A Walk From London City Airport Through Silvertown To The Elizabeth Line
I went for a walk from London City Airport, this morning.
This Google Map shows the area between London City Airport and the Elizabeth Line.
Note.
- The airport is just off the map at the top.
- A plane is partially visible in the middle.
- The Docklands Light Railway runs across the map from the top-left corner, through the station for the airport.
- The Elizabeth Line runs across the map from the middle of the left hand side.
- The blue dots alongside the Elizabeth Line are bus stops.
- The bus stop, that is shown in the third picture, is marked by the rightmost blue dot.
- I estimate it’s about a three-hundred metre walk between Railway and the airport.
This second map shows the footbridge over the Elizabeth Line from where I took some of the pictures.
Note.
- The bridge has been designed to have lifts added.
- Squeezing a station in here, appears to be just about possible, but it would need a precision design.
- For safety reasons platform-edge doors would be needed.
- I suspect, it would be the first station of its design ever built.
The biggest problem would be the actual building, as it would probably mean closing the railway for at least a few weeks.
Conclusion
This was a station, that should have been built in the first phase of the creation of the Elizabeth Line.
Two Oases In The City
I came across these oases in Temple Avenue in the City of London.
What a good idea! The notice says it’s part of a Covid-19 Street Recovery Scheme
Battersea Power Station Station To Battersea Power Station Pier – 18th September 2022
I walked between Battersea Power Station station and Battersea Power Station pier.
Note.
- A new route between the station and the pier has been opened up, which is shorter.
- The development opens on the fourteenth of next month, but there is already some good restaurants and coffee shops.
- The corgi was the first one I’d met for a few years.
I walked between the station and the pier in under ten minutes.
What A Stupid Place To Park A Bike!
These days my eyesight, has almost returned to normal after my stroke in 2011 and I rarely bump into things, that I did in the first couple of years after suffering from the stroke.
Today, though I came across this hire bicycle, that some twit had left where a light-controlled crossing meets the pavement.
The idiot deserves at least points on their driving licence or a suspended sentence for their stupid behaviour. Or perhaps, the bike hire company need a hundred pound fine?
It has been stated on The Times, ITV and other web sites, that the next Transport Bill will include a review of cycling law.
That should also include rules about how to park a bicycle.
A New Garden Bridge Proposed For London
This article on Ian Visits is entitled Plans Open A Disused Railway Bridge To Pedestrians.
This is the introductory paragraph.
A section of the Thames with few bridges could become a lot easier for pedestrians and cyclists to cross if plans to convert a disused railway bridge for pedestrian use go ahead.
The disused railway bridge to be used is the original 1849 Barnes Railway Bridge, which was closed to trains, when a new stronger bridge was built alongside in 1890.
This Google Map shows the two bridges.
Note.
- The railway tracks in the centre on the 1890 three-arch bridge.
- The Thames flows from South-West to North-East under the bridge.
- A walkway on the North-Eastern side of the is still in use.
- The original 1849 bridge is on the South-Western side of the bridge.
The pedestrian garden bridge will be built on the 1849 bridge, which will be refurbished.
This second Google Map shows the bridge and Barnes Bridge station.
Note.
- Barnes Bridge in the North-West corner of the map.
- Barnes Bridge station in the South-East corner of the map.
Part of the plan envisages connecting the South-Western platform to the pedestrian garden bridge.
It looks a plan with a lot of good possibilities.
The Project
It appears that Network Rail, the London Boroughs of Richmond and Hounslow are all supportive and Moxon Architects have been appointed to the project.
The project now appears to be called The View at Barnes Bridge and it has an impressive web site, with lots of information and pictures.
I have a few thoughts.
I Am Not Surprised That Network Rail Are Supportive
Network Rail must be pleased to be getting a Grade II Listed structure off their hands.
Could Barnes Bridge Station Be Made Step-Free?
I suspect that Moxon will produce designs for this and it will probably be a question of money, if they are implemented.
But as the garden bridge will attract more visitors, this will surely increase the need for full step-free access at Barnes Bridge station.
Could A Refurbished Bridge Carry Utilities?
I suspect that this will be looked at, as it could be a nice little earner.
Could This Project Be An Example Of a Levelling-Up Project?
In my travels around the UK and Europe, I’ve seen several disused railway bridges that could be reused as footbridges to provide walking and cycling.
Many are being converted, but this high-profile bridge could inspire architects to create other worthwhile bridges.
A Walk Around Woolwich – 15th June 2022
I went to Woolwich station on the Elizabeth Line today and had a walk around.
Note.
- Woolwich station is a simple station with only three escalators at one end direct to the platforms, which are in a tunnel.
- Both platforms have platform edge doors and a similar decor to some platforms on the Jubilee Line Extension.
- The escalator shaft and the booking hall are lined in brick.
- Next to the station is a large Marks & Spencer Simply Food store.
- Outside the station is large green with a pub on one side.
- Over the top of the station are a lot of flats.
Is this the way that modern housing developments should be designed? It’s certainly better than some I’ve seen.
It’s certainly come on a lot, since I wrote Exploring The Woolwich Station Box, which has a gallery of what the station looked like in February 2013.
The Woolwich Foot Tunnel
My walk continued under the Thames, through the Woolwich foot tunnel.
It was the first time I’d used this tunnel.
On the other side, I got a bus to London City Airport, from where I got the Docklands Light Railway back to Woolwich Arsenal and then walked back to the Elizabeth Line station to come home.
I Doubt I’ll Use The Marks & Spencer At Woolwich Much!
The store was not designed in a way I liked.
- Many of the goods, were behind glass doors, which meant I needed three hands to put items in my basket.
- There weren’t many staff in the store.
- It was difficult finding the goods I needed.
- It was all self-service tills of the type I didn’t like.
These may be only personal preferences, but then there must be many like me who have a gammy hand for some reason.
It’s a pity really, as it is such a convenient location for a store. The only other M & S store close to the Elizabeth Line is the one at Paddington, which I use regularly.
Cycle Paths To Run Alongside HS2 For 200 Miles
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on The Times.
This is the first paragraph.
The route of HS2, the high-speed railway line from London to Manchester, is to become an unlikely tourist and leisure destination, with a trail for cyclists and walkers that will eventually run for 200 miles.
The article says this about the design of the proposed trail.
- The cycle path is expected to be 3m wide.
- The walkers path is expected to be 2.5m wide.
- The two paths would be separated by a grass verge.
I am pleased that the combined path will be set at some distance from the High Speed Two track, as I don’t like to be near speeding trains.
I have some thoughts.
Rest Areas
In some places, there should be rest areas. Some of these could be close to towns or villages, where there is a convenient cafe or pub.
In Burnley, there is even a Premier Inn on the banks of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the manager told me, that in the summer, they get cyclists staying the night, as it’s the mid-point between Leeds and Liverpool.
Mobility Scooters
Will rules for these to use the trail be developed?
Health And Safety
In Edinburgh to Inverness in the Cab of an HST, I talked about a memorable trip, that I made to Inverness.
The route to Inverness is for a long way alongside the A90 and driver told me how on one trip, there was a serious multiple car crash in heavy snow.
So he stopped the train, alerted the emergency services and even asked the passengers, if there were any medical staff on board.
Obviously, stopping a High Speed Two train from 225 mph is not as practical as stopping an InterCity 125 from perhaps 90 mph.
But the drivers’ eyes or the CCTV systems on the train would probably spot a minor accident on the path, so the appropriate assistance can be called.
Conclusion
I like this idea.
It should be fully developed.
The Dalston Junction Crossing At Night
This picture shows the diagonal light-controlled crossing at Dalston Junction station at night.
This Google Map shows the junction.
Note.
- The North-South Road is Kingsland High Street.
- The Road going East is Dalston Lane, where my grandmother was born on the North side of the road, about a hundred metres along.
- On the South side of Dalston Lane is Dalston Junction station, with a West-facing bus-stop in front.
- The Road going West is the Balls Pond Road of Beyond Our Ken and Round The Horne fame.
- The building at the West of the junction is the solicitors shown in the first picture.
- On the North side of the Balls Pond Road is an East-facing bus stop, which is paired with the one by the station. A bus at the stop can be seen in the first picture.
The diagonal light-controlled crossing can seen crossing between the two sides of the junction between the yellow meshes of the box junction.
The junction has had this layout for a few years now and it works.
- I live about a kilometre to the West of Dalston Junction and regularly take a bus to stop on the West side of the junction before crossing diagonally to catch the Overground.
- Coming home, I catch a bus from just outside the station
- As buses are generally about once every ten minutes, I generally don’t wait long.
- The crossing has made a big improvement to the junction, as it connects the two stations and the Kingsland Road.
How many other busy junctions could be improved by a similar diagonal crossing?
It should also be noted that since the crossing has been installed, Dalston has gained an Aldi, a Co-op. a Marks and Spencer Simply Food Spencer Simply Food, a Pret, a Premier Inn and several better fast food places.
The improvement of the walking routes has certainly brought more people up the junction and to the two stations.
When Will It Ever End?
They’re at it again digging up the pavement on Southgate Road in Hackney
Note.
- This time the bus-stop I regularly use is shut!
- There were no signs up, that this work would be going on.
- At least the guys seem to be doing a good job.
Over the last six months, we’ve had water, telecoms and pavement layers digging everything up. Sometimes, I feel trapped as all the bus stops are closed.
There hasn’t been as much work on the Islington side of the road, but then you can always tell when you cross the border between plebeian Hackney and posh Islington, as the pavements get worse.
I’ve only fallen over twice on the street since my stroke and both times it was in Islington.
Walking Between Cannon Street And Moorgate Stations
I took these pictures as I walked between Cannon Street And Moorgate stations.
Note.
- It was a Sunday, so there wasn’t much traffic about.
- The bus stop on King William Street is served by buses 21, 43 and 141. wjich all go to Moorgate and Old Street stations.
I needed to find out how long it took for this other post, called Thoughts On The Closure Of The Northern Line At Bank To Complete The Upgrade To Bank Station.
Timings were as follows.
- Cannon Street Station to the Northbound bus stop on King William Street – 3 minutes
- Cannon Street Station to Bank Junction – 6 minutes
- Cannon Street Station to Moorgate Station – 15 minutes
How much faster would I be in better weather?
The Anonymous Widower 