Red Barrel.

You may recall that back in July of last year, I wrote of Bexley Council's plans to rejuvenate and improve the gardens in Pier Square, next to Erith Pier. Now, revised plans have been submitted for planning approval; with luck the works will happen before the Erith Pier Festival 2020, which is to be held in September of this year. If plans are approved the newly renovated public space will also be used as a venue for community events and festivals with new landscaping, seating and lighting. The Council has worked closely with architects BDP and land owner Morrisons on the new draft design for Pier Square which will transform it to a more attractive space to spend time. The designs incorporate comments made by local people during a public consultation held in April 2019. The planning application also sets out plans to appoint an artist or designer to develop creative space or a series of artworks that will add to Pier Square. Students from The Cass School of Architecture at London Metropolitan University will help to develop the brief for this creative opportunity and will be part of the selection panel. The students studied Erith’s history and regeneration potential during 2018. Their work culminated in an exhibition at The Exchange in 2019. A decision on the plans for Pier Square is expected in the Spring.

The dismal service currently being provided by the Woolwich Ferry is not going to improve any time soon; listeners to the excellent Time 107.5 FM will know that the radio station gives regular, hourly traffic reports, including the status of the Woolwich Ferry, which recently has been out of service very much more than it has been working. As I have previously written, there have been a series of engineering problems with the electro magnetic docking system used by the new ferries. I have heard that the new so called "state of the art" system is actually far more complex and harder to operate than the old manual hydraulic system. It also does not latch if there is a swell or a strong cross - current, both of which are common on the River Thames at Woolwich. There has also been a long standing dispute over the pay for the ferry crew, which is about to lead to another couple of labour strikes. You can read the details on the excellent 853 website here. 

I discovered an interesting historical fact quite recently. The huge, 219 metre (719 feet) tall antenna tower at Crystal Palace, that supplies TV and radio signals for a large part of London and the South East was designed and built by Erith based company British Insulated Callender's Construction Co Ltd (later known as BICC) with steelwork fabrication by Painter Brothers Ltd, Hereford, back in 1955. Much of the tower’s construction was prefabricated and test erected in sections in the Callender’s Erith works before it was pulled apart and transported to site for final erection. When completed in 1956, the tower was the tallest structure in Greater London, a title it held until the completion of the One Canada Square Tower in Canary Wharf back in 1991. The first transmission from Crystal Palace took place on 28 March 1956, when it succeeded the transmitter at Alexandra Palace where the BBC had started the world's first scheduled television service in November 1936. In November 1956 the first colour test transmissions began from Crystal Palace relaying live pictures from the studios at Alexandra Palace after BBC TV had closed down for the night. In May 1958 the first experimental Band V PAL 625-line transmissions started from Crystal Palace. The transmitter tower holds another record, one that cannot be beaten. On 18 July 1986, with the First Night of the Proms on BBC2, the transmitter became the first in the world to transmit stereophonic sound using the NICAM digital sound system. On 2 December 2009, the site entered service as one of the first DVB-T2 transmitters in the world, carrying a variant of the BBC's Multiplex B broadcasting high-definition TV services. All of the analogue television services transmitted from the Crystal Palace tower were discontinued back in 2012; all TV signals are now from a digital multiplex. The only analogue output of the tower is now FM radio (BBC radios 1,2,3,and 4) a couple of independent local stations, along with some legacy services on Medium Wave. The historical connection that Callender’s had with the BBC back in the day was wider than merely being the constructor of the Crystal Palace transmitter tower. Callender’s had an amateur band, called The Callender’s Cableworks Band, which was active between 1898 and 1961, of which all members were employees of Callender's at Erith. They rehearsed and performed in their leisure time, while the company in its role of patron lent its name and supplied uniforms and instruments. The band broadcast prolifically on BBC Radio in the 1920s and 1930s. The Band was started in the 1890s as a Salvation Army brass band, but because they felt limited as to the types of music which they were permitted to play, they formed their own temperance band. However this caused difficulties in purchasing their own uniforms and instruments, so their employer, Callender's, stepped in as patron. From then on they were Callender's Cableworks Band under various forms of that name. They were always an amateur band, rehearsing and performing in their leisure time. The Senior Band had a high reputation, and in 1932 were described as the finest in the south of England. In 1929 Jim Thompson joined the band; later in 1939 he was to found the Belvedere Male Voice Choir. In 1932 the band consisted of all brass instruments, plus four saxophones. At the time they were the only brass band with saxophones. In competitions over the years they had 25 wins, 11 second places and 3 third places. By the end of 1932 the band had performed on radio a total of eighty times – something unprecedented at the time. The band finally disbanded in 1961 as members retired and few young volunteers could be found.

Back when flat screen televisions were first made available around twenty years ago, they had a finite life. The early plasma screens were normally good for around 30,000 hours of service, the problem was that whilst the screens were bright and had a very good viewing angle, they used a lot of power, even when in standby, and when on they got very hot. When LED screens came along, their life was substantially longer, and again the limiting factor was the life of the backlight – a common issue. Newer screen technology now available is OLED, and Samsung's proprietary QLED. An OLED display works without a backlight; thus, it can display deep black levels and can be thinner and lighter than an LED screen. In low ambient light conditions (such as a dark room), an OLED screen can achieve a higher contrast ratio than an LED, regardless of whether the LED uses cold cathode fluorescent lamps or an LED backlight. The trouble is, the screens are very expensive, and they are difficult to manufacture in the large sizes that a lot of customers want nowadays; on top of this, as the OLED screens generate their own light, the screens “burn out” relatively quickly, and the colour rendition fading – blues especially “wash out” quite early on in the life cycle of the TV screen. QLED is similar to LED, but with more of the visual characteristics of OLED. All this in actual use may be relatively unimportant, as other factors are far more likely to affect the length of life of a modern flat screen television. Most TV’s on sale nowadays have so called “smart” functionality built in – the ability to stream media from companies such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, for example, and access to the web and sites such as YouTube is now something many people take for granted. In my opinion, the limiting factor in the real – life durability of a modern smart TV is not actually the display technology hardware, but is rather how long the TV remains in software support from the manufacturer. How long updates, patches and software downloads are available for the TV. For example, I have a Samsung TV from 2012; many of the applications installed on it will no longer run, as they went out of support in 2016. The TV itself still works fine, but if you want watch BBC iPlayer, for instance, you are stuffed. The issue here is that most smart TV’s use a version of the Android operating system – which is constantly being updated and modified by its creator, Google. The problem is that the TV manufacturers usually stop providing Android updates to TV’s after a couple of years, and sooner or later versions of apps for TV’s stop working on older versions of the Android operating system. It seems from my research that a TV will cease getting OS updates at around the fourth year from the point of purchase. It seems to me that TV’s are going the way of the computer and the motor car – they are now seen as time limited, disposable devices. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

A short piece by local transport enthusiast Dana Wiffen:- "It seems ironic that from the 1900's to the 1960's we had two forms of Transport that did not pollute the air, both running from electric overhead wires. In London Trams ran from 1860 (as horse drawn up until the 1900's) then until 1952 as electric with the last one running from Woolwich to New Cross in that year, although some were sold to Leeds and continued to run until 1959. Trolleybuses ran in London from 1931-1962 on 68 routes around London with the 696 Woolwich to Dartford, and the 698 Woolwich to Bexleyheath were the two main routes locally. Both trams and trolleybuses were replaced by diesel motor buses which in the most have been withdrawn today with newer electric or semi-electric buses replacing current stock as the emission zone is extended further into the outer London Boroughs. Some areas such as Croydon reintroduced trams in 2000 as have other Cities in the UK, while Blackpool has continued and still run Trams, with their heritage stock being a major tourist attraction".

After an Email conversation earlier this week, I was reminded of something. There was a period in the 1980's when British Rail ran a series of fast food outlets called Casey Jones Burgers. The restaurants were located at the major rail stations such as London Bridge and Charing Cross. The burgers were quite indescribably vile; they certainly bore absolutely no resemblance to the paragon of great burger - ness featured in the advert above. They were actually composed of greasy, gristly, zombie flesh - like cold grey meat on the outside, and lava hot in the middle so that molten cheese scalded the roof of your mouth like dairy based napalm (I think they microwaved the burgers). Rumours abounded when the Casey Jones opened at Charing Cross, all of the feral pigeons that plagued the station concourse suddenly disappeared. It was all very coincidental. Fortunately Casey Jones did not last too long, and eventually Burger King took over their station locations. they are now nothing other than a distant memory. If you have any recollections of Casey Jones Burgers, please get in contact and let me know. Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The following very atmospheric photograph was taken recently by Ian, the webmaster of The Belvedere Splash Facebook group. It shows the view from Woolwich Road in Upper Belvedere towards the recreation park. The housing in this part of Upper Belvedere has changed little in 150 years; indeed, many of the houses are in part of a conservation area. If you are a member of The Belvedere Splash, and have seen this photo on that site, I have not stolen the image - Ian actually sent it to me for use, before he published it himself.

It has been brought to my attention that the long dead brewing name Watneys is now back in business. It is now a trendy new craft beer range. You can see their website here. Back in the 1960's and 1970's Watneys was a mass producer of keg ales, their most popular and well known was called Red Barrel. Red Barrel was originally developed as an export beer that could be transported for long distances by sea. Red Barrel, like all keg bitter, was filtered, to remove the yeast. It was then pasteurised and carbon dioxide was added. The "keg" was linked to a tank of carbon dioxide which effectively forced the beer up from the cellar. There was no need for the traditional long-handled beer pump. Keg was usually served chilled and was fizzy, with froth on the top. Red Barrel was tentatively trialled at the Sheen Lawn Tennis Club where Watneys' Master Brewer, Bert Hussey, was a member. He was convinced that once sampled it would be instantly popular. By the early sixties, Watneys were able to claim that it was the country's most popular keg bitter. It was also the first. Red Barrel today is regarded with distain; in the 60s it was a premium product. Watneys negotiated a contract with BEA for Red Barrel to be supplied to passengers. Given that air travel, especially on scheduled flights, was still a privilege of the few, this must have been quite an achievement for Watneys and must say something about the quality image that the brand then had. Watneys were also able to sell Red Barrel at all bars on the new luxury liner, the QE2. As well as supplying to non-traditional outlets, Watneys also had a fair share of the Free Trade market, selling over one million barrels of beer, mainly Red Barrel and Watneys Pale Ale. So their products must have had some sort of following outside Watney Mann pubs where it might have been the only choice. Against this, however, "Which" reported on 1972 on keg bitters and their view was that there was little to choose between one keg and another. All were bland tasting and fizzy. There was also little reason for preferring keg over traditional beers such as Watneys own Special Bitter, which was somewhat cheaper. Keg, though, had the image and at the time, people preferred its consistent quality. More traditional brews were considered downmarket. Part of that image was a strong advertising campaign and Watneys were very astute at linking their products with the pop world. The Liverpool group, The Scaffold, famous for drinking to "Lily the Pink" drank to Watneys Pale Ale. Watneys Red Barrel was promoted with a television campaign and a slogan "Roll out the barrel". The campaign was supposed to suggest that drinking Red Barrel would promote "good fellowship, friendliness and happiness associated with beer drinking". Red Barrel was by no means Watneys only product. Watneys Special Bitter had been available in London for many years. In 1969 they took the decision to market it nationally in all Watney Mann houses. It was a traditional draught bitter, cheaper than Red Barrel. The late sixties was a time of rapid change in the brewing industry. New trends seemed to come and go quickly. Draught stout was quickly gaining a following. Watneys tried to compete head to head with Guinness for a time with a trial of Colonel Murphy's Stout. It did not prove successful. They had to accept that Guinness had cornered the market and sell draught Guinness in their houses. An agreement with Carlsberg Lager in 1969 was, however, more successful. Watneys were surprising latecomers to the lager market. Carling Black Label had been on sale in the UK at Bass Charrington houses for several years and Whitbread linked up with Heineken as long ago as 1961. However, Watneys jumped at the right time and joined the lager market before it really took off in the 70s. Another feature of drinking in the late sixties and early seventies were strong ales available in small bottles. The most well known is Whitbread's Gold Label - "Strong as a double scotch, less than half the price". Watneys produced two beers in this category "Export Gold" and "Stingo" barley wine. The new owners of the brand seem to be aiming their products up - market; I feel their use of the name is somewhat ironic, considering the bland and anodyne beers that the original Watneys used to sell.

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly the report from Barnehurst ward:- "Good news first, there has been no Incidents of vehicle crime in the past week. We have however suffered a burglary in Erith Road on Thursday 23/01/2020 between 10.25am -10.35am where the victim returned home to find the front door open and the lock damaged. Various items were taken from within the property. We ask residents to stay alert as a male was captured on CCTV in Hillingdon Road approaching a front door to peer through a window. In the background was a vehicle with lights on parked in the road. The driver's side door was seen to open therefore it is believed there were at least two suspects. Fortunately no attempt was made to force entry however it shows they were in the area! Our next community contact session will be at Barnehurst Golf Course on Wednesday 5th February 2020 at 11.00am". Belvedere ward:- "There have been several garage break-ins across the ward in what appear to be secluded areas (stand-alone garage blocks rather than garages attached to residential properties). Having visited victims of these crimes in Upper Park Road, Essenden Road and Lesness Park recently, the team have been informed that these incidents involve two males who appear to be using a light grey / light metallic silver BMW car. The driver remains in the vehicle whilst the passenger attempts to forcibly open garages by cutting the padlocks. There were also residential burglaries in Regent Square and Ashburnham Road in the past week. Entry was gained to both properties via the rear of the property by smashing glass in the rear doors to enter. The team visited a resident of Kentish Road who had contacted us for advice as he had been visited at his home by an unknown male claiming that he would require roofing repairs to his house. The male then made efforts to obtain a substantial amount of money from the resident whilst no work had been done. Thankfully, the resident refused to pay the money and contacted police to report". Bexleyheath ward:- From Neighbourhood Watch Member - in Hawthorn Road:- "A neighbour has reported that she and several other neighbours saw 3 white males 'strutting' down the middle of Hawthorn Road at about 4pm on Saturday 25th Jan. They walked down the road (away from The Broadway) and then walked back up. They were pointing and gesticulating at various features of the houses and garages and at one point walked down the shared drive of 14 Hawthorn Road. They didn't knock at the door of the owner. Later the same afternoon, her husband opened the door to a couple who told him about gangs leaving marks for potential burglaries. I said that burglars would be more likely to text or take a photo rather than leaving any possible evidence. I said that I would pass on this information as there may have been other sightings. It could be something or nothing. She was also concerned about the drug dealing she has seen/ heard about on the corner by the Memorial on Methuen Road". From Neighbourhood Watch Member - in Rochester Drive:- "There was an incident reported this morning for an attempted burglary in Rochester Drive on 26 Jan 2020 at 22:40. Two men drove up in the car what looked like a Mercedes A-Class. Both men exited the vehicle and one of them went to the property to try and forcibly enter while the other man stood near the car. The occupants were upstairs trying to put their 2 year old to sleep. The lady who is also now 8 months pregnant is distraught at the thought that she could've been face-to face with the buglers if she hadn't locked her front door earlier than usual. Thankfully they left quickly. There are video footages from the ring door camera as well as the CCTV. The car registration isn't obvious but we are not sure if the police are able to extract the number plate details". From Neighbourhood Watch Member - in Belvedere Road:-"We had a very suspicious occurrence on 20th Jan 2020 at 10.30pm. 2 young men black hoodies with black masks knocked at a neighbours door. They left apologising when the door was answered and walked out on the drive. They said looking for the next door neighbour. They got in a silver ish colour small car Y555 SPY. We checked with neighbour and they were not expecting anyone and no one knocked on there door after. The description of people matches with another post on FaceBook where two males tried to force entry to a house when a child answered the door. I believe they were put off by a male answering or were expecting the house to be empty. Police report filed and Neighbourhood police informed as car reg seems legit". Crayford ward:- "One residential burglary and one attempted burglary to report over the last week. The burglary occurred in Glebelands between 3pm and 7:30pm on Thursday 23rd January. Entry was gained via the unlocked back door. An untidy search was conducted with a laptop, a hoover and various other household items taken. An attempted burglary occurred in Clive Avenue on Sunday 26th January. The Ring doorbell motion sensor was activated at 11:07pm and showed a male approach the door with his hood up and a scarf covering his face. No entry was gained. There were four incidents of motor vehicle crime reported over the last week. There was an attempted theft from motor vehicle in Samas Way on Tuesday January 21st at 10:30pm. The suspect was wearing a hoodie and tried to break into the vehicle but ran off when the alarm went off. Criminal Damage to motor vehicle occurred in Ridge Way when a wing mirror was smashed. Nothing was taken. The incident occurred between Monday 20th and Wednesday 23rd January. A white ford transit company van was broken into in Ridge Avenue overnight of Tuesday 21st January. It appears nothing was taken. Between Friday 24th January and Sunday 26th January a black Vauxhall Vivaro was broken into in Tanners Close. The driver's side window had been smashed and it appears the airbag had been taken". Erith ward:- From Neighbourhood Watch Member - in Vickers Road:- "At 04:15 hrs on Friday 24th January what appears to be a male with a push bike was trying all the car doors. He was successful in one car as the owner had left the car unlocked". From Police SNT Team:- "This last week we carried out a warrant in Erith which involved Northumberland heath SNT and North End SNT a number of knives where recovered and 3 stolen mopeds, arrests were made. This was a good team effort from everyone involved – check out Erith SNT Twitter page for some images ( @MPSErith )On the Saturday 4th of February it is the Ward panel meeting in Erith invites will be sent out, if you are interested in attending and live in Erith please email us. We have been having ASB issues in Erith Park, we posted out letters (over 500) to all residents in the area, we are also working with Orbit housing and Bexley ASB team on ways to tackle this". Northumberland Heath ward:- "Attempted burglaries - Attempted garage burglary at Becton Place. Suspects were seen entering the garage and had stolen a bicycle . Between 1945 and 2025hrs on Tuesday 28th JAN an unknown suspect ripped off the side gate and gained access as a trespasser to a garden of Frinstead Road, Erith. From there, the suspect broke into the garden shed and may have used a tool taken from there to try and wrench open the back door to the house. Entry to the house was not gained but the door was scuffed. Tesco's on Bexley Road have also reported low level shoplifting. The suspect is known to police. Theft from motor vehicle on Detling Road. The CCTV camera has now been installed at Northumberland Heath Recreation Ground . The Local Policing have already received positive feedback from local residents. S.59 Warning has been issued to a driver of a moped witnessed by a member of the public driving dangerously along Sussex Road / Northumberland Heath. The next contact point will be on Wednesday Sunday 5th February at 4.30pm at Mill Road Library. Residents will be able to obtain a smart water kit".

Slade Green and Northend ward:- "Between Friday 24/01 and Sunday 26/01 we had 4 overnight Theft from motor vehicles. They were in Hazel Drive, Cornwallis Close, Jenningtree Road and Appold Street. Not only were all 4 crimes committed during night time hours but all 4 also had valuables and personal belongings on show (sat navs, phones, expensive jacket etc). This reiterates our regular warning of not leaving any items in your vehicles at any time. Last week PC James assisted Erith SNT in executing a warrant on their ward. 3 stolen mopeds were found along with drugs resulting 2 arrests made at the scene. PCSO Mark along with other PCSO colleagues from North Heath, Erith and across the borough carried out high vis patrols of the Broadway last week after recent reports of several knife crimes in the area". Thamesmead East ward:- "Motor vehicle crimes - Mangold Way Sat 18/01/20 between 7pm – Mon 20/01/20 9am windscreen wipers completely snapped off by unknown suspect/s from victim's vehicle. Yarnton Way Monday 27/2/20 between 2:30 – 3:30pm Victim reports vehicle front passenger window smashed, glove box ripped open containing a pencil case with bank cards and house keys inside, removed by suspect/s unknown. Southmere Drive Monday 27/1/20 between 2pm – 7:30pm Victim reports vehicle broken into Dash Cam and loose change removed by suspect/s unknown. Pointer Close Monday 27/1/20 between midday – Tuesday 28/1/20 3pm victim reports front and rear registration plates removed by suspect/s unknown. It has since come to light the plates have been use on another vehicle which made off from a petrol station without paying for fuel. Criminal Damage - Glimpsing Green Monday 27/01/20 between 05:56 – 05:58 am Victim was in bed and was woken by the sound of banging coming from the living room. Victim went into the living room and saw suspect had broken the glass door and had their hand inside trying to reach for the door handle. Victim shouted “what are you doing”? and the suspect ran off towards the park. Theft - Sydney Road Friday 10/1/20 between 11pm – 11:10pm a property which is undergoing building works has had materials stolen from the drive. Good News - After complaints by residents in Glimpsing Green of youths causing antisocial behaviour and smoking cannabis, the team made several patrols of the area and found a suspect smoking in possession of cannabis. The suspect was subsequently interviewed and processed. The team are investigating a recent theft from Taris shop in Yarnton Way, involving a number of young people who have been identified via CCTV. All to be interviewed at a later date. Just to reiterate all crime will be investigated and taken seriously by the team". West Heath ward:- "One attempted garage burglary in Milford Close between Wednesday 20/01/20 09.00 – Tuesday 21/01/20 09.00. The padlock to the shed was broken off but nothing was taken. An attempted burglary took place in Bedonwell Road on Monday 27/1/20 at 00.40. A pane of glass was smashed on the inner front door, entry was not gained. A dark coloured BMV was seen making off towards King Harolds Way. One residential burglary in Brampton Road on Tuesday January 28/01/20 between the hours of 11.45 – 18.45. Entry was gained via the back door. A safe was stolen from the property. Theft on number plates from a vehicle parked in Woolwich between Thursday 23/01/20 19.30 – Friday 24/01/20 at 07.00 .Theft of a catalytic converter in Amberley Road on Tuesday 21/01/20 between the hours of 10.00 – 1500. Theft of catalytic converter in Gipsy Road also on Tuesday 21st January between 10.30 – 6.30. A number of personal items were stolen from a vehicle that was broken in to in Brabourne Crescent between 21.00 0n Tuesday 28/01/20 and Wednesday 29/01/20 at 07.45 when the victim discovered the car had been broken in to. One criminal to a van in Selsey Crescent between Sunday 26/01/20 0800 – Monday 27/01/20 at 07.30 when the owner discovered the vehicle had been covered in graffiti. The team have been busy conducting proactive patrols in and around the ward. Two arrests for domestic criminal damage and Domestic ABH. Following information received, three positive stop and searches were made in Powys Close and a male was issued with a penalty notice for the possession of cannabis".

The end video this week is some unique aerial footage taken over Barnehurst - it gives a very unusual perspective on the area. Please feel free to send comments / stories to me via Email; my address is hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Nonexistent Nuxley Village.

Erith has certainly had its share of press attention this week, not least on Monday, when a suspect package was discovered in Pembroke Road, adjacent to the railway line. Train services were stopped, and the Police and emergency services summoned. Eventually the package was found to not be a bomb, and the line re – opened; train disruption continued for several hours, as services were misplaced. Obviously the authorities had to err on the side of caution when dealing with the suspect package, but a few questions still need to be asked. Who found the package, and why was a bomb suspected? I lack the detailed background knowledge to fully understand the circumstances, but it does seem rather unlikely that ISIS or Al Qaeda would target Erith over a more high profile target in central London. Still it is reassuring to know that the authorities are on their toes when it comes to potential local threats.

According to the online resource the Rightmove Rental Tracker, Erith and Belvedere are the cheapest places to rent property in Greater London. Average prices for two-bedroom flats are £1,013 and £1,064 a month respectively, almost half the London average, yet direct train services reach London Bridge station within 40 minutes. Belvedere sits one stop further up the line, which also stops at Abbey Wood, Plumstead and Woolwich, an area set to gain high-speed Crossrail links from 2018. With rents rising by up to 21 per cent in some parts of the capital in the past year alone, it is no surprise that the most affordable areas also are becoming the most in-demand among renters. The Rightmove report refers to Erith as “little known”, and “North East of Bexleyheath and North West of Dartford”. It makes Erith sound like it is halfway up the Zambezi – the survey is obviously conducted by estate agents unfamiliar with the area. This is not unusual, as I have previously covered; A lot of people, some long – time local residents included, who call Nuxley Road in Upper Belvedere “Nuxley Village” – even though no such place has ever existed since the beginning of recorded time. The origin of the names of the  places in the local area, and some of the surrounding landmarks dates back to the early fifteenth century, and the name Belvedere even earlier. The area of Bedonwell gets its name from the Bedon stream, which runs through what is now known as Streamway; the Bedon is a minor tributary of the River Thames, which is now run through an underground drain for much of its length. A fifteenth century form of the name was Beton Well, meaning “praying well”. The exact origin is lost in the mists of time, though the old English word “bydan” meaning a shallow valley may have something to do with it. On the South side of the stream was a further area of open heath land, called Nuxley or Little Heath, which occupied an area around what was later Bedonwell Primary School (and is now a Doctor’s surgery and private flats). The name Nuxley was sometimes spelled Naxley, which in turn is a corruption of Knocksley, meaning a small hill. Nuxley Road was originally named Bexley Road, until March 1939 when it was renamed as Nuxley Road, which it remains to date. There is no record of Upper Belvedere ever having been named Nuxley Village, and parish records for the area date back to 1235 AD, and survived the reformation, when ownership of the parish was transferred from Lesnes Abbey to the owners of Parsonage Farm (on what is now Parsonage Manor Way). During the late 19th century, Parsonage Farm was owned by the Vinson family, who were at the time rich and powerful enough to issue their own trade tokens (a kind of informal local currency). There are records that beer houses such as the Fox, and full pubs such as the Eardley Arms took trade tokens for payment for food and drink until sometime around 1900. The farm buildings, which were  constructed in the Middle Ages (principally to provide food and drink for Abbot and Monks at Lesnes Abbey) lasted until the end of WWII, when it was used to house an auxiliary fire station. After the war the building was so derelict it was demolished. Thus, the name “Nuxley Village” is a construct – a fictional creation of local estate agents who have no knowledge of the history of the area. Upper Belvedere has been so called for at least the last 781 years, and the thoughtless action of a handful of ignorant house peddlers is not going to change facts any time soon.

A report last week in the New York Times poses serious questions about the long held belief that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It turns out that the idea is the result of spin over the years by breakfast cereal companies and others. skipping  breakfast can allegedly lead to weight gain, a sluggish metabolism, or stress. According to a new piece in The New York Times however, our beliefs about breakfast are all based on "misinterpreted research and biased studies"–propaganda, basically. Author Aaron E. Carroll notes that almost all breakfast studies suffer from a "publication bias." There are flaws in reporting of studies that skew findings to link skipping breakfast with causing obesity. Carroll writes: "The reports improperly used causal language to describe their results. They misleadingly cited other's results. And they also improperly used causal language in citing others' results. People believe, and want you to believe, that skipping breakfast is bad. Additionally, there are usually conflicts of interest behind the studies, considering most of them are funded by the food industry. The Quaker Oats Centre of Excellence, for instance, paid for a trial that concluded eating oatmeal or frosted cornflakes reduces weight and cholesterol. People are conditioned from a young age to believe that breakfast is essential to performance. It turns out that's because most of the research geared toward kids is meant to evaluate the impact of school breakfast programmes. They don't take into consideration that 15 million children in the U.S. go hungry at home–of course they would do better in school if they eat". That isn't the same, though, as testing whether children who are already well nourished and don't want breakfast should be forced to eat it," Carroll writes. Overall, you should just go with your gut. If you're hungry in the morning, eat. If you're not, don't think you're sinning by skipping it. Finally, approach all studies skeptically – Carroll put it best: "Breakfast has no mystical powers."

Yet another serious incident on Erith Pier has caused the Gravesend Lifeboat to be called out. Even at maximum speed, the lifeboat takes quite some time to travel Westwards from Gravesend; several times when it was been called to Erith, it has been in relatively close proximity whilst on patrol. The most recent incident happened at around 4am on Sunday morning, where a man was reported to be hanging off a ladder on the far end of Erith Pier. The RNLI and Police were called, and the man was rescued. To my mind, this once again shows that we need a fully staffed lifeboat sub – station in Erith. As I have written before, Erith is approximately equidistant between Gravesend and London Bridge – the two locations of the nearest lifeboat stations, which means potentially it is the point furthest from a rescue service in the event of a river emergency. The RNLI are getting call – outs to Erith every other week at present. Thus far the recent emergencies have all reached positive conclusions, but it is only a matter of time before we have a fatality. Erith Pier already has a plaque fixed to the wall of the building at the far end. This commemorates the young man who ended his life by throwing himself into the river back in 2011. I am writing to the RNLI to see if any consideration has been given to a substation at Erith. As I have previously mentioned, the old Port of London Authority office adjacent to the wooden jetty on the river front would make an ideal substation – it has power and water, and enough space for four people to stay whilst on call. The lifeboat could be moored at the end of the jetty. What do you think? Does the level of river – related emergencies justify the expense of an RNLI substation? Another emergency happened in the outskirts of the town on Sunday. A number of ambulances and other emergency vehicles raced along Manor Road, heading in the direction of Erith Yacht Club at around half past three in the afternoon. A biker had crashed, and in the process had suffered head injuries. It turned out that he had been illegally riding on the marshes. For some unknown reason a lot of local bikers have the erroneous idea that off – road biking is permitted on Slade Green Marshes, when in fact it is specifically forbidden, and the Police have successfully prosecuted individuals for doing this in the past. Slade Green Marshes are an area of outstanding scientific interest, being the home to a number of rare and protected plants and small animals. Biking on the marshes, as well as being noisy, inconsiderate and polluting, causes erosion to the footpaths and damage to the flora adjacent to the pathways. I don’t know the specifics of the biker involved in the accident last Sunday, so I will not comment further. Slade Green Marshes were the location of a large explosion back in 1924 – here is a contemporary press account of the disaster:- February 19th: "The Slade Green Filling Factory, situated midway between Erith and Dartford on Crayford Marshes, was the scene of a terrible disaster yesterday in which eleven girls and a foreman lost their lives. Between 8.45 and 9 o'clock the girls were at their work breaking open Verey light cartridges and extracting powder. Suddenly there was a flash and in a moment that building ? of brick and corrugated iron ? was an inferno of smoke and fire. As the fire reached the cartridges they exploded, appearing like stars among the smoke. Eleven of the eighteen girls were trapped by the fire. Miss Charlotte Coshall, the forewoman and seven of the remaining girls managed to get out of the building, some with their clothes alight. The awful suddenness of the catastrophe and the smoke and fumes prevented any possible chance of rescue. The Slade Green Filling Factory was originally munition works under Government control but more recently has been used by Messrs WB. Gilbert Ltd for the breaking down of munitions. The factory consists of a number of buildings, all separate from each other and reached from Slade Green by a narrow winding road over the marshes. Close to it on the Erith side are the Thames Ammunition works. Some of those who escaped turned back at once but, finding it impossible to reach the unfortunate girls inside, rushed towards the gates of the works screaming for help. One eye witness said the foreman who died had tried to lift a girl through the window but the heat and smoke were too great and he fell back. When help eventually arrived only one girl was alive, Miss Edna Allen, and she was terribly burned. She was taken to Erith Cottage Hospital but died during the night. The inquest will be opened at Crayford tomorrow (Wednesday) and a memorial service will be planned later".

The photo above was sent to me earlier this week by Maggot Sandwich reader, and occasional contributor Alan Magin. He was responding to the request I published last week for any information regarding the very early years of Thamesmead. Alan has exceeded my expectations. Alan describes the photo thusly:- "Photo shows me sitting astride a pre-stressed beam, with another about to be sited. It was a Saturday morning, l couldn't turn down a few hours overtime! It took me 10 months of travelling into London, from June 1968, with people fainting on the train in the heat of that hot summer, to make me realise I wanted out of the Rat-Race! I applied for a job with the construction company Holland Hannen and Cubitts Ltd. I was duly employed as a Junior Engineer/Chainman on the Civil Engineering side of things, (roads, sewers & bridges). Oh, by the way this is East Bridge on Yarnton Way in the summer of 1969. The site agents name Denis Counden, he is standing next to me wearing the trilby hat. The guy on the ground is the site manager Bill Monday, he is not saluting Mr. Hitler, but guiding the crane driver. The guy half-way up the ladder is Alan Rush a Civil Engineer, he designed and built the culvert (getting a BSc in the process) that runs under Alsike Rd, taking water away from the Sedgemere, Sydney Rd Estate that so often flooded back then! I was in construction until joining The London Fire Brigade in February 1974". Fascinating stuff - thanks very much for allowing me to publish it! The lack of any form of safety equipment such as hard hats, steel toe capped work boots, safety glasses and high visibility jackets really shows that things have changed since the photograph was taken. 

A real turnaround for catering in the local area - after woeful results only a couple of years ago, the following press release was published earlier this week:- "Bexley is now of one of the highest rated places to eat in London according to the latest national figures. Over 95% of food businesses in Bexley have food hygiene ratings of 3,4 and 5, which puts Bexley as the best in London, alongside Kensington and Chelsea. Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Environment and Leisure, Cllr Peter Craske said; “The variety of restaurants and places to eat is one of the reasons Bexley is a great place to live. Unseen by residents, our food safety team do a great job, inspecting premises and ensuring people can eat out in confidence. Our figures have improved massively over recent months thanks to changes in practice, a tougher stance on non-compliant businesses and an improved visit regime. I hope this will encourage everyone to continue to support our great restaurants, pubs and cafes.” Premises are encouraged to inform customers of their food safety hygiene rating. Look for the green sticker in the window of restaurants or takeaways or ask the proprietor what rating they have. Or use the Food Safety Hygiene app before you leave home". This is a real piece of positive progress. Only two years ago Bexley was at the very bottom of the pile as far as food hygiene was concerned - this reversal is extremely welcome news indeed. 

I think that pretty much everyone has heard of smart televisions, but did you know that smart radios also exist? Indeed, I recently bought a smart radio that you can see above. The Roberts 93i smart radio is a very good piece of kit; it receives analogue FM stereo broadcasts, DAB and DAB+ broadcasts, and also wirelessly connects to your broadband / fibre optic router to bring you thousands of Internet radio stations. It can also connect to Spotify and play audio files in multiple formats from a connected memory stick, or from a local music server. The sound quality is excellent (with my usual caveats about "old style" original DAB, as used by stations such as Planet Rock, which are only available in relatively low bitrate mono). Internet, DAB+ and FM sound quality is outstanding. You can read the What Hifi? Review of the Roberts 93i here. I highly recommend this radio.

Another radio - related discovery is the web based shortwave receiver - screen capture above. You can access this software defined interactive radio by clicking on the link here. The radio is simultaneously usable by several hundred people at a time - all listening to different frequencies. Give it a try - instructions are on the website. If you have never seen a waterfall display before, drag the on screen pointer to the areas with the white lines - that is where the strongest signals are. The online radio picks up all sorts of H.F signals - amateur radio operators, ships at sea, airliners on long distance journeys, military and clandestine numbers stations, and international shortwave broadcast stations - not to mention quite a few pirate broadcasters. Give the site a try and see what you think. Feel free to leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

I discovered an interesting historical fact this week. The huge, 219 metre (719 feet) tall antenna tower at Crystal Palace, that supplies TV and radio signals for a large part of London and the South East was designed and built by Erith based company British Insulated Callender's Construction Co Ltd (later known as BICC) with steelwork fabrication by Painter Brothers Ltd, Hereford, back in 1955. Much of the tower’s construction was prefabricated and test erected in sections in the Callender’s Erith works before it was pulled apart and transported to site for final erection. When completed in 1956, the tower was the tallest structure in Greater London, a title it held until the completion of the One Canada Square Tower in Canary Wharf back in 1991. The first transmission from Crystal Palace took place on 28 March 1956, when it succeeded the transmitter at Alexandra Palace where the BBC had started the world's first scheduled television service in November 1936. In November 1956 the first colour test transmissions began from Crystal Palace relaying live pictures from the studios at Alexandra Palace after BBC TV had closed down for the night. In May 1958 the first experimental Band V 625-line transmissions started from Crystal Palace. The transmitter tower holds another record, one that cannot be beaten. On 18 July 1986, with the First Night of the Proms on BBC2, the transmitter became the first in the world to transmit stereophonic sound using the NICAM digital sound system. On 2 December 2009, the site entered service as one of the first DVB-T2 transmitters in the world, carrying a variant of the BBC's Multiplex B broadcasting high-definition TV services. All of the analogue television services transmitted from the Crystal Palace tower were discontinued back in 2012; all TV signals are now from a digital multiplex. The only analogue output of the tower is now FM radio (BBC radios 1,2,3,and 4) a couple of independent local stations, along with some legacy services on Medium Wave. The historical connection that Callender’s had with the BBC back in the day was wider than merely being the constructor of the Crystal Palace transmitter tower. Callender’s had This was an amateur band, called The Callender’s Cableworks Band, which was active between 1898 and 1961, of which all members were employees of Callender's at Erith. They rehearsed and performed in their leisure time, while the company in its role of patron lent its name and supplied uniforms and instruments. The band broadcast prolifically on BBC Radio in the 1920s and 1930s. The Band was started in the 1890s as a Salvation Army brass band, but because they felt limited as to the types of music which they were permitted to play, they formed their own temperance band. However this caused difficulties in purchasing their own uniforms and instruments, so their employer, Callender's, stepped in as patron. From then on they were Callender's Cableworks Band under various forms of that name. They were always an amateur band, rehearsing and performing in their leisure time. The Senior Band had a high reputation, and in 1932 were described as the finest in the south of England. In 1929 Jim Thompson joined the band; later in 1939 he was to found the Belvedere Male Voice Choir. In 1932 the band consisted of all brass instruments, plus four saxophones. At the time they were the only brass band with saxophones. In competitions over the years they had 25 wins, 11 second places and 3 third places. By the end of 1932 the band had performed on radio a total of eighty times – something unprecedented at the time. The band finally disbanded in 1961 as members retired and few young volunteers could be found.

The end video this week was created by Maggot Sandwich reader and local Councillor Abena Oppong - Asare. It is a compilation of images from the "Our Erith" art exhibition that was held at Christ Church Erith on the weekend of the 13th - 15th May. See what you think, and either leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Another nail in the coffin for Brick Lane?

I took the photo above recently - click on it for a larger view; it shows the Erith Riverside Gardens and the River Thames. The Riverside Gardens are the only place in the whole of the London Borough of Bexley where you can easily access the River Thames. It is one of the unique benefits of living in Erith, and a feature that I feel is still somewhat under - utilised. Unfortunately there has been another case reported of someone trying to throw themselves into the river this week; The News Shopper have described how the Gravesend Lifeboat was called to Erith on Thursday afternoon at around 5.20pm after a person was seen attempting to enter the river. Local Police were soon on the scene, and the lifeboat was released to return to normal duties. This once again reinforces the need for a more local lifeboat substation for Erith; the location of which I have suggested several times in the past, and which can just be seen to the right of the photo above. The grey side wall of the former Port of London Authority building can just be seen. It would make an excellent base for a small team of RNLI volunteers, and is currently standing empty and unused right next to Erith Jetty, an idea place for launching a small inshore boat. What do you think? Contact me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

In a move which is bound to court controversy and some very vocal opposition, Bexley Council has taken the decision to make savings on the amount it spends on electricity for the borough's street lights.  The Council is looking at various options for reducing these costs including part night lighting which would mean switching off some lights from midnight until 5.30am. Following a recent price increase, the energy bill for the 20,000 street lights the Council currently maintains is expected to reach £1 million a year. Following consultation with the emergency services and other key stakeholders the Council has selected a number of streets within the Welling area to be part of a pilot study for part night lighting. The work to convert the streets lights to part night lighting starts week commencing 12 October 2015. If it proves successful then the scheme will be extended across the Borough. The pilot will be left to operate for four to six months. Feedback is very important to the Council and those within the pilot area will be given the opportunity after this period to give us their views on the experience. My feeling is that it will not go well; I think that any cost savings in electricity will be offset by increased costs due to road accidents, burglaries, anti-social behaviour and general crime. The fact that these hidden costs would not come out of the same budget as that for street lighting does not escape me either. Still, I suppose the whole point of the pilot is to find out what works and what does not. I will be keeping an eye on developments with interest.

The photo above (click on it for a larger view) shows the Pipeline Under The Ocean (PLUTO) control room during operations in late 1944. Much of the multiple PLUTO pipe infrastructure was constructed in and around Erith in the middle to late phases of World War II. The technology developed was later put to very good effect and made the United Kingdom one of the world centres for oil and gas engineering, something that is still true to this day. There is a lot of history in the local area relating to this stunning feat of military and civil engineering, and a handful of those involved in the project are still alive now. PLUTO, the WW2 Pipeline Under the Ocean, was designed to supply petrol from storage tanks in southern England to the advancing Allied armies in France in the months following D-Day. A reliable supply of petrol for the advancing Allied forces following the D-Day landings was of the highest priority. Planners knew that the future invasion of Europe would be the largest amphibious landing in history, and without adequate and reliable supplies of petrol any advance would at best slow down and at worst grind to a halt. A loss of momentum could jeopardise the whole operation as German forces would have time to regroup and counter-attack. Conventional tankers and 'ship to shore' pipelines were in danger of cluttering up the beaches, obstructing the movement of men, armaments and materials and, in all circumstances, were subject to the vagaries of the weather and sea conditions and they were easy targets for the Luftwaffe. The idea of a pipeline under the ocean, (the English Channel), was an innovative solution. Oil storage facilities located near the English Channel were vulnerable to attack by the Luftwaffe. To reduce the risk of losses, a network of pipelines was, during early discussions about PLUTO, already under construction. The network was designed to carry fuel from less vulnerable storage and port facilities around Bristol and Liverpool to the English Channel. This network would later be linked to the planned pipeline at Shanklin on the Isle of Wight and Dungeness further to the west. (see map below). The terminals and pumping stations were heavily disguised as bungalows, gravel pits, garages and even an ice cream shop! The Combined Operations Experimental Establishment (COXE) was involved in many diverse top-secret projects including the waterproofing vehicles, the removal of underwater obstacles on landing beaches and the testing of landing craft under a variety of sea and beach conditions. To this formidable list was added the supply of petrol to France using underwater pipelines. All these challenges were borne out of a culture that encouraged bold and imaginative solutions to intractable problems. Such a  culture was encouraged at the highest level when Winston Churchill ordered Roger Keyes, the then Director of Combined Operations, and his successors, to think offensively when many were at the time rightly concerned with the defence of the country. In the early part of 1942 Geoffrey Lloyd MP, who was in charge of the UK's fuel policy, met with Mountbatten, Chief of Combined Operations (CCO) and others to consider the fuel supply issue. There was no 'off the shelf' solution that did not invite the Luftwaffe to attack shore installations or slow pipe-laying and support vessels. Lloyd approached Sir William Fraser CBE, Chairman of the Anglo-Iranian Petroleum Corporation.- They picked up on an idea of Mr Hartley, the Chief Engineer of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Co., to use existing submarine cable technology, minus the core, as the basic building block of a petrol pipeline. Siemens Brothers and Co Ltd., of Woolwich, London, who were experienced in the design and manufacture of such cables, eagerly took up the challenge. Other design work was undertaken by Henlys, Pirelli, Johnson and Phillips, the National Physical Laboratory and the Post Office. It was a complex task, and there were many failures arising from twists, kinks, bursts and collapse due to external water pressure and other powerful forces. One of the major companies involved in the production of the highly specialised pipeline was British Insulated Callender's Cables (BICC) of Erith, but even this was not enough to meet the volume of demand, so American firms - General Electric, Phelps-Dodge, Okonite Callenders and General Cable were drafted in. Of the 710 miles of PLUTO pipeline manufactured in total, 140 miles came from the USA.  The first pipeline to France was laid on 12th August 1944, over the 130 km (70 nautical miles) from Shanklin Chine on the Isle of Wight across the English Channel to Cherbourg. A further three pipelines soon followed. As the fighting moved closer to Germany, seventeen other lines were laid from Dungeness to Ambleteuse in the Pas-de-Calais. The PLUTO Pipelines were linked to pumping stations on the English coast, housed in various inconspicuous buildings including cottages and garages. Though uninhabited, these were intended to cloak the real purpose of the buildings. Pluto Cottage at Dungeness, a pumping station built to look like a small house, is now a Bed and Breakfast. In England, the PLUTO pipelines were supplied by a 1,609 km (1,000 mi) network of pipelines (constructed at night to prevent detection by aerial reconnaissance) to transport fuel from ports including Liverpool and Bristol. In Europe, the pipelines were extended as the troops moved forward and eventually reached as far as the Rhine. In January 1945, 305 tonnes of fuel was pumped to France per day, which increased tenfold to 3,048 tonnes per day in March, and eventually to 4,000 tons (almost 1,000,000 Imperial gallons) per day. In total, over 781 000 m³ of gasoline had been pumped to the Allied forces in Europe by VE day, providing a critical supply of fuel until a more permanent arrangement was made, although the pipeline remained in operation for some time after Along with the Mulberry Harbours that were constructed immediately after D-Day, Operation Pluto is considered one of history's greatest feats of military engineering. The pipelines are also the forerunners of all flexible pipes used in the development of offshore oil fields. Much of the development and construction of this amazing war - winning engineering effort is down to the direct involvement of BICC in Erith, and their highly specialised engineers, something that local residents can be justly proud of. 

You may recall that I wrote extensively about a widespread online scam purporting to “give away” iPhones to competition entrants a while back. The “Funky Clock” scam has become the most widely read individual weekly blog entry in over nine years of publishing the Maggot Sandwich. It helps that for some obscure reason that Google has ranked the entry on the first page of results if you search for “Funky Clock” on the search engine. For some unknown reason, a lot of people are convinced that all and sundry kinds of organisations are giving away iPhones and iPads with gay abandon. I am afraid that this is simply not the case. If you want to see the article for yourself, you can see above an image of a website which purports to be from the CNN website;  the URL is cnn-shopping.com - which is your first clue that something is up. If CNN really did have a legitimate shopping section, would you expect the home page of that section to show one individual article rather than the traditional carousel of recent and 'most popular' stories? (On some browsers, the domain-name part of the URL is the only bit that is shown, which can help to hide this.) Other parts of the page give clues that the scammers are a little out of date. The 'advert' on the right refers to iOS 8 rather than 9, and the offer itself is for the iPhone 6 rather than the 6s or 6s Plus (granted, one could assume that these are being offered at bargain prices precisely because the next generation is about to go on sale, but it doesn't really make sense for Apple to give away year-old phones for the stated purpose of winning 'repeat customers' who will evangelise about its products). Needless to say, none of the 'proof' that that the offer is legit (the testimonials from satisfied customers, the photo of an unboxed iPhone) are anything of the sort. And as a further indication of dodginess, the domain name was only registered last month. If you click on one of the links on the original page (even the sidebar story about an eagle destroying a drone!), you will be taken to a page that asks for your credit card details.  I am not sure what the organisation plans to do with this information, but I strongly advise against giving out details of your financial security to such obvious criminal con artists; whatever the site is, there's no evidence that it's anything to do with CNN. I strongly advise you to steer clear of this type of offer, and if anyone you know forwards you the link, it would be a kindness to give them the same warning. Once again, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. In a similar manner, you will often see adverts at the foot of web pages with titles such as “This crazy loophole is something that retailers don’t want you to know about” or “This incredible trick will get you an iPad for next to nothing”. You will see links to stories similar to these around the web, claiming that there is a loophole that retailers don't want you to know about that means you can get an iPad for free. These stories tend to direct readers to a bidding system suggesting that they can bid money for an iPad, and get their hands on the iPad they bid for. For example, a "Megabargains24" story suggests readers use the MadBid auction site - please note that though "Megabargains24" purports to be a bargains news site, in the small print it does admit to being an "Advertorial" site. However, a forum post on MoneySavingExpert suggests that Madbid will take your money: charging you for bid packages. One post complains that the site started bidding on their behalf without their knowledge. There is also an auction site called Swoggi that other 'free iPad' stories will promote. To use that auction site you have to purchase credits to bid in an auction. Research shows that these are fake auctions, and when the bidders don't win the product they are unable to get their money back. These sites are said to use BidRobots, or fake bots, to drive up the prices. All in all these are all scams and not a way to get new technology for free. If you want an iPhone or iPad you will need to save up and buy one just like the rest of us – there is no quick “trick” to a free one – these sites are just traps for the gullible. In a nutshell, nobody, Apple included, gives away iPhones or iPads for free - it is all a con. Pass it on. 

Southeastern trains have just announced changes to their Autumn timetables. In essence the changes mainly involve starting some morning services a few minutes earlier than normal and adding a couple of minutes to overall journey times. The main reason for this is due to the problem of fallen leaves on the line. The North Kent Line is particularly vulnerable to fallen leaves, as much of the line runs in a cutting with tree on both sides of the track. The main reason for this was when the line was built, it was done through areas that already had quite a high concentration of residential housing. The cuttings, and indeed the trees helped to reduce the amount of noise from the passing steam trains. It also kept the impact of the engineering work to a minimum. The down side of this is that during the autumn period any falling leaves are effectively funnelled onto the tracks, where they get crushed by the passing train wheels, mixed with rainwater, and then form a mushy paste which causes a lack of grip for the trains. Delays are caused as drivers must brake early to ensure they stop in time and accelerate more gently than normal to avoid wheel spin. In their defence, Southeastern do have a number of specialist “de – gunging” trains which clean the rails of the crushed mix of dead leaves and rainwater, and spread a sticky film containing fine sand onto the rails to aid grip. Unless all of the trees are removed from the railway cuttings (something that is very unlikely to happen as they provide and aesthetic and environmental shielding) – not to mention looking pleasing.

Following the revelation that classic seventies sit com "Citizen Smith" will most definitely not be returning to our screens, it has been reported that "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em" could be set to return to screens next year. According to a report by The Mirror, stars Michael Crawford and Michele Dotrice have talked about reviving the show, potentially for BBC One's Landmark Sitcom Season. In an interview, the paper asked Dotrice if she planned to work with Crawford again. The response was: "Well, I can't really say, but yes. Possibly next year - but I can't really say anything about it." The BBC confirmed to the paper: "It's one of several shows being considered for BBC One's Landmark Sitcom Season, but nothing is confirmed as yet and none of the original cast has been approached by us." It is not known whether any revival of Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em would be for a one-off, multiple specials, or a full series. Many sitcoms have been revived in recent years, with mixed results. To The Manor Born returned for a single Christmas special in 2007; Birds Of A Feather has had three brand new series broadcast by ITV; and following a 2013 Christmas special revival of Open All Hours, a second new series of Still Open All Hours is now filming. Written by Raymond Allen, Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em originally ran for 22 episodes over three series from 1973 to 1978, following the hapless, disaster-prone Frank Spencer (Crawford), as he met, eventually married, and had a child with with next-door neighbour Betty (Dotrice), much to her mother's horror. Seemingly unable to complete even the simplest of tasks without bringing chaos, former RAF man Frank was seen ever in search of a job he could keep, and a home set-up he could not destroy.

Erith has been the home to many boxers of note in its history. None more so than Len Harvey. although not Erith born (he originated from Stoke Climsland in Cornwall) he moved to Erith on his retirement to be landlord of the Nordenfeldt Tavern in Fraser Road during the late 1940's. He was one of the best boxers in British history. Len Harvey started out as a flyweight at 12. By the time he was 18 he was ready to fight for the British welterweight title. He was held to a draw though by Harry Mason on 29 April 1926. His next British title shot came 2 years later on 16 May 1929. This time at middleweight against Alex Ireland. Harvey knocked out his opponent in the seventh round to become British champion. He made six defences between 1929 and 1933. He also fought Marcel Thil of France for the world middleweight championship.On 10 April 1933, he defended his title against Jock McAvoy. This ended in defeat for Harvey but two months later he was in the ring again challenging Eddie Phillips and won on points to become British Light Heavyweight champion. On 30 November that year he beat the then unbeaten Jack Petersen to become the British Heavyweight champion. He then went on to beat Canada's Larry Gains to become British Empire champion, but lost both titles in a rematch with Petersen being stopped in the 12th round on cuts. Harvey then went on to fight for the world title on 9 November 1936, but was beaten on points by John Henry Lewis. He then regained the British Heavyweight title by disqualification against old foe Eddie Phillips. In 1938 John Henry Lewis retired after developing eye problems, Harvey was then matched with another old foe, Jock McAvoy for British recognition of the world championship at Harringay Arena. This time he won on points on 10 July 1939. During World War II Harvey joined the Royal Air Force. By this time he was a national sporting idol, and was given an officer rank. During this time he was persuaded to defend his titles against Freddie Mills on 20 June 1942. By this time Harvey was a veteran of over a hundred bouts and was 35 years old. He was knocked out in two rounds, only the second time he was stopped and the first by K.O. He retired after this bout. He had an official record of 133 fights, 111 wins, 9 draws and 13 defeats: he claimed to have had 418 fights,but they probably included booth fights. His four fights with Jock McAvoy were legendary; he won three and lost one. He later died in Erith on 28 November 1976. Such was his legend that he was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 2008.  Until I was informed of Len Harvey, I was not aware of the prestige in which he was held. A truly great adopted son of the area. If you have any memories of Len Harvey, do get in contact with me in order to share them. 

Readers may recall that back in August 2013 I wrote about my fears that Brick Lane was becoming gentrified, and that the long tradition of the road being home to a multitude of curry houses was coming to an end. In my opinion the rot began back when a restaurant called Sweet and Spicy closed down after operating in Brick Lane continuously since 1969. Of all the curry houses in the lane, Sweet and Spicy was the only one that catered for the Bangladeshi and Pakistani locals – it was manifestly not there to tempt in tourists. I was a regular there for a very long time when I worked for a company based in the East End, and became friends with the owner. The food was nothing whatsoever like British Indian Restaurant style – it was slow cooked curries with simple, natural ingredients, meat on the bone in the traditional manner, and no food colouring, much as you would be served in someone’s home. It was a place of pilgrimage for many food enthusiasts. The décor in Sweet and Spicy was basic – old school McDonald's style tables with fixed chairs, lino on the floor and old advertising posters on the walls. The place was clean, the food excellent, portions huge, and the bill very small indeed. In 2013 the place was forced to close after 44 years as the lease came up for renewal, and the price went through the roof. Landlords in Brick Lane realised that the buildings housing Indian restaurants could generate much more cash if they were converted for other uses, such as housing for the hipsters who were moving into the area, following the business model already deployed in areas such as Dalston. That was then; now things have taken a further turn. Two of the multitude of “tourist trap” curry houses in Brick Lane have got themselves into some very hot water with the local authority. The London Evening Standard reported “Brick Lane’s premier curry house faces being shut down after a diner who complained about a hair in the mango chutney was allegedly set upon by six waiters in an “extraordinary” attack. Aladin, an award-winning restaurant which has been visited by Prince Charles, could be stripped of its licence after police recorded a series of “violent incidents”. The Met has applied to Tower Hamlets council saying it has “no confidence whatsoever” in the four brothers who run Aladin and its next-door restaurant Nazrul. Police have investigated more than a dozen incidents over the past two years at the two venues with claims of customers being attacked or abused and of fights with staff at rival restaurants over “touting”.   According to police evidence submitted to the council, the mango chutney incident happened on May 24 at 10pm after a group of diners complained about their £12.95-a-head two-course meal. Licensing officer Pc Alan Cruickshank wrote: “The victim was touted outside the Aladin restaurant and entered with his partner and two friends. They found what looked like a hair in the mango chutney and the staff refused to change it.  “At this, they decided to leave and asked for the bill as they had eaten some papadums. On being told it was £9, they queried this, but paid it. “When he got up to leave he was told to ‘shut up’ at which point he was... assaulted and spilled (sic) from the premises into Brick Lane.  “The assault escalated with 15 to 20 males joining in, punching and kicking him repeatedly. Two more in the party received injuries.” Pc Cruickshank added: “At one point six waiters from Aladin/Nazrul are seen to beat up one man. The level of violence is extraordinary. Passers-by become involved to try and separate the group, but are assaulted themselves.” Other alleged incidents include a woman diner being hit in the face and threatened with a knife over a bill dispute. Sabir Ahmed, who runs the restaurants with his brothers Raju, Suhal and Juhal, said they would be challenging the police application. Mr Ahmed added: “The incidents the police say my staff are involved in happened outside the restaurant and there is no proof any of my staff were involved otherwise someone would have been charged and prosecuted.” It is as near as certain that the two restaurants will have their licences revoked. I have eaten in both in the past, and their cuisine was okay – British Indian Restaurant standard. There has even been some conjecture that they both share a common kitchen located in the basement of the Nazrul building, around the corner from the Aladin. The whole controversy plays right into the hands of the developers and the council members who would like to be rid of the curry houses so that they can redevelop the shop spaces into far more lucrative high – end housing. I feel that the reported violent disturbances highlighted by the Evening Standard will be used as evidence whenever a restaurant licence comes up for renewal – this may well be the final nail in the coffin for Brick Lane, as many people know it. What do you think? Is this a natural progression for the formerly run down East End area, or should the area be preserved? Drop me a line to hugh.neal@gmail.com and let me know your opinion.

If you would rather make a British Indian Restaurant style curry at home, I can highly recommend the YouTube channel "Al's Kitchen" where Al shows you the step by step methods to make a very wide range of authentic restaurant style curries. A vast majority of his recipes are suitable for any person who enjoys high street curry house food. The possible exception is the recipe below, which at the request of many of his YouTube viewers, Al creates an ultra spicy "Hellfire" Chilli chicken curry, which should satisfy even the most ardent chilli - head. See what you think.