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diamond geezer

diamond geezer
TfL 25 Happy Birthday to TfL, who are 25 years old today. Celebrations started in January with a panoply...
10 hours ago
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10 hours ago
Happy Birthday to TfL, who are 25 years old today. Celebrations started in January with a panoply of posters highlighting past successes, also scattered silver roundels reminding Londoners that Every Journey Matters. But the actual birthday is today, a founding date shared...
diamond geezer
Golden Square 45 45 Squared 23) GOLDEN SQUARE, W1 Borough of Westminster, 60m×60m central well-ish-known one for a...
yesterday
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yesterday
45 45 Squared 23) GOLDEN SQUARE, W1 Borough of Westminster, 60m×60m central well-ish-known one for a change. Golden Square is one of Soho's largest public spaces, mainly due to a lack of public spaces rather than being particularly large. It lies east of Regent Street and...
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in June 2025 20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in June 2025 1) Between April 2021 and March 2025, a fire...
yesterday
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yesterday
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in June 2025 1) Between April 2021 and March 2025, a fire alarm was activated at tube stations on 1102 occasions. 2) The final cost of installing lifts at Harrow-on-the-Hill station was £18.8m. This figure includes design and...
diamond geezer
Unblogged June 30 unblogged things I did in June Sun 1: My Dad hasn't had any answerphone messages for three weeks...
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30 unblogged things I did in June Sun 1: My Dad hasn't had any answerphone messages for three weeks since BT switched him to Digital Voice, the internet-based phone connection. We tried to work out why this might be, and were surprised/shocked to discover that as part of the...
diamond geezer
A London loop A Nice Walk: A London Loop (6 miles) Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk, nothing too...
3 days ago
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3 days ago
A Nice Walk: A London Loop (6 miles) Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk, nothing too taxing, leafy shade, river valleys, wildlife-adjacent, pretty views, a bit of heritage, a bit of a stroll, won't take all day. So here's a scenic loop some distance from the centre of...
diamond geezer
Last week in photos Last week in photos (all clickable) Sunday It opened in 2011 with a futuristic flourish and it...
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Last week in photos (all clickable) Sunday It opened in 2011 with a futuristic flourish and it closed in 2022 after an arson attack over Hallowe'en weekend. Two youths were arrested but nobody's ever been charged. 2½ years later everything's still behind barriers, even the...
diamond geezer
ChatGPT's London Quiz I wondered whether ChatGPT would be able to come up with a good London quiz, so I asked it...
5 days ago
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5 days ago
I wondered whether ChatGPT would be able to come up with a good London quiz, so I asked it for...  A difficult quiz about London (10 questions) where all the questions have seven words or fewer  1. Oldest pub in London? I told it this was a poor, ambiguous quiz and proceeded...
diamond geezer
Tour of the rest of London I toured London again today. Bromley the search perimeter was ready and waiting, Variety Coach 5418...
6 days ago
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6 days ago
I toured London again today. Bromley the search perimeter was ready and waiting, Variety Coach 5418 drove down the hill, the man at the water fountain spotted four police cars and told me he hoped several chidren had been hurt ("they're all devils at that school"), the recycling...
diamond geezer
Tour of London I toured London yesterday. Barking and Dagenham I thought OK that's quite enough, I should probably...
6 days ago
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6 days ago
I toured London yesterday. Barking and Dagenham I thought OK that's quite enough, I should probably go home now. Barnet the hotel was still heavily promoting a wedding fair they held in March 2022. Bexley I admired the two Empathy Revolution elephants placed there by...
diamond geezer
The news from Havering The news from Havering (black holes, Schrodinger's bus and thatched rabbits) roundabout in north...
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a week ago
The news from Havering (black holes, Schrodinger's bus and thatched rabbits) roundabout in north Havering has closed to traffic for 12 weeks. It is an almighty constriction. Gallows Corner flyover can be strengthened, even made safe for HGVs, safeguarding it for the next 60...
diamond geezer
geezer's mailbox Thank you for the emails you've been sending. Tom emailed on 16th January. ✉ Not sure if you have...
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a week ago
Thank you for the emails you've been sending. Tom emailed on 16th January. ✉ Not sure if you have come across the National Archives’ 2023 competition on stories from 1920s streets, but it seems completely in your zone. The only thing that would have made this article better...
diamond geezer
Thamesmead by DLR Yesterday TfL launched a consultation proposing an extension of the DLR to Thamesmead. And not just...
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a week ago
Yesterday TfL launched a consultation proposing an extension of the DLR to Thamesmead. And not just "we think it would be a good idea to extend the DLR to Thamesmead" because they did that consultation last year. This is the proper full-on version including where the stations...
diamond geezer
Extreme bus stops Ten years ago I visited (and blogged about) London's most extreme bus stops - that's the most...
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a week ago
Ten years ago I visited (and blogged about) London's most extreme bus stops - that's the most northerly, easterly, southerly and westerly bus stops inside the Greater London boundary. But TfL's reach spreads wider than that so today I'm going one better, to the most northerly,...
diamond geezer
Ferry Square 45 45 Squared 22) FERRY SQUARE, TW8 Borough of Hounslow, 40m×20m square's in old Brentford, inasmuch...
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45 45 Squared 22) FERRY SQUARE, TW8 Borough of Hounslow, 40m×20m square's in old Brentford, inasmuch as old Brentford still exists, although all its buildings have somehow survived the recent cleansing of the riverside. The ferry in question was a horse ferry to Kew, an important...
diamond geezer
Hyperlocal news in brief Hyperlocal news in brief 1) As of yesterday the 205 bus goes to Marble Arch rather than Paddington....
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a week ago
Hyperlocal news in brief 1) As of yesterday the 205 bus goes to Marble Arch rather than Paddington. This means you can now get a bus to the end of Oxford Street from both sides of Bow Church. Route 205 starts from Bus Stop J and goes to the western end, and route 8 starts from...
diamond geezer
Hendon to Mill Hill A Nice Walk: Hendon to Mill Hill (3 miles) Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk, nothing...
a week ago
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A Nice Walk: Hendon to Mill Hill (3 miles) Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk, nothing too taxing, bit of heritage, proper healthy, municipal-focused, hilltop views, football-related, flying balls, disused railway bridge, a bit of a stroll, won't take long. So here's...
diamond geezer
The shortest night Tomorrow is the summer solstice (3:42am BST).   Date    Sunrise   Day length   Sunset  Night...
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Tomorrow is the summer solstice (3:42am BST).   Date    Sunrise   Day length   Sunset  Night length Jun 1504:42:1316h37m54s21:20:077h22m03s Jun 1604:42:1016h38m24s21:20:347h21m35s Jun 1704:42:0916h38m50s21:20:597h21m13s Jun 1804:42:1216h39m08s21:21:207h20m57s Jun...
diamond geezer
Walking London's boroughs WALK LONDON London borough walks (on London borough websites) who else will? 2008, then again in...
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WALK LONDON London borough walks (on London borough websites) who else will? 2008, then again in 2012, then again in 2016, then again at the start of 2021. Four years on, the majority of these borough websites have upgraded. A few have merely reorganised, breaking previous links....
diamond geezer
Dangleway cabins with glass floors An extraordinary thing has happened at the cablecar. The bottom of the cabin has been removed and...
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An extraordinary thing has happened at the cablecar. The bottom of the cabin has been removed and replaced with what I assume is an impressively chunky sheet of glass. It's not a small window, it's pretty much the entire floor, allowing a completely new perspective on a flight...
diamond geezer
Thames Ditton One Stop Beyond: Thames Ditton In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater...
2 weeks ago
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One Stop Beyond: Thames Ditton 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 Thames Ditton, one stop beyond Surbiton on the Hampton Court line. Obviously it's beside the Thames, in this case...
diamond geezer
All the stations I have been to all the stations in London. It's a lot of stations. I'm including tube, DLR,...
2 weeks ago
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I have been to all the stations in London. It's a lot of stations. I'm including tube, DLR, Overground, Crossrail and all National Rail services, even trams, and that's why it's quite so many stations. Also when I say 'been to' I mean properly used, not just passed through on...
diamond geezer
Sounds Of The Late 60s Observation: The music played on Sounds of the 70s on Radio 2 isn't what it was when Johnnie Walker...
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Observation: The music played on Sounds of the 70s on Radio 2 isn't what it was when Johnnie Walker was in the chair. Hunch: Bob Harris is playing older, gutarrier records. Hypothesis: He plays more records from the first half of the 1970s than the second half. Research: I...
diamond geezer
241 to Here East Route 241: Royal Wharf to Hackney Wick (Here East) Location: London east, cross-Newham Length of bus...
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Route 241: Royal Wharf to Hackney Wick (Here East) Location: London east, cross-Newham Length of bus journey: 8 miles, 50 minutes route 241 was extended from Stratford City into the Olympic Park. No fuss was made, no hordes descended. Buses which would normally have terminated...
diamond geezer
The news from Watford The news from Watford Here's some news from Watford in insufficient detail, some of which I could...
2 weeks ago
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The news from Watford Here's some news from Watford in insufficient detail, some of which I could have written more about, one of which I might return to and one of which I definitely will. • Watford has a new website encouraging you to visit Watford, live in Watford and move...
diamond geezer
I've been to see some art I've been to see some art. Serpentine Galleries Giuseppe Penone: Thoughts in the Roots (until 7...
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I've been to see some art. Serpentine Galleries Giuseppe Penone: Thoughts in the Roots (until 7 September) [exhibition guide] Arpita Singh: Remembering (until 27 July) Serpentine Pavilion 2025 by Marina Tabassum (until 26 September) medical capsule, much enlarged, chopped up...
diamond geezer
The Banstead Loop If you ever fancy a cheap excursion into Surrey by train, all without travelling beyond zone 6, try...
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If you ever fancy a cheap excursion into Surrey by train, all without travelling beyond zone 6, try the Banstead Loop. It's not technically a loop, you have to get off and walk in the middle, also that's not an official name (it just passes through what used to be Banstead...
diamond geezer
Indie News Week It's Indie News Week, which I know because I picked up a copy of this month's Enfield Dispatch and...
3 weeks ago
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It's Indie News Week, which I know because I picked up a copy of this month's Enfield Dispatch and it's on the back page. The Public Interest News Foundation have thus launched an awareness-raising/crowdfunding campaign for independent news - slogan No New Is Bad News - and 30...
diamond geezer
Northampton Square 45 45 Squared 21) NORTHAMPTON SQUARE, EC1 Borough of Islington, 70m×60m square at the quieter end of...
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45 45 Squared 21) NORTHAMPTON SQUARE, EC1 Borough of Islington, 70m×60m square at the quieter end of Clerkenwell, half of it old and half new, and all a bit on the wonk. It's tucked away in the slice of streets between St John's Road and Goswell Road, somewhere between Angel and...
diamond geezer
Bakerloop and beyond In April 2024 Sadiq Khan proposed introducing an express 'Bakerloop' bus route in lieu of a Bakerloo...
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In April 2024 Sadiq Khan proposed introducing an express 'Bakerloop' bus route in lieu of a Bakerloo line extension. It was part of a proposed doubling of the Superloop network. BL1: Waterloo → Elephant & Castle → Burgess Park → Old Kent Road → New Cross Gate → Lewisham January...
diamond geezer
carpe Solis When June comes round a heck of a lot of events happen. Temperatures are up, daylight's almost at...
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When June comes round a heck of a lot of events happen. Temperatures are up, daylight's almost at its max, the sun should be out and it pays to make the most of these optimum conditions. Some pencil in July or August, but an awful lot of diary organisers flick no further than...
diamond geezer
One photo from each day last week One photo from each day last week Sunday 1st June - Carshalton Beeches This is a bakery in...
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One photo from each day last week Sunday 1st June - Carshalton Beeches This is a bakery in Beeches Avenue, Carshalton Beeches, called The Bakery. It looks old and if you were trying to guess how old it is you might well use the 0181 phone number to date it somewhere between...
diamond geezer
Dull transport news Dull transport news If you want a weekly summary of rail-related transport news, Ian Visits and...
3 weeks ago
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Dull transport news If you want a weekly summary of rail-related transport news, Ian Visits and London Reconnections have you covered every Friday. I'm here with a much less interesting Saturday round-up of London's less newsworthy dregs, some of them not even about trains. 🚡...
diamond geezer
Four things I wrote 50 years ago Four things I wrote 50 years ago You may have had something similar, a small notebook used to...
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Four things I wrote 50 years ago You may have had something similar, a small notebook used to record the spellings you needed checking when you were writing something in class. If we had a query we'd go and queue at Miss Green's desk and she'd tell you what the spelling was...
diamond geezer
Station Square 45 45 Squared 20) STATION SQUARE, BR5 Borough of Bromley, 90m×60m Why this one? I had ten minutes in...
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45 45 Squared 20) STATION SQUARE, BR5 Borough of Bromley, 90m×60m Why this one? I had ten minutes in Petts Wood yesterday between trains and there it was. Why the name? It's a square immediately beside the station. Is it square? Hell no, it's more a trapezium with two long sides...
diamond geezer
Initial Silvertown data TfL are holding a Board meeting next week, and amidst the 252 pages of documentation are these...
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TfL are holding a Board meeting next week, and amidst the 252 pages of documentation are these statistics and revelations relating to usage of the Silvertown Tunnel thus far. Let's bash some figures. Early analysis of data up to 11 May shows traffic volumes across the combined...
diamond geezer
Merstham One Stop Beyond: Merstham In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater London...
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One Stop Beyond: Merstham 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 Merstham, one stop beyond Coulsdon South on the Brighton line. For positioning purposes it lies at the foot of the...
diamond geezer
Little Holland House London's Lovely Bits: LITTLE HOLLAND HOUSE Location: 40 Beeches Avenue, Carshalton SM5 3LW...
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London's Lovely Bits: LITTLE HOLLAND HOUSE Location: 40 Beeches Avenue, Carshalton SM5 3LW [map] Open: 11am-5pm (1st Sunday of the month ONLY) Admission: free Website: friendsofhoneywood.co.uk/little-holland-house.html Virtual visit: video/3D walkaround Four word summary:...
diamond geezer
Mr MapGrump says Mr MapGrump @mrmapgrump the new tube map? Have you SEEN what they've done with it now?! They've...
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Mr MapGrump @mrmapgrump the new tube map? Have you SEEN what they've done with it now?! They've buggered Bond Street. And now it looks like this. Words FAIL me! And all because someone couldn't resist asking "wouldn't it be better if...?" » Only the Elizabeth line gets...
diamond geezer
New TfL walking maps TfL have issued two new maps based on that perennial question, is it better to walk? Both were...
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TfL have issued two new maps based on that perennial question, is it better to walk? Both were released as part of National Walking Month. Mr MapGrump @mrmapgrump They've knocked up a West End map and a City map rather than attempting to sprawl across all of central London...
diamond geezer
V&A East Storehouse This is Blythe House, a monumental Edwardian office block round the back of the Olympia exhibition...
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This is Blythe House, a monumental Edwardian office block round the back of the Olympia exhibition centre. Swindon, the British Museum are off to Reading and the V&A shifted their repository to the Olympic Park... opening yesterday. New in E20: V&A East Storehouse Location:...
diamond geezer
Unblogged May 31 unblogged things I did in May Thu 1: After seeing the bluebells BestMate drove us on to Maldon....
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31 unblogged things I did in May Thu 1: After seeing the bluebells BestMate drove us on to Maldon. We watched the tide coming in, visibly, admired the sailing boats and stood by the squidgy creek at the point where the annual Mud Race would be taking place at the weekend. It...
diamond geezer
Great West Road 100 One of west London's most important roads is 100 years old today, the Brentford By-Pass or as it's...
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One of west London's most important roads is 100 years old today, the Brentford By-Pass or as it's better known the Great West Road. Hounslow council are making a big thing of it. The new dual carriageway swept through fields and parkland to the north of Brentford and...
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in May 2025 25 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in May 2025 1) Last year 712 trips and falls were...
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25 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in May 2025 1) Last year 712 trips and falls were reported on the stairs of buses in London, of which 52% led to a minor injury and 3% led to a serious injury. 2) The paint codes used to coat the exterior of tube rolling stock are RAL...
diamond geezer
London's Natural Landscape Hierarchy London's Natural Landscape Hierarchy National Parks National Nature Reserves Richmond Park: Charles...
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London's Natural Landscape Hierarchy National Parks National Nature Reserves Richmond Park: Charles I's royal hunting park, an enormous roamable oasis of ancient woods and wide-open grasslands, perhaps best known for its historic herds of deer but also home to a multitude of...
diamond geezer
Switch on to Capitalcard Back in January I spotted an original 40 year-old poster at Leytonstone station. "I hope someone...
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Back in January I spotted an original 40 year-old poster at Leytonstone station. "I hope someone preserves it," I wrote, and what do you know they have! It now has a secure glass frame across the front and also one of the London Transport Museum's blue heritage posters...
diamond geezer
Marwood Square 45 45 Squared 19) MARWOOD SQUARE, N10 Borough of Haringey, 120m×90m just north of Highgate Wood in...
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45 45 Squared 19) MARWOOD SQUARE, N10 Borough of Haringey, 120m×90m just north of Highgate Wood in the hinterland between Finchley and Muswell Hill, sometimes known as Fortis Green. It's relatively new with old bits, and occupies the final site of a former hospital that started...
diamond geezer
London Football Update London Football Update Premier League 2024-25 2nd Arsenal 4th Chelsea 10th Brentford 11th...
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London Football Update Premier League 2024-25 2nd Arsenal 4th Chelsea 10th Brentford 11th Fulham 12th Crystal Palace 14th West Ham United 17th Tottenham Hotspur Chelsea had an excellent year, ending the season two places higher than last year and qualifying for Europe and...
diamond geezer
Leeds Castle A Grand Day Out: LEEDS CASTLE Location: nr Maidstone, Kent, ME17 [map] Open: 10am-6pm Admission:...
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A Grand Day Out: LEEDS CASTLE Location: nr Maidstone, Kent, ME17 [map] Open: 10am-6pm Admission: £36.50 (£33 online) House open: 10.30am-5pm Website: leeds-castle.com Four word summary: moated glory amid parkland Time to allow: all day Kent, not Yorkshire, about five miles east...
diamond geezer
Rail renationalisation lists Rail renationalisation lists The key minute 1:59am: South Western Railway is a privately-owned...
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Rail renationalisation lists The key minute 1:59am: South Western Railway is a privately-owned company 2:00am: South Western Railway is a government-owned company Already-nationalised rail services 2018: London North Eastern Railway (formerly Virgin Trains East Coast)...
diamond geezer
Bonesgate Stream THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON Bonesgate Stream Malden Rushett → Chessington → Tolworth (4...
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THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON Bonesgate Stream Malden Rushett → Chessington → Tolworth (4 miles) Bonesgate Stream is the river which drains this elongated extrusion, from a field in sight of Chessington World of Adventures to a rewilded channel on the Watersedge Estate. Most of it...
diamond geezer
Untold I went out yesterday morning, inspired by something I'd read, and visited somewhere on the other...
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I went out yesterday morning, inspired by something I'd read, and visited somewhere on the other side of London. When I got there I had a quick look round and took some photos. And I haven't told anyone else about it. One thing about living by yourself is that there's nobody...
diamond geezer
London's three fare scales Ever since contactless travel became the norm, people have got used to swanning round London without...
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Ever since contactless travel became the norm, people have got used to swanning round London without knowing what their journey costs. Swipe, travel, swipe, and somewhere around four the next morning your bank balance is adjusted by the requisite total. The capital's fare system...
diamond geezer
Emerson Park redux On Monday I spotted that the Liberty line signage at Emerson Park had never been unpeeled. blogged...
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On Monday I spotted that the Liberty line signage at Emerson Park had never been unpeeled. blogged about it. Result, thanks.
diamond geezer
33 facts you never knew about London's boroughs 33 facts you never knew about London's boroughs Barking and Dagenham: Barking and Dagenham has the...
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33 facts you never knew about London's boroughs Barking and Dagenham: Barking and Dagenham has the highest proportion of overweight 11 year-olds in London [data] Barnet: Barnet has 60 miles of 'A' Roads, more than any other London borough [data] Bexley: 1.6% of Bexley residents...
diamond geezer
Local news I've battled the pop-ups to bring you this list of important stories from local news websites,...
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I've battled the pop-ups to bring you this list of important stories from local news websites, county by county. Bedfordshire: "Idiotic" driver crashes after showing off during car meet Berkshire: Independent pasta restaurant changes its name after one year Bristol: 'Bonkers'...
diamond geezer
All the Overgrounds How long would it take to ride all the Overground lines? I gave it a go, and I started in the...
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How long would it take to ride all the Overground lines? I gave it a go, and I started in the obvious place. Intermission two members of staff on duty, one sweeping the platforms and the other holed up in his kiosk in case any situation transpired that required his...
diamond geezer
Time Out are liars - official Time Out are liars - official blogpost highlighting Time Out's tendency to lift research from...
a month ago
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Time Out are liars - official blogpost highlighting Time Out's tendency to lift research from dubious sources and then claim the information is 'official'. They did it again yesterday in a piece called "It’s official: 6 of the UK’s dirtiest beaches for water quality are near...
diamond geezer
205 to Marble Arch TfL are chopping and changing two more buses in central London, specifically the 30 and 205,...
a month ago
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TfL are chopping and changing two more buses in central London, specifically the 30 and 205, according to the results of a consultation released on Friday. This is despite their proposals receiving the support of less than 5% of respondents and widespread disapproval from all 22...
diamond geezer
Dorset and Devonshire Sorry, couldn't resist. 45 45 Squared 17) DORSET SQUARE, NW1 Borough of Westminster,...
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Sorry, couldn't resist. 45 45 Squared 17) DORSET SQUARE, NW1 Borough of Westminster, 100m×60m Dorset Square is the greenspace you pass if you walk the backroads between Marylebone and Baker Street stations. It's rectangular, Georgian, semi-private and generally unsung, yet...
diamond geezer
Catch-up While I've been preoccupied on the south coast, London has continued unabated. Monday 5th May Red...
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While I've been preoccupied on the south coast, London has continued unabated. Monday 5th May Red Arrows didn't arrive until 2pm. Tuesday 6th May ceramic poppies are back at the Tower of London to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day. However this time there are only...
diamond geezer
Jurassic Coast 1 Jurassic Coast (part 1) The Jurassic Coast is the umbrella name for the shoreline between Exmouth...
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Jurassic Coast (part 1) The Jurassic Coast is the umbrella name for the shoreline between Exmouth and Swanage, renowned for undulating hills, pebble beaches and crumbling cliffs. It's partly in Devon but mostly in Dorset, and famed for its fossils as the wave-lapped rocks...
diamond geezer
Jurassic Coast 2 Jurassic Coast (part 2) Colmer's Hill (50.74°N, 2.79°W) Colmer's Hill. Stand in the town's main...
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Jurassic Coast (part 2) Colmer's Hill (50.74°N, 2.79°W) Colmer's Hill. Stand in the town's main street and its summit is perfectly framed on the near horizon, a silhouette so simplistic it's what a child would draw. Get closer and it looks even better. The hill is an uplift...
diamond geezer
Jurassic Coast 3 Jurassic Coast (part 3) Hive Beach (50.70°N, 2.72°W) Hive Beach just down the coast is much...
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Jurassic Coast (part 3) Hive Beach (50.70°N, 2.72°W) Hive Beach just down the coast is much quieter. It's accessed down the beach road from Burton Bradstock, another picture postcard Dorset village, where a National Trust car park nestles in the sandy gap between two sets of...
diamond geezer
A wedding is a long time in the making A wedding is a long time in the making. A decade in the making, all the way back to the winter of...
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A wedding is a long time in the making. A decade in the making, all the way back to the winter of 2015 when the bride and groom first met. Their academic studies had taken them to the same corner of the country but not to the same city, in one case a last minute decision when...
diamond geezer
Charles Holden 150 Today is the 150th anniversary of the birth of Charles Holden, tube station builder extraordinaire,...
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Today is the 150th anniversary of the birth of Charles Holden, tube station builder extraordinaire, on 12th May 1875. I might have written a full-on 150th birthday post, but I'm still in Dorset following my nephew's wedding and Charles didn't build anything round here. As far...
diamond geezer
Tate Modern 25 Today is the 25th anniversary of Tate Modern being opened by the Queen on 11th May 2000. I might...
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Today is the 25th anniversary of Tate Modern being opened by the Queen on 11th May 2000. I might have written a full-on 25th anniversary post, but my nephew got married yesterday and quite frankly I had better things to do last night. Hopefully it was all brilliant,...
diamond geezer
Tramlink 25 Today is the 25th anniversary of the Croydon trams, which first entered operation on 10th May...
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Today is the 25th anniversary of the Croydon trams, which first entered operation on 10th May 2000. 10 May 2000: route 3 from Croydon to New Addington 23 May 2000: route 2 from Croydon to Beckenham Junction 30 May 2000: route 1 from Elmers End to Wimbledon I was going to...
diamond geezer
On holiday I don't know if you've noticed but I'm on holiday this week. I don't normally go away on holiday so...
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I don't know if you've noticed but I'm on holiday this week. I don't normally go away on holiday so you might have got used to me always being around. But I'm not around at the moment, I am very much away from home, so what you've been reading recently are a number of posts I...
diamond geezer
Seething Wells This would be a good street for an opticians.
a month ago
diamond geezer
The longest journey in a single zone The longest possible journey in a single zone  z1 29 stationsEdgware Road to...
a month ago
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a month ago
The longest possible journey in a single zone  z1 29 stationsEdgware Road to PaddingtonCircle£2.80 z223 stationsStratford to Clapham JunctionMildmay£2.00 z315 stationsStratford International to BecktonDLR£2.00 z412 stationsLeytonstone to Woodford†Central£2.00 z55 stationsWaddon...
diamond geezer
VE Day - 80 years of peace VE Day 1945-2025: eighty years of peace 1946 Greece civil...
a month ago
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a month ago
VE Day 1945-2025: eighty years of peace 1946 Greece civil war 1600001947 India independence 8000001948 Madagascar independence 150001949 China civil war 10000001950 Korea Korean War 3000000 1951 Malaysia civil...
diamond geezer
The bluebell scale The bluebell photo scale 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Score not awarded.
a month ago
diamond geezer
Roding Valley If you want to use the least used tube station, from today you're semi-buggered. You probably...
a month ago
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a month ago
If you want to use the least used tube station, from today you're semi-buggered. You probably don't, it is the least used tube station after all, but the Londoners who live nearby are being inconvenienced even more than normal. RODING VALLEY STATION: From Tuesday 6 May until...
diamond geezer
Square days Today is 5.5.25, a square day. It's also the second time a square day has been a bank...
a month ago
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a month ago
Today is 5.5.25, a square day. It's also the second time a square day has been a bank holiday. 1.1.01 (Monday) century ending with a double-zero year. The reason for this is that there was no year 0, the first century starting in AD 1 and running until AD 100. Thus every...
diamond geezer
Unhidden London UNHIDDEN LONDON - Knightsbridge Step into secret parts of the underground network! An exclusive...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
UNHIDDEN LONDON - Knightsbridge Step into secret parts of the underground network! An exclusive behind the scenes tour exploring time-capsule corridors unseen by the travelling public for decades. For many years the London Transport Museum has run guided tours of secret...
diamond geezer
IKEA Oxford Circus Central London now has an IKEA, right beside Oxford Circus where Top Shop used to be. It opened on...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Central London now has an IKEA, right beside Oxford Circus where Top Shop used to be. It opened on Thursday, a balloon-infested occasion attended by the Mayor because he's very keen to see Oxford Street full of successful businesses again. It brings the number of IKEA stores in...
diamond geezer
Chocolate Digestives Experience The chocolate digestive biscuit, as manufactured aromatically in Harlesden, is 100 years old this...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
The chocolate digestive biscuit, as manufactured aromatically in Harlesden, is 100 years old this year. And to celebrate the centenary McVitie's have opened a pop-up experience in Piccadilly Circus inside a former Barclays bank for one long weekend only. I am not making this...
diamond geezer
St Andrew's/Jubilee Square 45 45 Squared 15) ST ANDREW'S SQUARE, KT6 Borough of Kingston, 100m×60m Surbiton, the quintessential...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
45 45 Squared 15) ST ANDREW'S SQUARE, KT6 Borough of Kingston, 100m×60m Surbiton, the quintessential Surrey suburb, although it's no longer in Surrey and the etymology of 'suburb' and 'Surbiton' are entirely separate. As is so often the case the town owes its existence to the...
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in April 2025 30 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in April 2025 1) There are no current plans to shorten...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
30 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in April 2025 1) There are no current plans to shorten route SL7 to allow for more stops, including Feltham (which is bypassed by the longest gap between stops on a TfL bus route). 2) There are a total of 1928 ULEZ signs. 3)...
diamond geezer
May Days 20 things to do in London in May 2025 1st May: Morris Dancing in Hammersmith/Islington. You've...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
20 things to do in London in May 2025 1st May: Morris Dancing in Hammersmith/Islington. You've already missed Primrose Hill/Greenwich. 1st May: IKEA opens at Oxford Circus. Come walk the flatpack maze and eat meatballs. 1st May: London May Day Rally. Up the workers from...
diamond geezer
Unblogged April 30 unblogged things I did in April Tue 1: I still had no broadband at the start of the month, so my...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
30 unblogged things I did in April Tue 1: I still had no broadband at the start of the month, so my original plan for an April Fool's Day post had to go unimagined. Thankfully I'd already knocked up my monthly FoI round-up before the connection died on Saturday, so a fictional...
diamond geezer
How to get to Stansted Airport Need to get from London to Stansted Airport? A new player has entered the market and it's very...
2 months ago
9
2 months ago
Need to get from London to Stansted Airport? A new player has entered the market and it's very green. Flibco, a Luxembourg-based company taking its first steps in the UK. They operate to airports in Italy, Belgium, Hungary, Spain and 15 other European countries, with the...
diamond geezer
100 things I saw yesterday 100 things I saw while I was out yesterday I should probably write a full blogpost about the green...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
100 things I saw while I was out yesterday I should probably write a full blogpost about the green Flibco bus. The new Lynx premium fragrances are Cherry Spritz, Peach Infusion, Cocoa Velvet and Watermelon Freeze. They join Black Vanilla, Blue Lavender, Aqua Bergamot, Emerald...
diamond geezer
Chipstead One Stop Beyond: Chipstead In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater London...
2 months ago
9
2 months ago
One Stop Beyond: Chipstead 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 Chipstead, one stop beyond Wooodmansterne on the Tattenham Corner line. For positioning purposes it lies southwest of...
diamond geezer
Myddelton House bluebells In late April the seasons move on from pink to blue, from blossom to bells. These then are the...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
In late April the seasons move on from pink to blue, from blossom to bells. These then are the weekends for a bluebell stroll, a rare treat before the flowers fade and summer greens overwhelm all. Myddelton House Gardens in Enfield, so when I found myself nearby yesterday I...
diamond geezer
Filing cabinets 25 years ago today I bought a filing cabinet. It might be useful, I thought, plus I do have a lot of...
2 months ago
10
2 months ago
25 years ago today I bought a filing cabinet. It might be useful, I thought, plus I do have a lot of paper and official documents so it'd be much better to file them away. To be more accurate my parents bought the filing cabinet for me, which was very kind of them, and I treated...
diamond geezer
London's escalatoriest stations London's escalatoriest stations an FoI request last week which revealed all. We learnt that 89...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
London's escalatoriest stations an FoI request last week which revealed all. We learnt that 89 stations maintained by London Underground have escalators, and we learned how many there are at each. Here's the Top 10. 1) BANK/MONUMENT (35 escalators) Also a lot of them are...
diamond geezer
Officially the best Officially the best If you're not following Time Out's newsfeed I worry that you may not be up to...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Officially the best If you're not following Time Out's newsfeed I worry that you may not be up to date with London's official best things. I am therefore delighted to bring you this list of official bests, as churned out by Time Out's social media editors with deadlines to meet...
diamond geezer
A crossword, by George ACROSS             DOWN
2 months ago
diamond geezer
Wallington Square 45 45 Squared 14) WALLINGTON SQUARE, SM6 Borough of Sutton, 130m Wallington, a town halfway between...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
45 45 Squared 14) WALLINGTON SQUARE, SM6 Borough of Sutton, 130m Wallington, a town halfway between Sutton and Croydon which once had its own town hall. Today's square lies just across the road, bang opposite David Weir's gold postbox, and has changed a fair bit over the years....
diamond geezer
The longest possible gap between Bank Holiday Mondays Hurrah it's a Bank Holiday Monday today. n.b. I'm now going to explore whether this is true, Bank...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Hurrah it's a Bank Holiday Monday today. n.b. I'm now going to explore whether this is true, Bank Holiday Mondays are the touchpoints of the English spring and summer, a key time to get out and explore, to hit the beach or the DIY store, a stately home or a garden centre, deep...
diamond geezer
Nowhere Easter This is the Easternmost station in London, which is Upminster. Crazy Beat Records, the Easternmost...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
This is the Easternmost station in London, which is Upminster. Crazy Beat Records, the Easternmost Iceland and the Easternmost library. If you're looking for vinyl, frozen party food or a classic hardback, there's nowhere Easter. Cranham. 2020 when McColls sold up and the...
diamond geezer
10 Routes To The Summit of Box Hill 10 Routes To The Summit of Box Hill 1) Burford Spur Box Hill, the one I keep coming back to, the...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
10 Routes To The Summit of Box Hill 1) Burford Spur Box Hill, the one I keep coming back to, the route with the great views where you get the knackering bit done up front. It kicks off at Burford Bridge by the hotel and the bikers cafe, i.e. all the facilities, then slips...
diamond geezer
South Croxted Road bus shelter This may be the heritage-nerdiest bus stop in London. It's the bus stop at the end of South...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
This may be the heritage-nerdiest bus stop in London. It's the bus stop at the end of South Croxted Road, close to the foot of Gipsy Hill. It's very old, it's locally listed and it's served by buses on route 3. More to the point it has an incredibly detailed information board...
diamond geezer
Down the country lane Down the country lane Scraped-out ditch Speed limit begins Table of eggs for sale Footbridge...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Down the country lane Scraped-out ditch Speed limit begins Table of eggs for sale Footbridge to the paddocks Customers for the swimming pool White sofa on the first floor landing Workmen making the garage habitable Nosey neighbour walking repeatedly past Once we're home...
diamond geezer
The Square 45 45 Squared 13) THE SQUARE, UB7 Borough of Hillingdon, 40m entire village is pencilled in for...
2 months ago
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2 months 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...
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 months ago
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2 months 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
How it unfolded A couple of weeks ago when e-bikes were banned from TfL services, we mused on what TfL's...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Bow Roundabout update #20 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are complete, indeed were completed five weeks ago apart...
2 months ago
25
2 months 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
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...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Stoneleigh One Stop Beyond: Stoneleigh In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater London...
2 months ago
22
2 months 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
Trinity Church Square 45 45 Squared 12) TRINITY CHURCH SQUARE, SE1 Borough of Southwark, 75m×60m garden square fronted by...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Housekeeping Broadband update Abbreviated version: Hurrah, my broadband finally started working again yesterday...
2 months ago
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2 months 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...
2 months ago
21
2 months 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
Route 129 Route 129: Lewisham to Gallions Reach Location: London southeast, crossriver Length of bus journey:...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
The Silvertown Tunnel opens The Silvertown Tunnel opened this morning. comments if(postComments['199122220152314'] !=...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Travel options from North Greenwich pre-1897 late 19th century Blackwall Tunnel (→ Blackwall 1897) early 20th century 58 tram (→...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Dover to Deal Dover to Deal (10 miles) Dover is a town most people pass through, a swirl of traffic converging...
2 months ago
27
2 months 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
What you missed Some of the places I've been since my broadband disappeared a week ago BestMate's sofa: 45 minutes...
2 months ago
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2 months 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
Broadband update After waking up yesterday I checked my router in case my broadband had restarted overnight. Still...
3 months ago
28
3 months 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
SL4, Stopping Lots When the Silvertown Tunnel opens next week, one thing the Mayor will enthuse about is the new...
3 months ago
90
3 months 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
Estimated fix time Estimated fix time: Tue 01/04/2025 at 19:00 then Estimated fix time: Sorry we can't provide a fix...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
TfL FoI requests in March 2025 25 things we (genuinely) learnt from TfL FoI requests in March 2025 1) Only two refurbished Central...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
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...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
Unblogged March 31 unblogged things I did in March Sat 1: The world is still reverberating after Trump and Vance...
3 months ago
25
3 months 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
Filling holes One of the key drivers behind London’s bus network is that 95% of the population should live within...
3 months ago
22
3 months 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
Annoyance I got home yesterday after watching the eclipse, put the kettle on and opened up my laptop. No...
3 months ago
24
3 months 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
Balgores Square 45 45 Squared 11) BALGORES SQUARE, RM2 Borough of Havering, 110m×30m Romford Garden Suburb was the...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
TfL website Status page The TfL website last underwent a thorough design upgrade in 2014 and hasn't changed much since,...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
March 2025 eclipse Tomorrow is partial solar eclipse day, peaking at 11:03am in London. The eclipse will be visible...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
Non-folded e-bikes From Monday e-bikes will be banned from TfL services because they pose a fire risk. From next...
3 months ago
26
3 months 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
Route R6 RIP London's next dead bus R6: Orpington to St Mary Cray Location: southeast London, outer Length of...
3 months ago
28
3 months 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
Unchosen Overground line names Unchosen Overground line names an excellent scoop yesterday by publishing the longlist of names...
3 months ago
22
3 months 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
post-Stockport housekeeping 10 items of post-Stockport housekeeping 100 largest towns and cities by population. At the start of...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
Denton and Reddish South The least used station in Britain: DENTON Greater Manchester The problem thus isn't Denton's...
3 months ago
30
3 months 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...
3 months ago
26
3 months 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
Covid signage five years on Five years ago PM Boris Johnson addressed the nation from 10 Downing Street and told us "You must...
3 months ago
29
3 months 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
Route 60 Route 60: Streatham to Old Coulsdon Location: London south, outer Length of bus journey: 12 miles,...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
Old Coulsdon (this is the follow-up post to tomorrow's ride on my birthday bus route) Old Coulsdon, it's like...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
Extremities I've been testing the extremities of my new 60+ Oyster card. The most northerly station you can...
3 months ago
25
3 months 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
the Imbecilic Duff-Coded Screen of Digital Quicksand I never expected applying for my 60+ Oyster Photocard would be so impractically sluggishly...
3 months ago
26
3 months 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...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
Benefits to getting older There are benefits to getting older. At 60 Senior Railcard 60+ Oyster card (London residents...
3 months ago
21
3 months 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
Reduced admission for older people Many London attractions offer cheaper tickets to older people. Reduced admission at age 60 33% off...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
Four Sunday morning markets Four Sunday morning markets Columbia Road Market Columbia Road anytime but only on Sunday mornings...
3 months ago
25
3 months 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
Double Decker shrinkflation I do like a Double Decker, the Cadbury chocolate bar with a stripe of nougat atop a crispy base....
3 months ago
21
3 months 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
Another unfocused pot pourri of stuff Thank you for your comments yesterday. I hoped for 100 comments and you actually left 144! Perhaps...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
The 100 comments challenge The 100 comments challenge Can we get 100 comments on today's post, which is full of burning issues...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
Tredegar Square 45 45 Squared 10) TREDEGAR SQUARE, E3 Borough of Tower Hamlets, 90m×80m * masterpiece, a quadrangle...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
Moon 742 The full moon was particularly fine last night. The average human lifespan is very close to 1000...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
Hopper fares The Hopper fare was introduced in September 2016, allowing bus and tram passengers to take one extra...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
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...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
Bow Roundabout update #19 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are complete and traffic is flowing freely again....
3 months ago
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3 months 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
Birthday round-up A selection of thoughts from Sunday 1) I only received 5 birthday cards this year, most of them...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
Unblogged March 1965 Unblogged things I did in March 1965 I wasn't around at the start of March 1965, I was lurking...
3 months ago
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3 months 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...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
The Mousetrap The Mousetrap is the play that refuses to die. It's also an iconic part of London's cultural...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
Five-in-one Five questions for the price of one What does the bottom of the Thames look like? You can't see...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
Four-in-one Four questions for the price of one How did this Prius end up in Clapton Pond? It smashed...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
Bow Roundabout update #18 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are so nearly complete. We have a reshaped roundabout, we...
3 months ago
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3 months 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
London's largest square What's London's largest square? covered that. I reckon it's this. And you're right, it's not...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
Compressor Square 45 45 Squared 9) COMPRESSOR SQUARE, E16 Borough of Newham, 50m×30m National Street Gazetteer so it...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
SL11 Yesterday TfL launched a consultation for the introduction of the next Superloop route, the SL11,...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
Three-in-one Three questions for the price of one Are repairs underway at Bow Road's gentlemen's...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
Ode to an Annual Travelcard Ode to an Annual Travelcard I bought my first Annual Travelcard in 2001 when I moved to London....
4 months ago
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4 months 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
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...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
Halliday Square 45 45 Squared 8) HALLIDAY SQUARE, UB2 Borough of Ealing, 70m×30m Halliday Square because it's...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
Count 2025 During February 2003 on diamond geezer I kept myself busy by counting things. Ten different counts,...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
Unblogged February 28 unblogged things I did in February Sat 1: London Estates: Modernist Council Housing 1946–1981 is...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
Bow Roundabout update #17 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout are reaching their peak. It's resurfacing week which means...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
Hartlepool Gadabout: HARTLEPOOL Hartlepool is a port town in County Durham, eight miles up the coast from...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
Sunderland Gadabout: SUNDERLAND Sunderland is the second largest settlement in North East England, just behind...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
60+ London Oyster Photocard A quick guide to the 60+ London Oyster Photocard *) * permitted 9.00-9.29am Essentially you can...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
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...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
Bow Roundabout update #16 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout continue, which is worrying because the final resurfacing...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
The supermarket cafe When writing about dining out, the media tend to focus on restaurants, independent cafes and bijou...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
Trump's first month Attend inauguration, take Presidential oath, act as "a peacemaker and unifier", label Mexican...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
Silvertown Tunnel booklet maps As an East London resident I've received a 20-page booklet through my letterbox about the opening of...
4 months ago
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4 months 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...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
25 dull lists 25 dull lists One stop short of Barking: Upney, East Ham, West Ham, Upminster, Woodgrange Park,...
4 months ago
25
4 months 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 #15 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout continue, likely for three more weeks. But before they...
4 months ago
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4 months 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...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
Archived LT staff magazines TfL maintains a sizeable archive of historical documentation within its Corporate Archives, a...
4 months ago
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4 months 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
Greenwich Park Geotrail A Nice Walk: Greenwich Park Geotrail (3 miles) Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk,...
4 months ago
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4 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
200 Valentine's Day ideas ❤️ 200 Valentine's Day ideas Toblerone in box with appropriate slogan, round the world cruise,...
4 months ago
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4 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
N15 N16 N17 walkabout Yesterday I took BestMate for a five mile walk across N16, N15 and N17 because he'd never explored...
4 months ago
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4 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
Let's ride all the tube stock There are seven distinct rolling stocks on the London Underground, ranging from fairly new to...
4 months ago
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4 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
Cygnet Square / Shakespeare Square 45 45 Squared 6) CYGNET SQUARE, SE2 Borough of Bexley, 75m×60m Tavy Bridge, a broad concrete walkway...
4 months ago
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4 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
O purple train O purple train (a poem on the occasion of the Elizabeth line's 1000th day) O purple train,...
4 months ago
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4 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
Chatty Cabins Over the years I've blogged about numerous contrived campaigns to encourage usage of the Dangleway,...
4 months ago
25
4 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
National Trust reopening dates When are London's National Trust houses reopening for 2025? 13 Feb: Eastbury Manor House 14 Feb:...
4 months ago
16
4 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
Bow Roundabout update #14 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout, which were supposed to have finished by now, have not...
4 months ago
18
4 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
Sadler's Wells East The cultural line-up on the East Bank continues to expand. UAL opened their College of Fashion...
4 months ago
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4 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
The new Apprentice Cafe Seasoned viewers of The Apprentice were surprised this week when the losing team were sent to an...
4 months ago
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4 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
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...
4 months ago
21
4 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
Accursed passports Yesterday was the accursed day when I renewed my passport. Accursed because it's not expired but I...
4 months ago
23
4 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
London Wetland Centre I'm a firm believer that if you wait long enough a lot of expensive places can eventually be visited...
4 months ago
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4 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
Central Square 45 45 Squared 5) CENTRAL SQUARE, NW11 Borough of Barnet, 180m×100m Hampstead Garden Suburb, one of...
4 months ago
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4 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
SimplyFresh E3 Hyperlocal update: New supermarket comes to E3 SimplyFresh, specifically to Bromley-by-Bow. Which...
5 months ago
25
5 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
Year of the Snake Head to Chinatown or Trafalgar Square today and you can celebrate Chinese New Year with dancing,...
5 months ago
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5 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
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...
5 months ago
16
5 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
BL1 It's time to extend the Superloop, on this occasion with a rail replacement bus. Welcome to the...
5 months ago
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5 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
The Count 2025 For twenty-two consecutive Februaries on diamond geezer I've kept myself busy by counting things....
5 months ago
19
5 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
Unblogged January 31 unblogged things I did in January Wed 1: I spent New Year at home for a change watching the...
5 months ago
21
5 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
Route 118 RIP London's next dead bus 118: Morden to Brixton Location: south London Length of journey: 9 miles, 55...
5 months ago
27
5 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
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...
5 months ago
24
5 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
Mortgramit Square 45 45 Squared 4) MORTGRAMIT SQUARE, SE18 Borough of Greenwich, 130m Though much of central...
5 months ago
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5 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
Eastbourne to Bexhill Walking the England Coast Path Eastbourne → Bexhill (10 miles) England Coast Path is a massive...
5 months ago
22
5 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
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:...
5 months ago
20
5 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 #13 The major roadworks at the Bow Roundabout continue, now more obviously because the hi-vis workforce...
5 months ago
18
5 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...