The Spectacular View From The Cable-Car
Today was exceedingly clear and I was able to take this image looking back to where I had walked earlier.
The Spectacular View From The Cable-Car
It’s just a pity the reflections got in the picture.
Walking From Leamouth To Canning Town Station
This morning in what could be the last of the summer sun, I took a 277 bus to Leamouth and then walked to Canning Town station along Bow Creek.
The area is one of the more interesting in London, with the River Lea of which Bow Creek is part, gradually silting up and reverting to reed beds. The inside of the bend used to be the the home of the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company and now it is one of the tunnelling sites for CrossRail. The successor of the works football team of the Thames Ironwork still exists as West Ham United, but the company is long gone, deespite building many ships for the Navy and companies like P & O.
From Canning Town station, I got the DLR, the Emirates Air-Line cable-car and the Jubilee line to Canary Wharf for lunch. I suppose, I could have taken the Jubilee line from Canning Town station, but the cable-car has better views.
Thinking about the route, you could take the 277 bus from any number of places like Highbury and Islington and then go back to Central London on the Jubilee line. but on a sunny day, don’t cut out the cable-car as it gives some spectacular views.
A Surfeit Of Ice Cream At The Cable-Car
If you like ice cream, they had lots of it at the north terminal of the cable-car today.
There’s also a stall at the southern end.
To Brighton via Cable Car And A Lot More
And a few other things too!
I had plenty of time yesterday to get to the Ipswich match at Brighton, so I thought, I’d see how many different forms of transport I could use.
1. A 21 Bus to Bank
I started the simple way by getting on this 21 bus to take me to Bank station for the DLR.
A 21 Bus To Bank
It didn’t actually go to Bank, as southbound buses have to take a detour at Moorgate because of Crossrail.
2. Docklands Light Railway to Royal Victoria Docks
I then took the DLR to Royal Victoria Dock station for the cable-car.
DLR Train At Bank
I did take a pause at Limehouse station to take pictures of the Hydraulic Accumulator Tower.
3. Emirates Air-Line To North Greenwich
I’d actually come this way to give me a good title to the post. But, as I had a gondola to myself, I was able to take good pictures of the Crossrail site at Limmo.
The Crossrail Site On The Limmo Peninsular
Work seems to be proceeding at speed and hopefully Elizabeth and Victoria will be dropped in the big hole soon.
4. Jubilee Line To Canada Water
This was the point, I realised I hadn’t got an SD card in the camera, so I purchased one by the O2.
Jubilee Line At Canada Water
At least the Jubilee line was working properly.
5.Lift To The Overground
This might seem like blatant cheating to get my count up. It is!
Lift To The Overground
Although it was a nice clean lift!
6. Overground To West Croydon
Those who know London’s transport system can argue that I should have taken the Jubilee line to London Bridge station and got a train from there. But hey! That would not be fun.
Arriving At West Croydon
But even the Overground takes you to wrong station at Croydon for Brighton. But at least, West Croydon station now has a quick exit to the tram.
7. Tram To East Croydon
At least when you’re going West to East in Croydon, the Tramlink is simple.
Tram at East Croydon
In fact, if say I’m coming from Brighton to my home, I will probably go direct to the London terminus. But going south, I tend to take the Overground from close by my house and then the tram to East Croydon station, as I did here.
8. Train To Brighton
I bought my first ticket of the day. a senior return to Brighton for £11.70.
My Train To Brighton Arrives
I arrived in Brighton on time.
I then walked down the hill to Carluccio’s for an early supper.
Bicycles On The Emirates Air-Line
Although, they say it’s possible on the web site, but I’d never seen bicycles being carried across on the cable-car before today.
As you can see, the seats tip up and the bikes are strapped in by the attendant.
I was in the gondola behind and there was no hold-up at all.
The CrossRail Site At Limmo
The CrossRail site on the Limmo Peninsular is easy to see, either from the Beckton branch of the DLR or from the Emirates Air-line.
The tunnels will be driven both west towards Canary Wharf and ultimately Farringdon, and east towards the Victoria Dock portal.
Note that the CrossRail site is easily identified by the the white gantries and the three beige towers, which I suspect are for producing concrete. The site is tightly sandwiched between the River Lea to the west (left) and the DLR to the right (east), with the Lower Lea Crossing in front (south), partly hidden by trees. You can get a better idea of the layout on the ground, by looking at this map.
Note that Instone Wharf in the right front, opposite to the two light ships, will be used to take all the spoil from the tunnels away in barges. Spoil will be brought to the wharf by conveyors and then will go to create a new nature reserve at Wallasea Island in Essex.
I suspect that if someone gets in the cable-car with a good camera with a strong telephoto lens, some good pictures could be taken on a clear day. It would be best to take them, whilst travelling from south to north from North Greenwich to Royal Victoria.
Health And Safety Has Its Place
This piece of raised concrete has annoyed me ever since the Emirates Air-Line opened.
Health And Safety Has Its Place
So I’m glad to see they’ve marked it with yellow paint. Not that I need any help any more, as my brain has now set its Sat-Nav to warn me to move right, as I approach the area.
My compliments must go to someone, who responded to the problem.
An Oyster Card And A Freedom Pass
Although, I’m entitled to free travel in the London area, I actually carry both and I suspect many Londoners eligible for a Freedom Pass carry an Oyster Card as well.
I carry the Oyster Card mainly for the Emirates Air-Line, as it’s cheaper than paying cash and it gives me speedy boarding. But I also carry it, if say a friend should turn up and doesn’t have a card. I do keep them separate, so I don’t pay twice for a journey.
Yesterday, I went to Ipswich, which is outside the Freedom Pass and Oyster Card area. Ipswich like many stations has the same Cubic barriers at London, so wouldn’t it be nice if I could use an Oyster Card to pay for the journey. I know there’s the complication of the fact that I pay for my Senior Railcard to get a discount of a third on rail fares outide my Freedom Pass area, but computing could work that out.
Perhaps, even a Freedom Pass could also be uploaded with money like an Oyster Card.
There are endless possibilities and hopefully a sensible solution will be found. And of course, one that desn’t use a dreaded smart phone!
Has London Got Friendlier?
Every Sunday morning, I take the Overground to Shadwell, where I switch to the DLR and go to Royal Victoria station, from where I get the Emirates Air-Line over the Thames to the O2. From there, I go to Canary Wharf station, where I have a late breakfast in Carluccio’s. This was my intension this morning, but I left my Oystercard behind, so I took the Jubilee line from Canning Town station to get to Canary Wharf. I’ve done it now perhaps six or seven times and it allows me to get a good view on the mood of London. Today everybody was very chatty and there was a generally friendly mood.
This wasn’t the first time, that I’ve noticed this upbeat mood on a personal level in recent weeks. One particular feature, is that I’ve had more talks with black people lately, than I’ve ever had in my past sixty-odd years. Could it be, that the Olympics is helping us to live together better, as in fact we all have more common interests, than those things that divide us?
In one instance, I walked away from a bus, with a black woman about my age, chatting about our health problems, both of us remarking that twenty years before, we’d have probably not said a word.
If this is the legacy of 2012, I’m all for it! Or is it just that finally we’ve developed a modern society?
Olympic Walking Routes
Yet again last night, I feel victim to the badly laid out walking routes away from Olympic sites.
From the Olympic park, they always assume you want to get away on the Jubilee line to the centre of London, so late at night they always ban you from going to Stratford, where they funnel everybody across the bridge to the station. As I want the Overground out of Stratford, it’s very difficult for me. They want everybody to walk to West Ham. It’s probably quicker and easier to get to Dalston from Welwyn Garden City, than it is from West Ham.
Let’s face it, the Jubilee line is about as useful to me, as a chocolate teapot.
In the end last night, I walked to Eaton Manor Gate and then found I just missed the W15 bus, I needed to get to Hackney Central for any number of welcoming buses home. I should have taken the Victoria Gate and walked through the park for a 277 or 30. But hindsight is a wonderful thing.
I had a similar problem at ExCel trying to get to the cable-car, where you had to walk twice the length of the Excel building to get going in the right direction. Wasn’t the Emirates Air-Line supposed to be an important part of the Olympic transport network?
I can only assume that Olympic travel routes were drawn up by someone who doesn’t walk or use a bus and probably lives in Houston. They certainly didn’t bring the 488 bus into their thinking, despite the fact that Transport for London said they extended the route to Dalston for Olympic purposes.
They certainly made it difficult for those who live close to the stadium and just a couple of Overground or Underground stops away difficult.
The Anonymous Widower 