UK’s Iconic Jodrell Bank Telescope Faces Axe In Science Cuts
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
The Jodrell Bank Observatory, which has housed the UK’s largest telescope for nearly 70 years, has lost its funding and could now close, the BBC understands.
These two paragraphs add more details.
The observatory and its network of telescopes have been pivotal to the country’s study of distant galaxies and training future astronomers. Scientists have described the decision as “heartbreaking” and “scientifically misguided”.
All scientific observations at Jodrell are expected to cease on the 1 April 2028 unless alternative funding can be found.
I consider the government decision to be vandalism of the highest order.
This Google Map shows the Jodrell Bank site.
Note.
- The radio telescope is indicated by a red arrow.
- Going across the North-West corner of the map is the West Coast Main Line between London and Manchester Piccadilly.
- The red dot, which is labelled SKAO indicates the SKA Observatory, which has this web site.
This is on the home page.
Building the two largest telescope arrays in the world, located in South Africa and Australia, made possible through a global collaboration.
Jodrell Bank is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
I have some thoughts.
I Was A Keen Amateur Astronomer At School
I went to Minchenden Grammar School in North London, where the school had Prince Albert’s six-inch refracting telescope for observations.
I can also remember a smaller reflecting telescope being setup outside the cricket pavilion to observe a partial eclipse of the sun.
Google AI lists three partial solar eclipses in London in the 1960s.
February 15, 1961: A deep partial dawn eclipse showing 92% to 95% coverage of the Sun in Southern England. It featured early television coverage and coincided with the exact day the movie Barabbas filmed its crucifixion scene during totality in Southern Europe.
September 22, 1968: A daytime partial eclipse where about one-third of the Sun was blocked. Skies over London cleared after 11:00 a.m., prompting the Junior Astronomical Society to set up projection telescopes in St. James’s Park.
May 20, 1966: Another visible partial solar event tracked across the UK, though with lighter public observation in the capital.
As the eclipse wasn’t 92 % to 95 % coverage and I would have been in Liverpool in 1968, I suspect it was the eclipse of May 20, 1966.
I Was Of The Generation That Grew Up With Jodrell Bank
The iconic Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope opened in 1957, which would be about the time, I started Minchenden Grammar School and was able to have access to their optical telescope.
So I grew up with Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope, although I’ve never visited.
I Feel Very Strongly That Jodrell Bank Needs A Convenient Rail Connection
This page on the Jodrell Bank web site, gives these instructions on how to get there by rail.
The most convenient station is at Macclesfield, which is on the West Coast Mainline from London Euston to Manchester. On arrival at Macclesfield you will then need to take a 20-minute taxi ride to the Jodrell Bank. The taxi rank is directly outside the main exit from Macclesfield station.
There is also a station in the nearby village of Goostrey, on the line between Manchester and Crewe. It is a 2.5 mile walk from there along narrow country lanes and so we advise booking a taxi for this part of the journey. Note, you’ll need to do this in advance as there is no taxi rank at the station.
The Wikipedia entry for Goostrey station says this about the train service at the station.
There is an hourly service between Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport and Crewe on Monday – Saturday, which is every two hours on Sunday.
I don’t know much about scheduling buses, but I don’t think it would be too difficult to have an electric shuttle bus, ferry visitors between Goostrey station and the telescope site.
If the rail route to the telescope proved popular, it might even be possible to arrange that the occasional express stopped at Goostrey station.
Could Jodrell Bank Be Developed Into An Astronomy Experience For The North?
Real Time Trains reveals that to and from Goostrey station, you can reach a range of stations including.
- Birmingham New Street
- Bournemouth
- Cardiff Central
- Crewe
- London Euston
- Manchester Airport
- Manchester Piccadilly
- Milford Haven
- Reading
- Shrewsbury
- Swansea
The hourly services to Manchester Piccadilly and Crewe add a lot more destinations with a single change.
I Suspect Jodrell Bank Creates Work For SMEs In The Area
It is my experience that universities, research organisations and scientific establishments create networks of SMEs around their location, to do specialist jobs, they feel are best done by specialist contractors.
Jodrell Bank is close to the three large cities of Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield and I suspect, that most sub-contracts can be handled in the area.
Conclusion
I believe that with input from the Mayors and University Vice-Chancellors of the North, Jodrell Bank could be developed into an engine of growth for the North of England.
Busiest UK Airports Raise Kiss-and-Fly Fees, Says RAC
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
More than half of Britain’s busiest airports have raised “kiss-and-fly” fees for cars dropping off passengers close to terminals, according to research from the RAC.
These two paragraphs add details.
The motoring group found 11 out of 20 UK airports had put up prices since last July, with Gatwick, Bristol, Leeds Bradford and Southampton joining Stansted in charging the top rate of £7 to park for a matter of minutes.
In contrast, at nine of the 10 busiest airports in the European Union there are no drop-off fees.
I don’t drive and these days I can’t walk very far, but I travel around the UK and Europe without any difficulty.
Here are a few tips.
Use James Cameron’s Packing Method
James Cameron was one of BBC’s most famous and much-travelled journalists and his life is documented in this Wikipedia entry.
The Wikipedia entry says nothing about his packing method, which my late wife and myself used after hearing him describe it in one of his excellent documentaries.
Sort everything you think you’ll need into two piles. Each pile contains half the shirts, trousers, swimwear, underwear etc. that you think you’ll need.
Pack each pile in a separate case and leave one case behind.
As to money he said, work out the most you’ll need and double it. These days with credit cards, that is probably not so relevant.
Choose An Airport With Good Step-Free Public Transport
I’m lucky in London, in that I can get a bus within a hundred metres of my house, that takes me to Moorgate, Bank or London Bridge stations, which give me direct access to City, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, Southend or Stansted Airports.
Step-free access to some airports in the UK is abysmal.
Use A Train From A Station With a Properly Designed Drop-Off Area
These pictures show the taxi rank and drop off area at Leicester station.
The building would appear to have a Grade II Listed taxi rank and free twenty-minute car park.
How many other stations have well-designed facilities like these?
According to this article on the BBC, Preston station has an innovative solution.
If you spot any others, let me know!
Service Your Car Near The Airport
For three or so years, we had a car, where there was a main dealer a couple of stops on the Piccadilly Line from Heathrow.
So we dropped the car in, walked a short distance to the Underground and started our holiday with a tube ride.
It just needs a bit of research.
I don’t drive anymore after a stroke, but if I did, my car would be serviced by a garage, I could get to on public transport.
An Annoying Day
My plan was simple on Saturday May the 10th.
I intended to go to Liverpool Lime Street on a Day Return ticket.
I would then buy a Lancashire Day Ranger ticket and visit Wigan North Western, Preston and Lancaster stations, to see how ready, they are for High Speed Two services.
I also intended to go to Morecambe to see how the Eden Project Morecambe was getting on.
I did get to Wigan North Western station and later wrote Is Wigan North Western Station Ready For High Speed Two?
But then there was a points failure at Preston and after waiting at the station for over an hour for tranport to Preston, I changed plan.
I decided to go back to Liverpool by way of Wigan Wallgate and Headbolt Lane stations.
On return home, I wrote Wigan Wallgate To Headbolt Lane – 10th May 2025.
A Quick Run Back To London
At Lime Street station, I walked into the Wetherspoons pub at the station, with the intension of buying a bottle of my favourite brew, which all of the chain stock. But not this one!
So I got an early train back to London.
The Most Expensive Taxi Back From Euston
I paid over thirty pounds, when under twenty is the norm, not because I was being ripped off, but by the number of roadworks, that slowed our journey.
3rd October 2024 – A Day In Liverpool
A Three-Leg Journey North
This is the second time, I’ve bought one of there journeys North and they are a pain, unless you want to guarantee seats.
I suppose, I should buy my tickets earlier, but if I can buy my rickets on the day on other train companies, I would prefer to do it on Avanti West Coast.
Avanti West Coast’s problem is that they haven’t got their new Class 807 trains into service yet, which will double the services to Liverpool.
T arrived at Warrington Bank Quay on time and the transfer to Newton-le-Willows went smoothly, but then, I waited thirty minutes for my train to Liverpool Lime Street.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the route I took.
Note.
- Liverpool Lime Street station is at the Western side of the map.
- Newton-le-Willows station is marked by the blue arrow in the top right corner of the map.
- Warrington Bank Quay station is in the bottom right corner of the map.
It does seem a round about route, But I got there. Although, I was late.
Hopefully, in a couple of years, you’ll be able to take a local train between Liverpool Lime Street and Newton-le-Willows stations to link up with FirstGroup’s low-cost Lumo Open Access service between Euston and Rochdale.
A Single Journey Home
I was booked home on the 18:43 train from Lime Street, but as you can often do, I asked and was allowed to board the 17:43.
A Crowded And Crazy Euston
I arrived back at Euston at 20:00, but it was crowded, as the station is very much a building site for High Speed Two.
I felt I would treat myself to a taxi, but I couldn’t find any.
So I took a 205 bus along Euston Road to King’s Cross, where I jumped on the the Circle Line for Moorgate.
From there I took my usual 141 bus home.
A friendly station guy at Moorgate, indicated, there might not be any taxis at Euston.
I’d also found earlier, that there were no escalators to the Underground.
Perhaps more than ever, care should be taken at Euston, when getting to and from the station.
It Looks To Me That High Speed Two Has Got Their Planning Wrong At Euston
The big problem at Euston is getting to and from the National Rail station from East or West,
Compare Euston in this respect with Liverpool Street, King’s Cross, St. Pancras or Paddington.
In The New Step-Free Entrance At Euston Square Station, I show the plans for step-free access to the sub-surface lines.
This new entrance to Euston station, should be built first.
All the dithering about High Speed Two seems to have delayed it!
Debenhams Oxford – May 27th, 2024
These pictures show the current state of the Debenhams store in Oxford.
This will be the first development of those, that I talked about in Crown Estate To Spend £1.5bn On New Laboratories.
- I have deliberately shown pictures of the Junction, where the Debenhams building occupies the North-West corner.
- There is a Waterstones opposite the Debenhams building, on a busy junction between George and Magdalen Streets.
- There is a bus information display on the corner.
- There are a lot of chain eateries and a pub; the Wig & Pen.
These are a few thoughts.
Does the Debenhams Building Have Any Car Parking?
I would doubt it, but there may be a need to bring in large equipment.
Taxis To And From The Station
Note.
- I took a black taxi from the station to just outside the Debenhams building and it cost me the princely sum of £5,20.
- I also noted there was a rank at the rear of the building.
- In both locations, taxis were ready to roll.
That looked reasonable.
Buses To And From The Station
Staff at Oxford station, assured me that buses were available, but due to all the road works and Bank Holiday chaos, I suspect it could be improved, when the station upgrade is complete.
Walking To The Station
I took this second set of pictures as I walked from the Debenhams building back to the station.
Note.
- I walked from the junction by Debenhams, along George Street.
- It was a fairly straight line and level.
- There were no signposts between Debenhams and the station.
- There was quite a bit of blocked traffic.
- The route could do with some improvement like refurbished pavements and a few direction signs.
It took me about twenty-four minutes and at 76, I walked it easily.
On entering the station, I walked straight on to the platform for my train back to Reading, which was two minutes late.
Cycling
I suspect that many will cycle to work in the Debenhams building, as it is in Oxford.
But then, I suspect the Crown Estate, their architects and builders will know the appropriate provision to make.
Is The Debenhams Building At A Good Location?
When I was around 23, I used to reverse commute to ICI in Welwyn Garden City.
This involved.
- A ten-minute walk from St. John’s Wood to Chalk Farm tube station.
- A Northern Line train to King’s Cross station.
- A suburban train to Welwyn Garden City station.
- A fifteen-minute walk to my place of work.
St. John’s Wood to Oxford would involve.
- A fourteen-minute bus ride to St. Paddington station.
- A suburban train to Oxford station.
- A twenty-minute walk to my place of work.
A Brompton bicycle would help.
Knowing Cambridge as I do, the Debenhams building would be very well-located, if it were in Cambridge in a similar location, with respect to the railway station.
I feel that the Debenhams building passes the location test.
How Not To Organise A Piss-Up In A Brewery
This afternoon, I wanted to get some lunch and buy my food for the weekend.
I live close to the junction of Southgate Road, Mildmay Park and the Balls Pond Road.
From the four bus stops there, I can get buses to the stopping centres of Angel, Dalston Kingsland, Hackney Central and Moorgate.
But not today, as all the bus stops had been closed!
As my leg was playing up, there was no way, I could have walked to the next stop.
In the end I created a fuss and a kind driver let me on a 141 bus to get to Moorgate.
Coming back, I got another 141 bus, which got stuck in the traffic jam, that the part-closure of the junction was creating.
Note.
- The 141 bus took five minutes to pass through the junction.
- Luckily, the driver was sensible and he let a lot of us out.
- As I live South of the Balls Pond Road, it was very convenient.
Obviously, the driver knew more about customer service, that the idiots who organised this megashambles.
I have a few thoughts.
Where Was The Publicity?
I use the 141 bus most days and I didn’t see anything at the bus stops and didn’t get any leaflets through the door.
The Traffic Lights At Southgate And Balls Pond Roads Are Unreliable
They were even worse, when I moved here and Transport for London replaced them a few years ago.
But they seem to have got more unreliable.
Where is John Cleese to give them a good thrashing?
The Silvertown Tunnel Effect
Consider.
- I asked a regular delivery driver, what is the gossip about the Silvertown Tunnel and he felt that it will gum up East London.
- This is my feeling, as before my stroke, I had driven all over the East End trying to save time and knew it well.
- I also feel, that a lot of heavy traffic will end up on the Balls Pond Road, trying to get to and from the M1 and A1, especially, when the Dartford Crossing is closed.
I am fairly certain, that at certain times the junction at Southgate Road, Mildmay Park and the Balls Pond Road is going to get very congested.
The Non-Availability Of Taxis
One of the reasons, I chose to live where I do, is that I am just off the route which taxis use to go back to Liverpool Street station.
But the number of taxis in the area has decreased substantially in the last few years.
- Islington’s Low Traffic Neighbourhoods are scaring taxis away.
- Many drivers are giving up.
- Taxis are expensive.
Consequently, I rarely use a taxi. I never saw one today, when it was needed.
The Junction Is Busy For Pedestrians
Crossing the junction is dangerous, as cyclists only consider the lights optional.
If I’d had a pound for every time, I’d nearly been hit by a cyclist or car on this junction, I could pay for a year’s electricity.
Mildmay Park Station
The area used to have its own station at Mildmay Park about 120 metres to the North of the junction.
This Google Map shows the site of the station.
Note.
- The railway is the North London Line.
- Highbury & Islington station is to the West.
- Dalston Kingsland station is to the East.
Mildmay Park station is marked by the blue arrow on the bridge over the railway.
It would be a very handy Coming-Home station, as its downhill all the way, from the station to my house.
Conclusion
Reopening Mildmay Park station would be good for the price of my house, by I doubt that anything will be done.
A Black Cab With Cushions
I must have used thousands of black taxis in my life.
But last week, was the first one with cushions.
Even at seventy-six, I still get new experiences.
Mayor Announces Proposals For London-Wide Pollution Charge
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
These paragraphs explain the changes.
The mayor of London has announced plans to extend the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) across the whole of London.
Under the current scheme, drivers of older, more polluting vehicles are being charged to enter London’s north and south-circular orbital roads.
New proposals will see the scheme extend to the edges of London’s boroughs in 2023.
I believe in this, as in many things, that the carrot is more powerful than the stick.
So we need to encourage people to change to electric or hydrogen-powered vehicles.
- There are not enough electric charging points.
- There are not enough hydrogen filling stations.
- Installing and building more might encourage people to go zero-carbon.
But surely, the biggest drop in pollution would come from encouraging large London-based fleets of trucks to go zero-carbon. These would include.
- Refuse trucks.
- Cement trucks.
- Skip trucks.
- Large trucks used to transport aggregates and spoil from building sites.
It is unlikely, that many of these will ever be electric. The batteries would be just too heavy.
But many will go hydrogen or dual fuel, where they can use diesel and hydrogen.
I think there are various measures that would encourage the companies running these trucks to switch to hydrogen.
- Following Birmingham, which has bought a few hydrogen buses and installed an electrolyser to provide their hydrogen fuel, which will be available to all users.
- Once there is a good network of hydrogen stations, this might encourage owners of fleets of trucks to convert to hydrogen.
- Once owners of taxis and Chelsea tractors, see lots of trucks and buses running on hydrogen, would they switch?
If I was the Mayor, I would offer a Mayor’s Prize to the company or borough, that has done most to cut pollution and/or carbon emissions.
Some mayors would enjoy giving out that prize.
Are Hydrogen-Fuelled Vehicles A Waste Of Our Time And Energy?
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Engineering & Technology, which is the magazine of the Institution of Engineering and Technology. So it should be authoritative.
This is the concluding paragraph.
Cars account for 61 per cent of surface transport emissions, HGVs only 17 per cent, buses 3 per cent, and rail 2 per cent (CCC, December 2020) so for cost/benefit it cannot be worthwhile switching to hydrogen fuel cell buses and trains. Through any impartial lens of engineering science, hydrogen fuel cell cars do not appear to be a transport winner and the Government should revisit decisions it has made about related funding. But then there is political virtue signalling.
It is a must-read contribution to the debate, as to whether hydrogen or battery power, is best for surface transport.
I don’t believe there is a simple answer, because for some applications, battery electric power is not feasible because of reasons of power or range.
- Would a battery-electric truck, be able to haul a forty-four tonne load between the Channel Tunnel and Scotland?
- Would a battery-electric locomotive be able to haul a thousand tonne aggregate or stone train for anything but a few tens of miles?
- Is it possible to design a a battery-electric double-deck bus, that can carry seventy passengers?
I believe there are applications, where battery-electric is not a feasible alternative to the current diesel traction.
It is worth noting, that truck-maker; Daimler is planning to have both battery and hydrogen heavy trucks in its product line.
Users will choose, what is the best zero-carbon transport for their needs.
The Black Cab Driver’s Answer
It is always said, that, if you want to know the answer to a difficult question, you ask the opinion of a black cab driver.
So as the new electric black taxis, are the most common electric vehicle, that the average Londoner uses, what do the guys up-front say about their expensive vehicles.
- Regularly, cab drivers complain to me about the range and having to use the diesel engine to charge the battery or power the car.
- Some suggest to me, that hydrogen might be a better way to make the vehicles zero-carbon.
I think they may have a point about hydrogen being a better method of powering a black taxi, when you look at the pattern of journeys and the battery size and charging limitations of the vehicle.
These limitations may reduce in the future, as the technology gets better, with higher density batteries and faster charging.
We could even see a design and sales war between battery and hydrogen black cabs.
It always pays to follow the money!
Chaos In The Balls Pond Road
This article in The Times is called High Court Deals Blow To Expansion Of Cycle Lanes And Wider Pavements.
This was the first paragraph.
Road closures designed to boost walking and cycling could face legal challenges after a judge declared that a big expansion of the plans was “unlawful”.
A challenge to the often ill-thought out improvements from black-cab drovers has been successful.
My experience, yesterday, summed up my inconvenience with such a scheme.
yaxiI actually, think that matters are being made worse by some of the designs and planning by the Council Clowns.
A big scheme is being undertaken around the Balls Pond Road to bring in a cycleway between Tottenham and the City. In Hackney, it looks like it will improve walking and calm the traffic in residential areas as well.
I had a serious stroke ten years and my eyesight was ruined enough, so that I couldn’t drive, so I rely heavily on buses to get around.
On Tuesday, I needed to go to the Angel to pick up a prescription. On arriving at the junction of Balls Pond Road and Southgate Road, I found that one of Islington’s Idiots had planned to dig up the junction and all four bus stops were closed. The traffic was so jammed as well, that there weren’t even any stray black cabs stoating about!
In the end, I walked to the next bus stop. This was not easy, as the lock-down has ruined my feet and they were painful.
But I got a bus to the Angel and after a bit of food shopping, I looked for a taxi to come home.
But another branch of Clowns and Idiots Ltd. has closed the taxi rank, so I had to resort to the bus, which got stuck in another set of jams caused by Thames Water at one of their well-used Party Places.
I did find a black cab, but he was unable to take me home, as the area was gridlocked. So he said give him a tenner and walk. As this was less than what was on the meter, I complied!
I laid down the principles of project planning using small computers in the 1970s.
Obviously, My ideas have fallen on deaf ears in Islington Council.
