Unusual Things

There were unusual and probably unrelated things going on around North Greenwich today. The Royal Navy sent a helicopter to make several passes over the river around the peninsula, at one point hovering at rooftop level over the centre of the river for five minutes, approximately where the future cable car will cross the water.>/p>

Later while walking round the dome I saw one of the Thames Clippers, probably Hurricane Clipper beached on the river bank.

I think the vessel was deliberately beached because if you look closely you can see a man in wellies who appears to be inspecting the sterngear, and this is the nearest handy tidal mudflat to their base.

In the second picture you can just about see how narrow the hulls of these boats are.

Dome Abseiling

This last week has seen a number of trips down the O2 domes suspension cables by persons unknown:

















We office workers have been speculating and consensus is that they are carrying out some early task in the installation of the rooftop walkway, planned to be opened this year.

Packing Away the Toys

The Christmas fair ride has been packed away at the O2. Here it is folding into a package for transport, like a really slow transformer. Optimus Prime comes to mind.

Here Be Dragons!

Intrepid robot vacuum cleaner ventures where no cleaner has been in living memory (teenager's bedroom).

Geek Gift She Likes

Cathy approves of this year's choice of Geek gift:














iRobot Roomba 531.
This little beastie can do about 90% of the domestic vacuum cleaning from now on, unsupervised.

Dukw in Greenwich

Here is a DUKW in Greenwich, parked alongside a simulator in which you can experience the D-Day landings.

Christmas at the Cutty Sark

Here's the christmas tree being erected at the top of the mast of the Cutty Sark. The tree appears to be lashed to a spar which is in turn lashed to the top of the mast. Maybe there is some sort of maritime protocol being observed here..

Advert Closer

The Emirates Air-Line is beginning to show signs of cable-car like features:

















This will be the first advertisement to appear on the London tube map and it will appear twice. See the map on the Transport for London web site linked above. The two new cable car stations will be called Emirates North Greenwich and Emirates Royal docks. I hope they paid a lot for that.


















In this picture we see the lowest segment of the Greenwich side pylon about to be lifted into place on its pile in the river bed by a seven-storey high floating crane, the GPS Atlas.

Spotted on Indian Chief

The pigeon box on the Stoke Bruerne trip boat has a motto painted on it:















Look closer:























An Inn-keeper's motto if ever there was one.

Christmas is coming to North Greenwich

Every year the fair comes to North Greenwich, near the O2. Usually a larger ride arrives first. This year it's the "Skylon Flyer". It's been rebranded: it still has "Star Flyer" painted on the tower. Here's a link to it's previous incarnation in Austria. Hmm. I haven't seen the one at North Greenwich go up and down while it goes round. Perhaps I can persuade my colleagues to take a spin.

Village at War

We went to Stoke Bruerne's annual Village at War event, organised by the Friends of the Canal Museum. I was excited at the promise of a Hurricane flypast (subject to weather and mechanical fitness). In the event the Hurricane did not turn up but this did instead:
















Yes! The observant among you will have recognised the Westland Lysander. As it happens, the first Airfix model I completed to my satisfaction (i.e. that looked like the picture on the box). A little research reveals that this is one of only two flying examples in the world, flown from Duxford; the other being based in Canada.

As always the event was great. This year the battle reenactment was replaced by a demonstration of firepower, as I believe the Germans couldn't make it.

Personalised Plate

Seen in Leighton Buzzard:
















This is a the bottom of a garden in Leighton Buzzard. Normally the Grand Junction Canal Company's mile posts show whole numbers of miles. On this particular stretch, the datum is Braunston.
Here is a "proper" milepost:



















Although this is not an original either, you can just see the plaque (horizontal) below the post that records the name of the donors whose generosity allowed it to be restored.

Out for the Week

This week we're out in convoy with friends who have hired from Gayton Marina. It's quite a novel experience for us to be travelling with another boat. It makes working the wide Grand Union locks easier with more crew. After the introductory talk at the marina we took on water at Gayton Junction and then turned left to make our way south on the Grand Union main line.

Moored at Bozenham Bridge.
Total distance is 5 miles, 5¼ flg and 7 locks.

Home Again

Back to Blisworth after a pleasant few hours spent at Cosgrove with the Buckingham Canal Society.
Last night was spent enjoying a fish and chip supper and some live music by the lock side. We tested a new Freesat satellite receiver in the evening, found it to be superior to the Sky receiver it replaces. I've been becoming less and less enamoured of the Sky service since they recalled all the Free Sky cards and replaced them. Ours never did work properly so we were unable to view any of the encrypted free channels. None of the Freesat channels are encrypted, so there really is no further purchase than the receiver.
We left relatively early in the day as I had decided to get Syncopation back to Blisworth by tea time. We passed throgh Stoke Bruerne in toiem for ice cream at the Boat Inn.

Moored at Mill Wharf, Blisworth.

Total distance is 9 miles, 5¾ flg and 8 locks

Lock Ransom

We've made our way down to Cosgrove for the Buckingham Canal Society's annual festival, or Lock Ransom.

For one weekend every year the members of the society take over Cosgrove lock. They operate the lock for everybody who passes through it in the hope of receiving donations for the society's coffers.

Moored below Cosgrove lock.

Total distance is 9 miles, 5¾ flg and 8 locks

Owl

At the school fete the man with the owl said you should never put your face near a raptor, then suggested a photo opportunity.

Lunch Time at the Cutty Sark

The restoration of the Cutty Sark is progressing. The covers have been removed and you can see the hull of the ship again. From the artist's impression on the hoarding it looks as though the finished article will have something a little like a conservatory wrapped around it. I can't help thinking the finished article will be about as original as Trigger's Broom or perhaps narrowboat butty Raymond. Still I'm looking forward the the time she's open to the public again.

Crick Boat Show

At the boat show again. The weather has been threatening all morning but the rain did not materialise.
There were no less than two steam narrowboats at the marina: President was there but behind Kildare, I spotted another funnel:
















It was Laplander:




































Here we are in the Bell boat, paddling up and down the marina.

Ronnie Barker

I'm on jury duty this week, so spending time hanging around in Aylesbury.
The new Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury opened recently and now has a statue of Ronnie Barker who the town seems to have claimed because he first performed there.










































Aylesbury has a few statues but they are all rather Victorian, up on pedestals in heroic poses. I like this new one as it's very personal and captures the essence of the man as I remember him on TV. You can even sit next to him.

Huge Almond Garnish

MV Amandine passed North Greenwich today.


















This large Roll on Roll off ferry was shepherded by a pair of tugs. Built in January this year the vessel appears to have been named after a French almond garnish.