Riding The Class 377 To Redhill
A few years ago, travelling south of the Big Sewer, usually meant a ride in some rickety old electrical multiple unit, that had seen better days.
Now though, I seem to usually get an immaculate Class 377.
It wasn’t very busy and I had a coach to myself.
The Opening And Closing Of Tower Bridge
Surprisingly, I’d never seen the opening and closing of Tower Bridge from up close. But as today, I hadn’t anything planned and the BBC London News said it would open twice at 10:30 and 17:00, I decided to go and look.
The boat that requested these openings was the SB Kitty.
Along To Tower Bridge
I then walked on to Tower Bridge.
The prohotographic exhibition was in front of City Halland was for an organisation called 2020Vision.
I timed my arrival for just before 10:30, as the BBC had announced the bridge would be opening at that time. There is a list of opening times here.
The View From Hay’s Galleria
I’d gone south from the Angel to London Bridge station, with the aim of walking along the River Thames to see Tower Bridge.
To get to the bridge, I took one of the exits onto Tooley Street, crossed the road and walked through the Hay’s Galleria. I took these pictures.
This is one of the best ways to get onto the walk beside the Thames. There are also a couple of restaurants and cafes, in and by the Galleria, if you want to eat or drink.
The Emirates Air-Line Wasn’t Very Busy
Early this morning, I went over the Emirates Air-Line
The Emirates Air-Line Wasn’t Very Busy
The picture shows the queues at Royal Victoria.
On the other hand the view was one of the best.
The O2 Arena And Canary Wharf
Note that the Shard is missing.
The New Bridge Over The Thames
In my lifetime, I can remember five bridges being built and opened across the Thames; London Bridge in 1973, the bridge at the Dartford Crossing in 1991, and the Golden Jubilee footbridges and the Millennium Bridge in 2002.
So today, when the BBC said that a new Walton Bridge was nearing completion, I just had to go, despite the weather.
I went to Waterloo station and got the train to Walton on Thames station.
Walton On Thames Station
From the station, after a fifteen minute wait, I got a 478 bus to the bridge. The bus actually, went over the old bridge next to the new one.
The New Walton Bridge
The weather was now the worst it had been all day, so I retreated on the first bus that arrived; a 555 for Heathrow Central.
It was possibly a mistake, as it went all round South West London, before arriving at the airport an hour or so later,
So in the end I got off at Hatton Cross station and took the Piccadilly line back to Green Park station, from where I got a 38 bus home.
Although, I achieved my objective of seeing the new bridge, the cold, snowy weather, the slow bus and the very crowded Underground coming home, put rather a damper on the day.
Silvertown Sugar Refinery
Dominating the space between the new railway line and the River Thames is the massive Tate and Lyle sugar refinery, although it is now owned by American Sugar Refining.
As the pictures show it also dominates the view from the south bank of the Thames.
Children In Trouble
I’m just watching a recording of the BBC documentary; The Railway.
In one section, they have to go and tell a mother, that her son has been hit by a train and killed.
I might not have been a saint, but one incident in my life made my mother think the worst.
I’d been driving back to Liverpool University in my faithful Morris Minor; VKX 156, when just before Peterborough, a guy in the slow lane of the northbound A1, decided he needed to turn right. But he missed the turn and was hit fair and square by the car in front of me. I would have gone right into him, but for the quick thinking of another driver in an Austin 1800 in the slow lane, who slowed and waved me through in front of him. I then pulled directly on to the verge as I thought things would now go seriously wrong. They did, but not around me, as the car that caused the accident bounced across the central reservation of the dual carriageway and then hit someone going south.
The Police turned up some minutes later and I gave a detailed statement about what had happened.
Nothing further happened until that summer, when I was on a boating holiday on the Thames, when a Police Sergeant turned up at our house around midnight and said I was wanted in Court in the morning to give evidence about the accident.
Seeing him there, had given her an awful fright, as she thought I’d fallen in the Thames or a lot worse.
Obviously, that hadn’t happened, but it does show the sort of reaction expected, when something serious happens.
I know the heartbreak of losing a child, so we should all take care.
I certainly do, as best as I can, after all I’ve been through in the last few years.
A Call From The Cable-Car
As I was alone on the Emirates Air-Line yesterday, I called a friend in The Netherlands.
I don’t suppose, I’m the only person, who’s done that. But try doing that in a tunnel under the Thames.
Busking On The Beach
It was a nice sunny day yesterday and this guy couldn’t resist getting his guitar out on the beach.
Busking On The Beach
He was just outside the National Theatre on the South Bank, sitting in the River Thames.
The guy is Tim Sidall or Flame Proof Moth.
The Anonymous Widower 