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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...
2 months ago
45
2 months 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
SL4, Stopping Lots When the Silvertown Tunnel opens next week, one thing the Mayor will enthuse about is the new...
a week ago
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a week ago
When the Silvertown Tunnel opens next week, one thing the Mayor will enthuse about is the new Superloop bus route running through it. People like the Superloop, they know it gets them places fast, so no doubt they'll be enthused too. But the new SL4 isn't going to be as super as...
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
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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
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
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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
O purple train O purple train (a poem on the occasion of the Elizabeth line's 1000th day) O purple train,...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
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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
Sunderland Gadabout: SUNDERLAND Sunderland is the second largest settlement in North East England, just behind...
a month ago
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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,...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Route 414 RIP London's next dead bus 414: Putney Bridge to Marble Arch Location: southwest London, inner Length of...
a month ago
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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
N15 N16 N17 walkabout Yesterday I took BestMate for a five mile walk across N16, N15 and N17 because he'd never explored...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
The supermarket cafe When writing about dining out, the media tend to focus on restaurants, independent cafes and bijou...
a month ago
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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
Archived LT staff magazines TfL maintains a sizeable archive of historical documentation within its Corporate Archives, a...
a month ago
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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
Cygnet Square / Shakespeare Square 45 45 Squared 6) CYGNET SQUARE, SE2 Borough of Bexley, 75m×60m Tavy Bridge, a broad concrete walkway...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Bow Roundabout update #16 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout continue, which is worrying because the final resurfacing...
a month ago
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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
Let's ride all the tube stock There are seven distinct rolling stocks on the London Underground, ranging from fairly new to...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Bow Roundabout update #17 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are reaching their peak. It's resurfacing week which means...
a month ago
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a month 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
Greenwich Park Geotrail A Nice Walk: Greenwich Park Geotrail (3 miles) Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk,...
2 months ago
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2 months 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 #18 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are so nearly complete. We have a reshaped roundabout, we...
a month ago
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a month 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
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
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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
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
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
London's largest square What's London's largest square? covered that. I reckon it's this. And you're right, it's not...
a month ago
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a month 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
Count 2025 During February 2003 on diamond geezer I kept myself busy by counting things. Ten different counts,...
a month ago
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a month 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
Four-in-one Four questions for the price of one How did this Prius end up in Clapton Pond? It smashed...
a month ago
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a month 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
Unblogged March 1965 Unblogged things I did in March 1965 I wasn't around at the start of March 1965, I was lurking...
a month ago
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a month 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
60 I have somehow reached the age of 60 and I'm not sure how I feel about that. 60 is a milestone...
a month ago
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a month 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
Three-in-one Three questions for the price of one Are repairs underway at Bow Road's gentlemen's...
a month ago
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a month 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
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
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...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Ode to an Annual Travelcard Ode to an Annual Travelcard I bought my first Annual Travelcard in 2001 when I moved to London....
a month ago
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a month 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
Unblogged February 28 unblogged things I did in February Sat 1: London Estates: Modernist Council Housing 1946–1981 is...
a month ago
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a month 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
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
Five-in-one Five questions for the price of one What does the bottom of the Thames look like? You can't see...
a month ago
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a month 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
SL11 Yesterday TfL launched a consultation for the introduction of the next Superloop route, the SL11,...
a month ago
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a month 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
SimplyFresh E3 Hyperlocal update: New supermarket comes to E3 SimplyFresh, specifically to Bromley-by-Bow. Which...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
BL1 It's time to extend the Superloop, on this occasion with a rail replacement bus. Welcome to the...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Accursed passports Yesterday was the accursed day when I renewed my passport. Accursed because it's not expired but I...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
The Mousetrap The Mousetrap is the play that refuses to die. It's also an iconic part of London's cultural...
a month ago
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a month 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
Compressor Square 45 45 Squared 9) COMPRESSOR SQUARE, E16 Borough of Newham, 50m×30m National Street Gazetteer so it...
a month ago
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a month 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
Chatty Cabins Over the years I've blogged about numerous contrived campaigns to encourage usage of the Dangleway,...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Route 118 RIP London's next dead bus 118: Morden to Brixton Location: south London Length of journey: 9 miles, 55...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Birthday round-up A selection of thoughts from Sunday 1) I only received 5 birthday cards this year, most of them...
a month ago
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a month 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
Halliday Square 45 45 Squared 8) HALLIDAY SQUARE, UB2 Borough of Ealing, 70m×30m Halliday Square because it's...
a month ago
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a month 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
Four Sunday morning markets Four Sunday morning markets Columbia Road Market Columbia Road anytime but only on Sunday mornings...
a month ago
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a month 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
Mortgramit Square 45 45 Squared 4) MORTGRAMIT SQUARE, SE18 Borough of Greenwich, 130m Though much of central...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Route 60 Route 60: Streatham to Old Coulsdon Location: London south, outer Length of bus journey: 12 miles,...
3 weeks ago
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3 weeks 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
TfL website Status page The TfL website last underwent a thorough design upgrade in 2014 and hasn't changed much since,...
2 weeks ago
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2 weeks ago
The TfL website last underwent a thorough design upgrade in 2014 and hasn't changed much since, template-wise. But times move on, not least the increased necessity for accessible responsive design, so a change is arguably long overdue. And here we go... I think it's just the...
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...
3 weeks ago
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3 weeks 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
Hopper fares The Hopper fare was introduced in September 2016, allowing bus and tram passengers to take one extra...
a month ago
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a month 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
Sadler's Wells East The cultural line-up on the East Bank continues to expand. UAL opened their College of Fashion...
2 months ago
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2 months 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...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Year of the Snake Head to Chinatown or Trafalgar Square today and you can celebrate Chinese New Year with dancing,...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Denton and Reddish South The least used station in Britain: DENTON Greater Manchester The problem thus isn't Denton's...
3 weeks ago
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3 weeks 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
the Imbecilic Duff-Coded Screen of Digital Quicksand I never expected applying for my 60+ Oyster Photocard would be so impractically sluggishly...
4 weeks ago
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4 weeks 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
Bow Roundabout update #19 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are complete and traffic is flowing freely again....
a month ago
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a month 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
Stockport Gadabout: STOCKPORT Stockport is a former textile town on the Lancashire/Cheshire border, since...
3 weeks ago
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3 weeks 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
Unblogged January 31 unblogged things I did in January Wed 1: I spent New Year at home for a change watching the...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Old Coulsdon (this is the follow-up post to tomorrow's ride on my birthday bus route) Old Coulsdon, it's like...
3 weeks ago
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3 weeks 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
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...
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a month 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
London Wetland Centre I'm a firm believer that if you wait long enough a lot of expensive places can eventually be visited...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Another unfocused pot pourri of stuff Thank you for your comments yesterday. I hoped for 100 comments and you actually left 144! Perhaps...
a month ago
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a month 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
Central Square 45 45 Squared 5) CENTRAL SQUARE, NW11 Borough of Barnet, 180m×100m Hampstead Garden Suburb, one of...
2 months ago
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2 months 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...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Reduced admission for older people Many London attractions offer cheaper tickets to older people. Reduced admission at age 60 33% off...
4 weeks ago
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4 weeks 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
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
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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
Bow Roundabout update #14 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout, which were supposed to have finished by now, have not...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
The Count 2025 For twenty-two consecutive Februaries on diamond geezer I've kept myself busy by counting things....
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Moon 742 The full moon was particularly fine last night. The average human lifespan is very close to 1000...
a month ago
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a month 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
Extremities I've been testing the extremities of my new 60+ Oyster card. The most northerly station you can...
3 weeks ago
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3 weeks 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
Bow Roundabout update #13 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout continue, now more obviously because the hi-vis workforce...
2 months ago
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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
Benefits to getting older There are benefits to getting older. At 60 Senior Railcard 60+ Oyster card (London residents...
4 weeks ago
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4 weeks 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
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...
a month ago
11
a month 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
The 100 comments challenge The 100 comments challenge Can we get 100 comments on today's post, which is full of burning issues...
a month ago
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a month 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
Unblogged March 31 unblogged things I did in March Sat 1: The world is still reverberating after Trump and Vance...
2 weeks ago
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2 weeks ago
31 unblogged things I did in March Sat 1: The world is still reverberating after Trump and Vance admonished Zelensky in the White House yesterday, and you can sense that 2025 is going to be a turning point in geopolitical history but not in a good way. Sun 2: Fish and Ships, the...
diamond geezer
Route R6 RIP London's next dead bus R6: Orpington to St Mary Cray Location: southeast London, outer Length of...
2 weeks ago
11
2 weeks 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...
diamond geezer
Tredegar Square 45 45 Squared 10) TREDEGAR SQUARE, E3 Borough of Tower Hamlets, 90m×80m * masterpiece, a quadrangle...
a month ago
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a month 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
March 2025 eclipse Tomorrow is partial solar eclipse day, peaking at 11:03am in London. The eclipse will be visible...
2 weeks ago
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2 weeks ago
Tomorrow is partial solar eclipse day, peaking at 11:03am in London. The eclipse will be visible across northwest Europe, peaking in eastern Canada where 92% of the solar disc will be obscured. In London it's 31%. Nova Scotia 80%, Reykjavik 68%, Stornoway 47%, Glasgow 42%,...
diamond geezer
post-Stockport housekeeping 10 items of post-Stockport housekeeping 100 largest towns and cities by population. At the start of...
3 weeks ago
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3 weeks 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
Annoyance I got home yesterday after watching the eclipse, put the kettle on and opened up my laptop. No...
2 weeks ago
10
2 weeks ago
I got home yesterday after watching the eclipse, put the kettle on and opened up my laptop. No internet. Well that's annoying, I thought. My BT Hub was displaying the dreaded red ring of doom, a bit like an eclipse in itself, and rebooting it didn't help. OK that's more...
diamond geezer
Non-folded e-bikes From Monday e-bikes will be banned from TfL services because they pose a fire risk. From next...
2 weeks ago
10
2 weeks ago
From Monday e-bikes will be banned from TfL services because they pose a fire risk. From next week that won't be allowed and e-bikes will have to stay at street level, protecting passengers from the dangers of potential conflagration. It's bad news for Londoners who've bought...
diamond geezer
Watch Out Children About My apologies that today's main posts were for old people. Watch Out Children About This sign...
4 weeks ago
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4 weeks 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
Balgores Square 45 45 Squared 11) BALGORES SQUARE, RM2 Borough of Havering, 110m×30m Romford Garden Suburb was the...
2 weeks ago
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2 weeks ago
45 45 Squared 11) BALGORES SQUARE, RM2 Borough of Havering, 110m×30m Romford Garden Suburb was the brainchild of Liberal politician Herbert Raphael who in 1909 offered up his estate at Gidea Hall "to provide families with a well-built, modern home regardless of class or status"....
diamond geezer
National Trust reopening dates When are London's National Trust houses reopening for 2025? 13 Feb: Eastbury Manor House 14 Feb:...
2 months ago
10
2 months 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
Estimated fix time Estimated fix time: Tue 01/04/2025 at 19:00 then Estimated fix time: Sorry we can't provide a fix...
2 weeks ago
10
2 weeks ago
Estimated fix time: Tue 01/04/2025 at 19:00 then Estimated fix time: Sorry we can't provide a fix date at the moment. Please check again later. then Estimated fix time: Mon 31/03/2025 at 02:34 then Estimated fix time: Sorry we can't provide a fix date at the moment. Please check...
diamond geezer
What you missed Some of the places I've been since my broadband disappeared a week ago BestMate's sofa: 45 minutes...
a week ago
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a week ago
Some of the places I've been since my broadband disappeared a week ago BestMate's sofa: 45 minutes of proper broadband and I managed to catch up on all sorts of things, including adding the photos and links to Unblogged March which was previously bereft. Bank: I'm always amazed...
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...
2 months ago
10
2 months 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
Dover to Deal Dover to Deal (10 miles) Dover is a town most people pass through, a swirl of traffic converging...
a week ago
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a week ago
Dover to Deal (10 miles) Dover is a town most people pass through, a swirl of traffic converging on a mighty seaport, but also a historic town in its own right primed for national defence. I was merely passing through, launching off through the more ordinary side of town where...
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 month ago
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a month 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
Broadband update After waking up yesterday I checked my router in case my broadband had restarted overnight. Still...
a week ago
9
a week ago
After waking up yesterday I checked my router in case my broadband had restarted overnight. Still red, so no. "We wanted you to know that the fault you reported to us is now fixed. Please turn your router off and on, and your service should be fully...
diamond geezer
Unchosen Overground line names Unchosen Overground line names an excellent scoop yesterday by publishing the longlist of names...
3 weeks ago
9
3 weeks 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
TfL FoI requests from March 2025 25 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in March 2025 1) On average the seat moquette on a New...
2 weeks ago
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2 weeks ago
25 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in March 2025 1) On average the seat moquette on a New Routemaster bus lasts 7.3 years before replacement. Used moquette is recycled by foreign aid charities. 2) Only 0.003% of Elizabeth Line journeys result in Delay Repay payments even...
diamond geezer
Route 129 Route 129: Lewisham to Gallions Reach Location: London southeast, crossriver Length of bus journey:...
a week ago
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a week ago
Route 129: Lewisham to Gallions Reach Location: London southeast, crossriver Length of bus journey: 9 miles, 70 minutes 129 has been searching for a purpose ever since it was introduced as a stumpy three mile route in 2006. The original idea was to connect the new Millennium...
diamond geezer
Filling holes One of the key drivers behind London’s bus network is that 95% of the population should live within...
2 weeks ago
8
2 weeks ago
One of the key drivers behind London’s bus network is that 95% of the population should live within 400m of a bus route. There are indeed very few residential holes, at least with any significant population, as I documented in a past post called “Where in London is furthest from...
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in March 2025 25 things we (genuinely) learnt from TfL FoI requests in March 2025 1) Only two refurbished Central...
2 weeks ago
8
2 weeks ago
25 things we (genuinely) learnt from TfL FoI requests in March 2025 1) Only two refurbished Central line trains have so far entered service. Three more are planned to enter service by January 2026. The overall programme is planned to complete in 2029. 2) Seat cushions on...
diamond geezer
Travel options from North Greenwich pre-1897 late 19th century Blackwall Tunnel (→ Blackwall 1897) early 20th century 58 tram (→...
a week ago
7
a week ago
pre-1897 late 19th century Blackwall Tunnel (→ Blackwall 1897) early 20th century 58 tram (→ Lewisham, Camberwell, Victoria) 108 bus (→ Bromley-by-Bow, → Crystal Palace 1934) mid 20th century 108A bus (→ Bromley-by-Bow, → Eltham, 1944-1968) 185 bus (replacement for 58 tram...
diamond geezer
Housekeeping Broadband update Abbreviated version: Hurrah, my broadband finally started working again yesterday...
a week ago
6
a week ago
Broadband update Abbreviated version: Hurrah, my broadband finally started working again yesterday afternoon. I had eleven days without. What happened: A couple of Saturdays ago a fibre optic cabre somewhere in Mile End failed. Before dawn on Monday Openreach sent an engineer...
diamond geezer
Flickr +20 Twenty years ago today I posted my first photo to Flickr. I'd been to Lewisham for the day as part...
a week ago
6
a week ago
Twenty years ago today I posted my first photo to Flickr. I'd been to Lewisham for the day as part of my Random Borough project and thought you deserved to see 13 of the better pictures in greater-than-microscopic size. For my inaugural upload I picked the ever-photogenic Laban...
diamond geezer
Trinity Church Square 45 45 Squared 12) TRINITY CHURCH SQUARE, SE1 Borough of Southwark, 75m×60m garden square fronted by...
6 days ago
6
6 days ago
45 45 Squared 12) TRINITY CHURCH SQUARE, SE1 Borough of Southwark, 75m×60m garden square fronted by Georgian terraces, although you can't go in the garden unless you're a resident because it's one of those. Trinity Church Square lies just off Borough High Street, and is accessed...
diamond geezer
The Silvertown Tunnel opens The Silvertown Tunnel opened this morning. comments if(postComments['199122220152314'] !=...
a week ago
6
a week ago
The Silvertown Tunnel opened this morning. comments if(postComments['199122220152314'] != null){document.write(' (' + postComments['199122220152314'] + ')')}else{document.write(' p(0)')}; (I'm only interested if the answer is 'Yes') I have also had the entire top deck to...
diamond geezer
Stoneleigh One Stop Beyond: Stoneleigh In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater London...
5 days ago
5
5 days ago
One Stop Beyond: Stoneleigh In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater London boundary, getting off and seeing what's there. Today that means Stoneleigh, one stop beyond Worcester Park on the line between Wimbledon and Epsom. For positioning purposes it's...
diamond geezer
It was nearly Easter Sunday today It was nearly Easter Sunday today. Easter, as you may know, is the first Sunday after the full moon...
4 days ago
4
4 days ago
It was nearly Easter Sunday today. Easter, as you may know, is the first Sunday after the full moon after the spring equinox. First Council of Nicaea set the rules for determining the date of Easter. spring equinox was always on 21st March, even when it wasn't. 2019 it made four...
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #20 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are complete, indeed were completed five weeks ago apart...
3 days ago
4
3 days ago
The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are complete, indeed were completed five weeks ago apart from the opening of the contraflow beneath the flyover. Now it seems this filter lane won't be opening until later in 2025 while TfL "complete more works to protect the structure,"...
diamond geezer
How it unfolded A couple of weeks ago when e-bikes were banned from TfL services, we mused on what TfL's...
2 days ago
3
2 days ago
A couple of weeks ago when e-bikes were banned from TfL services, we mused on what TfL's announcement might be. • All types of e-bike, e-scooter and e-unicycle are banned except foldable e-bikes. We now have TfL's wording which you can see on this poster. Big letters: No...
diamond geezer
The £5 pint I saw this poster outside a bar in Hackney. I can do a very rough check of beer prices in London...
2 days ago
2
2 days ago
I saw this poster outside a bar in Hackney. I can do a very rough check of beer prices in London by scrolling back through this blog. • At the 2012 Olympics a pint of lager cost £4.80. 2016 I cringed when a bottle of Becks cost £5.25. 2019 a pint of lager cost £5.95 and I...
diamond geezer
The Square 45 45 Squared 13) THE SQUARE, UB7 Borough of Hillingdon, 40m entire village is pencilled in for...
20 hours ago
2
20 hours ago
45 45 Squared 13) THE SQUARE, UB7 Borough of Hillingdon, 40m entire village is pencilled in for demolition, every last building, because we're just outside Heathrow Airport and a Third Runway is coming. Longford, a key staging point on the old route to the West Country. It's...