Route 38 Goes Retro
To celebrate the hundreth anniversary of route 38, Arriva have been running some old buses on the route today. three Routemasters, an RTL, an RTW and a K type are taking part according to this press release from Arriva. All except the elderly K-Type will be accepting passengers. I managed to get some pictures this morning.
I’m not sure whether the RTL was the RTL and not the RTW. It certainly wasn’t the RT which was also rumoured to be taking part. I remember the RTL particularly well, as they worked the 298 from Oakwood to Southgate, when I was going to school at Minchenden.
The RT and its various sub-types can be considered to be London’s first modern bus and the Routemaster was the ultimate example of the front-engined rear-wheel drive bus. The Routemaster was built with an integral aluminium body and two sub-frames to hold the engine and the axles. It was 0.75 tonne lighter than the RT, despite carrying eight more passengers. No wonder it became a design classic, as the construction of some modern buses, is not as efficient as the sixty year old Routemaster.
Some Routemasters still operate on Heritage routes 9 and 15. Bookmakers don’t take bets on when they will, if ever, be retired.
Ed Milliband Admits He Looks Like Wallace
It’s all here in the Daily Mail.
I suppose it could be worse, if looked like some other cartoon characters.
At least Peter Sallis, who voices Wallace, went to the sane school as I did, Minchenden in North London.
The Olympic Torch Relay Will Pass the End of My Road
The Olympic Torch Relay has a rather good interactive map, which you can find by clicking here.
Just type in your postcode or town and set to full screen and then go round the map.
It actually passes the end of my road, by Dalston Junction station, probably just after 16:00 on Saturday, July 21st.
I have checked other places, which have significance for me, to see how near the torch goes.
It actually goes past Southgate Tube station, next to where I went to school at Minchenden. In fact it goes past the pub, where we used to drink, The Woolpack (July 25th)
It goes past Wood Green station, which I used to use regularly to get to my father’s printing works. (July 25th)
It goes all around Ipswich town centre and past where the Golden Panda used to be. (July 5th)
A Stationery Department Has Moved
I took this picture in John Lewis in Oxford Street yesterday.
A Stationery Department has Moved
I always felt that stationery Departments were stationary. But obviously this one isn’t!
A similar pun was used at school in a notice put on a door at school.
Stationery Department
Hasn’t Moved in Years
I think it may have been one April Fool’s Day.
Radio Balls Pond Road
My new house is just round the corner from the infamous Balls Pond Road. When I found this picture, it brought back a lot of memories of thast iconic radio show, Round the Horne. They used to feature Radio Balls Pond Road.
The series was written by Barry Took and Marty Feldman. Barry actually went to the same school as I did, Minchenden Grammar School in Southgate.
A Steve Hillel Special
Steve was a friend from Minchenden Grammar School. I think he was in the party on at least one occasion, when we went to see some of the latest bands at the Regal Edmonton. I can remember seeing The Rolling Stones, The Animals, The Nashville Teens, Chuck Berry, Adam Faith and Joe Brown in a long gone venue, that is now a supermarket. He may have actually got the tickets, but it is now nearly fifty years ago.
But Steve’s other claim to fame, was that he was a rather eccentric right back in the school football team, with a penchant for scoring own goals.
Ipswich’s first goal today was one that was straight out of his manual. Sorry Steve, if you read this, but Adam Matthews’ own goal was one of the most spectacular I’ve seen. His header never gave the goalkeeper any chance.
My Brief Case
I went to a school in North London, Minchenden, where carrying brief cases by their handles was very much frowned upon. I still follow that tradition today.
My Dunhill Brief Case
My late wife bought it at Dunhill in about 1976. Admittedly they have replaced the zip twice, but despite its battered appearance it’s still going strong and accompanies me everywhere on business.
That’s what quality is about!
Note that the case has no handle and two very useful side pockets.
The Anonymous Widower 