Heathrow And Hounslow (1)

The Kindness Of People

The fbb's neighbours have shown commendable concern about the "old folks next door". Ian is assistant manager of Lidl at Sidmouth and Denise works almost next door at Seaton's Premier Inn (only she is currently furloughed). Ian helps by supplementing Mrs fbb's occasional visits to Tesco - a top up much appreciated.

But two items arrived on the front doorstep in subsequent days.

The fbbs are in good health and are, fortunately, NOT "struggling" (well not yet!) but the gifts brought a warm and rosy joy to the old folks incarcerated existence. Mrs fbb has supplied one of her world famous coffee cakes by way of appreciation in the other direction.

Appreciation Of The DfT

(without fbb's usual extra "a")

A correspondent explains how the promised money is likely to be paid.

BSOG is "Bus Service Operators Grant", a somewhat reduced successor to "Fuel Duty Rebate" a scheme which, historically, allowed bus companies to recover a percentage of the tax they had paid out on their field bills.

By boosting that amount but retaining the present mechanism the DfT should be able to ensure that operators get their much needed Brucie Bonus in proportion to the journeys that are operating. Using an existing mechanism should make the delivery of the dosh do-able without too much additional paperwork.

So , unusually maybe, bus people offer a vite of thanks to the DfT.

Perhaps they should all send nice Mr Shapps a bunch of flowers and an Easter Egg?

The Hazards of Hounslow

Hounslow Heath has a continuous recorded history dating back to Norman times, where it gave its name to the former hamlet of Heathrow. It was also known for the extremely high numbers of highwaymen and footpads in the area, who mostly focused on targeting the wealthy and noble.

The Heath has strategic importance as routes from London to the west and southwest of Britain used to pass through it. Staines Road, the northern boundary of the present Heath, was the Roman Road, Trinobantes. Oliver Cromwell and James II both used the heath as a military encampment and the construction in 1793 of the Cavalry Barracks.

Positioned on the Bath Road (where it forks to the Staines Road at the Bell Inn), Hounslow town was centred around Holy Trinity Priory founded in 1211. The priory developed what had been a small village into a town with regular markets and other facilities for travellers heading to and from London. Although the priory was dissolved in 1539 the town remained an important staging post on the Bath Road.

In 1750 The Heath stretched from Harmondsworth to Teddington.

Many well known London names were little more than hamlets.

So the first big development was the Barracks.

Next came the District Railway ...

... with a terminus alongside the Bath Road called, imaginatively, Hounslow Barracks. We now know it as Hounslow West, one-time terminus of the Piccadilly Line.

It was a sweet little station in open country serving the Barracks and a few properties strung out along the Bath Road.

But it wasn't the original railway terminus at Hounslow; that was Hounslow Town.

It was located at the eastern end of the High Street and opened in 1883.

Then it gets complicated.

The line to Barracks opened in 1884 and the bit to Hounslow Town closed in 1886. Town station reopened in 1903 only to be replaced by a new Hounslow Town on the Barracks Line in 1909.

From 1905 to 1909 trains ran to Barracks VIA Town. This new "Town" station was renamed Hounslow East in 1925 and gained a spiffing new building in 2002.

The old "Town" station was the site chosen for the Hounslow bus garage which was developed in 1955 ...

... including offices and a travel shop with bus station attached.

 Things have also happened at Hounslow Barracks.

It was renamed Hounslow West in 1925 and enjoyed a brand new building from 1931.

When fbb's auntie took him to see the Queens Building at Heathrow sometime in the 1950s, the couple had to cross the road from West station and catch a bus.

Later, an express flat fare link was operated.

Even after the terminal platforms were replaced in 1975 with a through line below ground to Heathrow ...

... the old sign still stood proud at the end of the demolished platforms.

In case you have becomer a tad disorientated by all these station names, here is a chunk of old Undeground map. It is one from before the names were changed in 1925 ...

... when the line was part of The District Railway. And then comes a diagram showing the days when both  District Line and Piccadilly Line trains ran to Hounslow.

Later just Piccadilly trains ran ...

... and ultimately extensions to Heathrow were progressively opened.

Tomorrow, fbb returns to his GoTimetable Heathrow project and will attempt, without extra safety equipment, to fit buses into the equation.

 Next Heathrow BUS blog : Monday 6th April 

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Short Thought

The word Testament is linked to the word Testimony - an act of witness. So the Old Testament is a witness to the Old Covenant and the New Testament is a new witness. Seemples. The Covenant has not changed.

The consequences of sticking with Gods deal or of turning from it have not changed and they are fairly blunt.

But does a loving God really want to see his bestest creation (people) destroyed because they do not, or, more likely, cannot keep to the deal?

Throughout the Old Testament there was a growing promise of some massive help with the problem of Covenant failure and/or aversion.

Today we celebrate Palm Sunday, the beginning of eight days of pure historical drama, culminating in Easter.

Crowds welcomed the One who was going to save Israel, rid the nation of the occupying Romans and, simply, make everything right and good again.

Sounds like a massive boost to the Covenant?

Only he didn't. He was crucified as a total failuire.

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