Spring.

Despite all of the current doom and gloom in the press and elsewhere, at least some things can cheer people up. I took the photo above (click on it for a larger view) during the week; spring is well under way, as you can see from the blossom on the trees. The area around Erith Pier is due for renovation soon; the works may well be delayed by the current lock down though. As you can see in the photo, the flood barrier at the entrance to the pier is closed - indeed it has been closed for several weeks, and at the time of writing I do not know why. If you have any inside information, please Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com in confidence. 

Residents across the borough are being asked to think of others and to not light bonfires during the current Coronavirus pandemic lock down. The effects of bonfires at this time are likely to be much more serious and have a bigger impact. The Coronavirus is known to cause serious respiratory problems, which could be made much worse if the sufferer is exposed to smoke from bonfires. It is important to be especially considerate at this time, when people are confined to their home and unable to escape unpleasant fumes. Bonfires can also become out of control or cause accidents, creating extra pressure on the already busy emergency services. It is understood that the changes to collection services and the closure of the refuse and recycling centres may create a storage issue for some residents. The council request - "Please think of others, compost your garden waste where possible, and stack or bag up rubbish for disposal when the current emergency is over, rather than burn it. Bexley Council will take enforcement action against any persistent offenders where bonfires cause an impact on neighbours. Bonfires can be reported via the Council's website".

If you have an Android smart phone, use a Chromebook like mine (click on the image above for a larger view), have a car with an onboard infotainment system, surf the web, or have a smart TV, or use social media, then without knowing it, you have used the Linux operating system. Linux is used by NASA, The London and New York stock exchanges, it controls The Large Hadron Collider at CERN, it is the operating system of choice of 497 of the top 500 supercomputers in the world, and is the backbone of Netflix - and pretty much both the Internet and the World Wide Web which is built on top of it. This hugely scalable and reliable operating system pretty much runs the modern world, and for the most part most people are completely unaware of it. Microsoft Windows may dominate the desktop and laptop computers of ordinary people, but outside of this area Linux is by far the more widely used computer operating system. The very first version of Linux was released to the world in 1991, but this week marks the start of the development of it in the Spring of 1990 by Finnish software engineer Linus Torvalds precisely thirty years ago. I have been using Linux since back in 1997, when it was very much the purview of IT professionals; it was lacking features, incompatible with a lot of hardware (getting online with Linux back in the day was an exercise in frustration – even very common hardware such as the then ubiquitous U.S Robotics 56K modem could be an utter bugger to get working).  I recall the hours I spent trying to get my Red Hat 5.1 Linux installation to do what it should do. Back then Linux was far more stable than Windows 98SE or the utter car crash that was Windows ME (oh the horror!) but conversely you had to be a real guru to get things done. I think this is where the negative image of Linux being unsuitable for the desktop came from. Nowadays things are far better – device support is superb – in many cases better than Windows and Linux now “just works”.  Very few people ever install a computer operating system from scratch – they buy a machine with a preinstalled OS and it stays on the machine for its life. Tinkerers like me do OS installs on a regular basis. It really is straightforward whether you are talking Windows 10, Ubuntu Linux or Apple OS X. You just follow the onscreen prompts and it pretty much does it for you. Personally I think that Linux has made far more of an impact in ways that few people realise – Google, FaceBook, Gmail, Netflix and Amazon all run on a version of Linux; it would be true to say that the Internet runs on Linux. If you have a smartphone that is not made by Apple, or a flat screen television, a set top box, whether it be a Sky satellite TV receiver, Virgin cable box or a Freeview receiver, they all run embedded Linux – it is the only operating system that powers devices from a toaster to a supercomputer with everything in between. Android, as used in smart phones and tablets is actually Linux with a whizzy interface suitable for touch operation. You can see from this that whilst Windows has for decades dominated the computer desktop, it has had little influence on the infrastructure and underlying technology of the modern world. As society moves away from large desktop PC’s, (and to a lesser extent away from the traditional laptop) and relies for online connectivity from smart phones and tablet devices, the underlying operating system has less significance than the applications that users wish to run – indeed, many applications are nowadays run online in a browser window – sites such as FaceBook, Instagram, Flickr and Twitter don't require a locally installed application, just a browser with connection to the web. Google grasped this early on with their excellent Google GSuite application suite and its close integration with both Gmail and Google Drive storage. The Google Chromebook range of computers embraces this – they are cheap, relatively low powered laptops that just run a the Chrome web browser and enable cloud based storage. Indeed the Maggot Sandwich is currently written and published solely using a Chromebook - a Linux device. 

Transport for London have issued the following announcement:- "Following a successful trial, from Monday 20 April, buses in London will temporarily become middle-door only boarding as part of Transport for London’s (TfL’s) efforts to help combat Coronavirus. This means the front doors will no longer be in use across the bus network. Please only use the middle doors to board the bus and allow others to exit the bus first before boarding. There is currently no need to touch in. The vast majority of people have followed the instructions of the Mayor and Government and have stopped travelling. The number of people using buses has plummeted by around 85%. This is essential to stop the spread of coronavirus. It is essential that everyone continues not to travel and does not return to the transport network". I have concerns over this, as I feel that it may well invoke the law of unintended consequences. When the public realise that from tomorrow, until some yet to be determined point, that London buses can be used for free, will it increase the number of people using them, and thus increase the risk of infection? Only time will tell. What do you think? Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Not many local people are aware that the Erith / Belvedere area was once subject to one of the largest non – nuclear explosions in history. You can see a contemporary newspaper account above - click on it for a larger view. Back in 1864 there were two local commercial gunpowder factories – that of John Hall and Son and the Elterwater and Lowood Gunpowder company situated on the marsh land that at that time existed parallel to the River Thames between Slade Green in the East and Plumstead in the West. Both factories were physically isolated from residential areas, and many precautions were taken to prevent any kind of fire; workers had to wear felt slippers, and all equipment was made of wood, or lined with copper to prevent sparks; understandably smoking was strictly prohibited. At about 6.40 am on Saturday the first of October 1864 all these precautions proved worthless, when there was a massive explosion which totally destroyed both gunpowder factories, their store magazines and a couple of barges that were being loaded with barrels of gunpowder at the time. No contemporary account exists of exactly what caused the accident, as the eyewitnesses were instantly vapourised. The explosion was heard as far away as Cambridge, and the shock wave was so intense that people in central London were convinced that there had been an earthquake. One report at the time said that as rescuers hurried to the site they found a massive crater and absolutely no signs of any buildings were left “it was if the place had been swept clean by a broom”. Surprisingly there were only around twenty casualties, as though the explosion was huge, the remote location prevented greater loss of life. Witnesses said that a huge pall of black smoke, shaped like a mushroom hung in the air for an hour afterwards. Five of the victims were classed as “missing” as nothing remained of them to bury. Others whose bodies remained intact to some degree or other were taken to the Belvedere Hotel in Picardy Road, which was converted into a temporary morgue. The injured were taken to Guy’s Hospital at London Bridge, where some then succumbed to their injuries. The Perth Gazette and West Australian Times (the story made world headlines) also curiously reported that a man escaped serious injury, but did have “his right whisker blown off, and he has not been seen since”. The unknown reporter then comments “The damage done to property extends to a radius of over twenty miles; the effect upon domestic animals is said to have been very remarkable. Thousands of pets succumbed with fright – the mortality to Canaries being particularly great”. The army was called from the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich to assist with emergency repairs to the river wall, which had been destroyed to a length of three hundred yards from the epicentre of the blast. Fortunately the tide was low at the time, and the Royal Engineers assisted by civilian navvies and some volunteers barely managed to temporarily block the gap before the tide rose. Had they not, much of Lower Belvedere would have been flooded as later happened in 1953. Considering the size of the explosion – it is estimated that something between 45 and 100 tons of gunpowder were detonated, the long term damage was pretty light, though the superintendent of Crossness Sewage Works did put in a grumpy claim for £150 for plate glass that had been damaged by the blast – this sounds like some very creative accounting on his part, as the works was still being constructed at the time, and did not actually go into operation until nearly a year later. I am of the opinion that this was an early example of insurance fraud. 

The advert above dates back to 1901, so the "20th Century Cycle co." would have been an extremely futuristic brand at the time. I think it strange that it does not give an address for callers though. An eye catching design, nevertheless.

Thirty five years ago, Dire Straits released their fifth album, “Brothers in Arms". It went on to become one of the best-selling albums of all time, it revolutionised the music industry. For the first time, an album sold more on compact disc than on vinyl, and passed the one million units sold  mark. Three years after the first silver discs had appeared in record shops,”Brothers in Arms” was the symbolic milestone that marked the true beginning of the CD era. “Brothers in Arms was the first flag in the ground that made the industry and the wider public aware of the CD’s potential,” says the British Phonographic Industry spokesperson Gennaro Castaldo, who began a long career in retail that year. “It was clear this was a format whose time had come.” CD sales overtook vinyl in 1988 and cassettes in 1991. The 12 centimetre optical disc became the biggest money-spinner the music industry had ever seen, or will ever be likely to see. In 1974, 28-year-old electronic engineer Kees Schouhamer Immink was assigned to the Optics Group of Philips Research in Eindhoven, Holland. His team’s task was to create a 30 centimetre videodisc called Laservision (Laserdisk in Europe), but that flopped (the quality was pretty poor, and the disks were notorious for skipping and stopping dead for no apparent reason) and the focus shifted to designing a smaller audio-only disc. “There were 101 problems to be solved,” Immink says. Meanwhile, in Japan, Sony engineers were working on a similar project. In 1979, Sony and Philips made an unprecedented agreement to pool resources. For example, Sony engineers perfected the error correction code, CIRC, while Immink himself developed the channel code, EFM, which struck a workable balance between reliability and playing time. “We never had people from other companies in our experimental premises,” Immink says. “It was unheard of. Usually you become foes, but in this case we really became good friends, and we're still friends after so many years. It was remarkable, actually.” In June 1980, after complicated negotiations in Tokyo and Eindhoven, the so-called Red Book set standard specifications for the compact disc digital audio format. The story goes that the size (12 cm) and length (74 minutes, 33 seconds) were changed at the eleventh hour when Sony’s executive vice president Norio Ohga insisted that the disc should have enough space for the longest recorded performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, his wife’s favourite piece of music, but I and others suspect that is an urban myth. There were so many technical and financial considerations that it is unlikely such a key decision came down to one woman’s love of Beethoven – there were simply too many other factors.  The CD was introduced to the British public in a 1981 episode of the BBC’s Tomorrow’s World, in which Kieran Prendeville famously mauled a test disc of the Bee Gees’ Living Eyes to demonstrate the format’s alleged indestructibility – the spreading of jam on the test disc is something that has passed into popular legend.  It caught the public imagination, but Immink found the claim puzzling and embarrassing because it was clearly untrue. “We should not put emphasis on the fact it will last for ever because it will not last forever,” he says. “We should put emphasis on the quality of sound and ease of handling.” (I read an article recently where Paul McCartney recalled the first time George Martin showed him a CD. George said, ‘This will change the world.’ He told us it was indestructible, you can’t smash it. Look! And – whack – it broke in half.”) Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler was an early convert (the second track on Pure, Perfect Sound Forever, the promotional 1982 compilation that came free with early CD players, was Dire Straits’ Once Upon a Time in the West). Knopfler insisted on recording Brothers in Arms on state-of-the-art digital equipment, so a promotional partnership was a natural fit. Philips sponsored Dire Straits’ world tour and featured the band in TV commercials with the slogan, attributed to Knopfler: “I want the best. How about you?” Brothers in Arms was an iconic release, the CD came to symbolise the so-called yuppie generation, representing new material success and aspiration. If you owned a CD player it showed you were upwardly mobile. Its significance seemed to go beyond music to a lifestyle statement. CD’s still sell nowadays, but the emphasis on convenience and ease of use of digital download services such as Apple’s ITunes have reduced the demand for physical recordings – it was It was the 2001 launch of the iPod, an aspirational premium product which made MP3s portable, that turned the tide. Before that the MP3 was an inferior good; Once you had the iPod, the CD was an inferior good. It could get cracked or lost, whereas MP3 files lasted.  Not pure, not perfect, but sound for ever. It is just a pity that unless recorded at very high bit rates, MP3 files sound inferior to CD, and way worse that vinyl – my own format of choice to this day. What do you think? Are CD’s on the way out for you? Do you still have a much loved collection of vinyl? Please make a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly the report from Belvedere ward, as there is no report from Barmehurst this week:-"On Bank Holiday Easter Monday at approx. 11am two men on a black motorcycle were seen stealing number plates from a Ford Transit In Alsike Rd. One had a white helmet and the other a black one. They were too far away to get a reg number. We have been getting more and more reports of neighbour disputes across the ward. It is a difficult time at the moment with the lockdown in place. We are all a little frazzled and fed up with the situation while stuck indoors. However, that does not mean we all have to be anti-social, play loud music, be noisy in general and be a pain to our neighbours. We all have a part to play and, when this is all over, we still have to live in our communities. Please try and be patient with each other and don't be a nuisance. There was a motorbike stolen overnight on the Monday 13/04/2020 from Ambrook Road. The bike was black and orange in colour and has been seen being ridden around the Lesnes Abbey wooded area recently. Please keep an eye out and phone police if seen. We have been having to move more people on this week from public spaces and on the streets. If you don't need to go out THEN DON'T. Stay indoors. The gym equipment in parks have been taped off for a reason, stop using them. Stay Safe, Stay Inside". Bexleyheath ward - no report received. Crayford ward - no report received. Erith ward:- "Crimes of note from this last week - attempted Burglary in Pembroke Road where the front window was smashed in the night there has been a slight increase in shop lifting reports from Iceland, Morrison's and Farm foods. We have been patrolling Erith high street daily as well as the rest of the ward. We are also questioning people we see asking their reasons for being out, we are keeping this friendly and if the reasons are genuine there is no problem at all, but we are telling people with non-genuine reasons to go home, if they are seen again more questions will be asked. We know this is a hard time for all of us, we just need to follow the government's guidelines. By all means enjoy this lovely weather we are having at the moment but enjoy it from your garden". Northumberland Heath ward:- "Great news this week no Burglaries or theft reports. The team have been receiving reports of drug dealing across the ward. We are completing patrols around these hotspot areas .This has been organised by a local unit to assist. Stop and searches have been completed in the alleys ways of Belmont Road , Bexley Road & Hurst Road . One male was found to be in possession of drugs . Patrols have also been completed in Northumberland Recreational Ground where a group of youths were dispersed. Officers obtained details and have contacted parents. Please see our tweets on @MPSNorthHeath where your see good stories, advice & information on COVID-19 also scam warning advice. I must remind everyone you should only leave home for essentials such as food or medicine, or to exercise".

Slade Green and Northend ward:- "An attempted burglary took place in the early hours of Wednesday 15/04 in Forest Road. Barking dogs woke the victim who then noticed some damage to their front door. 4 vehicle crimes to report in this last week. A car was stolen from Fern Close on Saturday 10/04, A bank card was taken from a vehicle in Frobisher Road on Monday 12/04, and 2 vehicles had locks damaged on Tuesday 14/04 in Rodeo Close and Crescent Road. All of these crimes took place overnight. As usual, we ask that no valuables are left in the car at anytime, hidden or not. Our officers are continuing patrols of the ward with regular checks of all park areas and open spaces to ensure there are no gatherings etc. Please remember to stay indoors as much as possible. Exercise is permitted for 1 hour a day, you are permitted to travel to and from work and also allowed to go shopping for essential items only". Thamesmead East ward:- "On Thursday 09/04/20 between the hours of 12:00 and 9:30 pm a door and window along with cash was taken from a shared property in ST. Martin's Close. On Tuesday 14/04/20 a sofa was stolen from a property in Mangold Way between the hours of 1;30am and 9;00am. Motor Vehicle Crimes. On the Saturday 11/04/20 on Kale Road between the hours of 10:00 pm and 1:19 am the drivers side window smashed and an untidy search unknown what items were taken. Also in Kale Road between the hours of 6;30pm and 7;30pm on Sunday 12/04/20 a windscreen was smashed. In Alsike Road between the hours of 5;30pm on Thursday 9/04/20 and 09:30 pm Monday 13/04/20 a vehicle was broken into , a torch and face masks were stolen. At 10;35am The front and rear number plates were stolen from a vehicle parked in Alsike Road on Monday 13/04/20. From 4;00pm on the Tuesday 14/04/20 and 3;00pm of the 15/04/20 the bonnet and some of the framework was stolen from a vehicle parked in Fairway Drive. Good News The team were given information about two vehicles which were reported stolen in October 2019 and 1/4/20 vehicles have now been recovered by both registered keepers. On 15/4/20 PC Nana found and arrested a high risk missing person who was wanted on an international extradition warrant in Lithuanian the male is now currently in police custody being processed by the special extradition unit. PCSO's Buckley and Hobbs were on patrol on the ward when they came across 4 young boys playing football when they were asked where they lived, 3 of the boys lived at different addresses. Apparently the first boy was out playing on his own when he was joined by the other 3 boys. Please adhere to the government guidelines. Anyone not in the same household should not be together. All four boys were sent to their respective homes". West Heath ward:- "Another week with no reported burglaries or motor vehicle crime. The team were on duty over the Easter period enjoying the sunshine but sadly having to ask people to move away from park benches, picnicking and sunbathing. Unfortunately, we are dealing with a number of minor neighbour dispute across the ward which appear to have escalated during the lockdown period. We are speaking to all parties concerned and requesting that they be a little more tolerant of each other during these difficult times".

The end video this week features a chap walking the first section of the London loop, which starts at Erith, and runs to Bexley Station. See what you think, and send comments to hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The Forum.

The Erith Riverside Gardens are a lovely place to visit, and to sit and watch the world go by. Recently the gardens have been the home of some free yoga sessions. The next free sessions are being held on Saturday the 7th September 11-12pm. Then on Saturday the 14th September from 11-12pm, and finally an evening session on Monday the 23rd September from 6.30 - 7.30pm. Bring along a yoga mat and wear suitable loose clothing. Before anyone asks, no, I will not be participating!

Now for some rather sad news, that I have to admit I did see coming. Erith Town Forum have decided to disband. A message was sent to a number of local people, including myself, on Friday afternoon. The message reads in full thus:- "Erith Town Forum Management Committee met today. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the future of the Forum. After much careful thought both prior to and during the meeting it was decided that now is the appropriate time to close Erith Town Forum since it no longer has sufficient voluntary officers able to give time and attention to make sure it can be as active and useful to the community of Erith as it has certainly been in the past. We are extremely proud of the achievements of Erith Town Forum over many years. Another consultative group has come into being “The Erith Think Tank” who aim to do many of the things the Forum have done in the past but using new modern methods of communication and generally operating in a different way. You will find details of their activities through The Exchange, the organisation now refurbishing the old Carnegies Library for use as a community hub. The funds raised by the Chairperson of Erith Forum from local business and larger charities over the years have been spent to organise events for senior citizens, young people and the community as a whole, together with the cost of hiring the Veterans Club for regular meetings and secretarial services. There is a small amount of money left in the accounts and the Management team recommend that this be divided between 2 charities – the Erith Food Bank and Evergreen, both of whose services are in greater demand than ever. In case you are in doubt as to who Evergreen serve, it is largely the older generation who are sick, returning from a hospital stay or simply lonely. These people need help to keep their homes clean and tidy and company to keep them mentally stimulated. We have sent a note to all Members of the Forum inviting them to comment on the above and await their reply. Meantime we would like to thank you for your contributions and regular attendance at Forum meetings and events over many many years, and hope you will be able to get to the Think Tank meetings and enjoy participating in their activities". To learn more about the Erith Think Tank, and to join in with its activities, click here. 

Back in July I wrote at some length about the threat to the two metre VHF amateur radio band. A proposal had been submitted by France to make the Aeronautical Mobile Service the primary users of the 144-146 MHz (2 Metre VHF) band and demote the Amateur Radio Service to secondary users - effectively removing them from the band. Thanks to concerted efforts by the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) and other European amateur radio societies, At 144MHz, after a major effort, the 144 to 146MHz frequency range was successfully withdrawn from the French WRC-23 aeronautical proposal. This hot topic had been the subject of detailed submissions by the IARU, France and Germany. This excellent result for amateur radio occurred in parallel to a number of other proposals being adopted to support aeronautical interests. The upshot of this is that the 2M amateur band is saved and can continue being used exclusively by licenced amateur radio operators. 

Here is a message from Caroline Field of Orbit Housing Association:- "Orbit and Wates invite you to join us to celebrate the completion of Erith Park and launch of Arthur Street regeneration. Our community fun day, organised with residents of Erith Park  celebrates the new community.  We are building homes here, not just houses, and that means working together to create a lasting community legacy. We would love to welcome you to show our appreciation of your contribution to the new community of Erith Park – and our future vision for Arthur Street. Join us for a day filled with fun activities and entertainment for all. It’s the weekend so feel free to bring family members if you wish. Food and drink vans will be available on the day. Saturday 14th September 1-4pm. Community Room, Adamson Court, Dell View Road, DA8 3FG". Caroline also wrote to me to explain the recent decision by Bexley Council to reject the initial plans for the demolition of the old Arthur Street Estate, which I covered in detail last week. Caroline writes:- "As you know the planning committee resolved to give consent for the demolition of Arthur Street and the building of our new development.  What people often don’t realise is that there are other processes to go through before a planning consent is confirmed and you can actually start work.  Some of these processes involve lawyers so they can take some time.  We plan to start work on structural demolition at the end of September and we are still hoping to get our main consent confirmed by then. However, as is normal in these circumstances, we submitted a simpler application to cover the demolition as a back up.  This is what the Council have refused". It would appear that the decision from Bexley Council is a minor blip, and not the major problem that some had envisaged. The regeneration of the Arthur Street Estate is much needed by hundreds of local people. 

Since my piece on the potential new Micro Pub in Welling which I covered last week, a reader who wishes to remain anonymous Emailed me to inform me that planning permission has just been given for The Bolthole in Falconwood Parade, Welling. This will be another Micro Pub. The writer and I share the opinion that this may be one too many in the Welling area, and we share concerns that the opening of a third micro pub in a relatively small catchment area may lead to the market becoming over saturated. On the other hand, there is a large residential community around the Falconwood area, which might well support the venture. Regarding the application, I notice that another local resident has submitted an objection on the Bexley planning website. The person has submitted the following comments:- "This application should be refused and the applicant asked to apply as a public house (not a Micropub). Micropubs should not serve lager as the applicants have suggested on their website. The area is not suited to a venue that will supply large quantities of lager, creating antisocial behaviour to residents and children playing nearby. The alternative is strict conditions that say all beer sold must be unpasteurised and therefore conform as real ale whether served on draught or in bottles/cans. This can be tested and will prevent the sale of mass-produced lagers. If the applicant is to be allowed to serve fizzy lagers, they should be required to have door staff as a condition of the licence between 1800 and 2300 on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and bank holidays". on top of this, another local resident has submitted the following, which I was not aware of, until now:- "After your comments about lager on your blog it did make me wonder. This area The Green in Welling has a history of anti-social behaviour. There is a covenant on all our property deeds that no intoxicating alcohol should be sold on this estate, but we have two restaurants who sell same but to customers, and three off-licences so I presume nobody takes any notice of these things now, as it was in 1936. I did mention it to the Planning Officer". What do you think of this situation? Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

I am a big fan of Google's Chromebook computers. Chromebooks run a cut down version of the Linux operating system called Chrome OS, and the only locally installed application on the simplified computers is the Chrome web browser. All "apps" run on the machines are actually web based applications that are remotely accessed; whilst the machines do have a limited amount of local storage, users are strongly encouraged to store their data in encrypted form in the cloud.  I have had a Google Chromebook by Samsung - (the photo above is my own model) since 2012, and I have been very satisfied with it - especially considering their inexpensive price. Most Chromebooks cost between £179 and £279, though it is possible to spend considerably more, though personally I can see only limited benefit in getting a pricier model, as most of the "heavy lifting" of any computing is not done on the Chromebook itself. but on the server in the cloud. Chromebooks are basically terminals onto the net. As long as you have a good WiFi or a 4 / 5G connection, you are good to go. Google's Chrome operating system has proved to be extremely robust and secure, though it has to be said it has far less to do than a "full fat" desktop / Laptop operating system such as Windows 10. I bought my Chromebook back in 2012, when they were a relatively knew phenomenon; I paid £229 for it - which I thought was little enough that if it did not work for me, little money would have been wasted. On the contrary, I found it to be an excellent tool with long battery life, a decent screen and most important to me - an excellent keyboard very similar in style to a MacBook Pro. I spend most of my time online typing, so keyboard quality is something very important to me - and also the reason that I am not a fan of tablet computers - I am primarily a content creator, rather than a content consumer. I recently encountered an issue which I had been half expecting, but which nevertheless came as somewhat of an unpleasant surprise. I powered up the Chromebook one evening recently, and a pop up notice appeared on screen, which said:- "This device will no longer receive the latest software updates. Please consider upgrading". I did a bit of research, and the current Chromebook will continue working, but it will not get functionality and security updates in future. This is not too bad really - the machine has been a workhorse for seven years, so it really does not owe me anything. If I want to continue using it with continuing updates, I can install a full Linux operating system on it. Saying that, I do like Chrome OS, and looked at possibly getting a brand new Chromebook at some stage in the future. One thing I discovered was that buying a brand new Chromebook does not guarantee you will get six and a half years of updates to it from Google. Support from Google for Chrome OS on a device lasts from the moment that particular model is released by the manufacturer, not from when the end user purchases it. Every Chromebook has an "Auto Update Expiration (AUE) Date" after which the operating system is unsupported by Google. If you happen to buy your Chromebook late in the product's life cycle, you may be surprised how soon the AUE date arrives. You can see the AUE dates for the whole range of Chromebooks listed in order of the manufacturer by clicking here. Would this put you off buying a Chromebook? What do you think? Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

One of the most widely known companies to have a historic association with Erith was Callender's Cables, formerly known as The Callender Bitumen, Telegraph and Waterproof co. Originally the company was primarily concerned with the production of bitumen and waterproof damp course material for the building trade, with cable making little more than a side line. The rapid growth in telecommunications in the late Victorian era led to cables becoming the company's main product, and in 1896 the firm was reorganised as The Callender Cable and Construction co, which was later changed to British Insulated Callenders Cables, or BICC. By 1965 the Erith based factory was the principal manufacturing facility for the world's largest cable group - the production area covered some 65 acres and provided employment for 1,300 local workers. Callenders were one of the main manufacturers of PLUTO (Pipeline Under The Ocean). Callenders also contributed much to the area of culture and the arts; Callenders Cableworks Band, which was started in 1890 as a Salvation Army band. Some members wanted to play a wider variety of music, so the band was relaunched as a temperance promoting popular music band. Callender's employees included at least a hundred instrumentalists who spent their leisure time in four band groups. The Senior Band consisted of 31 picked men: this was the band which broadcast on BBC Radio. There was also the A-band, the B-band and a learner's class of beginners from school age onwards; the A- and B-band members and the learners could all be promoted upwards as their skills developed and vacancies occurred. There was also a degree of "poaching" of skilled instrumentalists from other bands, not necessarily local to the area; It was kept quiet at the time, but in August 1925 when the St Hilda Colliery in South Shields temporarily closed, seven members of the colliery band, which was undoubtedly one of the best in the UK at the time, were all offered positions working at Callenders, even though they were miners, not cabling engineers. It is understood that their "day jobs" were nominal at best - making the tea or doing a bit of sweeping up - they were actually recruited primarily for their musical talents, and the prestige that they would bring to the company. This "poaching" of the best musicians from other brass bands carried on over the next ten years or so - a period when the Callenders Cableworks Band were considered the very best in the country. They became popular around the country and gave many public performances, and had a regular feature on pioneering radio station 2LOduring the early days of radio. The Band's first broadcast was from radio station 2LO on 27 February 1925. By 1932 the Band had twice toured all stations of BBC Radio, and they were to broadcast there twice again in April of that year, by which time they had broadcast 72 times on radio. By 16 December of that year, they had broadcast 80 times. They aspired to performing music which was "out of the rut of marches, operatic selections and other pier head pieces." They performed on 5 March 1932 at the Queen's Hall, London. On the afternoon and evening of Sunday 20 March of the same year, they performed at the opening of the new art deco frontage of the Central Bandstand, Herne Bay, Kent. On 18 December 1932 they took part in a special BBC Radio programme in which most of the music had been composed especially for them. Under the name of Callenders Senior Band they recorded Colonel Bogey, Entry of the Gladiators, Le Grenadier, Les Huguenots (parts 1 and 2), Three Dale Dances and Triana on 78 rpm disks. They recorded A Sailor's Life (Descriptive Fantasia), parts 1 and 2, conducted by Tom Morgan, on two Broadcast Twelve disks. Broadcast Twelve Records was a United Kingdom based record label introduced in 1928 to partner the regular "Broadcast" brand records introduced in 1927. These brands replaced the Aco Records label. The manufacturer of the discs were the Vocalion Gramophone Company. "Broadcast" discs were 8-inch (later increased to 9-inch) and "Broadcast Twelve" discs were 10-inch 78rpm gramophone records, but with small labels and a fine groove pitch so they would play as long as regular 10 and 12-inch discs respectively. They ceased production in 1934. The label was a subsidiary of the British branch of Vocalion Records. In brass band competitions over the years they had 25 wins, 11 second places and 3 third places. For some years they took part in the Elthorne Band Contest which started in 1919 at Elthorne Park. The competition had four sections with many entries, and a massed band concert. They won the competition on 20 May 1924 and 3 May 1925, and again on 7 June 1930. The band was disbanded at the start of World War 2, and reformed at the end of the war; though it never regained the prestige it had once held - and in any case brass band music was losing favour with the listening public. The band struggled on until 1961, when it was finally wound up due to a lack of members. Ironically the history of the band is now starting to come to the fore again, and interest in what Callenders did in the early decades of the twentieth century is now starting to grow.

It has come to my attention that we will shortly be losing a well known and very popular local figure. Rob Radcliffe, who has been the vicar at St.John's Erith - Bexley's oldest church - since 2011 is about to move on. He's heading off to the Isle of Man, where he was born, to take charge of four churches in the island. The official Church of England announcement reads:- "Bishop Peter is pleased to announce the appointment of The Revd Mark Radcliffe, currently Vicar of St John the Baptist, Erith, as the new Vicar of Malew and Santan, succeeding the Revd James McGowan. Mark was born on the Isle of Man but with both of his parents serving in the British Army, his childhood saw him living in different locations across the globe, including a spell in Singapore. Prior to ordination Mark worked for various organisations as an Information Technology Officer and was also an active member of St Philip and St James’ Church in Walderslade, Kent, where he served on the PCC, Diocesan Synod and Bishop’s Council. Mark also spent time as the Lay Chair of Rochester Deanery as well as chairing the Diocesan Youth Committee. Mark began training for ministry at Cranmer Hall, Durham, in 2005 before being ordained deacon in 2008 and serving his Title in the Parish of St John the Evangelist, Welling. Revd Mark took up his current position as Vicar of Erith in the Diocese of Rochester in 2011 and has overseen a growth in school outreach work that culminated in over 800 young people attending the most recent Christmas Carol services. Mark is 56 years old and in his spare time he enjoys walking and reading military history and science fiction books. On his appointment the Revd Mark Radcliffe said, ‘I am looking forward to spending time getting to know the congregations of the parish and the local communities that they serve whilst trying to discern God's plans for our shared future’. Commenting on the new appointment, Bishop Peter said ‘I am delighted to welcome The Revd Mark Radcliffe to the Diocese of Sodor and Man.  Mark brings with him substantial experience of parish ministry and a desire to reach out across the entire community with the Gospel and with a ministry of care.   I thank Wardens, Parish Officers, and colleagues for sustaining the life of the parish through the period of Interregnum, and I express my gratitude and happiness that we have been able to appoint a new Vicar so swiftly.  I now look forward immensely to welcoming Mark into our diocese and into the Southern Mission Partnership.  Thanks be to God.’ Please pray for Mark as he prepares to move to the Island and please also pray for the people of St John the Baptist, Erith, as they prepare for a period of vacancy". In case you were wondering, Rob will be using the first name of Mark when he moves to his new post. I have no idea why. I will miss my occasional chats with him; we used to discuss old computers and military history, of which he is a great enthusiast. Rob is a Maggot Sandwich reader, and I hope he will continue so to do after his move to pastures new. I wish him well in his new parish.

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly the report from Barnehurst ward:- "Since the last weekly update there have been no crimes to report. This is great news however we continue to remind residents to double lock front doors, check windows are closed securely and ensure your vehicles are safe with no items left out on show. PC Arif and PC Tom Smith have been carrying out proactive patrols targeting hotspot areas. Police Community Support Officers Cathy and John have been out on foot patrol engaging with local residents and carrying out reassurance visits to vulnerable residents. Street a week was carried out in Taunton Close where residents had the opportunity to speak to officers about local issues. The next community contact session will be held in Barnehurst Golf Club on Tuesday 10th September 2019 at 11.00am. We look forward to seeing you". Belvedere ward:- "Last week, there was damage caused to the window of a residents vehicle in Brigstock Road overnight from Wednesday 21st to Thursday 22nd August. It appeared to be an attempt to gain entry to the car which had been parked in Halt Robin Road. Having completed door to door enquiries, we have been unable to establish any witnesses or possible leads as to who may have been responsible. If anyone has any information in relation to this incident, please contact the team. Earlier in the month, there was a catalytic converter removed from a vehicle in Eardley Road. Again, this took place overnight (seemingly in the small hours of the morning). We are in the process of viewing CCTV in relation to this incident. Anyone that may have any information, again please contact the team". Bexleyheath ward:- "There has been one report of a burglary on the ward as well as an attempted burglary reported. Wednesday 21/08/2019 Burglary– Iris Avenue Bexleyheath – Happened overnight and entry was gained via the side extension. Wednesday 21/08/2019 – Attempted Burglary along Martens Avenue Bexleyheath. Suspects tried to gain entry on rear door of property and happened between midnight at 2am.  A Theft of motor vehicle was reported on the Tuesday 20/08/2019 along Market Place Bexleyheath between 3.40pm & 4pm. Also on the Wednesday 21/08/2019, there was a report of a theft from motor vehicle near Albion Road Bexleyheath. There was also a report of a purse stolen from the victim’s hand bag, purse was discovered stolen whilst shopping on the Broadway on the Wednesday 21/09/2019". Crayford ward:- "It has been a relatively 'Q' week for crime in Crayford this week. However, we did have a residential burglary and a robbery. The burglary took place on bank holiday Monday, 26th August between 14.00-15.20 in London Road. Entry was made by smashing windows to gain entry. Among the items stolen was a Louis Vuitton handbag and contents including an annual train pass, photography equipment, an air rifle and sentimental jewellery belonging to the victim’s elderly Mother. The robbery took place near Greggs in Crayford Road on Tuesday 20th August between 19.10-19.20. Three IC3 males were seen to follow the two victims from Town Hall Square, past the library and Sainsbury's and out to Crayford Road where they had their property stolen. Items stolen include a laptop and bag containing work related paperwork, currency, keys and fobs to home and vehicles, a watch, a sports bag. The victims believe they were targeted due to the nature of their jobs. A white Range Rover Evoque number plate LM16XGY was stolen from Inglewood Road between 15.30 on Friday 23rd August and 08.50 on Saturday 24th September, the owner still has the keys. A catalytic convertor was stolen from a black Toyota Prius Plus on Friday 23rd August between 11.40-12.10 whilst parked at Hall Place car park. Number plates were stolen from Dale Road on Tuesday 27th August between 16.30-21.45, EU64SXJ should be on a white Ford Transit with L and Q markings on. A black and blue TREK bicycle, model 4300 D 13 was stolen with all accessories from the bike shed outside Crayford BR Station on Tuesday 27th August between 07.55 – 17.05. We cannot stress enough the importance of locking doors and windows securely when leaving your property, even for a short time. Make your home look like it is occupied, consider a burglar alarm or CCTV, ring door bells are brilliant too. Please look at www.met.police.uk/burglary for lots of useful tips and advice on keeping your home safe and secure. Our next community contact session will be held on Wednesday 4th September at Sainsbury's Café between 16.00-17.00, please feel free to come along for an informal chat".

Erith ward - no reports this week. Northumberland Heath ward:- "Search warrant executed on Saturday 24/8/19 at Hind Crescent. Items of interest were found and enquiries are ongoing. Officers are working around the clock to bring criminals to justice. If you are concerned about police activities in your area or you would like to speak with an officer please contact us. If you have any information you would like to pass to police related to criminal activities please contact Crimestoppers anonymously on freephone 0800555111. A set of number plates has been taken from a parked and unattended vehicle in Belmont Road. If you happen to see registration number S800TTP please contact police so further enquiries can be made. Should you wish to protect your vehicle from this type of offence drop us a line and we may be able to provide appropriate anti-theft devices". Slade Green and Northend ward: -"On Friday 23/08/2019 number plates were stolen overnight from a vehicle in Cornwallis Close. Please let us know if you require any anti theft screws. There was an attempted theft of a catalytic converter from a vehicle in Alexandra Road around 2.30pm on Saturday 24/08/2019. Fortunately the suspects were approached by a neighbour and drove off.  A pushbike was stolen from a garage in Brompton Drive in the last week. It was noticed missing by the victim on Sunday but they hadn’t been to the garage area for a few days so it is unclear at this point when the theft occurred. CCTV enquiries are ongoing. Unfortunately the victim does remember that they did NOT lock their garage leaving it insecure. Please please always lock all your property. A moped was stolen from a drive in the afternoon of Monday 26/08/2019 in Bridge Road. Enquiries are ongoing". Thamesmead East ward:- "Burglary: No burglaries this week. Crime Prevention: Close and lock all your doors and windows, even if you're going out for a few minutes. Photograph and keep a detailed inventory of each item of jewellery and keep it in a separate place. Remain vigilant at all times; Theft from Motor Vehicles: Overnight of Wednesday 21/08/19 and Thursday 22/0819 a vehicle parked in Wolvercote Road was broken into, a laptop and various other items stolen. At 5:00am of the Friday 23/08/19 vehicle parked in St Edmunds Close broken into, bag left in passenger footwell, however nothing taken as suspect believed to have been disturbed by another resident. Overnight of Friday 23/08/19 and Saturday 24/08/19 a vehicle parked in Wolvercote Road, had the rear passenger quarter light window smashed, untidy search ,nothing believed to have been taken. theft from a vehicle parked in Hartslock Drive overnight of Sunday 25/08/19 and Monday 26/08/19, the driver’s window was smashed, a wallet containing various bank cards and cash taken from the driver’s side door pocket; Another vehicle parked in Wolvercote Road, broken into during the early hours of Monday 26/08/19 - the driver’s window smashed, an untidy search, nothing believed to have been taken; Overnight of Sun 25/08/19 and Mon 26/08/19 a vehicle parked in Maran Way broken into and a laptop and sat-nav taken; Overnight of the Sat 24/08/19 and Sun 25/08/19 a vehicle parked in Northwood Place broken into, a wallet containing bank cards/travel card /store cards left in glove compartment stolen .Sometime between 7:00am and 6:00pm of the 26/08/19 a company vehicle parked outside Argali House, Kale Road, had the driver’s side window smashed and a sat-nav stolen; A vehicle parked in Redpoll Way between the hours of 4:00pm and 10:15pm of the Monday 26/08/19 was broken into and a wallet containing a bank card and a driving licence stolen; Criminal Damage to Motor Vehicles - A company vehicle parked in Dalberg Way had a window broken. Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention - coins for the car park, sunglasses or other items that can earn quick cash are irresistible to the opportunist thief. The cost of replacing a window is often much more than that of what’s stolen. Tell family, friends and neighbours. Good News: Excellent work by PC Pruden resulted in a male being stopped and searched, he was found to be in possession of a Class 'A' drug and cannabis, the male is now serving a custodial sentence". West Heath ward:- "We are pleased to say that there have been no burglaries reported over the last week. We are however still suffering from motor vehicle crime on the ward. One attempted theft from motor vehicle in Bedonwell Road on Wednesday August 21st between 11.25pm – 11.30pm. A male was seen attempting to try to open the victim’s door without success. The male then walked away without gaining entry;Tools worth approximately £500 were stolen from a van in Long Lane overnight between Thursday 22nd August 9pm – Friday August 23rd -8am; An attempt was made to steal a motorbike in Madison Crescent on Sunday August 25th at 11.45pm. A male was seeing dressed in motorbike clothing and wearing a helmet. The suspect was disturbed by the victim banging on the window the male made off on the back of a silver scooter. The team have been working flat out this week conducting arrest enquiries and assisted with the policing at the Notting Hill Carnival over the bank holiday weekend. The next drop in police surgery will be held at the Bostall Library in King Harolds Way on Monday September 2nd between 12-1pm. All are welcome to attend". 

The end video this week shows the first day of service of  the new 301 bus route, which runs from Beresford Square in Woolwich via Plumstead, Thamesmead and Abbey Wood on its way to its termination at Bexleyheath shopping centre. The journey in real time takes approximately thirty five minutes. The producer of the short video has sped up the footage so that the journey only takes five minutes, and is accompanied by some pretty awful and distracting music for some unfathomable reason. You can always turn off the audio. Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

The Kentish Belle.

The photo above (click on it for a larger version) shows the former Port of London Authority hut next to the recently repaired wooden jetty adjacent to Erith Riverside Gardens. As regular readers will be aware, I have been calling for this to be put to some constructive use for several years. The hut has been empty and unused for over a decade. It has drainage, running fresh water and electricity, and I had suggested that it would make an ideal substation for the RNLI. My suggestions have not been taken up, but the hut has recently come back into productive use. The hut is now used as a rest point for local bus drivers between shifts. They use the hut to put their feet up and have a cup of tea during their legally required rest breaks. It is not quite the outcome that I had anticipated, but the hut is being used, which to my mind is a very good thing. I also noticed that the new mini bushes have now been planted in the Riverside Gardens, and these will hopefully look really good in a few months’ time. I do have concerns that the bushes may suffer due to the recent lack of rain. Hopefully they will get watered from time to time. FORGE (the Friends of Riverside Gardens Erith) have been instrumental in obtaining and planting the new bushes.

Yesterday morning there was a very serious assault that took place at the junction of Bilton Road and Manor Road in Erith; a man was stabbed in the head, and suffered life threatening injuries. Details of the case are still sketchy, but the London Air Ambulance was called to take the victim to hospital, and a man in his thirties was arrested by the Police. I understand that he was found in possession of a knife, and has been charged with GBH. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information is asked to contact police on 101 or via Twitter @MetCC Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The Association of Bexley Charities '78 is holding a Spring Fair at the United Reformed Church, Geddes Place, Bexleyheath DA6 7DJ (near the Broadway Shopping Centre) on Saturday 29th April 2017 from 9.45 am  - 1.00 pm. Do give this worthwhile event your support.

Press reports in the last week have given weight to my long held personal concerns over the use of mobile phones, and their possible long - term health effects. An Italian court has ruled that excessive, work-related use of a mobile phone caused an executive to develop a benign brain tumour. In what could become a landmark ruling, the court in the northern town of Ivrea awarded the plaintiff a state-funded pension. The judgment, which was handed down on 11th of April but only made public on Thursday, is subject to a possible appeal. Roberto Romeo, 57, had testified that his work duties obliged him to use his mobile for three to four hours of each working day for 15 years. “For the first time in the world, a court has recognised a causal link between inappropriate use of a mobile phone and a brain tumour,” his lawyers said in a statement. Romeo said he did not want to demonise mobiles, “but I believe we have to be more aware about how to use them. I had no choice but to use my mobile to talk to colleagues and organise work – for 15 years I was calling all the time, from home, in the car. I started to have the feeling of my right ear being blocked all the time and the tumour was diagnosed in 2010. Happily, it was benign but I can no longer hear anything because they had to remove my acoustic nerve.” A medical expert estimated the damage to Romeo at 23 percent of his bodily function, prompting the judge to make a compensation award of €500 per month to be paid by a national insurance scheme covering workplace accidents. It will be interesting to see if this sets a precedent.

You may recall that some months ago I reported that it was hoped that a micro pub was being planned for Barnehurst, but due to a number of factors, the plans ended up falling through. Well, now there is some good news; whilst the Barnehurst deal failed, another entrepreneur is currently transforming the shop at number 8, Pickford Lane, Bexleyheath into a micro pub which will open in June. It is going to be called The Kentish Belle, due at least partly to its close proximity to Bexleyheath Station, which is only seventy five metres from the venue. You can see the Twitter account for the forthcoming micro pub here. When looking at the location of the micro pub, some observers may think that the William Camden pub very close by would mean that the new venture would struggle to attract customers. I feel strongly that this will absolutely not be the case. The two places cater for very different customers; the William Camden is primarily a lager and football pub, whereas The Kentish Belle will cater for discerning real ale enthusiasts. Experience in other areas shows that micro pubs not only survive, but in fact thrive in the presence of mainstream pubs in their vicinity. The Kentish Belle also will benefit from a large foot fall from passing commuters getting off the train at Bexleyheath Station on their way home. I would imagine a number would pop in for a swift pint before their dinner. I will be visiting The Kentish Belle as soon as it opens, and I will be contacting the owners in the meantime; more on this subject in the coming weeks. It is just as well that a new micro pub is opening in the local area, as news was released this week that the number of pubs in London has fallen by more than a quarter because of developers and rising business rates, according to City Hall research. In total the number of pubs in the capital decreased from 4,835 to 3,615 between 2001 and 2016, a decline of 1,220 at a rate of 81 pubs a year. Mayor Sadiq Khan commissioned the research as part of his 2030 Cultural Infrastructure Plan to identify which buildings and businesses should be protected to maintain the capital’s cultural and community life. The study was conducted in partnership with the Campaign for Real Ale and looked only at pubs, as opposed to bars and restaurants. The study is to become an annual audit. In an interview with the London Evening Standard this week, Mayor Mr Khan said: “I’m shocked at the rate of closure highlighted by these statistics. We have partnered with CAMRA to ensure we can track the number of pubs open in the capital and redouble our efforts to stem the rate of closures.”

Many people like tablet computers such as the Apple iPad range; personally for any small and portable computing device, I really need a keyboard. Tablet devices are fine for consuming content, such as watching YouTube videos, but less than satisfactory for creating content, such as writing a Blog. Back in 2012 I experimented with what was then a very new technology; Google had recently announced their range of Chrome OS devices, not to be confused with tablets and mobile phones running the similar, but separate Android operating system, also developed by engineers at Google. I have been surprisingly satisfied with it. If you have not heard about Chromebooks, they are a cut down laptop that runs Googles’ Chrome operating system (basically a customised version of Linux) and the Chrome web browser. Chromebooks don’t directly run any software other than the browser, which might make them sound rather restricted. Nowadays however, most people spend a vast majority of their time using a computer on the web – Email, social networking, video watching etc, so a browser only machine is not as stupid an approach as initially thought. The upsides of a Chromebook are 1) very fast start time (my £229 Chromebook starts from cold in seven seconds; half the time of my custom build, very high end iMac, which cost well over ten times as much). 2) They have a very long battery life – eight hours between charges, even with WiFi on and showing HD video. 3) They integrate seamlessly with GMail, Google Docs and other online services (they should  - that is what they were designed for). 4) They are pretty secure – all updates occur automatically in the background. I suppose I have to reboot the machine once a month – that’s it. 5) Unlike a tablet, you don’t need to tether a Bluetooth keyboard to it in order to do some serious typing – and the keyboard (on the Samsung model, anyway) is actually rather good – something that is very important to someone like me who writes around 6,000 words a week online, over half of that on the blog). 6) They are cheap – you can get some models for under two hundred pounds, brand new on Amazon and elsewhere. Chromebooks won’t replace the full computer, but they are great as a second machine on which to surf the web, catch up on Emails and generally keep up with the online world. Something that has happened in the USA, and will almost certainly also happen here. The late 2013 introduction of the low-cost Chromebook has given U.S school districts an affordable alternative that they are gravitating to with enthusiasm. Official numbers from market research firm IDC confirmed the news last December when the company announced that while Apple had shipped 702,000 iPads to U.S educational buyers in the third quarter, Google partners had shipped 715,000 Chromebooks. They are cheaper, more robust, easier to remotely administer, and are better suited to use in classrooms. I wonder how long it will be until we see widespread use of Chromebooks in British schools? And now onto another computer related subject, but one that is far older. 

One of my favoured sources of accurate and up to date information on IT and technical related issues is the excellent website – The Register. Stories that get into the general press usually break on The Register at least a day earlier, and in greater detail. The site is very tongue in cheek, and often finds a humorous angle on technology issues. It broke a story recently that caught my attention; an employment agency are looking for programmers who have skills in writing and maintaining software for the DEC PDP-11 series of mini computers. What is so unusual about that? I hear some of you ask. Well, the PDP 11 computer range was first introduced in 1970, and went out of general production in 1990. The machines were large – even a relatively small installation would be the equivalent of three or four full height fridge freezers, plus a terminal the size of a small school desk. By any modern standards they are museum pieces – indeed, The National Museum of Computing does have some examples of PDP hardware in its collection. When they were first offered for sale, they offered a relatively cheap and reliable entry into business and industrial computing; indeed many PDP 11’s were used to control machine tools in factories – some of the early car welding robots were controlled in this way. Other key users were (and in some cases still are) large banks and insurance companies, who require reliability and very high up time over performance and the latest features. Quite often the old computers such as the PDP 11 range are still employed on the “back end” systems that the customers (and indeed many of the staff) never see. Many of such organisations are exceptionally risk averse, and would rather support an ancient technology than take a chance on upgrading to a modern alternative that may have new and undocumented bugs, possibly causing loss of earnings and damage to reputation. I know that there are a small handful of independent contractors who earn a very good living continuing to support these old clunkers – because the knowledge required to maintain and repair the hardware and software is so specialised, they are able to charge pretty much what they like for their services, as they have their clients “over a barrel” – nice work if you can get it. My first foray into the world of “serious” computers was back in the early 1980’s, when I had a Saturday job as an assistant in Silica Shop in Sidcup. During the 1980’s, Silica Shop were the largest privately owned, independent computer retailers in the UK. They specialised in the early 8 – bit home computers, especially the range made by Atari – for whom they were the European dealers. Silica Shop had its’ HQ in Hatherley Road, Sidcup, where there was a large retail unit on the lower floor of the two storey building, and on the upstairs was a warehouse, an office, and an air conditioned computer room, which housed a large DEC PDP 11- 44 mini  computer - almost identical to the one in the photograph above. As well as working in the shop on Saturdays, I was also able to work during school holidays; during this time I would sometimes be called out of the shop to help the computer system administrator, who for a while made me his unofficial assistant. I learned lots about working with large scale business computers, and all of the basics of system administration – adding and removing users, changing security settings, creating files, running batch processes and the like. Even back then, the 11-44 was quite an elderly piece of kit – the company having purchased the machine second hand, as new they were well over two hundred thousand pounds, depending on the specification and peripherals required. One quirk of the 11-44 operating system was that you could not reformat the large 8 inch floppy disks it used (earlier versions of the machine used reels of magnetic tape). In order to re – use the expensive floppy disks, you first had to manually wipe them of data using a degaussing machine – which was basically a large electromagnet. I think everyone was scared of the degausser – it hummed and buzzed, occasionally emitting a crackle of electricity, accompanied by a faint smell of ozone. I think even by the lax health and safety standards of the time, the machine should have been condemned! What I did to avoid the dreaded machine was looking back, pretty imaginative. The computer room had several old – style telephones with rotary dials. I would place a small pile of disks underneath a phone, then ring it from another extension. The bell ringer built into the phone was an electromagnet, and in ringing it would wipe the disks! Silica Shop wrote their own customer database; what would nowadays be called a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system. Whenever someone came into the shop and bought something, a sales docket would be completed by the shop assistant. It included the buyer's name, address and what they bought, along with an itemised total. Each item of stock was allocated a unique part number, which staff could look up on VT100 computer terminals in the shop, which would also record how many of that particular item were left in stock; the real old hands would know most, if not all of the popular stock item codes off the top of their heads. When the stock level got down to a certain point, the system would automatically place a re – order, and debit the company account accordingly. The system would also target postal advertising at customers according to what they had already purchased – there was no point in sending a leaflet on Atari 800XL software to a customer who had bought a Commodore 64 for example. You can see an example of a typical Silica Shop advertising flyer below - notice the large amount of detailed text - this was a Silica Shop trait - they lumped huge amounts of technical detail into all of their advertising; something that would put off a lot of potential shoppers today. All this is targetted advertising is routine nowadays, but back in 1983 it was unique, and debatably the most sophisticated customer database used anywhere in the United Kingdom. My own thoughts are that if Silica Shop had taken this ground breaking business software and ported it onto the then new IBM PC, they would have had a huge business in selling and supporting enterprise level CRM applications now. Instead they continued to shift boxes of home computers, and eventually went out of business in the mid 1990’s. If the management had employed a more creative vision, Silica could have been a global software name like Oracle now. I have to say that I learned more about computing in my few years working at Silica Shop than I have learned anywhere else. My entire career in IT has been built on stuff I picked up in a quiet side street in Sidcup.

Don't forget that the twelfth Bexley Beer Festival will be taking place in the Old Dartfordians Rugby Club. The popular festival will take place between Thursday, May 4th to Sunday, May 6th, though the busiest day is the Friday afternoon / evening session, which is when I will be attending. Do come over and say hello if you happen to see me.

KFC have just announced that they are partnering with takeaway food delivery company JustEat to enable local people to order fried chicken and chips and have it delivered to their homes. The pilot scheme is taking place in the following fast food outlet locations:- Bexleyheath, Bromley, Erith, Thamesmead and Welling. The Bexley Times are reporting that Graham Corfield, UK Managing Director at Just Eat commented: “We’re adding KFC restaurants every week, meaning more customers will be able to enjoy KFC at the click of a button in their area very soon.” The growing appetite for home delivery has reportedly seen growing favour for chicken, with JustEat claiming it as one of the top five cuisines ordered through the service in the past 12 months. Not my kind of thing I am afraid. There are additional costs to having your KFC delivered, which the new adverts neglect to mention. Suffice to say that I live a couple of hundred metres from the Erith KFC, but have only visited the outlet twice - and the second time was merely to use their toilets when I had a seriously upset stomach. I don't think that I need to say more.

It seems that the illegal activities of uninsured, unlicensed and no - helmet wearing bikers are not now limited to the Slade Green and Crayford Marshes. Reports have been made to the Police in respect of illegal biker activity in Lower Belvedere. Local Safer Neighbourhood officer PC Robert Holmes reported "Over the Easter period the team have been out and out about across the ward. We have been attending Frank’s Park responding to residents’ concerns over off road bikes driving in the woods. The team did stop one youth and warned him about his conduct. His mother was also spoken to advised on the legality of her son using an off road bike, as well as safety implications. Upcoming events: Police Surgery on the 28/04/2017, Belvedere Library, Woolwich Road at 14:00. Coffee with Cops on 03/05/2017 at the Pop In Parlour, Woolwich Road (next to the library) at 11:30". Another bike related crime has recently taken place in Barnehurst. PCSO Cathy Nolan reports "Barnehurst Ward have suffered another incident of vehicle crime in Martens Close whereby a Silver PCX Honda Moped was taken. Witness saw two persons riding a similar moped to the one that was stolen, both riders were wearing dark clothing with helmets on. The moped was seen driving down Martens Close, one person got off the bike, approached victims bike and was seen then to drive off on it. This incident happened at 21:15 on 12th April 2017. If anyone has any information please call 101 or contact your Local Policing Team. Barnehurst Team will be available to discuss any local issues at Barnehurst Golf Club on Friday 21st April 2017 between 11:00 – 12:00".

The great comic actor Will Hay, a comedy legend in his own lifetime and a huge star of early British film, died this week back in 1949. Will Hay is largely forgotten today, but a comic actor whose best work influenced the likes of The Goon Show, and Monty Python, and his most famous film "Oh, Mister Porter!" was a direct influence on "Dad's Army". I have to declare a family connection with Will Hay; my Great Uncle Horace (whom I have written about previously) was a very close friend of Will Hay for many years. Born in Stockton in 1888, Hay’s family moved him south to Suffolk before his first birthday. As his father became a jobbing engineer so the family’s mobility quickly increased – moving next to Hemel Hempstead then to London and finally to Manchester where Hay Senior established his own firm. Wanting independence, Will refused to join the family company and started instead as an apprentice engineer for Westinghouse. Yet Hay was no typical engineer and his humour hid by the fact that, by the age of 19, he had learnt German, French and Italian to such a high level that he was able to leave engineering and became an interpreter. His nineteenth year also saw him married to fellow teenager Gladys Perkins and when his daughter Gladys Elspeth was born some eighteen months later Hay decided he could make a better living for his new family in the pre-Great War music halls. Stealing some of his sister Eppie’s staff room reminiscences – she was a full time teacher – Hay began to develop his pompous, bumbling schoolmaster act. After working for over three years with the Fred Karno troupe, where Stan Laurel and Charlie Chaplin had developed their craft, Hay swiftly found himself the talk of the town: selling out Britain’s biggest music halls, playing sets for the Prince of Wales and successfully touring America, South Africa and Canada. Then came Boys Will Be Boys (1935) his first starring film role with a screenplay written by Hay himself. The story wasn't overly deep – a prison teacher cons his way into a boarding school job and helps stop a diamond theft – but it did have its moments. And it was the perfect frame for Hay’s idiot teacher routines. Then, in 1937,  Graham Moffat joined Moore Marriott as Hay’s two sidekicks in the finest comic film any of them would ever be involved with, Oh, Mr Porter! wherein Hay discovers the (Northern) Irish railway station he’s been sent to run, Buggleskelly, is actually a run-down mess. Gun-runners, ghosts, secret windmills and missing trains – Hay and his two stooges come out on top in a film that is, even now, genuinely funny, at times hilarious. Oh, Mister Porter! (1937) was a deserved box office smash in its day, taking some £500,000 in British cinemas alone – the equivalent now would be over £30 million. In the immediate pre - war years, Will Hay was the second highest paid entertainer in Britain, earning a reputed £800 per week - narrowly pipped in the earnings stakes by George Formby. Outside of show business, Will Hay was a dedicated and respected amateur astronomer. He constructed a personal observatory in his garden in Mill Hill and built a glider in 1909. He became a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1932 and is noted for having discovered a Great White Spot on the planet Saturn in 1933. The spot lasted for a few months and then faded away. He also measured the positions of comets with a micrometer he built himself, and designed and built a blink comparator. He wrote the book Through My Telescope in 1935, which had a foreword by Sir Richard Gregory, formerly Emeritus Professor of Astronomy at Queen's College, London. When Hay died, a few items of his equipment were bequeathed to the British Astronomical Association. Some years ago I came across a long out of print book on the life of Will Hay, and it had some photos taken of his garden and his private observatory; in one of the early shots, the construction of his observatory is shown; several people are helping with the digging. One chap is seen stripped to his string vest and leaning on a shovel - it was my late Great Uncle Horace on what must have been a very hot day for manual labour. I wish I had a copy of the book. In 1947, Will Hay suffered a stroke which left him physically disabled. He died at his flat in Chelsea, London after a further stroke in 1949, and is buried in Streatham Park Cemetery, London SW16.

The video clip below dates from the time when Will Hay was approaching the height of his fame and fortune; it shows Danson Park as it looked back in 1935. Do give it a watch and either leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.