An Insignificant Plate on the Greenway
From Pudding Mill Lane, I decided not to take the easy route of transport home, so I climbed onto the Greenway and thought about having a coffee in the ViewTube. But it was too late, as the cafe was closed. There was an American film crew there, making a piece about the Olympics, as there often is, so I gave them some of the history about the area, the sewers and Joseph Bazalgette.
Marshgate Lane Plate
This plate in the Greenway, is all that is there to indicate one of the largest of the Olympic construction contracts.
To create easy access to the Olympic site and easpecially after the Games, Marshgate Lane is being lowered so that large trucks can get in. It is not an easy job, as they are effectively having to tunnel under the Northern Outfall Sewer and as the name indicates, the area used to be a marsh. People often wonder why projects cost more and run late. This is one that has a high degree of risk, although it should be ready in time, but one misplaced action could conceivably break the sewer and cover everything in the outflow from several million toilets.
Luckily, knowing Bazalgette, he built a degree of strength into the sewer that will protect everything and everyone.
Along the Bow Back Rivers
I crossed Stratford High Street and then found my way to Pudding Mill Lane station on the DLR. I passed across and along one of the Bow Back Rivers, originally created to channel water power from the River Lee to the flour mills in the area.
At present access is restricted to many of these rivers because of construction of both the Olympic Park and CrossRail. But they will become a major water feature of the Olympics. The City Mill River and the City Mill Lock have recently been restored.
Onwards to Stratford High Street
I walked onwards from Three Mills towards the Olympic Park along the Three Mills Wall River, which is part of the River Lea.
It was an interesting walk with a lot to see.
You can’t actually reach Stratford High Street at the moment, becuse of construction work.
It looks like they will be encouraging spectators to walk to the Olympic Park from Bromley-by-Bow station along this route. They have put in quite a few places to have a picnic, which you could buy in Tesco’s at Bow.
Three Mills, Bow
In my previous post, I said things just had to get better and they did.
These pictures were taken in the area called Three Mills, which is now a studios.
It wasn’t what I’d expected. Especially, as one of the mills is the largest tidal mill in the world.
I have a feeling that Bass Charrington, who owned the site in the 1970s, used these buildings from where they marketed the infamous, Hirondelle wine. It was a success and the company was a customer of Time Sharing Ltd.
Etchings in the Evening Sun
This picture shows the decoration on the new sewage pumping station at the Olympic Park, highlighted by the evening sun.
Decoration on the Olympic Park Sewage Pumping Station
The images are taken from the original drawings from Joseph Bazalgette’s Abbey Mills pumping station.
I hope that when the Olympic Park is fully open, buildings like this won’t be hidden behind excessive security fences.
The Other Side of the Olympics
Tonight, I went to a preview day of an art exhibition at the ViewTube.
It was a series of drawings about the building of the various Olympic stadia by Jeanette Barnes, who lives close to the main Olympic Park.
In this picture the artist is shown with some of her art.
Jeanette Barnes and Some of Her Olympic Drawings
Here is a larger image of one of drawings.
The Aquatic Centre by Jeanette Barnes
And a collection of smaller ones.
More Drawings by Jeanette Barnes
I like her work and hope the exhibition goes well. Certainly, the Pimms they were serving was excellent.
Her work wasn’t the only art on show tonight.
Children's Art at the ViewTube
This was created by the local kids.
And of course starting to tower above it all is the ArcelorMittal Orbit.
ArcelorMittal Orbit
It’s rising fast.
The Other Side of the Olympic Site
Yesterday, I took the train from Stratford to Tottenham Hale. It is actually a slow train to Stansted Airport, that stops in several places on its way to the airport.
It runs every thirty minutes or so, so it is not often the most convenient way to get between the two places, but because of the various developments and countryside along the line it makes a pleasant alternative as you wander up the Lee Valley.
A New Stratford Emerges
I went to Stratford station today as it has now been announced that the station upgrade is complete.
There are still a few things to do, but as the pictures show, it’s a lot better than a few years ago.
The Mittal Orbit is Rising
I was down the Olympic site this morning and the Mittal Orbit is getting higher.
The Mittal Orbit is Rising
It can’t be getting that much higher! I like it!
I’ve Got Some Olympic Tickets
I originally applied for £3234 worth of Olympic tickets, but in the end I only got £785.
This is just over twenty-four percent of what I tried to get.
No-one seems to know how the ballot has been organised. In many cases I applied for two tickets, as I’m not keen on going by myself.
I hope I haven’t got loads of single tickets!
As an engineer with a stromg statistics training, I think there might be more to this than we think. I just sent this e-mail to BBC Radio 5.
But the figures on what people have got, don’t add up.
It will be interesting to look again, after people know the events they’ve got.
I do wonder though, if the method of the ballot process has leaked out and speculators and ticket touts have made a killing.
After all, I’ve not heard of anyone, who’s got all they asked for. On the law of averages, that should have happened quite a few times, and some would be crowing with delight.
I do suspect though, that some will make a killing. Touts and criminals always find a way to make money.
The Anonymous Widower 