Last Train to Westcombe Park

On Friday 9th January at 23:27 the last ever train pulled out of Westcombe Park for Waterloo East and Charing Cross and at 23:56 the last train from Charing Cross via Waterloo East departed for Westcombe Park and I don't think many people knew that!

23:27 for Charing Cross arriving at Westcombe Park

As part of the a Thameslink Programme a major re-build of London Bridge Station is taking place and as a result of this for the next 18 months trains for Charing Cross will not call at London Bridge, which I believe is commonly understood by your everyday commuter. What I don't think many people realise who travel from Westcombe Park, Maize Hill, Greenwich and Deptford line is that once the work is completed their trains will be permanently routed to Cannon Street.

Why is this? It's because the Greenwich line comes into London Bridge on the far left handside, when looking down the line towards Grenwich, so to get to Platforms 5 and 6 (the platforms for Charing Cross) it has to cross all the other lines, which is not very efficient operationally.

The notices at Westcombe Park advertised that from 11th January all trains would be re-routed to Cannon Street, however over the weekend of 9th/10th there were no services into Waterloo East or Charing Cross owing to engineering works, which made Friday's services the last.

Whilst I knew the trains were being re-directed I did not appreciate the engineering works until 853 pointed this out in his Blog of the 9th January.

Left hand side last train to Westcombe Park, right hand side last train from Westcombe Park

As for the two trips I made on the last trains the up journey was on time, with no awareness from other passengers as to the consequence of the trip. For the

last train from Charing Cross there appeared to be a little more awareness, well I saw three people taking photos or filming the event. One chap was at the front of the train filming the journey and when he got off at Deptford continued filming, you can see him on my video.

Last train to Westcombe Park

The train arrived at Westcombe Park on time and departed on time and on the Monday a new era commenced for Westcombe Park, Maize Hill, Greenwich and Deptford.

Here's my video of my journey on the last train from Westcombe Park to Charing Cross.

Here's my video of my journey on the last train from Charing Cross to Westcombe Park

Thames River Crossings - Tower Bridge Friday 25 July 2014

Fire Station in the Lower Road

I've done this bridge countless times but I've not yet filmed the walk across so that was the objective today. The other factor is an evening with congenial company at the Dog and Bell in Deptford. It also meant I was not walking all the way home today, only the 4/5 miles to Deptford (slacker).

You will recall we had had a lovely week weather wise, unfortunately the heavens decided open between 17:30 and 18:30 and boy did it rain. I was however prepared I had brought my waterproofs with me. So whilst I did not get wet from the rain I did get wet from the sweat I generated on my walk!

Surrey Canal Road Bridge

Lots of other people, mainly tourists, where inappropriately dressed and therefore took cover wherever possible, in subways, doorways, arches, shops and the like. I always find if I shelter from the rain for any great length of time, ie more than 5 minutes, I immediately need to use the loo! Those people who were obviously City workers were not bothered by the rain and promptly stomped off to ensure they caught their train home from London Bridge. A number of people had very flimsy plastic capes which ripped to shreds at any slight gust of wind.

At least the rain moved the tourists off the middle of the bridge as they huddled in the lea of the Tower Bridges towers to get away from the rain, this enabled my walk across the bridge to be a lot easier than normal.

Captain Benbow was 'ere

Once across the bridge I planned to walk along the river, it's slightly longer but far far more interesting.

In the end I decided I would walk along the road as given the rain speed was of the essence. I must say that the walk to Deptford along Jamaica Road, Lower Road and Evelyn Street must rank as one of the most boring stretches of roadway in London, there is almost absolutely nothing of interest on route,  apart from the Deptford Tunnel approach road and the Swedish church, an old bridge over the route of the former Surrey Canal, the occasional attractive row of terraced houses and Surrey Quays Overground Station.

I did divert on route as I neared Depford to visit Sayes Court Park, Captian Benbow used to live here before promotion to Admiral. It's quite a pleasant park, especially if you are a wino!

After a evening of good beer and good chat we departed home via SouthEastern Railways to Woolwich Arsenal where I decided to walk home having felt cheated by my short walk to Deptford.

Here's the film of my crossing.

Thames Crossing No 7 - Canary Wharf Pier to Greenland Pier - 16th May

For todays Friday walk home (EC2 to SE9) I made a return visit to Canary Wharf Pier to enable me to catch the Thames Clipper to Greenland Pier (for Surrey Quays). I thought last week was a very pleasant evening, well today was even better, so much so that I was able to walk in 'shirt sleeve' order, unfortunately I had left my earphones at home so it was a music free walk, I thought this would be bit, of a downer, but actually it enhanced the walk as I could take in all the sounds that the city had to offer, shouting, horns, cars, buses, shoppers etc etc etc.

I made a quick get away from the office, certainly no later than 17:10 and headed off towards Brick Lane and Whitechapel as normal ( ah Whitechapel, Monopoly, Photo of the Day - now that's another story!).

I decided to, walk around the back of Commercial Street as far as I could, this is the home of the Bengali community and there was a time when I could walk down Brick Lane and be welcomed into the restaurants and shops as a valued member of the community, but that was a long time ago and was due to my status as the Assistant Manager at the local Branch of NatWest.

My route took me along my old cycle route when I used to cycle to work everyday, the last time I did that was almost seven years ago, it's amazing how many people cycle that route now, in fact its one of these new fangled cycle super highways and to think I used it as my route of choice years before Boris and his boys got the blue paint out.

It did not take long to arrive at Canary Wharf pier, I must have been earlier than last week as there was a queue for tickets, the indicator board said the next Boat would be in 5 minutes. Hurry people I need to film the arrival of the Clipper and use the facilities. In the end I gave up and used the ticket machine, only after the ticket seller pointed it out to me!

The Hilton Clipper was chugging backwards and forwards and there seemed to be an awful lot of people down one end of the pier, I wondered why that was, but I went off to the other end so I could film the Clipper arriving, and here it comes!

Standing Room Only

It's at this point that I realise why there were so many people down the far end, that's where the Clipper docks and it's standing room only! The Clipper docks and the deckhand announces that they are full and can only take as many people on as get off, that happens to be 34. He invites those who arrived first to move to the front, hmm not much movement there. Whilst I wasn't one of the first I was certainly earlier than a number of people, but hey, the sun's out, it's warm I'm by the River, the views are good so I don't care, I'll wait for the next one, "ten minutes" the deck hand announces for the next Clipper.

Monsoon Clipper departing for Greenland

I should point out at this time the cost of my fare £2.70 with my Oyster discount, that 5p more expensive than last week when I travelled the shorter trip to The Hilton Hotel.

Eventually the Clipper arrived, it was more like 18 minutes but to be honest I did not care, it was so pleasant. In fact the Pier became a scene of high nautical activity as the Hilton Ferry arrived and so did two Clippers my 'all stops to Woolwich' and the express to somewhere else either Greenwich or Woolwich. The express had to wait off pier for us to depart.

Again the Clipper was very busy, with people, standing on the outer deck with beers, the Clipper has a bar, but I think this was in preference to sitting inside. I had no problem getting on board and made my way to the front. Damn the front seats were taken by tourists, in fact most of the seats appeared to be taken by tourists. But what's really grating is that they were not filming the journey, as I wanted to, or even looking out of the windows they were too busy looking at their phones.

Great view of Docklands

I sat as close to the front as possible, and very quickly they were announcing our arrival at Greenland Pier, so I made my way to the disembarking area. The journey took a little over 3 minutes, quicker then the shorter trip to the Hilton Hotel last week.

Greenland Pier

So that's that, and off I walked along the the river front past Greenland Dock, named so because most of the Greenland Whalers. Needless to say I stopped off at the Dog and Bell for a quick beer with Erik and Rose and then on to Greenwich Park passing the statue of Peter the Great with the small head. Apparently he came to the Deptford Shipyard to view boat building techniques incognito. Apparently Captain Benbow (later to become Admiral, hence the Blog title!) sublet Sayes Court to the royal party.

Peter the Great with a small head

Whilst walking through Greenwich Park I was asked to take a photo of a couple of guys in front of their toys, a big bike and a flash car, having completed this I then said can I take one and they were a little taken aback when I took their photos!

Boys with Toys

Arrived home 21:30 just in time to watch HIGNFY.