Over Four Units Of Beer
This picture shows nineteen bottles of Marks and Spencer’s Southwold Pale Ale, which is only 0.5% alcohol.
But it is brewed by Adnams in Suffolk.
I have been drinking adnams beer for over fifty years.
It should be said that you’d need to drink sixteen bottles to get to the four unit of alcohol limit for males.
I couldn’t manage eight litres of water.
I shall keep raiding Marks and Spencer in Finsbury Pavement to make sure I have enough for Christmas.
I’ve Finally Found A Small Wooden Spoon
I have finally found the answer to the question I asked in Where Are The Small Cooking Spoons?.
In that post I said this.
My mother had a very small wooden cooking spoon about twelve or so centimetres long. It was ideal for warming baked beans or making scrambled eggs in a non-stick milk saucepan.
Her’s had suffered an accident and I can remember that one side was slightly burned, but it was still usable. And absolutely the eight size!
I’ve been looking for over fifty years since I left home and not found one yet!
Yesterday, I found one in the Borough Kitchen in Borough Market.
They also had a smaller one.
Climate Change: Report Warns Of Growing Impact On US Life
The title of this post is the same as this article on the BBC.
This is the first paragraph
Unchecked climate change will cost the US hundreds of billions of dollars and damage human health and quality of life, a US government report warns.
So what is Donald Trump’s reaction?
This is another paragraph.
During a blast of icy weather in Washington this week, Donald Trump tweeted, “whatever happened to global warming?”
The sooner he has to leave the US Presidency to someone with an unprejudiced brain, that understands how things actually work, the better!
Major Overhaul Of One Of Country’s Longest Tunnels Sees Delays Fall By A Fifth
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
This is the first two paragraphs.
A major refurbishment of Sevenoaks tunnel has seen a 20% reduction in delays and halved journey times for passengers, even as the £21m infrastructure renewal nears completion.
One of the longest tunnels in southern England, Sevenoaks has been given a major overhaul which has included replacing thousands of sleepers, laying several miles of news track, and installing new drainage systems.
Sevenoaks tunnel is a single-bore tunnel, double-track tunnel about two miles long.
Obviously, this refurbishment has been worthwhile.
I do wonder how many other schemes, that are stuck in Network Rail’s pipeline would show similar improvements in the quality of the service?
The Three Smallest Books In The World
In the 1970s, when we were on holiday in Crete, a South African, who was probably Jewish told me a joke about the three smallest books in the world.
They were.
- The Biafran cookbook.
- The Israeli book of Arab human rights.
- The Afrikaans book of humour and culture.
Politically incorrect they may be, but what would the three books be today?
- The Yemeni cookbook.
- The Middle East book of human rights.
- Donald Trump’s book of courtesy and sense.
Technology and wealth may have progressed in the last forty years, but some things only change for the worse!
Exclusive Footie Shocker
The title of this post, is the same as that at the top of the front page of today’s Sun.
It is not about the latest Premier League star being found in bed with a bevy of young beautiful ladies or losing his money in casinos, but this.
Kante Pays More Tax Than Amazon & Starbucks
As ever The Sun has got straight to the point.
The BBC shows the front page with this comment.
The Sun leads with a story on Chelsea FC footballer N’Golo Kante, who it says has signed a million pound deal which will see him pay more tax than Amazon and Starbucks combined. The 27-year-old chose not to use a scheme to be paid via offshore firms, meaning he will pay £6.7m in tax.
Luckily, I have no need to use companies like Amazon, Facebook and Starbucks.
Spark Energy Supply Ceases Trading
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
The important thing in the BBC’s post is this section.
Ovo Energy has confirmed it has entered into a conditional agreement to buy the company and take on its customers.
Ofgem said the energy supply for Spark’s 290,000 customers would continue as normal.
It advised customers to take meter readings, and said outstanding credit balances would be protected.
It appears that the safety-net is working.
Incidentally, I am a customer of OVO and I have had no problems, except with getting my smart meter installed.
I also have several friends, who chose OVO independently of me, who don’t seem to be having problems.
So hopefully, Spark Energy Supply’s customers will be looked after professionally.
Conclusion
My advice to anybody affected by the failure of Spark Energy or any other energy company, is make sure you have all your information with the meter numbers together.
Then sit tight for a few weeks and see how it all goes, before choosing a new supplier if you feel you need one.
It might also be a good idea to listen to Paul Lewis on Radio 4’s Moneybox today.
19MW Storage Capacity To Participate In Three UK Flexible Markets
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Smart Energy.
in Batteries On The Boil As Fund Attracts Investors, I talked about energy storage funds, which are a way of investing in energy storage to add capabilities to electricity grids.
This article talks about how the Gore Street Energy Fund is investing in two energy storage facilities at the Port of Tilbury and Lower Road in Essex
I have also found this article on Solar Power Portal, which is entitled Gore Street Fund Makes New Battery Acquisitions With New 19MW Pair From Origami Energy.
The second article has a picture of a 4 MW/4.8 MWh Tesla battery at Cenin Renewables.
The link to Tesla gives a well-presented page of applications of these batteries.
One example given is Renewable Integration, where this is said.
Smooth and firm the output of a renewable power generation source such as wind or solar.
This will be a large application for these types of large batteries, as although we don’t have masses of sun, we do have a lot of wind.
Big financial institutions like Pension Funds and Insurance Companies need secure long term investment to place their money and these energy storage devices, would appear to offer a sensible return, that enables them to pay their investors, like anybody who has a pension. Traditionally,these financial institutions have invested in property and government bonds for example.
Lately, they have been investing in railway rolling stock, which have a life of up to forty years. These energy storage systems should offer a reasonable life, if well-maintained and updated.
As there will large numbers of energy storage systems installed in the UK in the next decades, I think they could be a big area for investment.
At an individual level, we will also see houses built or refurbished with solar panels and batteries.
We are at the start of an exciting revolution!
China-Backed Coal Projects Prompt Climate Change Fears
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
These are the first three paragraphs.
As levels of greenhouse gases reach a new record, concerns are growing about the role of China in global warming.
For years, the increase in the number of Chinese coal-fired power stations has been criticised.
Now environmental groups say China is also backing dozens of coal projects far beyond its borders.
I have been against coal as a fuel for at least fifty years.
Initially, it was for three reasons.
- Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, there regularly seemed to be a serious coal-mining disasters like Aberfan and Katowice.
- My health had been seriously affected by London’s domestic coal fires.
- I also believed that nuclear power could supply us with affordable energy.
Also at Liverpool University, I met so many students, who were from mining areas, with horror stories of the health of miners.
Over the last couple of decades, I’ve gone very much against the building of large nuclear power stations, although I do feel that small modular nuclear reactors may have a place.
But the growth of wind and solar power has convinced me that with the addition of energy storage, we can manage without coal.
Obviously, the Chinese and Donald Trump think differently.
It should be noted that we are an island and if sea levels rise we will suffer, whereas China and the United States are large land masses with plenty of places to develop.
Trump and Xi Jinping need to be reeducated.
Pedestrian Tunnels In London’s Transport System
I take particular interest in pedestrian tunnels, as I believe properly designed tunnels can be a solution to improving access to stations.
This list will be extended as I photograph more.
Bank – Bank And Monument Escalator Connection
I still think of this tunnel, as an escalator connection, as that was how it was marked on the tube map in the 1950s.
It is two escalators down a walk between the Docklands Light Railway platforms and then two escalators up at the other end.
Verdict – The connection is being upgraded.
Bank- Central To Northern Interchange Tunnel
This is the shortest way from the Central Line to the Northern Line.
It does involve a descent of a circular staircase.
When the Bank station upgrade is complete this route will be replaced by an escalator connection between the two lines.
This visualisation shows the connecting escalators.
Note.
- The two wide highest level tunnels are the Central Line.
- The infamous curved Central Line platforms,create a large gap to mind.
- The two mid-level crossed tunnels are the existing Bank and Monument Escalator Connection and the Waterloo & City Tunnel.
- The four narrower lowest level tunnels are from bottom to top; the Southbound Northern Line, a new tunnel with a travelator; the old Southbound Northern Line tunnel and the Northbound Northern Line tunnel.
- The old Southbound Northern Line tunnel will become a passenger walkway.
Poking through all this spaghetti are the three escalators connecting the Central Line level with the Northern Line level.
Verdict – This connection will become much better.
Bank – Waterloo & City Inclined Travelator
The inclined travelators that link the Waterloo & City Line platforms and the main station entrances around Bank junction, are unique on the London Underground.
There are other travelators, but no others are inclined.
Verdict – I wonder why there are no others, as this pair seem to work very well.
Bank – Waterloo & City Tunnel
This tunnel connects the Waterloo & City Line platforms at Bank station to the central tunnel at Bank station.
Verdict – It is a linear oasis in an otherwise dingy and cramped station.
Bond Street – Northern Entrance Tunnel
This new tunnel connects the new Northern entrance at Bond Street station to the platforms.
Incidentally, I’d arrived at Bond Street station through the main entrance and it was an awfully overcrowded scrum. The Northern entrance was quiet, as the pictures show.
The entrance is steps or a lift between the street and its own gate line and then a well-lit wide passage to the escalators.
In future, it will link to a wide tunnel to the Western end of the Crossrail platforms at the station.
It is much better way to enter Bond Street station.
Verdict – London and other cities with underground railways, need more new station entrances like this.
Green Park – Interchange Tunnel
This tunnel connects the Jubilee, Piccadilly and Victoria Lines at Green Park station.
The opening dates of the three lines, through the station were.
- Piccadilly Line – 1906 – Modernised in the 1930s with escalators.
- Victoria Line – 1969
- Jubilee Line – 1979
Since 1979 the station has been continually improved and is step-free.
This map from carto.metre.free.fr shows the lines at Green Park station.
Note that the Jubilee Line is below the other lines and when the extension was built, it was a radical change to what was originally planned. The lines to the right lead to Charing Cross station and those going South to Westminster station.
The interchange tunnel is long and usually very crowded. I had an incident recently, where I was walking slowly to the Victoria Line and a group of tourists all with four-wheeled cases, were nudging me to go faster. When we all got to the steps at the end, there was an enforced slow down.
Verdict – I avoid interchanging at Green Park like the plague.
Kings Cross – Eastern Tunnel
This tunnel runs which used to be part of the access to the old Kings Cross Thameslink station, runs from East of Kings Cross station and then has access to the main tunnel connecting the Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria Lines.
It has partial escalator access at the Eastern end, where the buses from Islington and the East stop outside the old station entrance. Although getting buses to the East mens crossing the busy Pentonville Road.
Verdict – Needs improvement
Kings Cross – Interchange Tunnel
This tunnel connects the Eastern Tunnel at Kings Cross to the escalators and lifts that lead to the Northern ticket hall Kings Cross St. Pancras tube station. On the way is connects to the Victoria, Piccadilly and Northern Lines.
It is a long walk, especially, if you have accessed it, as I often do, from the Eastern Tunnel which is convenient for buses from Islington and Dalston.
Verdict – Too long and boring
Kings Cross – St. Pancras Tunnel
This tunnel connects St. Pancras station to the Northern ticket hall at Kings Cross St. Pancras tube station.
It is a wide, comfortable tunnel with a double handrail down the middle.
Note that the middle picture shows the connection to the next tunnel.
Verdict – Useful and a better walk than the surface alternative in cold or wet weather.
Kings Cross – Pancras Square Tunnel
This tunnel connects St. Pancras Square to the underground tunnel, that links St. Pancras station to the Northern ticket hall of Kings Cross St. Pancras tube station.
It is a good example of how to create a tunnel.
It has up and down escalators at the St. Pancras Square entrance.
Verdict – Good design and a pleasant walk.
Knightsbridge – Northern Exit Tunnel
This tunnel at Knightsbridge station was built in 2010 to connect the new entrance on the North side of Knightsbridge.
It looks to me that Transport for London had to make do with less space than they needed.
Verdict – Rather narrow and utilitarian.
Paddington – Bakerloo Line Link
This project to create a pedestrian link between the Bakerloo Line and Crossrail at Paddington is currently being built.
- It will be one hundred and thirty metres long.
- It will be twenty-five metres below the Paddington station concourse.
- The design uses a route to avoid existing station facilities.
- The tunnel is being built without major disruption to Bakerloo Line passengers.
- It will have lifts and escalators at both ends.
- The tunnel will handle five thousand passengers per hour in the Peak.
In August 2016, I wrote Paddington Is Operational Again, which describes the tunnel in detail.
Verdict – I have a feeling that this could be one of the most impressive parts of Crossrail.
I can’t wait for this tunnel to open.
South Kensington – Exhibition Road Pedestrian Tunnel
The Exhibition Road Pedestrian Tunnel at South Kensington station is unique in London, as it was built in 1885 and it is Grade II Listed.
As the pictures show, it can get very busy.
Verdict – A Victorian idea, that hasn’t been copied much.
Tottenham Court Road – Interchange Tunnel
This tunnel connect the Central and Northern Lines at Tottenham Court Road station.
It is a bit lacking in colour to my liking. But at least there is some of Eduardo palotzi’s tiles at one end.
Verdict – Bland and too long.
Victoria – New Tunnels
Victoria station has had a new entrance at Cardinal Place and a lot of new tunnels to sort out the poor connectivity, added in the last couple of years.
As the pictures show, not all the tunnels are finished.
Verdict – Victoria is no longer a station yo avoid
Waterloo – Interchange Travelator
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the Underground lines at Waterloo station.
Note the large separation of the platforms of the Jubilee Line and those of the Bakerloo and Northern Lines.
The solution was to install a travelator, when the Jubilee Line Extension was built.
Although expense wasn’t spared on the project, I think we would give it a more decorative lining today.
Verdict – It works.
Whitechapel – Refurbished Overground Staircases
There are two staircases between the District/Hammersmith & City Lines and the East London Line, that are being refurbished for Crossrail.
It looks like the work is of a high quality and that the old rails have not been replaced.
Verdict – These were scruffy tunnels a couple of years ago.
Summing Up
Some tunnels are obviously better than others, but what surprised me, was how well the Exhibition Rpad Tunnel to the museums coped with large numbers of passengers.
Perhaps, the Victorians got it right, as some of the best tunnels in my examples are the wider ones.
Comparing the Northern Exit Tunnel at Knightsbridge with the Northern Entrance Tunnel at Bond Street, shows how a wide tunnel and entrance, built with a lift, is a much better solution, than a narrow tunnel and entrance, without a lift.
The only narrow tunnel, that seems to work well is the tunnel connecting the Waterloo & City Line to the main Bank station complex.
But this tunnel is well-lit and I suspect tends to have passengers going the same way most of the time.
It also appears that recent tunnels like those at Bond Street and Victoria, are much better than those built about ten years ago, like the tunnel at Knightsbridge.
The Future
After Crossrail, London has a number of large station projects in the pipeline, some of which will require new connecting tunnels for passengers.
- The upgrading of Bank station is underway, where tunnels are being dug and escalators, travelators and lifts and being installed.
- The upgrading of Knightsbridge station is underway, but this will be simpler and I don’t think the upgrade includes more tunnels.
- The upgrading of Camden Town, Holborn and Walthamstow stations are in the planning stage. All will probably involve creating a new entrance connected to the existing platforms with lifts and escalators, but no long tunnels.
- Oxford Circus station is likely to be the subject of a major upgrade.
- Euston and Euston Square stations are being upgraded for the arrival of High Speed Two and there will be new tunnels to dig, between the two stations.
There are also possible new lines to consider, which may or may not be built.
- Bakerloo Line Extension
- Crossrail 2
- Docklands Light Railway to Thamesmead
- Docklands Light Railway to Euston, St. Pancras and Victoria.
All will be built with lots of entrances and exits, and interchanges with existing lines, so it is likely, there will be quite a few connecting tunnels.
Conclusion
I think that three tunnel projects will define a lot of the thinking about pedestrian access in the future.
- The Northern Entrance Tunnel at Bond Street, which surfaces in a commercial development.
- The Paddington Bakerloo Line Link, which appears to be setting new standards of design and construction.
- The narrow well-lit tunnel at Bank.
Could we see lessons learned with these newly-built tunnels applied to projects like Oxford Circus and Euston stations?
The Anonymous Widower 