A Circular Journey In The Snow
Very often on a Sunday I go across the Emirates Air-Line cable car, have a tea, coffee or lunch somewhere and then return home by a different route.
Today with all the snow, was just too good to miss.
My route was to walk to Dalston Junction station and then get a train south to Shadwell. I then took the DLR from there to the cable car. I came back via Canary Wharf, where I had a cup of tea and the London Overground back to the start.
The only problem, was that visibility wasn’t that good, but it was what the cable-car is for. It must have felt pleased to be in the land of its birth; Austria.
Not What To Wear Today!
I saw this lady on the DLR at Custom House station.
Not What To Wear Today!
Luckily she’s only an advert!
Otherwise she’d have frozen stiff.
London’s Boxing Day Nightmare
I asked for luck as I set out for Charlton and more or less achieved my objective in that I got to the match without trouble. After taking my pictures at Kings Cross, I took a 205 bus towards Bow, with the intention of getting the DLR to Lewisham. I wasn’t sure of where the bus went, so I changed at Mile End to a 277 bus and picked up the DLR for Lewisham at Westferry station.
The Reliable DLR
As ever the DLR did its bit, but then it doesn’t have drivers, who have to have a party on Boxing Day.
I changed at Lewisham to a 380 bus, which meandered through Blackheath and other green parts of Greenwich to The Valley.
Meandering Through Blackheath
It must be one of the smallest buses operated in London.
A Small Bus
But I suppose, it does have the advantage, that any hooligans arrested at The Valley can be sent directly to jail.
The nightmare started after the match, which was characterised by a first half display by Charlton, that was almost as bad of that by Ipswich at Leicester.
Normally, to get to The Valley, you take a train to Charlton station next to the ground from central London. But it was Boxing Day, so the trains weren’t running. The Underground wasn’t running either as the drivers weren’t, but in getting to Charlton, it’s not much use.
So I was left to struggle home on the buses.
And struggle I did, as they were rather overcrowded to say the least.
It took me three hours to get to the Angel, as I had to change twice at Lewisham and Bank. The second change wasn’t the best, as due to the delay, I needed the toilet, so I took the first bus that came and had a pit-stop at Carluccio’s in Upper Street. At least, I got a bus home virtually immediately.
If we are going to have Sales in the shops and a full sporting program on Boxing Day, wouldn’t it be a good idea to have a full bus, train and Underground service, albeit with a reduced frequency.
Roll on driver-less trains like the DLR. I know it’s not as simple as some think, but as a control engineer, I know that trains can be without drivers, provided there is a train captain, like on the DLR.
I Like This Safety Poster
I took this picture at Pudding Mill station today.
Watch Your Step!
Penguins always get the message over.
Wearing The Poppy With Pride
All of the DLR trains are wearing poppies.
Wearing The Poppy With Pride
They actually wear two; one at each end.
Is The Popularity Of The Emirates Air-Line Falling?
The Emirates Air-Line wasn’t as busy as I’ve seen it, but for a rather dim Sunday in October, it was doing brisk business. There was a big queue to get on. And this despite the fact that there was no DLRb to the northern terminal!
Is The Popularity Of The Emirates Air-Line Falling?
On the other hand, some critics are being very gloomy about the cable-car’s future.
I think it’s going to be fine, especially as the charges seem to have been updated with a sort of cash-back scheme for frequent flyers.
But then politicians will always play silly games.
Canning Town To The Emirates Air Line
I then walked from Canning Town station to the Emirates Air Line.
There really isn’t much to see and you can’t really get a good view of the CrossRail site and the tunnel boring machines.
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.
Reflections At Stratford Station
I took these pictures from the low-level DLR platforms at Stratford station.
It has become an impressive station over the last few years. It certainly performed well in the Olympics.
The DLR Seats Are Back
They took some of them away for the Olympics. but they are back now.
The DLR Seats Are Back
So that’s one promise that was kept.
The Anonymous Widower 