The City At Sunset From Hoxton Station
Coming back from the Emirates Air-Line, I stopped off at Hoxton Station to take these pictures from the Northbound platform.
These are not the first photographs I’ve taken from the station, but the photograph on this post, was taken from the Southbound platform
There’s An Article Here
The Britain From Above web site has some good photographs of stations. This link shows a good one of Marylebone and the Great Central Hotel in front.
I actually think, that a shot of Marylebone from the same place would look very much the same today, except for diesel instead of steam trains.
Someone will write the article.
On a more serious note, railway and other historians will use the database of pictures to sort out, what was there in the 1920s and 30s and how something should be restored. And also to enliven dull articles.
Riding the New Bus for London
I finally caught up with the New Bus for London this afternoon. As I got to my stop to go to Islington, it was going the other way towards Hackney, so I got on the next 38 and asked the driver to ‘Follow that bus!’ Which of course he did, as all 38s go the same way. If there had been a bit of congestion and he’d manage to overtake my intended ride, I’d have just hopped-off one bus and hopped-on the other.
But we were held up and so a couple of stops before the turn around at Hackney Central, I disembarked and crossed the road to the Victoria-bound stop. Twenty minutes later and LT2 arrived.
I immediately went upstairs and the first thing you notice is how light and airy the inside is.
Upstairs on a New Bus for London
Colours are best described as classy and more subtle than most other buses, but light is good with LED downlighters everywhere. The windows are wide and aligned with the seats, as this view shows.
Wide Windows on the New Bus for London
Lincolns Inn Fields can be seen through the windows. Note too, the generous leg-room, compared to some other buses.
As we progressed towards Victoria I took a lot of pictures from the right hand side, with my elbow resting on the window frame, just like the gent in the previous picture is doing.
Hugh Myddelton Looks On
I wonder what Sir Hugh would have thought of it all.
Whatever the bus may be it is a superb place to film central London. I don’t think that the tours will be pleased as routes like the 38, will offer a similar experience for the price of a normal bus fare. How long before someone starts offering a smart phone app, that provides a running commentary, based on GPS. Or could the app tap into a signal from the bus to keep everything in sync?
At on point, the bus was fairly clear and I was able to look at the seats.
Upstairs Seats on a New Bus for London
They are comfortable and shaped to give good lumbar support. As I have said the legroom is good and you don’t feel crushed in because of the large windows and the ability to rest your arm on the window sill. You could also put a small bag underneath a lot of the seats. Compare this seat with that on the standard Wright product, that is very common in London.
The Seat on a Standard Wright Bus
The New Bus for London certainly has a better seat, with better support and if you’re on the window side, you have somewhere to rest one arm.
After a time I was able to move up-front.
Up Front on a New Bus for London
The view is again good and there is the usual grab rail beloved of kids of all ages. Strangely, I suspect that you might get better pictures from the side of the bus, due to the wide and deep windows.
As we progressed through London, the most astounding thing, was that everybody was looking at the bus.
Eros From a New Bus for London
Quite a few of the crowds on Eros were photographing the bus. As I think was this lady.
Caught in the Act
But we were outside Fortnums, so she might have been photographing the shop. At Victoria the cameras were out again.
The New Bus for London at Victoria
It’s when you see it here, you realise that the bus is only marginally bigger than the standard buses. Although, on the roads, the curves make it look bigger.
Soon we were off again and i took this picture of a visiting Pole in the back seat of the top deck.
On the Back Seat of the New Bus for London
On the old Routemasters and the RT’s before them, this seat was always popular for a cuddle. I suspect that it will get used for the same purpose on this bus.
I should say, that as someone, who is a bit weak down the left hand side, I didn’t find the stairs too difficult. In fact because there are two staircases, you use the one most convenient to where you are sitting. So I suspect on a crowded bus, you’d probably get off quicker and a lot easier. They are certainly no more difficult to use than those on the standard London buses. The picture shows the front staircase.
The Front Staircase on the New Bus for London
I think they might be a bit wider too. This picture was taken from the window seat just behind the staircase, which I think could be one of the best seats to take pictures from the bus.
So how do people like the bus?
I did talk to a few people and they were generally enthusiastic. Many too, were taking pictures on their phones or like me, had cameras with them.
Finally, I got off the bus and walked the short distance home.
But this couple were in a hurry and hopped on the bus, whilst it was stuck at the traffic lights.
Hopping On a New Bus for London
So will the hop-on/hop-off facility work? It seems to be what Londoners want. It will help me, as often when I walk round the corner to get a 38 to Islington, one is stuck at the traffic lights, so it might save me a couple of minutes waiting for the next one.
To summarise, I think that the designers have generally got it right. The bus is light and airey, the windows give good visibility out, the staircases are easy, the open platform appears to be working and the driver I spoke to liked the bus, which is surely important.
Quite a few men, seemed to be interested in the technical details like the hybrid power system, which gives the bus very good fuel consumption. When did you last discuss how your bus or train worked with someone?
Only one lady thought there might not be enough spaces for buggies, but she did like the seats and the big windows!
Another passenger didn’t like the new smell, as I didn’t on the journey to Victoria, but that will go away in a couple of weeks.
I think my biggest conclusion about the bus is summed up in a quote by David Hockney.
Art has to move you and design does not, unless it’s a good design for a bus.
There would even be space on the top deck for a dachshund under the seat.
The Queen’s New Photo
The Queen has had a new portrait photograph taken and it is shown here on the BBC.
I don’t like it as it is too formal and looks like the sort of rubbish monarchs would have had painted hundreds of years ago.
I bet she likes this one much better!
Iconic Photos
They’ve just announced the route of the Olympic Torch Relay before the 2012 Olympics.
I know Britain pretty well, but what has surprised me is how many of the stops of the torch on the route, aren’t really that recognisable from the iconic photographs published alongside the interactve map. Obviously, for many cities they have used the cathedral, the castle or an iconic building and for Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Bristol they have used bridges. Liverpool has been indicated by two of the Three Graces. Some though, like Bolton, Hull and Luton have struggled, as they show what looks to be the town hall or some other unworthy Victorian pile that could be anywhere.
The worst is probably Ipswich, which shows an anonymous modern waterfront, that could be anywhere and is easily confused with London Docklands.
Ipswich has three iconic buildings all of which are Grade One listed buildings; Norman Foster’s Willis Building, Christchurch Mansion and the Ancient House.
I’d have shown the Willis Building, as it is one of the few truly great buildings from the 1970s, we have in this country.
3D Photography Is Not New
I found this fascinating article on the BBC website. It describes how 3D photography was used by the RAF in the Second World War to unlock the secrets of German missile sites.
I hope that those in the military use drones or high altitude aircraft equipped with such cameras for their reconnaissance today in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The technique might also be useful in assessing things like earthquake damage in remote areas.
London On Fire?
These pictures were taken with my camera as we took off last night.
I think a lot of the effects were because the camera didn’t get the range right.
Airbrushed Photographs of Women
There is a report today by Dr. Linda Papadopoulos, that says that children are over-exposed to sexual imagery.
One of the points it makes is that photos are often airbrushed to make the subjects closer to what is considered to be an ideal. It says that that airbushed photos should be marked as such. I think there is a fat chance of that ever happening, as suppose they insisted on it in the UK, would it apply to imported magazines printed in the US and Europe. If they were not allowed to be distributed here that would be censorship!
It just shows how far this report is from what can be achieved in reality.
Look at this photo of a lady dressed how she would have been in the Belle Epoque era, I found on the web from 1895.
The waist looks very much that it has been retouched.
Plus ca change! Except then tiny waists were important and now it’s being stick thin.
A Man with a Bookcase
Sometimes things just happen that make you smile ever so much. One such thing happened last night as I made my way home from Oxford on a Victoria Line train to Blackhorse Road, where I had parked my car.
A guy entered carrying a bookcase and as the train was a bit crowded comments were made. These started to get funnier and funnier and for the five stops he was on the train, there was a lot of jokes and laughter. The journey moved very quickly.
Here’s a photograph of the guy sitting on his bookcase.
Man with a Bookcase
Before he left, I talked to the guy and found he was a photographer called Mario Guarino from Naples in Italy.
This episode made me think of the Roman Polanski short film, Two Men and a Wardrobe. It was made in 1962 and I think I probably saw it at school. I hope it is still worth watching!
The Anonymous Widower 