The road I have lived in for the past 28 years and three days has the dubious
distinction of being the first in the borough to be equipped with fibre optic cable TV. More
than 20 years ago and I have forgotten the name of the company that did it.
There were lots of independent cable TV companies at the time and now they are
all Virgin. Barely a week goes by without Virgin Media sending me an A4 sized envelope
which goes unopened into the recycling bin. Virgin once stole £20 from my mobile
phone account and they will never get another penny out of me.
If you discount the false start Thames Water made last year it looks as though
I’ve been chosen for an early water meter too. I can’t say I am an enthusiast even
though as a single occupier I may make a saving. I just don't like the idea of
looking askance at a visitor who asks to use the toilet or having to put a
padlock on the front garden tap.
Last
week all the street stopcock covers were painted white by a gang that arrived in
several Thames Water vans.
Mine wasn’t painted because there isn’t one. It’s a long story and it’s actually
Bexley council’s fault but I don’t feel like explaining, it will be more fun to see
what Thames Water decide to do about it.
If people start to use less water and the bills go down what do you think Thames
Water will do? Jack the prices up so that their revenue is protected of course.
I was suckered by this notice I found on
the Murky Depths blog yesterday afternoon.
In haste I read it that on Saturday 9th May, between 00:00 and 05:00,
Crossrail (or more accurately their contactor, Network Rail) would install
overhead power support columns around the Eynsham Drive area. A much later and more careful
reading told me that Saturday 00:00 to 05:00 was 24 hours before I read it and that
the notice implies that the line would be closed all weekend and it hasn’t been.
In
ignorance and partly spurred on by the fact that I got a ticking off last week from someone
who insisted that Crossrail has absolutely nothing to do with Bexley council -
true but tough luck if you don’t like it - I took myself down to Eynsham Drive
at three in the morning to see what was going on.
Absolutely nothing. The scene was much darker than it looks in the photograph
and the wagon was just parked there apparently full of rubbish. There was no
indication that support columns had already been installed on the Church
Manorway to Eynsford Drive section.
According to the Murky Depths Blog, Abbey Wood station will come down between
midnight and six in the morning next Saturday. Why they should choose to cause noise through the night after
getting so much criticism when the last bit
of the footbridge was demolished I have no idea especially when it looks like a strong puff of
wind might do the job. (See 13th May for updated information.)
More Crossrail related blogs.
Note: Photo handheld for 1/5 second at f3·2 and 3200 ISO for those interested in such things.