Diamond Geezer
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An east-end based London blogger who covers everything from new and quirky places to explore in London to city travel updates, in a distinctive and addictive style!
Diamond Geezer
20h ago
I visited the new Banksy on Hornsey Road on Day 3, which proved the optimal time.
On Days 1 and 2 it had been rammed with people crowding round the railings, so getting a decent photo was difficult.
On Day 4 someone chucked white paint over part of the artwork closest to the road and the original was scarred.
But on Day 3, i.e. Tuesday of last week, it was pretty much as intended.
A splash of green paint all over the end wall of a four storey building. A small green figure holding a hose, which had supposedly sprayed the aforementioned paint. A heavily pollarded cherry tree at one end of ..read more
Diamond Geezer
2d ago
The best thing about the creation of the Green Link Walk is that it brings the number of Walk London walks to eight.
Because once you have eight of something you can hold a knockout tournament to find the best one.
So let's do it, let's bring on the WORLD CUP OF LONDON WALKS.
The eight walks fall naturally into four pairs, so that's the opening rounds sorted.
Two rivers: Thames Path v Lea Valley Walk
Two greens: Green Chain Walk v Green Link Walk
Two orbitals: Capital Ring v London Loop
Two jubilees: Jubilee Walkway v Jubilee Greenway
Battle of the rivers: Thames Path v Lea Valley Walk ..read more
Diamond Geezer
3d ago
I've now completed London's newest official walkway, the Green Link Walk, which was launched on 1st March. If you need a map try here, if you need an app try here, if you want 45 pages of walking instructions try here, and if you're reading this several months in the future try here. Here too are my reports on section 1, section 2 and section 3.
Section four is the South London section, the GLW having finally crossed the Thames. It's also the most baffling, because with all of Lambeth and Southwark spread out before us the route's designers have decided to head for Peckham. No other strategic ..read more
Diamond Geezer
4d ago
Yesterday I went on a mystery tour round London.
I visited nine places in nine different boroughs.
I travelled between each location on one bus.
All you have to do, collectively, is identify them.
Clues
I've written nine not-necessarily-helpful descriptions of the nine locations.
I've added nine even-less-helpful photos.
I've told you how long each bus journey took.
Notes
The things you need to identify are marked by pink boxes.
At 7am all the pink boxes were answer-less. They may be filled in later.
I will not be answering questions.
Rules
If you leave a comment, please wait 1 hour before ..read more
Diamond Geezer
5d ago
Some transport news
Central line news
It's well known in tubular circles that the longest direct journey on the Underground is between Epping and West Ruislip on the Central line. It's 54.9km long (34.1 miles), comfortably ahead of Uxbridge to Cockfosters on the Piccadilly line which is 50.9 km (31.6 miles). But this weekend a 60 mile journey is possible, all aboard the same train, thanks to engineering works closing the Central line between Woodford and Epping. In the temporary timetable all trains are running from the far west of the line through central London, round the Hainault loop and ..read more
Diamond Geezer
6d ago
A unique opportunity has arisen for creative narration,
Courtesy of medieval charity the City Bridge Foundation,
They seek applications for the post of poet in residence,
The holder has to write a few poems and attend some events.
The fee's ten thousand pounds and the role lasts a year,
Imagine how this opportunity could advance your career.
The subject matter is bridges, the five maintained by them:
Tower, London, Southwark, Blackfriars and Millennium.
If you think it could be you there's one month to apply,
Though you'd be up against me, I'd be great and here's why.
Tower Bridge
It's wor ..read more
Diamond Geezer
1w ago
PENTONVILLE
ROAD
£120
London's Monopoly Streets
PENTONVILLE ROAD
Colour group: light blue
Purchase price: £120
Rent: £8
Length: ¾ mile
Borough: Islington
Postcode: N1
The last of the light blues connects the other two, namely Euston Road and the Angel Islington. That's because it's another segment of the New Road, London's first bypass, which was driven across fields in the 1740s to help speed livestock to market. It's named Pentonville Road after the 'new town' of Pentonville, an early suburb which grew up in those fields in the 1770s, which in turn was named a ..read more
Diamond Geezer
1w ago
For today's post I've visited the least extreme points in London's most extreme boroughs.
That's the easternmost point in the westernmost borough, the southernmost point in the northernmost borough, the westernmost point in the easternmost borough and the northernmost point in the southernmost borough.
As posts go it's a lot of effort for scant reward.
Hillingdon East [map]
Borderline with: Ealing
Location: Yeading/Southall
Specifically: bend on Grand Union towpath
Distance from Charing Cross: 11 miles
This is the nicest of the four, a quiet bend on the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union ..read more
Diamond Geezer
1w ago
Let's return to London's newest official walkway, the Green Link Walk, which was launched on 1st March. If you need a map try here, if you need an app try here, if you want 45 pages of walking instructions try here, and if you're reading this several months in the future try here.
Section three is essentially a nice walk from the Angel Islington to the Thames ending on the far side of the Millennium Bridge. For central London it's an impressively quiet route, carefully constructed to follow backwaters rather than busy roads. But once again the Green Link Walk is very much not green, indeed th ..read more
Diamond Geezer
1w ago
Eight years ago the Metropolitan line extension to Watford Junction was cancelled when the incoming Mayor chose to ditch the outgoing Mayor's underfunded project. The people of London barely noticed - they had no desperate need to go to west Watford and the money saved went on projects closer to home. But in southwest Hertfordshire a long-held dream was extinguished, indeed as a former resident I'd been harbouring it for almost 50 years. So every now and again I like to go back and see how the disused railway that should have become a tube line has become an even more disused railway than it w ..read more