Getting About

 In London there are about 4 types of Trains used on their metro rail system, Deep Level trains, they're small and shaped like Swiss rolls, foreigners often think they look like toy trains, they can pass through deep tunnels that were built in the late 1800s. Then you have  Sub Surface trains, they're shaped like loaves of bread and can run on the same tracks as Deep level trains but can't go through deep level train tunnels. They have their own square tunnels that run under the old broad way roads of London. Then you have overground trains, they're more like the commuter trains, they even use ac power from overhead power lines. Recently the mayor decided to give the different parts of the overground network different line names because life wasn't complicated enough. Finally you have the DLR, Docklands light railway, they're small self driving trains, they're also often compared to toy trains. I think you have to press the open door button to get off. 

Some people that I know think Deep level and Subsurface trains can't run on the same rails. Those people should visit 'Ealing common' station, they share the same  northbound and southbound platforms. The same is true of 'Rayner's Lane'. 

To me the key stations are the ones that give you a smooth way to change lines by simply stepping off and waiting on the same platform. Stations that take you places beyond.  Ealing common lets you get off a Piccadilly train and Catch a district line train going in the same direction. The district line will go to Barking, trains at Barking station go to the Thames Estuary and as far as Southend on sea, the Nearest coastal town to London. The District line also goes to Victoria station, the national coach station, national express, mega bus and flixbus coaches from there go across Britain and Europe. Three subsurface lines share two platforms at kings cross station, Hammersmith line trains also go to Barking and the circle line trains also go to Victoria. St Pancras Station is next door to kings cross and there is a pedestrian tunnel connecting the two stations, Trains from St Pancras go to France and Kings Cross is also a Terminal station for trains from the north on the surface. Kings Cross and St Pancras are sometimes considered the same station because of the way they sit side by side. Some people say, there is a route to everywhere from those two stations. They wouldn't be wrong. 

Port Issues

I recently learned that the Boeing starliner space capsule is stuck on the international space station. The vehicle was set to take some astronauts back to earth but it can't seperate from the portal. Boeing has had a lot of bad press recently  and lots of product issues. I won't go into detail. God knows what they're going to do now. 

In London they have a problem with ports. If I wanted to take a train to the coast it would seem sensible to take the train from one of the giant terminal stations like liverpool street but it usually works out better to take the train further down the line. If I wanted to take a train to southend on sea, I would take the C2C train from barking, not fenchurch or liverpool street because the tfl zone is cheaper than the commuter prices. The TFL oyster zone is always cheaper than the commuter train prices so you would want to use the zone as long as possible.

Special Stations

The Nearest part of London to my town is Uxbridge. If London was a clock face, Uxbridge would be the number 10. It is also the location of what I call a special station because you can get a train from two different train lines going in the same direction from the same platform. 

Uxbridge is a special station because you can get a Piccadilly train or a metropolitan line train from the same place. 

Finchley road is a special station because the Jubilee and Metropolitan trains going in the same direction stop at the same platform island, the eastbound metropolitan and jubilee trains share and platform and so do the west bound ones; you can change lines without walking much. 

The same is true of Ealing common, you can step off a Piccadilly train and stay on the same platform and catch a district line train from the same platform. Changing lines without walking. The district line goes to Barking, Woof. Barking station has commuter trains to Southend-on-sea. 

kings Cross is a very special station, you can get three different lines from the same platform, plus down the escalators are platforms to several other lines, plus you can get commuter trains upstairs or take a train to France if you walk across to St Pancras next door. 

Mile end is also useful, you can get to the central line or Hammersmith or District and they're side by side. 

London Tourism Advice

I'm no stranger to London and Easter is around the corner, I thought I should share some advice to tourists visiting London. 

Stay at the edge of the city, the hotels are cheaper there. I would recommend Uxbridge. If London was a clock face, Uxbridge would be where the number 10 is. There is a hotel next to the train station and the station has two lines that branch off from it. The chain hotels don't check or care how many people are in a room so you can bring inflatable mattresses and bring a whole family to one double room. 

If London was a clock face, Heathrow airport would be a polca dot beyond the clock face next to the number 9 so there are several buses that go from Heathrow to Uxbridge, the Carousel 102 to high Wycombe passes through Uxbridge. 

If you did stay at Uxbridge, there are several perks that come with the train station, both the Piccadilly and Metropolitan lines stop at that station. 

If you stay on the metropolitan line and get off at Finchley road, you can get a Jubilee train from the same platform because jubilee and metropolitan line trains share a platform and go in the same direction. The Jubilee line stops at some key points on the river, by the clock tower with the big Ben bell in it and near London eye. The Jubilee line also stops at the Greenwich ("gren itch") peninsula. Most the interesting stuff is near the river, even Trafalgar Square is a 15 minute walk from the river Thames ("tems"). The Piccadilly line goes to most the important places, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and places like that. 

Special Stations

I have knowledge of the special  train stations  where different  lines  share platforms; you wouldn't need to walk very far to get the next train. 

The nearest part of London to me is Uxbridge. If London were a clock face, Uxbridge would be 10 o clock on the north west edge of the clock. Uxbridge station is special because the deep level picadilly trains and the metropolitan line trains both go there on the same track and same platforms. 

Finchley road is a golden station because the trains that are heading in the same direction share the same platform side by side, if I wanted to get off a east bound metropolitan train and catch a eastbound Jubilee train, I would just step off and the catch the train from the same platform. Also westward, all the branches of the metropolitan west bound trains and the west bound jubilee trains go to the same platform. 

Kings Cross is cool because it is sheltered from the elements and the Hammersmith and metropolitan trains come to the same platform, I think the circle line trains go there also. Going west, only the Uxbridge branch of the metropolitan line train goes there but that's fine because you can just step off at Finchley road and get an amersham or Watford train on the same platform.

Mile end is similar, the Hammersmith and Central lines run side by side. Different platforms but you can step across without walking much. 

Perhaps I should draw a map for tourists so they can travel on the metro rail without walking very much. I would call it special station map. 

Congestion exodus

The congestion inside London is moving from the inside of the city to the outer edge, I don't think it was intended that way but that is what happens when you punish motorists. I call it the congestion exodus. 

I live in a small town near to London and commute to London sometimes. I'm very familiar with the north west side of London. I noticed things about London as I aged a bit, on the river banks of the Thames (🗣️"Tems"), all the institutions and stringent establishments are on the north bank and many of the arts and liesure sites are on the south bank. 

On the north bank of the river you have the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Clock tower with the Big ben bell inside, The bank of England is on the north bank and the tower of London where they kept high profile prisoners, the British  intelligence agency is also there, Buckingham Palace is also on the North side but quite far from the river banks. 

On the south bank of the river you have the millennium wheel,the national theatre centre, Tate modern and Shakespeare's globe theatre,the dome formally  known as 'millenium dome' things like that. The Mayor's office headquarters is also on the south bank🤡

 London is going through some changes, mostly they're penalising motorists for driving polluting vehicles in the inner parts of it. About 5 years ago it would take me about 10 minutes to go from the A5 to the A40 on north circular road off peak, now it takes about double that time and sometimes it takes more than 30 minutes. The reason for this is because people are using the North Circular road to avoid the ULEZ zone. They're moving the congestion from the center of london to outside edge of London. I don't think they intended it to be that way but that is what has happened.

There is ring road that surrounds London called the M25 motorway, it is a duel carriageway that is very much like the American freeway, it connects all the major roads that are going into London together. London is completely surrounded by the M25 road, it is the preverbial wall of London. The circular M25 is also getting more congested because people are avoiding going directly through outer London. That is the congestion exodus, congestion moving to the outer edges to avoid the inside. A very horrible congestion. 

Late February thoughts

We're approaching the final third of February, some common thoughts I'm having right now is wondering why London is expanding the Ules zone; It's a zone that charges motorists that have vehicles that  pollute more than a certain amount. I don't live in London anymore but when I lived there, I voted for Sadiq Khan to be in the mayor's office to keep Zac Goldsmith out because I didn't want an eco warrior punishing motorists to improve the air quality of London. The air quality will fix itself when they figure out a way to make electric cars cheap. It turns out he is doing the very thing I thought Zac would do. It's out of my hands now because I don't live in London so I can't vote for the next Mayor. I believe it's right to improve the environment but ordinary people shouldn't be punished for it in my view. 

Another thing I was wondering was if Nintendo were developing a new games console, if they were, it would be nice it if could take 3DS cartridges as a bonus  feature because it would be nice to play my 3DS games on the TV. There are still many 3DS cartridges being sold second hand in CEX trading stores and I have a small collection of my own. 

I was also thinking that time is going by very fast. It feels like weeks are going by like days. I can't believe it's already nearly Spring. I call it spring when I see daisies in the grass. It's officially spring on the 20th of March. Most people that I know of call it spring on the first day of march and the end of Spring is considered to be the last day of May. They say March, April and May are spring. Then June July and August are Summer. My son was born in the Middle of Spring, the best time of the year to be born because April is a bit warm in Britain so you can go out or have a BBQ. Plus Easter is close by. 

Bumdon Shitty

If I was to pick up an oil lamp and there was a wish granting genie in the lamp instead of oil and he popped out to give me 3 wishes I would wish for wealth and world Peace but first I would wish for a city to mock London with.

The genie would say "I don't understand", so I would say,

"Let me explain".

I want to build a large island city in the sea near Britain that doesn't have the problems of London, then I would have a press conference for the new city. I will call the city Hindsightham.

I will say with a loud voice "people of Bumdon shitty" it is time for you to take your overpriced walking stick and step down as the Capital city of Britain. It is Hindsightham's turn.

"Bumdon shitty is so rubbish that need to break into song".

I would grab my crotch and spin around then kick the air and sing.

"Who's bad!, London". "You're doing wrong, you're doing wrong, charge to drive through. No parking", "you're doing wrong, you're doing wrong" rent to high" social house unfit for the Terminator to live in". Who's bad, who's bad. Satan, the only person that is safe in your flame thrower flats.

London's bad, so bad, so baaaad so baad. You know it's really really bad.

Then I would shout "step down as Britain's capital city Bumdon shitty.

The genie would high five me for saying the truth!

Climate change diet

Earlier today there was many protesters that brought disruption to London. They were worried about climate change. I don't blame them because It is a huge hazard to our world.

All I would say is that being a vegetarian or vegan would make a big difference because the meat industry causes a lot of global warming. And remember that the problem is solving itself because we are running out of fossil fuels and renewable energy is become cheaper and more numerous.

I am here waiting. Waiting and waiting for my marriage to turn into a small family. I am feeling very tense and afraid but I am standing strong and keeping my head clear.

Nothing left for me to do but wait and let the will of God take its course.

London backstab

It has been a year since I left London and made a small commuter town beyond the M25 my home but a few years before I left, I voted for Sadiq Khan to be Mayor of London. Looking back I regret the vote because he was show-boating and acting like the foreign secretary or various other cabinet members but knife crime went up on his watch significantly.  There was hundreds of incidents involving stabbings and acid attacks. He didn't seem to do the job he was paid to do. He isn't making London a safe place.

There is little being done to stop the huge crimes from happening in London. Hundreds of
Young people are being stabbed almost every day in London.

I voted for Sadiq Khan because I didn't want Zack Goldsmith to take the helm because he is an environmental politician and doesn't want Heathrow Airport to be expanded. Environmental politicians make it harder to be a motorist so I won't vote for that.

New life

I have settled down in my new home outside London. I still commute to London for work and business but London is not my home anymore. I live in a small commuter town that is a 30 minutes drive from the city, beyond the proverbial wall of London known as the M25 ring road. I am now prepreparing for my wife to join me and to create happy memories.

London has a powerful effect on the whole southern side of the Island. It is very hard to ignore. All the road signs point to London. All the train lines go to London. everything around here points to London. The geopolitical and economic gravity is felt everywhere around here. I think my island should not be like that, I think that the UK should be more balanced. It should not have a big mega city that controls everything but lots of small cities that are well developed with good transport links.

One thing I have learned about living far from my family is that you can be very focused and get things done when your only company is yourself. I am very focused on building a good future and working very hard.

I am grateful for this new life and hope for happy memories.

Uberlievable

Earlier in the week the internet taxi company Uber, lost it's license to operate in London. I feel pity for all the drivers that earn a living from Uber in London. The people that make these decisions sit in their ivory towers unaffected personally by their verdict.
Zero hours contracts are challenging but they can be very useful to the right person. It could be a flexible way of multiplexing a person's time. A person could run a business while they wait to be summoned by the company for work. An example would be that a plumber could sign in when no one calls to fix their pipes and sign out when they are called. 

Another issue connected to cars is how they could all be powered by the sun. My answer would be that they are already powered by the sun. The two fuels that the cars use, Oxygen and Hydro-Carbon liquid (gasoline/diesel) were produced by organisms that were powered by sunlight. There is plenty of energy to go around, we just need to harness it.

Voting regret

I voted for the mayor for London Sadiq Khan  because he had a similar background to me and I was tired of rich guys at the helm blowing all the money on shiny projects that bring me no benefit.

I wish I didn't vote for him now because we are both on a different page. He is a Remainer and I am a Brexiteer. There are so many things I would do if I was the mayor that would make life very easy for the people of London. Like make a micro tram that goes on the cycle lanes and carries passengers single file along the roads.

Back seat driving is always easier than the real thing, so perhaps I am a little too naive.

It is fun to think of solutions to problems in my head.