ve only ever properly visited once, when a friend from University; Dave Roberts, visited me in London.
Although I did go to see the poppies. See Viewing The Poppies In The Rain. But I never went inside.
City Hall, London (Southwark)
The former City Hall looked all sad and abandoned, as it was being refurbished for whatever purpose.
I can’t think what use it will have except possibly as a showroom for Chinese EVs.
The deal between the Kuwaiti government, who own the building and London’s politicians, doesn’t appear to have been the best interests of both parties.
The Girl With A Dolphin
The Girl With a Dolphin sculpture is on the North side of the River Thames in front of the Tower Hotel.
This article in the Times, which is entitled The Naked Girl With A Dolphin At Tower Bridge? That’s Me, Says Virginia Wade, reveals the story behind the sculpture and its sculptor and model.
Conclusion
This is a walk I can recommend, as there are some excellent photographic opportunities. I think, I was lucky as the light was good and there was little cloud.
Seratech’s Technology Explained
I first wrote about Seratech in Carbon-Neutral Concrete Prototype Wins €100k Architecture Prize For UK Scientists, after reading about this carbon-neutral concrete in the Architect’s Journal.
I have just received Seratech’s October 2023 Newsletter, which contains two must-read articles.
Olivine In The Age Of Climate Crisis
I’d never heard of olivine until I read about the architecture prize, that was won by Seratech.
This is the Wikipedia entry for olivine.
These are the first three paragraphs of Seratech’s article.
On the west coast of Norway, a few kilometres from the village of Åheim, is an open excavation pit – home to the largest commercial olivine deposit in the world.
This seaside quarry, run by Belgian industrial minerals company, Sibelco, works to extract olivine from the earth’s crust by drilling, blasting and crushing. A single blast (used to break up the rocks) removes up to 40,000 tonnes of olivine.
The site is predominantly powered by hydroelectricity and boasts a 4km conveyor system for transport which limits the need for heavy vehicle or double-handling of materials in a bid to reduce emissions.
This is Sibelco’s video of their impressive mining process.
Note.
The mining operation is fully-integrated with its own ort.
- The video does the mining operation justice.
- Sibelco aim to make the mining of olivine carbon-neutral.
Olivine has this Wikipedia entry, which gives more information.
This Google Map shows the port complex at Åheim.
It looks like mine, processing and port all on one site.
The Big Interview With Mike Eberlin
This is the sub-heading.
Former Managing Director of Tarmac Cement & Lime and chair of MPA Cement, Mike Eberlin, became Seratech’s business advisor in June this year. He was intrigued by the novel technology Sam Draper and Barney Shanks had uncovered
These paragraphs are a summary of what Mike Eberlin said.
As we begin to talk, Mike is quick to point out there are two big advantages to Seratech: “They are using magnesium silicate as a starting material which produces silica as a cement replacement and magnesium oxide which can then absorb CO2”.
The CO2 absorption is what fascinates Mike as the type of magnesium carbonate Seratech produces is a “slightly unstable” version which when cured, becomes stable and reverts to the rock-like substance you would find in nature. “This came as a surprise because the chemistry wouldn’t indicate that was possible,” he explains.
Following this discovery, and as Seratech’s research progressed, it soon became apparent that the magnesium carbonate lends itself well as a binder and can be used in applications like building blocks and plasterboard: “It’s effectively carbon capture and use, not carbon capture and storage because you are mineralising the CO2 into a product.
“We end up in this clever situation whereby it’s not that we don’t emit the CO2, it’s better than that, we absorb CO2 and create two binders that replace cement”.
That’s what I call an endorsement.
Conclusion
I have this feeling that Seratech will be a very significant company in a couple of years.
Low-Carbon Concrete: Separating Greenwash From Reality
The title of this post is the same as that of this article from Construction Management.
This is the sub-heading.
Tales of low-carbon concrete abound, but what exactly does that mean? Kristina Smith looks at what’s in the mix.
This is a paragraph, which shows the scale of the problem.
The oft-quoted statistic is that cement contributes to 7% of the world’s carbon emissions. However, MPA says that in the UK concrete and cement account for just 1.5% of emissions. “From 1990 we have reduced our absolute emissions by 53%, which is faster than the overall economy, mainly by improving energy efficiency at the plants,” says Khosravi.
Noushin Khosravi, is sustainable construction manager at the Concrete Centre, which is part of Mineral Products Association (MPA).
Companies mentioned include.
- Capital Concrete with their Earth Friendly Concrete.
- CarbonCure Technologies, which I wrote about in Mote – World’s First Carbon Removal Plant Converting Wood Waste To Hydrogen.
- Seratech, which I wrote about in Carbon-Neutral Concrete Prototype Wins €100k Architecture Prize For UK Scientists.
I find the Seratech process amazing as it takes carbon dioxide straight from flues to make the cement.
Could we fit a Seratech cement process on the back of a gas-fired power station?
The article is a must-read summary of where the technology is with respect to low-carbon concrete.
London’s Cluttered Pavements Are A Chronic Issue, Report Finds
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
Central London has “chronic issues” with street clutter, making it a worse place to live, visit and work in, a think tank has warned.
And this is the first paragraph.
A-boards, disused phone boxes and rubbish bags all make pavements unwalkable, especially for those who are mobility or sight impaired.
As someone, who was stopped from driving because of bad eyesight, I’ll agree with that paragraph.
But the biggest clutter are hire bikes just left anywhere in the middle of the pavement.
How do we stop idiots doing this?
This problem is one, where we need sensible action from the Mayor.
One of my criteria, in who gets my vote at the next Mayoral election, will be what they will be doing about street clutter.
Bikes left in places, where they shouldn’t be is easy to solve.
Transport for London should have a few trucks picking up bikes, that have been left in illegal places.
The hire companies would then need to pay an appropriate fine to get the bikes back.
I would also allow private individuals and companies to collect illegally-parked bikes. It could be a nice little earner.
What Will Israel Do Next? Military Options In Gaza Explained
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in The Times.
Like many, I worry about what is going on in Israel and Gaza.
This is a paragraph from the article.
So the more likely scenario is a full-frontal invasion of Gaza, similar to what happened in Lebanon in 1982, when Ariel Sharon, the defence minister at the time, earned worldwide notoriety for the brutality of his tactics but appreciation at home for extirpating the Palestine Liberation Organisation from Israel’s northern neighbour. Yasser Arafat and his men were simply put on boats.
It is probably a solution, that would appeal to many Israelis and expulsion is certainly a policy that has been applied to Jews themselves in the past.
In 1290, Edward I issued the Edict of Expulsion, which is outlined in the first paragraph of its Wikipedia entry.
The Edict of Expulsion was a royal decree issued by Edward I of England on 18 July 1290 expelling all Jews from the Kingdom of England. Edward told the sheriffs of all counties he wanted all Jews expelled by no later than All Saints’ Day (1 November) that year. The expulsion edict remained in force for the rest of the Middle Ages. The edict was not an isolated incident, but the culmination of over 200 years of increasing antisemitism in England. The edict was eventually overturned more than 365 years later, during the Protectorate when Oliver Cromwell permitted the resettlement of the Jews in England in 1656.
I am not in any way religious, but my great-great-great-grandfather; Robert, was a Jewish tailor from Konigsberg in East Prussia, which is now Kaliningrad in Russia.
He left Konigsberg, as the law said, that if you were Jewish, male and eighteen, you had to leave. So he embarked on a ship and ended up in London around 1800.
I have one indirect memory of Robert. My father told me, how his grandfather had met him in his later years and he was a small man, who only spoke German and no English. My father’s grandfather was born in 1853 and died at some date after 1911. So as my father was born in 1904, this tale is possible.
And surely, the Nazis’ policies were the ultimate expulsion.
I worry if the Israelis were to repeat the Palestine Liberation Organisation solution for Hamas.
Would some join the queues of migrants trying to get to the UK?
Conclusion
I can see Israel’s actions having repercussions for the UK.
Here We Go Again!
Years ago, I had a very interesting insight into the problems of Israel and the Palestinians.
My next door neighbour; Charles was a retired senior officer in the Royal Engineers, who was in the King David Hotel, when it was blown up by the Irgun.
The hotel was used by the British to administer the Palestinian Mandate. The story of the King David Hotel Bombing has this Wikipedia entry, which is well worth a read.
Charles and his wife had also lived in Palestine before the Second World War and described it as a much more peaceful place, where the only way to tell if anybody was Jew or Arab was from their surname. He felt that they got on well, until it was all stirred up by the right-wing Zionists.
One of my big regrets in life, is that I didn’t interview my neighbour more deeply, as he had fascinating tales to tell.
The Anonymous Widower 