Andy Goes "Green" - Not!
Andy took a bit of stick in the Conservative press for using an executive jet to get to Manchester for the first manifestation of his No 10 Of The North project.
Could he have "just got the train".
Probably not on Thursday evening after the Commonwealth Games (Economy Pack) opening ceremony closed. The Channel 5 broadcast ended at 2205 and a slow overnight train was all that was on offer. He could have left the ceremony early, but that would be seen as a snub to Glasgow, a snub to Scotland and a snub to the 2.7 billion population if the Commonwealth.
A sort of super snub!
Remember when Rishi left the D-day do early?
But Andy could have caught an early train on Friday.
What he would have found was several options all at different fares.
You would guess such minutiae would not be of any budgetary concern for a PM, but it might open his eyes as to the need for a proper Great British Railways with consistent fares.
You might also guess that a PM would travel First Class where the single fares are even more ridiculous.
Not just ridiculous because of the mega bucks demanded for some journeys, but laughably ridiculous because of the difference between fares for the same journey.
Crackpot!
Now Andy would need to be accompanied by his Security Team ...
... always subtly understated; and maybe a few advisers.
The alternative would be to travel with his head heavily bandaged ...
... H G Wells ' Invisible Man' style.
Assuming this was deemed to provocative, security-wise, there would have been several First Class fares to buy!
But would still be cheaper than a jet, at ...
... currently in offer on line.
No doubt H M Govt would get a substantial "frequent user" discount, plus treble Air Miles and "free" drinks and nibbles, of course.
Surely Andy should have let the train take the strain?
Docklands Development Part 2
Look at the Carto map extract!
There is plenty to see.
The historic train service ran from Stratford (off map, north) via Canning Town and Custom House to North Woolwich. Its replacement Docklands route follows the Silvertown Tramway (a freight line) ...
... before diverting via London City Airport and plunging under the Thames to the real (south) Woolwich.
Also we see the DLR via Custom House which continues to Beckton and, one day, may reach Thamesmead. Also at Custom House there is the Elizabeth Line line, also to Woolwich and on to Abbey Wood.
Entering lower left is the Jubilee Line to Stratford and the overpriced Cable Car from nowhere very significant across the Thames to nowhere very significant on the Greenwich sticky out bit.
So where will the new Thames Wharf DLR station be?
Hard to tell except that it will be between Canning Town and West Silvertown - somewhere near the Silvertown Tunnel's northern portal.
That "Wharf" might be the site of the historic 'Thames Wharf' which is graciously donating its name to the new DLR station.
Because the area is either 'blasted heath' or industrial land awaiting 'repurposing', Google maps presents a challenge. Also bear in mind that Google Maps is not (whisper it quietly) always up-to-date.
Let us c what fbb can c!
Google Earth shows us the (unfinished) entrance to the now-open Silvertown Tunnel, top left ...
... and West Silvertown DLR station bottom right.
Then we were able to read this yesterday.
fbb does not think that DLR trains have been plunging through the gap in the viaduct to complete destruction. That would have been in all the papers!
Open Street Map may have a clue.
There, near the tunnel portal, is a bit if Docklands track that is coloured differently.
Could this be the 'gap in the viaduct'? The "Ian Visits" blog has an early map ...
.... which looks about right. The dotty line at the new station is the Silvertown Tunnel.
So what can we see on Google Streetview?
Not a lot!
That is because the under-construction Silvertown Tunnel just confuses everything, including fbb; but we can look east and see the cable car ...
... and, looking west, we can see the DLR veering a little further south. In that gap on the right ...
...is where the Silverown Tunnel mouth is now to be found.
If we look North on Google Earth we may be able to spot a change in the earth formation on the DLR. Does it look like ...
... a possible Thames Wharf station site? Well now, if we spin round and look south ...
... we can clearly see a "gap in the viaduct" where the new station will be built.
You saw it first on an fbb blog!
P.S. In case you wondered. This is the Sikvertown Tunnel north portal from road level.The big blue-green flower pot is the control tower.
Wot No Eccles?Pictures of Goon Show characters are rare as it was a programme in the steam radio. The above recreates some imagined charters. From left to right we have the sophisticated Herrcules Grytpype Thynne, the blustering Major Denis Bloodnok and, of course, the intellectually challenged Eccles.
Or here is Eccles tram terminus, Greater Manchester.
But fbb's Eccles is neither if these. If a cream cake contains cream, a currant bun contains currants and a chocolate eclair is smothered in chocolate, you would assume an eccles cake would be filled with "eccles ".
The one fbb bought as a Saturday tea time treat ...
... wasn't!
It was almost completely bereft of 'eccles'. fbb counted eight currants and that was all.
It's back to a jam doughnut next week.
Tomorrow we return to a Bargain Basement blog.
Next Commuter Coach blog : Mon 27 July
First up, then, is Brookline ...
... which runs, like Invictaway, from the Maidstone area. Brookline says it is route 764a ...
... but Traveline insists that 784 is the suffix-less route number. Traveline overcomes Brookline's omission by providing a useful map (NOT) of what happens in the Maidstone area ...
... and at the London end.
... running FOUR journeys from the Gravesend area. The timetables are unhelpful on the Redwing web site, but Traveline is clear.
... and two on 736.
The pointless little arrows are for "pick up only", surprisingly at the first time of the schedule. Then, cleverly, the last time of the journey is "set down only" - astounding revelatory information. fbb suspects that lots of times would actually be "pick up only".
Readers might like to attempt to identify the actual stops.
Dreadful!
Heres what is being said.
Not the best news for Redwing.
The services run from the Tonbridge Wells and Tonbridge area with an excellent full colour map.
Four routes are on offer ...
The map of the London end of the route is very clear ...
... and the stops are named.
... where fbb was intrigued by the "Park & Ride" tag, and even more intrigued by the more extensive note.
Philpots Allotments ...
... appears to sell Christmas Trees AND ...
... commuter parking! But ...
... only monthly or annual season tickets are available.
... just the place to park (monthly or annual fee only) ...
... just off the A271, close to Hildenborough railway station; and just the place to catch your 'SEV' to London.
Hmmm?
