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diamond geezer

diamond geezer
The new Apprentice Cafe Seasoned viewers of The Apprentice were surprised this week when the losing team were sent to an...
a month ago
34
a month ago
Seasoned viewers of The Apprentice were surprised this week when the losing team were sent to an unfamiliar cafe. Last week they ended up in the Bridge Cafe in Acton, as per usual, which would normally have meant this week was La Cabaña on the Park Royal trading estate. Instead...
diamond geezer
The Queen Vic On EastEnders' 40th birthday, let's go in search of the soap's iconic pub. London has only one...
a month ago
17
a month ago
On EastEnders' 40th birthday, let's go in search of the soap's iconic pub. London has only one remaining Queen Victoria pub, as far as I can tell, but remnants of several pubs of that name survive. The Queen Victoria, 148 Southwark Park Road, Bermondsey SE16 3RP corner pub from...
diamond geezer
Silvertown Tunnel booklet maps As an East London resident I've received a 20-page booklet through my letterbox about the opening of...
a month ago
17
a month ago
As an East London resident I've received a 20-page booklet through my letterbox about the opening of the Silvertown Tunnel in April. If you didn't get a booklet you can download one here. Eight pages are given over to information for drivers, which makes sense given most of...
diamond geezer
O purple train O purple train (a poem on the occasion of the Elizabeth line's 1000th day) O purple train,...
a month ago
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a month ago
O purple train (a poem on the occasion of the Elizabeth line's 1000th day) O purple train, Boris's toadying tribute, No service between Paddington and Heathrow/Reading due to late finish of engineering works, London Underground will accept tickets, no service between...
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #15 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout continue, likely for three more weeks. But before they...
a month ago
16
a month ago
The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout continue, likely for three more weeks. But before they finish the disruption's going to get much worse and all the buses are going back to normal, perhaps not in the order you'd expect. What's new is that the pavement and...
diamond geezer
Route 414 RIP London's next dead bus 414: Putney Bridge to Marble Arch Location: southwest London, inner Length of...
a month ago
15
a month ago
London's next dead bus 414: Putney Bridge to Marble Arch Location: southwest London, inner Length of journey: 5 miles, 35 minutes 347 and 118 have already been extinguished and at the end of this week it's time for the 414 to join them at the big terminus in the sky. It does...
diamond geezer
Sunderland Gadabout: SUNDERLAND Sunderland is the second largest settlement in North East England, just behind...
a month ago
15
a month ago
Gadabout: SUNDERLAND Sunderland is the second largest settlement in North East England, just behind Newcastle (which is a tad to the north). It's on the North Sea coast 240 miles from London, pretty much due east of Carlisle. It sits at the mouth of the river Wear and was once...
diamond geezer
200 Valentine's Day ideas ❤️ 200 Valentine's Day ideas Toblerone in box with appropriate slogan, round the world cruise,...
a month ago
15
a month ago
❤️ 200 Valentine's Day ideas Toblerone in box with appropriate slogan, round the world cruise, eggy soldiers for breakfast, pack of ribbed condoms, romantic message spelt out in plastic letters stuck to fridge, blue Slush Puppie, evening in pub that's not showing Sky Sports,...
diamond geezer
N15 N16 N17 walkabout Yesterday I took BestMate for a five mile walk across N16, N15 and N17 because he'd never explored...
a month ago
15
a month ago
Yesterday I took BestMate for a five mile walk across N16, N15 and N17 because he'd never explored the Stamford Hill/Tottenham hinterland before. The route's not important, nor am I suggesting you do the same, merely pointing out that a good walk across the suburbs often throws...
diamond geezer
Archived LT staff magazines TfL maintains a sizeable archive of historical documentation within its Corporate Archives, a...
a month ago
14
a month ago
TfL maintains a sizeable archive of historical documentation within its Corporate Archives, a grouping responsible for safeguarding the corporate memory of Transport for London and its predecessor companies. A small but substantial proportion of this archive has been uploaded to...
diamond geezer
The supermarket cafe When writing about dining out, the media tend to focus on restaurants, independent cafes and bijou...
a month ago
14
a month ago
When writing about dining out, the media tend to focus on restaurants, independent cafes and bijou little nooks, also pubs, hotels and takeaways. But there's one place you're always guaranteed a hot meal at a bargain price and that's a supermarket cafe, the unsung destination of...
diamond geezer
Long range weather forecasting I'm off on a long-distance trip today, one I bought a ticket for several weeks ago. I have thus...
a month ago
14
a month ago
I'm off on a long-distance trip today, one I bought a ticket for several weeks ago. I have thus become very invested in what today's weather might be because a miserable outlook can wreck a good day out. My visit to Durham in 2015 was destroyed by heavy rain all day, my 2024 trip...
diamond geezer
Cygnet Square / Shakespeare Square 45 45 Squared 6) CYGNET SQUARE, SE2 Borough of Bexley, 75m×60m Tavy Bridge, a broad concrete walkway...
a month ago
14
a month ago
45 45 Squared 6) CYGNET SQUARE, SE2 Borough of Bexley, 75m×60m Tavy Bridge, a broad concrete walkway leading from acres of concrete housing to the banks of Southmere lake past an elevated parade of shops boasting a butchers and a VG supermarket. Initially it looked fabulously...
diamond geezer
Let's ride all the tube stock There are seven distinct rolling stocks on the London Underground, ranging from fairly new to...
a month ago
13
a month ago
There are seven distinct rolling stocks on the London Underground, ranging from fairly new to creakingly old. My challenge today is to ride all seven of them as quickly as possible. For extra challenge, can I do it and return to where I started, and for extra challenge, can I...
diamond geezer
Greenwich Park Geotrail A Nice Walk: Greenwich Park Geotrail (3 miles) Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk,...
a month ago
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a month ago
A Nice Walk: Greenwich Park Geotrail (3 miles) Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk, nothing too taxing, a bit of a stroll, easily accessible, dry underfoot, intermittently up and down, World Heritage Site, spans both hemispheres, occasional telescopes, geology-focused,...
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #16 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout continue, which is worrying because the final resurfacing...
a month ago
13
a month ago
The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout continue, which is worrying because the final resurfacing works are due to begin on Monday night. Instead the inside lane on Stratford High Street is still coned off for much drilling and scraping, so they'd better get a move-on. Also...
diamond geezer
60+ London Oyster Photocard A quick guide to the 60+ London Oyster Photocard *) * permitted 9.00-9.29am Essentially you can...
a month ago
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a month ago
A quick guide to the 60+ London Oyster Photocard *) * permitted 9.00-9.29am Essentially you can travel free to any station within Greater London n.b. with a Freedom Pass, issued after the age of 66, you can additionally travel on the Elizabeth line to Reading Three press...
diamond geezer
Count 2025 During February 2003 on diamond geezer I kept myself busy by counting things. Ten different counts,...
3 weeks ago
12
3 weeks ago
During February 2003 on diamond geezer I kept myself busy by counting things. Ten different counts, to be precise, in a none-too thrilling daily feature called The Count. My 28-day tally chart may have been deathly dull to the rest of you, but I've continued to count those...
diamond geezer
Trump's first month Attend inauguration, take Presidential oath, act as "a peacemaker and unifier", label Mexican...
a month ago
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a month ago
Attend inauguration, take Presidential oath, act as "a peacemaker and unifier", label Mexican cartels as terrorists, rename the Gulf of Mexico, rename Mt McKinley, pledge to an expanding nation, take back the Panama Canal, send astronauts to Mars, suspiciously-Nazi salute, sign...
diamond geezer
25 dull lists 25 dull lists One stop short of Barking: Upney, East Ham, West Ham, Upminster, Woodgrange Park,...
a month ago
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a month ago
25 dull lists One stop short of Barking: Upney, East Ham, West Ham, Upminster, Woodgrange Park, Barking Riverside, Stratford Current Walkers crisp flavours: ready salted, cheese & onion, salt & vinegar, prawn cocktail, roast chicken, smoky bacon, tomato ketchup, pickled onion,...
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #18 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are so nearly complete. We have a reshaped roundabout, we...
3 weeks ago
12
3 weeks ago
The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are so nearly complete. We have a reshaped roundabout, we have resurfaced roads, we have repainted lines and we have a new contraflow lane under the flyover. The resurfacing works that were meant to take four nights eventually took...
diamond geezer
Four-in-one Four questions for the price of one How did this Prius end up in Clapton Pond? It smashed...
3 weeks ago
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3 weeks ago
Four questions for the price of one How did this Prius end up in Clapton Pond? It smashed through the railings, obviously, as you'd likely be able to guess even if you hadn't seen the large gap in the fence and the missing hedge. It must have failed to stop at the lights on...
diamond geezer
London's largest square What's London's largest square? covered that. I reckon it's this. And you're right, it's not...
3 weeks ago
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3 weeks ago
What's London's largest square? covered that. I reckon it's this. And you're right, it's not really the largest square you can fit inside Greater London, only the largest where the sides run north/south and east/west. Twist your square and you can do a lot better. We can...
diamond geezer
Three-in-one Three questions for the price of one Are repairs underway at Bow Road's gentlemen's...
3 weeks ago
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3 weeks ago
Three questions for the price of one Are repairs underway at Bow Road's gentlemen's conveniences? Gents is the most prominent, surrounded at street level by a crescent of decorative iron railings and formerly accessed down two curved stairwells behind further ornate gates....
diamond geezer
Hartlepool Gadabout: HARTLEPOOL Hartlepool is a port town in County Durham, eight miles up the coast from...
a month ago
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a month ago
Gadabout: HARTLEPOOL Hartlepool is a port town in County Durham, eight miles up the coast from Middlesbrough. Technically it's two towns, the extremely old one on the headland and the Victorian industrial new town across the docks, but since 1967 they've been administratively...
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #17 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are reaching their peak. It's resurfacing week which means...
4 weeks ago
11
4 weeks ago
The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are reaching their peak. It's resurfacing week which means the roundabout has been descended upon by a huge hi-vis army of drivers, operatives, technicians, contractors, stewards and supervisors keen to get the job done as quickly as...
diamond geezer
Accursed passports Yesterday was the accursed day when I renewed my passport. Accursed because it's not expired but I...
a month ago
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a month ago
Yesterday was the accursed day when I renewed my passport. Accursed because it's not expired but I can't use it. It used to be the case that they gave you a couple of extra months so my current passport officially still has five weeks to go. I remember thinking when I got it...
diamond geezer
SimplyFresh E3 Hyperlocal update: New supermarket comes to E3 SimplyFresh, specifically to Bromley-by-Bow. Which...
a month ago
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a month ago
Hyperlocal update: New supermarket comes to E3 SimplyFresh, specifically to Bromley-by-Bow. Which is extraordinary. dual carriageway and think "this is a bit bleak", and the adjacent streets wouldn't have changed your mind. But today a fringe of highrise flats is gradually...
diamond geezer
SL11 Yesterday TfL launched a consultation for the introduction of the next Superloop route, the SL11,...
3 weeks ago
10
3 weeks ago
Yesterday TfL launched a consultation for the introduction of the next Superloop route, the SL11, which will run between North Greenwich and Abbey Wood via Woolwich. It's an express bus so it'll be great. It'll link up with existing transport connections and local centres so...
diamond geezer
Ode to an Annual Travelcard Ode to an Annual Travelcard I bought my first Annual Travelcard in 2001 when I moved to London....
3 weeks ago
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3 weeks ago
Ode to an Annual Travelcard I bought my first Annual Travelcard in 2001 when I moved to London. This is the easiest and cheapest way to commute without faffing at ticket machines every day, I thought, and I was right. That first Annual Travelcard cost me £896, i.e. the...
diamond geezer
Halliday Square 45 45 Squared 8) HALLIDAY SQUARE, UB2 Borough of Ealing, 70m×30m Halliday Square because it's...
3 weeks ago
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3 weeks ago
45 45 Squared 8) HALLIDAY SQUARE, UB2 Borough of Ealing, 70m×30m Halliday Square because it's surrounded by all sorts of intriguing historic stuff, specifically Ealing Hospital and the asylum that preceded it, many of whose Georgian buildings survive. Alas none of the good stuff...
diamond geezer
Unblogged February 28 unblogged things I did in February Sat 1: London Estates: Modernist Council Housing 1946–1981 is...
4 weeks ago
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4 weeks ago
28 unblogged things I did in February Sat 1: London Estates: Modernist Council Housing 1946–1981 is an absolutely gorgeous book, assuming you like full-colour photos of postwar flats from over 250 estates across London. I don't know how Thaddeus has managed to collect so many...
diamond geezer
Chatty Cabins Over the years I've blogged about numerous contrived campaigns to encourage usage of the Dangleway,...
a month ago
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a month ago
Over the years I've blogged about numerous contrived campaigns to encourage usage of the Dangleway, including the Valentine's Experience, The Snowman and the Snowdog, Sky High Dining, the Lady Penelope Afternoon Tea, the Teddy Workshop and the Spooky Scavenger Hunt. Now it's...
diamond geezer
BL1 It's time to extend the Superloop, on this occasion with a rail replacement bus. Welcome to the...
a month ago
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a month ago
It's time to extend the Superloop, on this occasion with a rail replacement bus. Welcome to the Bakerloop, an express route shadowing the unbuilt Bakerloo line extension. brown double deckers between Waterloo and Lewisham, essentially only stopping at places with a Bakerloo...
diamond geezer
Route 118 RIP London's next dead bus 118: Morden to Brixton Location: south London Length of journey: 9 miles, 55...
a month ago
10
a month ago
London's next dead bus 118: Morden to Brixton Location: south London Length of journey: 9 miles, 55 minutes 118. The 118 runs from Morden to Brixton via Mitcham and Streatham and has been following a similar-ish route for decades. The 45 by contrast has been repeatedly...
diamond geezer
The Mousetrap The Mousetrap is the play that refuses to die. It's also an iconic part of London's cultural...
2 weeks ago
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2 weeks ago
The Mousetrap is the play that refuses to die. It's also an iconic part of London's cultural life, if not for critical acclaim then for sheer persistence, having reliably entertained West End audiences for over 70 years. So when London Theatre Week recently offered cut-price...
diamond geezer
We Can't Be Arsed To Print That Any More You know what TfL's We Can't Be Arsed To Print That Any More department is getting rid of...
a month ago
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a month ago
You know what TfL's We Can't Be Arsed To Print That Any More department is getting rid of now? Previously the timetable poster at Mile End station would have included details of the first and last trains from the station, information which can be very important if you're...
diamond geezer
Five-in-one Five questions for the price of one What does the bottom of the Thames look like? You can't see...
2 weeks ago
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2 weeks ago
Five questions for the price of one What does the bottom of the Thames look like? You can't see normally the bottom of a tidal river because it's covered by a huge amount of water. But at low tides some of the bed appears, at spring tides more appears and at spring tides near...
diamond geezer
60 I have somehow reached the age of 60 and I'm not sure how I feel about that. 60 is a milestone...
2 weeks ago
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2 weeks ago
I have somehow reached the age of 60 and I'm not sure how I feel about that. 60 is a milestone age and a proper one for once. 50 was fine, 50 was just a half-century, it didn't mean anything. 40 was merely a number to make the middle-aged feel uncomfortable, nothing tangible...
diamond geezer
Compressor Square 45 45 Squared 9) COMPRESSOR SQUARE, E16 Borough of Newham, 50m×30m National Street Gazetteer so it...
3 weeks ago
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3 weeks ago
45 45 Squared 9) COMPRESSOR SQUARE, E16 Borough of Newham, 50m×30m National Street Gazetteer so it officially exists. Locationwise it's in the Royal Docks immediately adjacent to Royal Albert station, which is renowned as the DLR station furthest away from anyone's home. But had...
diamond geezer
Sadler's Wells East The cultural line-up on the East Bank continues to expand. UAL opened their College of Fashion...
a month ago
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a month ago
The cultural line-up on the East Bank continues to expand. UAL opened their College of Fashion in September 2023, bringing uniquely-dressed students to the flanks of the Olympic Park in great numbers. Now this week Sadler's Wells East has opened its doors, a brand new...
diamond geezer
We Can Be Arsed To Print That It Seems You know what TfL's We Can't Be Arsed To Print That Any More department has started printing...
a month ago
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a month ago
You know what TfL's We Can't Be Arsed To Print That Any More department has started printing again? They started omitting them recently on station posters, instead exhorting passengers to scan a QR code and use the TfL website instead. They also suggested using the TfL Go app...
diamond geezer
Unblogged January 31 unblogged things I did in January Wed 1: I spent New Year at home for a change watching the...
a month ago
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a month ago
31 unblogged things I did in January Wed 1: I spent New Year at home for a change watching the cheesy fireworks on TV. I can confirm that Big Ben bonged 15 seconds late on my television, such is digital delay, so millions of people celebrated the arrival of 2025 belatedly. Thu...
diamond geezer
Mortgramit Square 45 45 Squared 4) MORTGRAMIT SQUARE, SE18 Borough of Greenwich, 130m Though much of central...
a month ago
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a month ago
45 45 Squared 4) MORTGRAMIT SQUARE, SE18 Borough of Greenwich, 130m Though much of central Woolwich has been redeveloped, a lot of the west end of the town centre remains relatively unloved. The far end of Powis Street is particularly desolate, including an outdoor car park, a...
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in February 2025 20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in February 2025 1) The oldest bus in service in London...
3 weeks ago
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3 weeks ago
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in February 2025 1) The oldest bus in service in London is the Uno 605, a vehicle introduced in 2007 and currently in use on route 383. However, this vehicle is due to be withdrawn from the fleet shortly. 2) On average TfL's income from...
diamond geezer
Year of the Snake Head to Chinatown or Trafalgar Square today and you can celebrate Chinese New Year with dancing,...
a month ago
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a month ago
Head to Chinatown or Trafalgar Square today and you can celebrate Chinese New Year with dancing, culture and cuisine courtesy of the London Chinatown Chinese Association and the Mayor of London. That's because the new moon on 29th January triggered the Year of the Snake (蛇), a...
diamond geezer
The Count 2025 For twenty-two consecutive Februaries on diamond geezer I've kept myself busy by counting things....
a month ago
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a month ago
For twenty-two consecutive Februaries on diamond geezer I've kept myself busy by counting things. Ten different counts, to be precise, in a stats-tastic 28-day feature called The Count. You therefore won't be surprised to hear that I intend to do exactly the same again this year,...
diamond geezer
Birthday round-up A selection of thoughts from Sunday 1) I only received 5 birthday cards this year, most of them...
2 weeks ago
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2 weeks ago
A selection of thoughts from Sunday 1) I only received 5 birthday cards this year, most of them from people who remember me being born in 1965 (dgD, dGA3, dgDBM). Pictured are some of the 43 cards I received when I was born, all of a very 1960s aesthetic. Number of birthday...
diamond geezer
London Wetland Centre I'm a firm believer that if you wait long enough a lot of expensive places can eventually be visited...
a month ago
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a month ago
I'm a firm believer that if you wait long enough a lot of expensive places can eventually be visited for free. So it is with the London Wetland Centre, indeed all WWT reserves, which are offering free entry this week to celebrate World Wetlands Day. I last visited in 2006 when...
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #14 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout, which were supposed to have finished by now, have not...
a month ago
8
a month ago
The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout, which were supposed to have finished by now, have not finished. We had high hopes because the yellow signs on the approach to the junction used to say 'Improvement Works Bow Road Roundabout 30 Sep - 04 Feb', but with a few days to go...
diamond geezer
Central Square 45 45 Squared 5) CENTRAL SQUARE, NW11 Borough of Barnet, 180m×100m Hampstead Garden Suburb, one of...
a month ago
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a month ago
45 45 Squared 5) CENTRAL SQUARE, NW11 Borough of Barnet, 180m×100m Hampstead Garden Suburb, one of London's finest suburbs, which isn't actually in Hampstead. Head north to Golders Green and a tad north more, stopping just before you hit the A1. Here are 250 acres of much coveted...
diamond geezer
Eastbourne to Bexhill Walking the England Coast Path Eastbourne → Bexhill (10 miles) England Coast Path is a massive...
a month ago
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a month ago
Walking the England Coast Path Eastbourne → Bexhill (10 miles) England Coast Path is a massive project to open up and waymark a right of way around the country, as yet incomplete. In most cases you could have walked it anyway but the signposts are a reassuring sight in areas...
diamond geezer
My Saturday freneticism graph I made this graph to show how busy I was yesterday. 12-1am: In bed preparing to sleep [1] 1-4am:...
2 months ago
8
2 months ago
I made this graph to show how busy I was yesterday. 12-1am: In bed preparing to sleep [1] 1-4am: zzzzz [0] 4-5am: No, no need to wake up yet [1] 5-7am: zzzzz [0] 7-8am: Ah there's the alarm, wash, dress, breakfast, pack rucksack [3] 8-9am: Ooh Thames Water are coning off Bus...
diamond geezer
Hopper fares The Hopper fare was introduced in September 2016, allowing bus and tram passengers to take one extra...
2 weeks ago
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2 weeks ago
The Hopper fare was introduced in September 2016, allowing bus and tram passengers to take one extra journey for free within 60 minutes of tapping in. Two years later it was extended to allow unlimited journeys within an hour, saving Londoners even more money and enabling some...
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #19 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are complete and traffic is flowing freely again....
2 weeks ago
8
2 weeks ago
The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are complete and traffic is flowing freely again. Hoo-bloody-rah. It took longer than strictly necessary for all the cones to be removed. They lingered mysteriously on a couple of arms of the roundabout, so for example traffic on Bow...
diamond geezer
Four Sunday morning markets Four Sunday morning markets Columbia Road Market Columbia Road anytime but only on Sunday mornings...
a week ago
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a week ago
Four Sunday morning markets Columbia Road Market Columbia Road anytime but only on Sunday mornings does it become a mainstream magnet for millennials, the middle classes any anyone in need of maidenhair on their mantelpiece. It pays to arrive early because the action starts at...
diamond geezer
Unblogged March 1965 Unblogged things I did in March 1965 I wasn't around at the start of March 1965, I was lurking...
2 weeks ago
8
2 weeks ago
Unblogged things I did in March 1965 I wasn't around at the start of March 1965, I was lurking embryonically ready to make a grand appearance. Even when I did emerge I had no linguistic ability, no long-term memory nor any recognition of what on earth was going on, plus there...
diamond geezer
Upper East Bromley-by-Bow has a new tower block and unusually it's not along the A12 or the River Lea, it's in...
2 weeks ago
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2 weeks ago
Bromley-by-Bow has a new tower block and unusually it's not along the A12 or the River Lea, it's in the historic part. It replaces a drab council block which the local housing association was keen to wipe away, and rightly so, as part of a long-term project to replace Stroudley...
diamond geezer
National Trust reopening dates When are London's National Trust houses reopening for 2025? 13 Feb: Eastbury Manor House 14 Feb:...
a month ago
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a month ago
When are London's National Trust houses reopening for 2025? 13 Feb: Eastbury Manor House 14 Feb: Sutton House (prebooking required) 15 Feb: Ham House 20 Feb: Rainham Hall (prebooking recommended) 1 Mar: 2 Willow Road (prebooking required) 2 Mar: Fenton House (prebooking...
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #13 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout continue, now more obviously because the hi-vis workforce...
2 months ago
7
2 months ago
The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout continue, now more obviously because the hi-vis workforce have shifted their focus from 'under the flyover' to 'the perimeter of the roundabout'. Their task has been to slightly reshape the roundabout to better accommodate the influx of...
diamond geezer
Moon 742 The full moon was particularly fine last night. The average human lifespan is very close to 1000...
a week ago
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a week ago
The full moon was particularly fine last night. The average human lifespan is very close to 1000 full moons. (a couple of months short of 81 years) Which is a salutary thought.
diamond geezer
The 100 comments challenge The 100 comments challenge Can we get 100 comments on today's post, which is full of burning issues...
a week ago
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a week ago
The 100 comments challenge Can we get 100 comments on today's post, which is full of burning issues from my immediate locality? My local Dry Cleaners is closing on 1st April a small unit beside the barbers. Alas a sign in the window says they're closing down from 1st April...
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in January 2025 20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in January 2025 1) 21% of applicants for a Train Operator...
a month ago
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a month ago
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in January 2025 1) 21% of applicants for a Train Operator role are female, 74% are BAME and 11% are over 50. At last count only 5% were successful. 2) Last year TfL spent £39.75 on numberplates, equivalent to two replacements. 3) If...
diamond geezer
Tredegar Square 45 45 Squared 10) TREDEGAR SQUARE, E3 Borough of Tower Hamlets, 90m×80m * masterpiece, a quadrangle...
a week ago
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a week ago
45 45 Squared 10) TREDEGAR SQUARE, E3 Borough of Tower Hamlets, 90m×80m * masterpiece, a quadrangle of unbroken terraces with a fine garden in the centre. You expect this kind of thing in Bloomsbury or Kensington but not tucked off the Mile End Road behind a wall of council...
diamond geezer
Another unfocused pot pourri of stuff Thank you for your comments yesterday. I hoped for 100 comments and you actually left 144! Perhaps...
a week ago
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a week ago
Thank you for your comments yesterday. I hoped for 100 comments and you actually left 144! Perhaps more impressively the comments were left by 93 different people, which is quite frankly astonishing given a) it was the weekend b) I was writing about local stuff c) blogging is...
diamond geezer
Reduced admission for older people Many London attractions offer cheaper tickets to older people. Reduced admission at age 60 33% off...
a week ago
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a week ago
Many London attractions offer cheaper tickets to older people. Reduced admission at age 60 33% off Cartoon Museum (£12 → £8) 26% off Museum of Brands (£11.50 → £8.50) 19% off Lord's Cricket Ground Tour (£31.95 → £25.95) 16% off Charles Dickens Museum (£12.50 → £10.50) 13% off...
diamond geezer
Extremities I've been testing the extremities of my new 60+ Oyster card. The most northerly station you can...
a week ago
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a week ago
I've been testing the extremities of my new 60+ Oyster card. The most northerly station you can reach with a 60+ Oyster card: CHESHAM market town is a small delight, as I well know because I've been many times but I can go more often now. The joy starts as you rattle off down...
diamond geezer
Old Coulsdon (this is the follow-up post to tomorrow's ride on my birthday bus route) Old Coulsdon, it's like...
a week ago
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a week ago
(this is the follow-up post to tomorrow's ride on my birthday bus route) Old Coulsdon, it's like entering another world. A quiet well-to-do suburb on a hill, all broad avenues, backlanes and green tendrils reaching out into rolling chalkland on the edge of the North Downs. It's...
diamond geezer
Benefits to getting older There are benefits to getting older. At 60 Senior Railcard 60+ Oyster card (London residents...
a week ago
5
a week ago
There are benefits to getting older. At 60 Senior Railcard 60+ Oyster card (London residents only) free prescriptions free eye tests Silvers discount at Odeon cinemas Senior Community Screenings at the Barbican cinema free vitamin D if you live in Newham At 65 At state...
diamond geezer
the Imbecilic Duff-Coded Screen of Digital Quicksand I never expected applying for my 60+ Oyster Photocard would be so impractically sluggishly...
a week ago
5
a week ago
I never expected applying for my 60+ Oyster Photocard would be so impractically sluggishly difficult. ...and then went pear-shaped when my application ended up on the Imbecilic Duff-Coded Screen of Digital Quicksand. Day -14 photocard website and set up an account. Simple....
diamond geezer
Watch Out Children About My apologies that today's main posts were for old people. Watch Out Children About This sign...
a week ago
5
a week ago
My apologies that today's main posts were for old people. Watch Out Children About This sign appears in Colman Road, Beckton E16. It includes the name G.R.ILEY C.ENG.,M.I.M.E.,M.I.Mun.E.,F.Inst.H.E. » C.ENG. = Chartered Engineer (now normally abbreviated CEng) Institution of...
diamond geezer
Route 60 Route 60: Streatham to Old Coulsdon Location: London south, outer Length of bus journey: 12 miles,...
6 days ago
4
6 days ago
Route 60: Streatham to Old Coulsdon Location: London south, outer Length of bus journey: 12 miles, 75 minutes It's traditional around every birthday that I take a numerically significant bus journey. Eighteen years ago I took the 42 to Dulwich, then subsequently the 43 to Barnet,...
diamond geezer
Double Decker shrinkflation I do like a Double Decker, the Cadbury chocolate bar with a stripe of nougat atop a crispy base....
a week ago
4
a week ago
I do like a Double Decker, the Cadbury chocolate bar with a stripe of nougat atop a crispy base. I've liked them ever since they were introduced in 1976, perhaps unsurprisingly given I was an 11 year-old boy who liked both chocolate and buses. If you're feeing nostalgic here's a...
diamond geezer
Covid signage five years on Five years ago PM Boris Johnson addressed the nation from 10 Downing Street and told us "You must...
5 days ago
4
5 days ago
Five years ago PM Boris Johnson addressed the nation from 10 Downing Street and told us "You must stay at home". All sorts of extraordinary restrictions were subsequently introduced, many of which were conveyed to us in signs and stickers slapped across our immediate environment....
diamond geezer
Denton and Reddish South The least used station in Britain: DENTON Greater Manchester The problem thus isn't Denton's...
3 days ago
4
3 days ago
The least used station in Britain: DENTON Greater Manchester The problem thus isn't Denton's location it's the timetable, which these days consists of just two trains a week. Between 1992 and 2018 it was only one, so this is an improvement. Saturdays...
diamond geezer
Stockport Gadabout: STOCKPORT Stockport is a former textile town on the Lancashire/Cheshire border, since...
4 days ago
3
4 days ago
Gadabout: STOCKPORT Stockport is a former textile town on the Lancashire/Cheshire border, since swallowed up by Greater Manchester. Of the ten metropolitan boroughs it's the southeasternmost. Previously I'd only ever seen it from the train while crossing the lofty viaduct over...
diamond geezer
post-Stockport housekeeping 10 items of post-Stockport housekeeping 100 largest towns and cities by population. At the start of...
2 days ago
2
2 days ago
10 items of post-Stockport housekeeping 100 largest towns and cities by population. At the start of the year I had 13 to go but since then I've ticked off Sunderland (32nd), Hartlepool (84th) and Stockport (60th). Of the ten that remain the largest is now Huddersfield (33rd),...
diamond geezer
Unchosen Overground line names Unchosen Overground line names an excellent scoop yesterday by publishing the longlist of names...
2 days ago
2
2 days ago
Unchosen Overground line names an excellent scoop yesterday by publishing the longlist of names which were under consideration for the six Overground lines. I'm not sure how much much of the list is behind his Substack paywall so what follows is abbreviated from someone else's...
diamond geezer
Route R6 RIP London's next dead bus R6: Orpington to St Mary Cray Location: southeast London, outer Length of...
17 hours ago
1
17 hours ago
London's next dead bus R6: Orpington to St Mary Cray Location: southeast London, outer Length of journey: 4 miles, 25 minutes 347, 118 and 414 have already been extinguished and at the end of this week it's time for the R6 to join them at the big terminus in the sky. You won't...