First code

First code, originally uploaded by Alan Perryman.

A very nerdy observation obviously…but I’ve seen my first bus stop with the code on it ready for the Real Time information.

In my opinion, it’s going to be such a game changer for bus transport – no more turning up and hoping…check before you leave the house!

5…4…3…2…1… run!

Countdown pedestrian signal (Southwark)

This is one of the latest ideas to hit London and something I now use roughly twice a week. There’s been a bit of negative press about these lights – “we are giving into the motorists” and lots of comment about the benefits in £-sterling. Well, maybe.

But personally it doesn’t bother me in the slightest. Being a slightly observant chap, I’ve learned the sequence of the lights of the junction outside Southwark tube. Which means that I know that provided I’ve got 5 or 6 seconds to get to the island in the middle of the road walking towards the office pictured, I can get all the way across. The sequence means that the first lot of traffic to move is from The Cut/Union St – my basic ‘risk assessment’ (ugh! Health & Safety gone mad!) says unless I can hear blues and twos it’s pretty certain I’ll be OK.

I don’t think I’m alone in ignoring the red man either… oh well another storm in a London teacup!

Suits, Cakes and Shakes

With my role at work changing slightly over the next few weeks, I decided it was probably time to pick up a new suit. For me this means a trip to Slaters who never fail to disappoint… unfortunately there isn’t one in London. Cue day trip to Canterbury!

From our part of East London… that means we get to try the new high speed train from Stratford “International” (no  international trains go from there of course!). It’s right in the heart of what will be the athletes village – a serious building site at the moment so they won’t let you walk from the tube. One convoluted bus ride later, we were in the middle of it:

Stratford Athlete Village

Stratford Athletes Village

The vast expanse of Stratford International Station

I don’t think they get many people through at the moment – and security didn’t even flinch as I wandered through with my SLR out!

The train was so fast it broke Ruth somewhat...

In just under 1 hour we were in the glorious sunshine in Canterbury at which point we felt it was definitely time for an afternoon snack – we took in a recommendation and went to Boho, on the high st.

Cheesecake and 'shake

And so onto the nub of the trip, buying the suit. Slaters as usual…excellent. Free tailoring and since we’d come down to Canterbury specially they waived the courier fee which is pretty awesome. I really do recommend finding one if you need a suit!

After a potter around the shops and a pint of Shep Neame in a pub garden it was time to head home. Definitely somewhere I’d go back to again… The full set of photos are on flickr.

SNOWPOCALYPSE

Yes, it’s been awfully silly weather the last few weeks, so here are some photos!

What the bloody hell are you waiting for? It’s cold!

The stop might have been frozen, but the buses kept on working this time…

Eagle Pond is frozen. It usually has an ‘oasis’ of water – around which the birds congregate. Since the water is in a different place each day I don’t know why it forms where it does!

With thanks to Billy (@cowfish) for the title of this post!