Life On A 38 Bus
The 38 Bus in London, is probably the route that I use most. I even used its sister the N38 to get to Victoria for the Gatwick Express in the middle of the night. Yesterday, I used the route twice, once to go to the Angel and the other to go to a lecture near the Royal Academy in Piccadilly. But then the Upwestbound stop is just round the corner from my house.
But I haven’t done what a Timeout journalist has and spent twenty-four hours running up and down the route from the romantic Clapton Pond to crowded Victoria. His article is here. This is a typical paragraph.
But there’s more to the London bus than keeping costs down. It’s fascinating about seeing the city from the top deck. Ever bother looking at the buildings above the shops? I’m not talking about nosing into offices and flats (though you wouldn’t believe how many people walk around naked with the curtains open) – it’s the centuries-old architecture pocked with the scars of history, with Victorian inscriptions and scraps of pre-war adverts. Glimpses of London’s former lives.
The 38 may not be one of the glamour routes, that have got a full compliment of New Buses for London, but as a working lifeline for connecting the people of Hackney to the jobs, shops and attractions of the West End, it is invaluable.
David Attenborough Commentates On Curling
This video from the BBC is priceless.
A Domain Name Ending For East Enders Fans
I misread something and I thought that they were talking of domains with an ending of .cotton.
So I thought, that this would of course be good for the fans of East Enders or at least the Dot Cotton Fan Club.
The Heron Tower In The Evening Sun
I took this picture of the Heron Tower from my living room, as it reflected in the evening sun.
The Heron Tower In The Evening Sun
It may be the third tallest building in London, but it certainly isn’t in the top ten of annoying buildings.
Do Security Vans Have A Right To Block Bus Stops?
My journey round London yesterday on the buses, was held up yesterday by security vans blocking bus stops.
Do Security Vans Have A Right To Block Bus Stops?
This picture was taken at the Angel and shows two vans blocking the stop. The driver of my bus wasn’t pleased to say the least. As two buses had already by-passed the stop, I wouldn’t have been pleased if he’d done the same!
Modern Art And Me
I went to the Tate Modern to see the Richard Hamilton exhibition.
I was not impressed with it, although some of his ideas were interesting in their concept.
Perhaps, I’m a Philistine, but I can’t help feeling there’s a lot of Emperor’s new clothes syndrome about some modern art. And how much is driven by the need to make money by dealers?
On the other hand, there are pieces of modern art that I like, such as Puppy in Bilbao. I also feel strongly, that art should be available to all and not hidden away in galleries that charge or private places.
Why I’m Pleased Manchester City Lost
There’s an old saying about cheats never proper.
Read this article in Wikipedia about the UEFA Financial FairPlay Rules and especially this section which relates to Manchester City.
Until books are fully opened by all of these teams and probably published on the Internet, I will not give them an iota of my support or sympathy.
Views In The Evening From The Millennium Bridge
I took these pictures as I walked back from the Tate Modern, after being less than enthralled by the Richard Hamilton Exhibition.
London is starting to get its evening lighting together.
A Walk Along Oxford Street
From Portals To The Past, I decided to walk along Oxford Street to Marks and Spencer, to see if they had any short-sleeved shirts.
It is not the easiest of walks and after the exhibition, I wondered what effect Crossrail will have on this walk.
One of the guides at the exhibition had told me, she’d walked one of the new stations a few days ago and because of the 200m length of the Class 345 trains for Crossrail, the stations have very long platforms. So one problem, Crossrail will get when it opens, is that passengers will complain about the endless walks. But as you can walk inside the trains, as they are effectively one coach with lots of segments, you will align yourself with your exit, when you do a regular journey. I do this walking along the train regularly on the Overground, as I’d rather walk in a warm train, than a cold platform.
I do wonder that as Crossrail gets used more and passengers learn how to use it, they will find there best and quickest routes and especially in bad weather will walk underground, thus taking a percentage of walkers away from Oxford Street.
The double-ended stations may also end up as rat-runs for those, who know their London and have Oyster Cards or Freedom Passes to bypass large sections of crowded pavements.
Hopefully too, Crossrail will take passengers from the Central line, so that walkers will use that if going from say Tottenham Court Road to Marble Arch.
I did get my short-sleeved shirts and after exiting the shop, the heavens opened with a vengeance.
Summer came on Sunday, as the pictures of the Thames Barrier showed and now it’s gone!
Crossrail’s Portals To The Past Exhibition
Crossrail have opened another exhibition called Portals To The Past, showing the various archaeological discoveries they have made.
It wasn’t as large as last year’s exhibition, but nevertheless, if you’re in the area it’s worth a look.
There was also a knowledgeable engineer answering questions.
The Anonymous Widower 