More Thames River Crossings

Since the clocks went back it's been very dark walking home so not many opportunities for photos of my most recent river crossings which are now complete. I've decided that the Blackwell Tunnel and the Dartford Tunnel south to north don't qualify as they are not used on my way home from EC2 to SE9.

So what have I done over the last couple of months? Well here's the list although I'm having trouble remembering what happened on route if anything!

Videos of the trips can be found on the links below.

First up the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to Greenwich Maritime (Cutty Sark). I had hoped to get in the front carriage but being rush hour, which now seems to stretch from 16:30 to 22:30 if not later, I had no chance.

Quite surprisingly I was able to continue my walk through Greenwich Park just before it was closing. My attempt to photograph Docklands was stopped by the Park Keepers asking me to leave as it was closing time.

That little trip was followed by Canary Wharf to North Greenwich by the Jubilee Line. Canary Wharf was very busy and all the bars were filled to the brim with Bankers! 

Riverside Walk North Greenwich

Up next was Bus 108 from the Blackwell Tunnel to Greenwich Peninsula . This I expected to be a nightmare given I was going through the Blackwell Tunnel during the rush hour and I had just missed a bus, but a couple of minutes later another one turned up. Got through the tunnel pretty quickly I was not sure where the bus stop would be. It ended up being in the middle of nowhere, near that night club you can see on the approach road and the gasometer. As it happened this was a very quick walk back home, the quickest to date as having left at 17:20 I was home by just after 19:45.

Riverside walk North Greenwich

The last trip was Canning Town to North Greenwich on the Jubilee Line, which almost became Canary Wharf to Canning Town which does not go under the river at all! I quite like the walk from North Greenwich along the riverside towards Woolwich, it quite industrial especially around the Angerstein Wharf and Days Aggregates where it's all lit up and when there's a high tide there quite often a boat or two unloading.

Boat loading / unloading at Angerstein Wharf

Well that's that little exercise completed, once the clocks turn back I've got a couple of projects in mind, but meanwhile it will be back to the normal walking home by varied routes and no doubt repeating some of these!

Thames Crossings - Thames Clipper - Masthouse Terrace Pier to Woolwich - Friday 10th October 2014

Oh well British Summer Time's almost over and I won't be able to take many photos of my walks home shortly. Even now its too dark by 18:00 to take any decent shoots. Well at least the video works pretty well in the dark and I must say I'm pretty pleased with my speeded up video of the trip on the Thames Clipper from Masthouse Terrace Pier to Woolwich. The trip actually took just under 20 minutes whilst my speeded up version is a little under three minutes, I even think the music fits well!

So what happened onto days trip, as normal not a lot. I made sure I left on the spot at 17:00 tonight as I was not sure if the trip would take longer than usual given the extended trip on the Thames Clipper. As it is I was home by 20:00 which is 20 minutes earlier than the regular walk.

I left by the back entrance, out via the tradesman's entrance and then it was the normal direct route, past Spitalfields, across Brick Lane.

Spitalfields

Brick Lane

I crossed Whitechapel Road, across Commercial Road, and into Watney Street market, still busy at 17:30.

Watney Street Market

Past Shadwell left into Cable Street then into Narrow Street and long the River front, with a good sunset developing. Then its all along the Thames path apart from the short road walk between Sir John Dougall Gardens and Docklands Sailing Club.

Thames Barge

I was quite surprised to find myself arriving at Masthouse Terrace Pier just across from Greenwich in time to catch the 18:26 Thames Clipper, if I was in time given the need to take photos, purchase a ticket and get the video camera out!

Sunset over the Pepy's Estate Deptford

Here comes the boat, but no ticket, but I did get the sunset over the Pepy's estate in Deptford, and the boat arriving but no video footage. The boat docked, people got off and the crew lifted the gangway, 'Hang on, I won't to get on' shouted the other passenger 'Only joking replied' the crew, I bet!

Thames Clipper arriving

I purchased my ticket on board, which cost £4.50 with a travelcard discount, I do feel the pricing of the service is a little steep compared to a tube or a train, but the view is far more spectacular! By the time I had completed the transaction we were arriving at Greenwich. I will need to remember this when I do that crossing and ensure I get my ticket first otherwise I will not be able to film!

Canary Wharf

I spent the journey filming, catching the sunset and the fading lights of Canary Wharf and then I concentrated on the river front at Greenwich and the Greenwich Peninsula. At the O2 or North Greenwich as the stop is called most passengers got off, mainly the "beautiful young people" obviously heading for a themed meal in one of the many high street chained restaurant or the cinema. Well I guess it beats paying £20 to park in the car park. Personally I don't like the O2 as a venue of choice for a night out, it was bad enough when I went there for the cinema, and don't get me going about the Tooting Car Moon exhibition in 2007!

Canary Wharf again!

On the final leg of the trip, I concentrated on the north bank and my favourite location Tate & Lyle. We slowed down to go between the Thames Barrier which was impressive all lit up and soon we arrived at Woolwich, and with a a final shot of the City I disembarked for the remaining 3 mile walk home, but not before taking some photos of the metal men in the Arsenal.

Assembly - Woolwich Arsenal

The walk home was quick, somehow I managed to walk through Woolwich and in particular Powis Street which meant I walking back on myself!

As I entered Academy Road it started to rain slightly but nothing to bad, and when I got home I had a lovely Bottle of German Weisse Beer!

A very good trip, the Thames Clipper at night is highly recommended!


View my video of the Thames Clipper Trip here!

Eastbourne to Hasting a walk hopefully! - 30th September 2014

A few weeks ago we went down to Seaford and walked across the Seven Sisters to Eastbourne. We thought it would be a good idea to go back and see how far we could walk towards Hastings. Its 16 miles around the coast, 13 if you can walk on water!

I purchased a couple of Southern Rover tickets which gives you unlimited travel on the entire Southern network for £15 each. During the week this is after 10am whilst at weekends and Bank Holidays this is all day. There are also restrictions for boarding trains at Victoria, London Bridge and Clapham Junction in the evening rush hour, but not travelling into these stations.

The £15 each is cheaper than a day return and also give you the flexibility to jump off and jump on. Our train departed for Eastbourne at 10:17 from Victoria so we used our season tickets to get us to Victoria. Once again Flosi was joining us and she acted like a little girl all the way to Eastbourne, wanting to look out the windows and walking about, very much like me really!

We arrived at Eastbourne just before 12noon and the first thing we did was eat our lunch down on the sea front by the pier. The amusement dome at the front end of the pier was recently damaged by fire and it was good to see that work has already started on repairing the damage or even removing the damage, time will tell.

Eastbourne Pier

This is a nice easy walk no hills no rough ground only long stretches of walking on pebbles, where we tended to revert to the road along the beach. Eastbourne was busy and was living up to its label as the retirement town of choice in the South East, plenty of mobility scooters and walking sticks!

The route took us out of Eastbourne, where most things were closed and the public toilets were about to join them as 30th September sees them close down until May 2015, hard luck if you get caught short.

Eastbourne from afar

Once out of Eastbourne you walk through Sovereign Harbour which is a marina with a huge development of apartments some with sea views some without, I think they look quite nice and some of the occupiers had made a really good effort in doing up their small gardens / patios.

Sovereign Harbour

Once past the Harbour it is along the beach, tough on your feet and no doubt Flosi found it tough going. There are a number of houses facing the beach as you approach Pevensey (where William the Conquerer landed in 1066, obviously just known as Duke William in those days). Some had been done up really nicely some were a little ramshackle, but I nice spot to live. There are a large number of Martello towers along this part of the coast, no doubt Henry VIII had learnt from the William experience a few hundred years earlier. Some of these have been converted into residences but without any windows.

A Martello Tower

Once at Pevensey we thought about a drink but for some reason we gave it a miss, maybe too early. We passed Sandcastles a really nice seafront Art Deco building, I think it might have been a hotel once and I believe Edward and Mrs Simpson stayed there.

Sandcastles

Once past Pevensey the next stop was Norman's Bay and this really was a stop as my foot was playing me up. I had tripped a few weeks ago Whilst walking home and its still not better. As we are going away to the Forest of Dean shortly I did not want to aggravate further so we decided to stop here after a mere 7.5 miles. This was as good as place as anywhere as Normans Bay station was just a few hundred yards away, and we only had a few minutes to wait for the train for St Leonards Warrior Square.

Flosi waiting for the train

At St Leonards we walked down to the sea front visited the Warrior Square, a big park and then back to the Station stopping off for tea and cake.

We caught the 16:58 back to Victoria, this was pretty busy but did not seem to bother Flosi who was laid flat out all the way home. Beverley has suggested that come back and finish off, good idea.

20 years on the Central Line at Ongar - 28th September 2014

On the 30th September 1994 the last underground train ran between Ongar and Epping on the Central Line. Service that day had been provided by the 1960 3 car unit Craven stock, which had been providing the motive power since the line had been reduced to a peak hour shuttle service only.

However on the weekend of 26th, 27th and 28th September the same Craven 1960 stock made a return visit to the now Epping and Ongar Railway for an 'End of Tube' remembrance. Of course the Epping & Ongar railway is no longer electrified and therefore the tube train had to be push/pulled by a Schoma Diesel unit or a number of them.

But from the right direction you could believe the Tube was being self propelled. The other downside was that the Tube doors had to be manually opened and closed and I believe there were no lights either!

Also in attendance was Met 1, the first Steam Train on the Metropolitan Underground, unfortunately that had problems on the Sunday and had to be withdrawn.

In addition there were numerous buses of all type and colours (well Green and Red with a silver one as well). These provided shuttle services between Epping, North Weald, Ongar and Shenfield and a very colourful sight they made too. My favourite was the 160A which used to travel to Falconwood, my old bus service before being replaced by the B16.

17:29 to Guildford - Friday 26th September 2014

Shortly after returning from my summer holiday I attempted to travel on this service as I had noticed that it appears on the time table to run once a day at this time to Guildford, Monday to Friday. That time it terminated at Epsom so today I was attempting the trip again. I had checked the performance over the last couple of days, it was not encouraging, it was 12 minutes late on Thursday and last Friday it was cancelled.

I purchased my ticket on the way to work and was determined to demand a full refund should it be cancelled tonight, well it wasn't and it was advertised to depart from one of the new platforms at London Bridge, number 14.

Platform 14

I must admit I was not overally impressed with the new platforms, mind you there's still a lot of protection in place so you feel very enclosed and the platforms as a result are not very wide.

The train departed on time, Beverley phoned to see if it was running and I think she was a little disappointed to learn that it was,  apparently it was her train I could see leaving from platform 1.

The trip to Guildford was I uneventful, there was quite a crowd waiting to board but I think most of these were for the more local stops as by the time we arrived at Guildford a couple of minutes late I counted about 20 passengers disembarking. On route I was treated to quite a nice sunset but each time I attempted a photo the train went behind trees!

The 17:29 at Guildford

I was intrigued to find out what would happen to the train once we arrived at Guildford, the result was that the train formed 19:04 for Sutton. A handful of people boarded the train and again I had an uneventful journey, I watched John Betjeman's Metroland on and off as I dozed off and on.

Return destination

Arrived at Sutton at 19:49 and the train departed as empty stock to London bridge, now that would have been a useful link as it was I caught the 3 minute late 20:03 to Victoria and changed at Clapham Junction.

Sutton Station

I was taken back a bit when I had to take a double take as I thought my nicece Frankie was on the train, why would she be travelling to Victoria from Sutton, but of course it wasn't just a very striking resemblance.

On this trip I was treated to self important American women who had a really annoying voice, putting to right the wrongs that her companion was facing, And explaining in great detail how she had sorted out the problems of the world. Then there was a guy with deep voice complaining that his staff where being sacked whilst he was away and asking the person on the end to keep a eye on his desk, go into the office and sort it mate!

As an aside I must say the Southern trains I've travelled on are very smart, clean and smell very new, unlike the Bexleyheath pukemobils.

Very Smart trains

Having changed at Clapham Junction I immediately caught a connection to Waterloo where I had about four minutes to catch my connection to Falconwood at 20:35 and just made it. I was home 21:15.

Open City River Cruise - Wednesday 24 September

All my attempts to visit sites during the recent Open City weekend failed, everything I applied for was full, I was offered a slot early on Saturday morning in Beckton which was just too early and too far for me.

So what was I trying to visit? Mainly sewage works, water works, CrossRail works and waste regeneration works. I even tried to visit SS Robin in Royal Victoria Dock, but at least that has a happy ending as I've booked a slot in October. I did suggest going to Trinity House wharf but Beverley was less than under whelmed!

So having failed, I signed up with the Open City Architectural River trip from Greenwich to The Dartford Crossing (although in reality we only got as far as Erith). This was going to be interesting as it was a commentated trip leaving at 18:15 and let's face it its dark by just gone seven, so I was not sure how much we would see. Nevertheless it was a glorious evening weather wise and we were treated to a fairly good sunset.

Greenwich

The commentary was going to be provided by the magnificently named (and he must have taken some stick whilst at school) Benedict O'Looney, and I kid you not. He did a grand job talking us through the entire trip to Erith and back. Although on the way back, as I expected he was referring to sites we could barely see, for example the lock gates to the King George V dock, I saw it because I new where it was supposed to be, well I saw a dark murky shadow.

The trip was well supported

There must have been getting onto 100 people making the cruise and on a boat that accommodates 250 there was plenty of room. Most people rode up top in the open on the way out, with the current and against the tide, the return trip most people retired to the lower deck as we were now heading in to current, it was dark, and now pretty breezy.

Angerstein Wharf near Greenwich

As for myself I was switching from side to side and between decks. The return trip was slightly spoilt by a number of people who obviously found it a bit boring deciding to have a bit of a booze up, speaking very loudly thus making it heard to hear the commentary. The boat had a bar, and I was taken aback when I was charged £2.50 for a cup of tea! But this was softened slightly when I was given a complementary Snickers bar. The boat, whose name I can't recall, was similar in layout to a Thames Clipper, was very smart and well appointed and comfortable.

Tate & Lyle Refinery

So what did I gain from my two and half hour trip, quite a lot really, it was very interesting, some I already knew, some was incorrect and some was new to me.

Benedict was very enthusiastic as you would expect, he is an architect himself, has his own practice in Peckham called O'Looney Associates (titter, titter schoolboy style) and he delivered his words either off the cuff or pre-prepared. He's not what I would call a natural public speaking but he knows his stuff especially the architects who designed a lot of the building we saw. He was guilty of trying to use one too any superlatives and sometimes found it difficult to conjure up the right one, but I don't want to put him down as he did a great job and kept me interested, neither I'm not going say rather him than me because I would love to do something like that.

Thames Barrier

So what did we see, well loads as you would expect. We started with the Greenwich Navel College, now Greenwich University, The Queens House, Greenwich Power Station, Trinity House Hospital, Millwall, the Isle of Dogs and we hadn't even got round the first bend in the river!

The Woolwich Ferry

I was really chuffed to "sail" past the Tate & Lyle Refinery and get a good look from the river, I was interested to learn that Thamesmead was never completed as originally planned, I overheard one table state 'Thamesmead, that really rough' and I wouldn't disagree at all. I refereed football matches down there a couple of times, my god that was uncomfortable, in the end I refused to referee down there.

View upstream towards the City

Then onto Canary Wharf and all the building architects got a good airing, mainly Americans although one of the taller towers was a Norman Foster effort. The Ravensbourne College on the Greenwich Peninsula was pointed out, this now explains it's wonderful colour scheme. There's a Gormley statue near Greenwich Yacht club and the Dome which Benedict pointed contains the shape of Gormley when looked at in the right way, just like one of his metal men. I've seen this statue a number of times and this evening was the first time I had noticed his shape - wonderful!

Erith Waste Centre

The Dangleway apparently cost £43million, my god! The Thames Barrier was expected to be raised about ten times a year when originally planned, my god! There's an indent around the barrier housing which indicates the water level at Westminster, if the water raises above this indent at Woolwich it means Westminster is being flooded! Apparently it's not just a case of raising the Barrier, there's a sequence of closures involving Barking Creek and the River Darant amongst others. We went past the sewage outfalls or at least where they used to be under the London sewage extraction scheme created by Joseph Bazalgette which included his two huge swear outlet pipes from London following the big stink. We could just make out the Crossness pumping station where there is one, if not two, working beam engines, well worth a visit.

Former Ford Dagenham wharf

We were now at Erith and here we have the modern Human waste processing plant, and a waste incinerator which turns waste in to electricity, but most fascinating was the nut oil factory (actually I don't know if that's factually correct) it has a number of concrete silos which date back to 1916, amazing.

Canary Wharf

I was fascinated to learn about the Beckton Gas works which was apparently enormous, and whilst all gone now, the metal piers which supported the jetties and wharfs still remain firmly embedded in the river shore, looking like sentinels guarding the foreshore in the semi darkness.

More Flats being built

We went up close to the site of the former Ford Motor works at Dagenham and what a site that must have been it even had its own blast furnace at one time, the only one in Southern England. At the time of passing there was a huge ferry boat and I mean big, I don't know what it was doing as they don't make cars at Dagenham anymore.

Canary Wharf

So all in all a good adventure, the only downside was getting home, which took me an hour, two buses and a walk and it's barely four miles away. I will certainly be booking up for more of these trips.

Thames Crossings - The Woolwich Foot Tunnel Friday 12 September

"Today I'm re-sitting my BCS Specialist Certificate in Change Management exam which I failed by one mark back in June, this gives me a a great opportunity to re-attempt my assault on the Woolwich Foot Tunnel as the exam kicks off at 14:30 and last only a hour and a half which means I should be on my way by 16:00.

As it happens I complete the exam in an hour and a quarter so I'm ready to be on my way by 15:45. Incidentally the exam went well and if I don't pass I think I will give up taking exams. At my age why I'm I doing it, self esteem I guess.

It's a really lovely afternoon, the suns out and it's warm, after the disappointing August, September is proving to be a real gem of a month let's hope it keeps it up as I'm on holiday at the end of the month!

Incidentally whilst walking to my exam across Tower Bridge I was held up as it was opening for a Thames Barge, full of City types all boozed up and shouting and jeering as they went under the bridge. Also passing under the bridge was the London City corporation rubbish tug returning with empties from Purfleet, I had seen that depot whilst walking the final leg of the LOOP.

I sat the exam at the QA centre in St Catherine's Dock so the first part of my walk was through the dock to enable me to get on to the Highway, as today's walk which is all about getting to North Woolwich as quickly as possible. I'm aiming for 18:00 as the tunnel should be fairly busy then. My route takes me along the Highway past St George's in the East, and the a diversion into Shadwell Basin, but I'm soon back on the Highway.

Shadwell Basin

A few people are about, mainly young women with small children in pushchairs. It's then through Limehouse, lots of cyclists on their way home from work or whatever. I need to keep my wits about me or I will get runover!

Then it's past Westferry DLR station and now I have to follow the busy A1261 Aspen Way along the top end of Canary Wharf. I past the futuristic Canary Wharf CrossRail station in the making, looks a bit like a chrysalis.

Canary Wharf CrossRail station

Then past Billingsgate Market, the smell of fish is quite strong, strange to think that when they moved out here I doubt there was very much here, one of the reasons they moved was traffic congestion, I don't expect its much better here now.

Billingsgate Market

I pass Popular DLR and before I know it I'm at the Lower Lea Crossing, the views from the bridge are improved with the nice weather and today the tide is in, very impressive. I make my way to the Dangleway on The Royal Victoria Dock stopping off for a few minutes to film the DLR at Royal Victoria.

DLR at Royal Victoria

I walk along the side of the dock as I did a couple of weeks ago. This time I cross by the footbridge at the end of the City Airport. I notice today that the planes are taking off and landing the opposite way to two weeks ago.

Royal Victoria Dock

I stand by the dock for a few minutes waiting for a plane to arrive but can't stay long as sped is of the essence today. This footbridge brings me out near the airport terminus and a huge sculpture in the middle of the roundabout of a impression of a naked lady called Athena, looks quite impressive against the blue sky unfortunately my photo does not do it justice.

So it a a mile and half from here to the ferry along Albert Road, does not look as bad as last time, I'm still fascinated by the Tate & Lyle refinery and manage to grab a photo from the middle of the road. Again not many people about, a couple of guys I overtake in deep conservation amble along. But before long I have to stop something is rubbing on my foot, a couple of weeks ago, when I was down here for the DLR crossing at George V I tripped I did not think much about then but since I've realised  I've not exactly twisted my ankle but strained my shin if that's possible. Anyway before I left home I had strapped it up, but now it was giving me grief. I stopped to check it out, oh dear a blister, I quickly pop it but  I also remove the skin so I've now got an exposed blister, not good. I don't put my bandage back on as that caused the problem. I will just have to see how I get on. As it happens no problem, although it was sore the following morning.

Tate & Lyle from Albert Road

I return to my walk passing the couple of guys I had passed previously. North Woolwoch does not look so bad in the early evening sunlight and with the trees in leaf although beginning to turn. This walk is quickly becoming my favourite, mind you I don't think I will do during the winter, but hey who knows!

Woolwich

North Woolwich

I arrive at the foot tunnel, the Ferry does not look busy, well what I mean there's no huge queue! I descend into the bowls of the earth and walk along the tunnel. What can I say about a walk through the tunnel, it's round, it's long, it's echoey, it's bright, it has white glazed tiles and it looks similar to the Greenwich foot tunnel. It also has a mid point marker. Theres a few people walking along it not taking much notice of the keep left convention, not many bikes, one I think. I'm soon across the other side and it's barely gone six, I'm  making really good time.

Towards North Woolwich

Towards Woolwich

So it up the hill out of Woolwich. Vere off at the Academy and up Red Lion Lane. Beverley phones me and let's me know the trains were up the creek tonight so I had chosen a good day for it!

Soon I'm home with plenty of time to get ready for tomorrow's trip to Accrington.

Video of the walk through the tunnel.