Dead Naff Designs
I am a fan of Grand Designs, although I don’t watch it very often, as it’s on Channel 4 with adverts.
But the show, as the title of this post suggests, was rather a disappointment. I saw a lot of stuff that IKEA do better, but I did find a couple of companies that might be useful to me. I also found a company to help me with a project, but they said they didn’t do that, as they concentrated on their own designs. As the designs weren’t the sort of things that I like, it was probably best anyway! But like me he was an arrogant git!
So all in all, it wasn’t worth the £18 I spent.
A First Visit to ExCel
ExCel is an exhibition and conference centre in London’s Docklands. Despite it being opened for several years, I’ve never gone.
Until today, when I went to see Grand Designs Live.
It is certainly a lot better than Earls Court or Olympia, which have been tired for years.
I was even able to get a gluten-free salad and a fresh orange juice.
Gluten-Free Salad and Juice at ExCel
My only worry is the wooden disposable cutlery. It often isn’t strong enough for my hands.
I remember asking for any gluten-free options at Earls Court some years ago and got a reply which was something like. “There is none and anyway if we offered anything, we wouldn’t sell any, as you’re the first that’s asked.”
I got no reply to my letter of complaint.
What Is Happening On This Site?
Now that the Western Curve which connects the East London line to the North London line is fully operational, there is a sizeable site between Kingsland Road and Dalston Lane, surrounded by a blue fence opposite Dalston Junction station.
What is planned for this site?
Note :-
- The unusual shaped structure is the ventilator for the railway underneath.
- Ashwin Street leads to the old Reeves factory and the Arcola Theatre from opposite Dalston Junction station.
It would seem there is space for a garden and perhaps a safe walkthrough between the two Dalston stations. This could be linked to a light-controlled pedestrian crossing by the station entrance.
Visiting the Lee Valley Park
Today, I needed to get to Blackhorse Road station for lunch nearby, and as Arsenal were at home around the same time, and this would mean a lot of people at Highbury and Islington station, I decided to take a more roundabout route.
The plan was essentially simple.
- Take a 73 or more preferably a 476 bus, as I hate the bendy ones, to Seven Sisters station.
- Take a National Express train from that station to Cheshunt.
- Walk through the Lee Valley Park, looking at the new Lee Valley White Water Centre for the London Olympics.
- Walk to Waltham Cross station for a train to Tottenham Hale and then to Blackhorse Road.
It wasn’t as easy as it should have been, as although the park was pleasant, there was an event going on and the public weren’t allowed into the White Water Centre.
But I was running late, so I had to get to Waltham Cross station. But don’t go there on a Sunday, as trains are only one an hour. I’d also been sold the wrong ticket at Seven Sisters, so I had to buy another. but it was only £1.30, so it wasn’t a problem.
It does look though, that they’ve got a good venue for the Olympics, as set where it is, you could take a picnic there on a train from Central London. I’ve put in for some tickets.
Smartphone Coverage Not As Good As Networks Say
I have a very dumb phone with a robust constitution, that does everything I want of it. But there are reports in several papers, including the Daily Mail, that the major networks coverage isn’t as good as they claim.
I’ll stick with my trusty Nokia 6310i!
A Plaque on a Bridge
This picture shows a plaque on the bridge that carries the Northern Outfall Sewer over the River Lee Navigation .
A Plaque on a Bridge
It is the only evidence in the area, that Joseph Bazalgette was responsible for the massive works, that still handle all of the sweage from north of the Thames.
The Olympic Site Is Protected
I took this picture at the start of the Greenway just as it crosses the canal at the western site of the Olympic site, close to Hackney Wick.
A Pill-Box by the Olympic Site
Two guys in this pill-box with a couple of PIAT anti-tank guns could stop anything.
Church says, “Parties Unite Nation!”
It’s all here.
A bishop I phoned up, was unavailable so he couldn’t comment, although his spokesman said that too much fun wasn’t good for people.
The Great Storm
I’m posting this because of the horrendous storms in the United States. It actually comes from my old blog, which I no longer update.
On the 16th October 1987, we experienced one of the worst storms in the UK. Contrary to popular belief, it was not a hurricane, but it caused more damage than any storm for 300 years.
At the time we lived at Debach, north of Ipswich and we were without electricity for nearly two weeks. Luckily we cooked on a gas AGA and surprisingly the phones kept going.
It is also the time, when I had the narrowest escape of my life.
I’ve always got up early in the morning to work, as it is the best time, when you don’t get interrupted by phone calls or family. But that morning although I was up, I wasn’t in the office as luckily there was no power. At about six-thirty the chimney blew over, came through the roof and went right through where I normally sat.
We’d also turned out two horses in the field that night for the first time. One was an old racehorse, who’d been confined to his box for two years with leg problems and the other was a newly-weaned foal.
They had no problems, as instinct kept them to the safe place in the middle of the field, with their backsides to the wind.
So does the Internet help?
Hopefully the warnings and the weather forecasts would be better. But I suspect that the chaos might actually be worse, as many people would be unable to connect and would be suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms.
