No more than a couple of minutes after last weeks Maggot Sandwich update was published, I got an Email giving me a scoop on a significant local story. As the Blog update had already been published, the story has had to be held over until this week. As some will by now already know, Simon Archer, Curate at Christ Church Erith will shortly be starting a new role. Simon has been chosen to serve as Priest-in-Charge (Vicar) of All Saints, Belvedere. Simon is a very popular local personality, and I am aware that the congregation at All Saints were very keen for him to get the job. I know that one All Saints parishioner who was asked to become involved in the selection of the final three candidates for the Vicar role refused, as she said she wanted Simon, and could not provide an objective opinion on the matter. In the time Simon and his wife Tasha (shown in the photo above - click on it for a larger view) have been at Christ Church Erith, they have made a large and very positive impact on the local community, church going and otherwise. Simon has a very down to Earth background, having previously worked for Apple, and also had a stint as a pub landlord. Simon’s final service at Christ Church Erith will be on the 31st March, before he, Tasha and the family move to Upper Belvedere in early April. Simon’s licensing at All Saints will be at 2pm on Saturday, 4th May. I am looking forward to buying him a congratulatory pint in the Royal Standard in Nuxley Road very soon.
A Turkish restaurant in Bexleyheath has been shortlisted as one of the best kebab shops in the whole of the UK. Hazine, which is located at 288-290 Bexleyheath Broadway is one of the finalists in the British Kebab Awards, which take place on the 19th March in London. You can read more about the awards by clicking here. incidentally Hazine has a five star "Scores on the Doors" food hygiene rating.
A Turkish restaurant in Bexleyheath has been shortlisted as one of the best kebab shops in the whole of the UK. Hazine, which is located at 288-290 Bexleyheath Broadway is one of the finalists in the British Kebab Awards, which take place on the 19th March in London. You can read more about the awards by clicking here. incidentally Hazine has a five star "Scores on the Doors" food hygiene rating.
As many local residents will have found to their cost, the recent 60 tonne landslide on the railway between Bexleyheath and Barnehurst stations has caused major disruption to commuters into London, and has also affected many businesses located near railway stations on the Bexleyheath line. One person whose business was adversely affected is Nick Hair, the landlord of the excellent micro pub, The Kentish Belle, which is located adjacent to Bexleyheath Station. Nick Emailed me recently to express how frustrated he felt over the ongoing problems experienced by rail travellers and businesses located near to the line. He writes:- " I sat down and decided the only way we can get passenger representation and make our line better is to form a community rail partnership. Therefore, on Monday, I got a constitution and a set of documents together that form the basis of the Lewisham & Bexleyheath Community Rail Partnership. It will focus on all stations from Lewisham - Barnehurst. Supporters so far include Councillor Charlie Davis (Con, Eltham), David Evennett MP and Councillor Brenda Dacres (Lab, Lewisham). We have invited all of the MPs on the route, all relevant ward councillors (well, the ones who sit on council transport committees) and a few other interested parties. The first meeting will be held on Monday, March 4th at 14:00 at the Kentish Belle where refreshments will be supplied. Those who are interested in the future of the line or who wish to volunteer for better stations should come along. Some of the local politicians etc will also be attending. Membership for passengers who wish to be involved in the AGM process etc will also be available for a nominal £1/year". This sounds like an excellent approach, and will hopefully mean that the rail service providers and those behind the rail infrastructure will become more accountable to members of the public that rely on their services. I have been aware of a few rumours about services and new trains from December 2022 since November 2017, but conflicting information has now finally been resolved, and a clearer picture has emerged from a trusted and very well informed local source, who has elected to remain anonymous. As many commuters into London will be aware, the train franchises for the Dartford to London Via Greenwich, and the Bexleyheath lines are both up for tender. My confidential source has inside information as to exactly what has been going on, and it will involve some pretty remarkable changes. The source writes:- "An announcement on the new Southeastern franchise will finally be made at the end of March. Originally, an announcement was to be made on Christmas Eve by the DfT and it was widely felt this was to be unpopular (hence doing it before Christmas where it would be suddenly forgotten). Sadly, all three bids (from Govia, Stagecoach / Alstom joint and Abellio / Japan Rail joint) were non-compliant. This was felt likely to be due to various other franchise issues such as First / MTR renegotiating the South Western franchise once they started as a result of Network Rail not providing infrastructure enhancements and the collapse of Virgin East Coast again due to Network Rail not improving infrastructure to allow more trains; the latter case resulting in less fare revenue against the requirement to still give the same premiums to a Government. Bidders should rightly feel protected against the likes of Network Rail not delivering especially as they are now a Government subsidiary (basically). The new franchise is expected to deliver a number of overall improvements including new direct services from Maidstone West to Cannon Street or Charing Cross via Abbey Wood and Woolwich Arsenal (a coup for Maidstone in getting a Crossrail connection); and also a new timetable meaning that instead of irregular departure times (example Charing Cross to Bexleyheath at 1700, 1721, 1743, 1808) everything will be uniform and in quarter-hourly increments. Services from Victoria to Lewisham will go up to quarter-hourly all day with these trains going to Hayes (half-hourly) and Dartford via Sidcup (also half-hourly). Whilst the idea of this was unpopular on the Bexleyheath line and got the big petition, it is sensible to stop trains pounding across the crossovers at Lewisham and ‘cutting each other up’ as they try and go from various London stations to various routes in the Metro area. Definitely the single biggest point of interest, however, is the rolling stock strategy. Due to expected continued growth, there will need to be either more high speed units purchased or some sort of better fleet utilisation. The Metro fleet, however, is expected to have the biggest ‘shake up’. I am reliably informed that the Class 707 trains currently operating on South Western Railway will he heading our way as their 10 coaches are perfect (especially with their low-density seating and plenty of standing room) for the Woolwich line. Woolwich Dockyard is also 10 coach only due to short platforms between the tunnels. I am also told that the Class 376 trains, deeply unpopular on Southeastern from Day 1, will be going to Southern and their rolling stock owner is planning to fit them with battery technology (!) and re-fit then so that they can be used in 5 or 10 car formation between London Bridge and Uckfield. If this is the case, this is an incredible use of battery technology in Britain as trials with the Class 379 (Anglia) and old District Line stock (VivaRail) is proving the technology very solid and the Class 350 trains are likely to be converted similarly when they come off lease from London North Western Railway out of Euston. The Class 465 and Class 466 fleet used on Southeastern Metro is likely to head for the scrap pile which, in some ways, is a shame because whilst they don’t look too smart around 97 of the 4 car units (built at York) are in sound technical condition and just need a good interior refurbishment to make them like new. That said, politically new trains are the way to go. We are likely to also see a wider fleet cascade with other trains coming into the region to bolster capacity on routes from Charing Cross and Victoria to Ashford, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells and Faversham: watch this space as I have two conflicting reports here. The Bexleyheath line looks set to re-open on Monday morning after a devastating week-long closure where many local businesses, and at other stations en route report huge trading losses. For many independent businesses, avoidable events such as these are terrible and threaten many. I can think of 2 for which this has caused serious issue. Network Rail must, without any doubt, work to fix the embankments and cuttings on the Bexleyheath line once and for all especially as their own videos show their Geo-Technical Engineer saying they know it’s a problem area! A three month closure might be needed to fully excavate, stabilise and weather-proof / landslide-proof the Barnehurst to Bexleyheath corridor; but most importantly what this event has shown is how a lack of turn back facilities on the Bexleyheath line is so incredibly ludicrous and needs to be addressed. To give an example of this, on the Woolwich line trains can start or terminate at Charlton, Plumstead or Slade Green. During the Crossrail works, many weekends have seen trains from London finishing at Plumstead and then going back - meaning Woolwich and Greenwich among others at least keep a solid service. On the Sidcup line, peak extras terminate at Sidcup and trains can also reverse at Lee if needed. During engineering work at Lewisham one weekend they even operated trains from Dartford to Bromley North (!) and Orpington via Sidcup and Grove Park so Sidcup line passengers had a plethora of journey options. The Bexleyheath line previously had turnback facilities at Falconwood and Kidbrooke but these have both been taken away! This week it would have been a mammoth benefit to even operate trains between London and Falconwood to relieve pressure on Erith and Sidcup line diversions for people in Welling, Bexleyheath and Barnehurst. I am extremely disappointed. What this proves, more than anything, is that a London-facing crossover at Bexleyheath which could be installed for minimal cost could have saved various people time and money by allowing trains to get down to Bexleyheath, turn around, avoid the Landslip area and get back to London. All the stations on the way would have had a near-full service and with some intelligent planning they could have maximised the number of 12 carriage trains going along that route. Instead, we got nothing. Crossovers such as these are not only extremely useful in times of service disruption (fatalities, emergency engineering work, weekend engineering work, train failures) but also could be used for other purposes such as the Sidcup peak turn-arounds". I know a number of transport enthusiasts are regular readers of the Maggot Sandwich; please feel free to comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.
The Bookstore Cafe in the former Carnegie Library in Walnut Tree Road, Erith has had a very busy first week of operation. The new cafe and bar is open on the following days and times:- Wednesday - Friday 8am - 4.30pm; 6 - 10.30pm. Saturday 8.30am - 10.30pm. Sunday 9am - 4pm. The Bookstore Cafe is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. I was in the cafe on Wednesday afternoon, when local Councillor Danny Hackett (Labour - Thamesmead East) popped in for something to eat and drink. We had a very good chat (he's a Maggot Sandwich reader) and I happened to mention in passing the state of disarray in current national politics. He agreed, and the conversation was left at that. I now discover from fellow local Blogger Malcolm Knight that subsequent to my conversation with him, Danny Hackett has now resigned from the Labour Party. You can read Malcolm's article on the Hackett resignation case, including a copy of his letter of resignation by clicking here. We are definitely living in interesting times.
Following the Cambridge Analytica fiasco and the subsequent government investigations, it would be expected Facebook would be more mindful about the information it compiles on its users. A new report suggests otherwise, accusing Facebook of acquiring information that users would not typically expect to share with the company willingly. According to tests performed by the Wall Street Journal, Facebook's software collects data from numerous apps within seconds of it being entered by the user, without any sign of a prominent or specific disclosure by the app. In these cases, it was also found the data was transmitted to Facebook if the user didn't log into Facebook for authentication, or even if the user didn't have a Facebook account in the first place. At least 11 popular apps across both iOS and Android mobile ecosystems were found to report data back to Facebook, with the apps downloaded tens of millions of times in total. Facebook is currently in negotiations with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over a privacy violations fine relating to the Cambridge Analytica scandal and its subsequent fallout. The talks, aimed at avoiding legal action, could result in a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission that extends to billions of dollars, far exceeding the current FTC settlement record holder Google's $22.5 million payment.
The Bookstore Cafe in the former Carnegie Library in Walnut Tree Road, Erith has had a very busy first week of operation. The new cafe and bar is open on the following days and times:- Wednesday - Friday 8am - 4.30pm; 6 - 10.30pm. Saturday 8.30am - 10.30pm. Sunday 9am - 4pm. The Bookstore Cafe is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. I was in the cafe on Wednesday afternoon, when local Councillor Danny Hackett (Labour - Thamesmead East) popped in for something to eat and drink. We had a very good chat (he's a Maggot Sandwich reader) and I happened to mention in passing the state of disarray in current national politics. He agreed, and the conversation was left at that. I now discover from fellow local Blogger Malcolm Knight that subsequent to my conversation with him, Danny Hackett has now resigned from the Labour Party. You can read Malcolm's article on the Hackett resignation case, including a copy of his letter of resignation by clicking here. We are definitely living in interesting times.
Following the Cambridge Analytica fiasco and the subsequent government investigations, it would be expected Facebook would be more mindful about the information it compiles on its users. A new report suggests otherwise, accusing Facebook of acquiring information that users would not typically expect to share with the company willingly. According to tests performed by the Wall Street Journal, Facebook's software collects data from numerous apps within seconds of it being entered by the user, without any sign of a prominent or specific disclosure by the app. In these cases, it was also found the data was transmitted to Facebook if the user didn't log into Facebook for authentication, or even if the user didn't have a Facebook account in the first place. At least 11 popular apps across both iOS and Android mobile ecosystems were found to report data back to Facebook, with the apps downloaded tens of millions of times in total. Facebook is currently in negotiations with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over a privacy violations fine relating to the Cambridge Analytica scandal and its subsequent fallout. The talks, aimed at avoiding legal action, could result in a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission that extends to billions of dollars, far exceeding the current FTC settlement record holder Google's $22.5 million payment.
The Neater Neighbourhoods project is a new Bexley Council initiative to encourage residents to take pride in their neighbourhoods, improve neighbourly relationships and take action on eyesore gardens. The Bexley Tidy Garden Standard considers gardens untidy if any of the following applies:- If the garden is overgrown and creates an eyesore. If there is accumulated household waste, including but not limited to bags of rubbish, broken toys, broken garden furniture. If there are bulky household items, including but not limited to white goods, sofa, mattresses, fences, gates, sheds are in disrepair. If there are scrap cars or car parts in the garden. If there is accumulated building waste. Gardens which fall outside this standard will be visited by the Neater Neighbourhoods team; they will then discuss with the property resident the steps that need to be taken to make the necessary improvements. The Neater Neighbourhoods team will be working closely with other agencies, community groups and charities to offer assistance to residents where there are clear barriers to keeping their gardens within the Tidy Garden Standard. I am fully behind the concept of encouraging local residents to take pride in their environment and to keep their properties neat and tidy, but I do have concerns about the scheme. Elderly and / or infirm people, or residents with physical or mental disabilities may find clearing their gardens a real challenge, and a visit by the Neater Neighbourhoods team may be regarded as intimidating and threatening - I suppose it all depends on how sensitively the matter is handled by those involved. Conversely I have concerns for the members of the Neater Neighbourhoods team when dealing with the small number of "problem" households in the area; I can foresee physical threats being made to the team by known criminal households. It will be instructive to see how the scheme pans out; I will be keeping an eye on it.
I have a rule on the Maggot Sandwich; I don't comment on stories that have been featured on the national news. The reason for this is that normally there is little point - readers will already be aware of the story, and it would be pointless in me re - telling a story that had already been covered by a "proper" journalist. Just for once I am breaking this rule, as I think the story has passed quite a few people by. Earlier in the week, the BBC News website carried an item on a nightclub in Bexleyheath that is holding monthly nights for people with learning disabilities and their carers. You can see the video the BBC released on the story by clicking here. Nyne Lounge, which is located at 267 Broadway, Bexleyheath has been hosting these special events for a couple of years now. The night club is situated inside the former Bexleyheath Snooker Club building. You can see photos of the place by clicking here. Nyne’s Shine event is on the second Tuesday of every month from 7pm to 10.30pm. The venue is wheelchair accessible and carers get free entry. So many organisations talk a good talk about diversity and inclusion, but actually do little in practice; it is good to see a local company really "putting their money where their mouth is" and actually taking positive action. I would imagine that the next Shine event at the Nyne Lounge will be even better attended than before, following the national exposure by the BBC.
The People's Question Time is coming to the London Borough of Bexley. Join Mayor, Sadiq Khan, and members of the London Assembly who will be talking to Londoners about their plans and priorities for the city. Gareth Bacon, Assembly Member for Bexley and Bromley will chair the event. Topics up for discussion will include: - Transport, Safety, Air quality and environment, Housing, Growing London's economy, Other (culture, education). The event is free to attend, but visitors need to book tickets in advance. You can book your place online by clicking here.
Now for the weekly safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly from Barnehurst ward:- "Fantastic news this week with no crimes of note reported. The team have continued to work some later shifts in response to the recent increase in motor vehicle crime, patrolling the ward in both uniform and plain clothes. We believe this has had a positive effect on crime figures with no burglaries or motor vehicle offences being reported during the week. These patrols will continue. We are always looking for intelligence around crimes and those who commit them. If you have any information or suspicions of criminal activity please let the team know and we will look into it. If you feel uncomfortable talking to the police consider calling CRIMESTOPPERS on 0800 555 111 this is completely anonymous and you do not have to give any personal detail. The team also attended Woodside School, Colyers Lane and gave a presentation to both the primary and secondary pupils about what we do, Stranger Danger and how to keep safe, both personally and online. The talk was very well received and we enjoyed meeting the children and joining them in the playground before the assembly. A member of the team will be at Barnehurst Golf course on Friday 8th March at 1pm. Please come along for an informal chat about any concerns or issues that you may have or just pop in to say hello. A big thank you to all our Twitter followers we have passed the 700 mark with 709 followers. We can be found on Twitter @MPSBarnehurst and also on Facebook at Barnehurst Police". Belvedere ward:- "The team are continuing our Street-a-Week initiative, and since our last update, we have visited both Stanmore Road and Kentish Road. There are many more streets to visit over the coming weeks, please keep an eye on Twitter or our website to find out where these will be taking place. On Thursday 14/02/2019, Valentine's Day, the new Lidl opened on the Belvedere Park Estate, on Clydesdale Way. It had only been open for a few hours when security guards at the store detained a shoplifter! The offender was dealt with by a banning order. Big on quality, Lidl on shoplifters. The team have also recovered two stolen vehicles from around the Battle Road area, both on Wednesday 13th of February (at different locations). More drug use is being reported to us by people congregating along Parkside Road, near to Stanmore Road and Gordon Road. Please contact us if you see anything suspicious with time, date and any descriptions. There was a burglary on Gordon Road on Monday 18/02/2019. The suspects entered via the rear door by smashing the glass. Please be on the lookout and report anything suspicious". Bexleyheath ward:- "There has been six reports of a burglary along Wenvoe Road Bexleyheath on the Friday 15/02/2019, sheds and garage broken into by breaking locks. Door to door knocking Burglary leaflets posted through letter boxes advised on crime prevention and enquiries made. The team also called as part of our street a week campaign a local initiative to visit at least one street a week and meet as many residents as possible across the ward. Between Wednesday and Thursday13/02/ - 14/-02/2019 between 2100hrs – 1500hrs - Rydal Drive garage broken into by cutting hole in roof items taken. Two males stopped Premier Inn car park Bexleyheath for possession of cannabis. On Wednesday 13/02/2019 – 0630hrs along Erith Road theft from motor vehicle. On Sunday the team door knocked on ST AUDREY and presented Met Trace a smart water to deter burglary. The officer who delivers your Met Trace pack will talk you through how to register your details and use smart water to mark your property. A theft of purse was report on the Wednesday 13/02/2019 – 1400hrs along the Broadway Bexleyheath The team has received reports of males on bikes causing ASB in the carpark area at the Premiere Inn, patrols are conducted daily. If you do wish to pass on information to Police then please contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111. Please do not hesitate to contact us via Twitter, Facebook, email and the ward phone. If you are after crime prevention advice, please look at the Met Police website which has lots of information that you may find useful. Remember in an emergency please dial 999 or 101 for non-urgent reporting". Crayford ward:- "Our apologies for a very brief message. We are pleased to say that there have been no residential burglaries in Crayford in the last week. We carried out a 'street a week' in London Road on Wednesday the 20th. We attended a meeting at Town Hall Square Community Hall with our partners from Peabody Trust, local Councillors and residents from Town Hall Square to discuss issues including anti-social behaviour. We will be visiting many addresses around Bourne Road in the coming days to ask residents their thoughts on their local area".
Erith ward;- "This week our patrol and community engagement took us via the Bookstore Café (see photo above). It looks very nice inside and well worth checking out. Other activity - Weapons sweeps have been carried out in west Street, Compton Place and Erith High Street Team have had a meeting with Bexley Council at the civic offices and with MOAT housing officers, which resulted in 2 joint visits to residential addresses with the housing officers. Theft of MV (Motor Vehicle) Thursday14/02/2019 Avenue Road - Victim left engine running on driveway when he popped in to get his coat and when he returned the car was gone; Theft of MV Thursday 14/02/2019 Erith High Street - unknown suspect has stolen the vehicle from the location; Shoplift <£200 Friday 15/02/2019 Farm Foods - suspect entered store and placed legs of lamb in his jacket and left without paying; Theft from MV Friday 15/02/2019, Erith High Street - By suspect taking victim's car keys, entering the vehicle, starting the car before being disturbed and making off with the keys; Shoplift <£200 Monday 18/02/2019 Farm Foods - Shoplifting by suspect unknown at location on said time and date shown; Making off Monday 18/02/2019 Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc, James Watt Way - drives off the forecourt making no attempts to pay; Burg Res Monday 18/02/2019 Tower Road - Residential Burglary gained entry through the front door but didn't take anything untidy search of the house; Criminal Damage Sunday 17/02/2019 at a newsagent in Pier Road - By suspect attempting to shoplift before causing damage to door. Community Contact Session for this upcoming week:- Friday 29th February at the Library - 1pm". Thamesmead East ward - no report this week. West Heath ward:- "The ward has had no burglaries this week. We have however suffered six motor vehicle crimes. A motorbike was stolen from outside a house in Denton Road overnight on Friday 15th - Saturday 16th February. Number plates were taken from a car in The Pantiles in the early hours of the Sunday 17th February and in Preston Drive three cars were broken into overnight Sunday 17th - Monday 18th February and various sundry items such as sunglasses, small change tobacco and a dashcam were taken. There was no damage caused to any of the vehicles and it is not known how entry was gained. Lastly, number plates were taken from a vehicle in Glenview overnight Monday 18th - Tuesday 19th February. The team held a street briefing in The Pantiles on Friday 15th February which was very well attended. Issues raised were the ASB and drug activity in the alleyway behind the shops and lighting. The team have been concentrating our patrols in The Pantiles and will be contacting the landlords to discuss the issues. Our next street briefing is in Brampton Road at the junction with Shakespeare Road at 1pm on Tuesday 26th February".
Regular readers may recall that not long ago I featured a short piece and video about the pedestrian crossing across the Angerstein Wharf Branch Line which is located between Charlton and Westcombe Park Stations. The freight trains one sees on a fairly regular basis travelling on the North Kent line almost exclusively transport sand and gravel to various sites in the region. They load up at Angerstein Wharf. There is a branch line which connects to the main line just outside of Charlton station on the London bound side. This branch line is believed to be the oldest privately owned standard gauge siding in the world. Angerstein Wharf was built and opened by Russian born Charlton landowner John Angerstein in 1852 in order to get rail access to the to Angerstein Wharf on the River Thames; it also ran deep into the old East Greenwich gas works. Nowadays it is purely used for freight. Many of the ballast and gravel trains one sees passing along the North Kent line divert onto the Angerstein Wharf Branch Line. Gravel and sand that has been dredged from the sea is collected by the freight trains for use in the construction industry. No passenger trains run on the branch line, with the notable exception of the very rare special trains run by railway enthusiasts. When I previously featured a video of the pedestrian crossing over the single rail line, I got a lot of very positive feedback from readers. Today I feature a brand new video of the same location, which was created by well known broadcaster and transport enthusiast Geoff Marshall. Give the video a watch, and feel free to either leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.
I have a rule on the Maggot Sandwich; I don't comment on stories that have been featured on the national news. The reason for this is that normally there is little point - readers will already be aware of the story, and it would be pointless in me re - telling a story that had already been covered by a "proper" journalist. Just for once I am breaking this rule, as I think the story has passed quite a few people by. Earlier in the week, the BBC News website carried an item on a nightclub in Bexleyheath that is holding monthly nights for people with learning disabilities and their carers. You can see the video the BBC released on the story by clicking here. Nyne Lounge, which is located at 267 Broadway, Bexleyheath has been hosting these special events for a couple of years now. The night club is situated inside the former Bexleyheath Snooker Club building. You can see photos of the place by clicking here. Nyne’s Shine event is on the second Tuesday of every month from 7pm to 10.30pm. The venue is wheelchair accessible and carers get free entry. So many organisations talk a good talk about diversity and inclusion, but actually do little in practice; it is good to see a local company really "putting their money where their mouth is" and actually taking positive action. I would imagine that the next Shine event at the Nyne Lounge will be even better attended than before, following the national exposure by the BBC.
The People's Question Time is coming to the London Borough of Bexley. Join Mayor, Sadiq Khan, and members of the London Assembly who will be talking to Londoners about their plans and priorities for the city. Gareth Bacon, Assembly Member for Bexley and Bromley will chair the event. Topics up for discussion will include: - Transport, Safety, Air quality and environment, Housing, Growing London's economy, Other (culture, education). The event is free to attend, but visitors need to book tickets in advance. You can book your place online by clicking here.
Now for the weekly safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly from Barnehurst ward:- "Fantastic news this week with no crimes of note reported. The team have continued to work some later shifts in response to the recent increase in motor vehicle crime, patrolling the ward in both uniform and plain clothes. We believe this has had a positive effect on crime figures with no burglaries or motor vehicle offences being reported during the week. These patrols will continue. We are always looking for intelligence around crimes and those who commit them. If you have any information or suspicions of criminal activity please let the team know and we will look into it. If you feel uncomfortable talking to the police consider calling CRIMESTOPPERS on 0800 555 111 this is completely anonymous and you do not have to give any personal detail. The team also attended Woodside School, Colyers Lane and gave a presentation to both the primary and secondary pupils about what we do, Stranger Danger and how to keep safe, both personally and online. The talk was very well received and we enjoyed meeting the children and joining them in the playground before the assembly. A member of the team will be at Barnehurst Golf course on Friday 8th March at 1pm. Please come along for an informal chat about any concerns or issues that you may have or just pop in to say hello. A big thank you to all our Twitter followers we have passed the 700 mark with 709 followers. We can be found on Twitter @MPSBarnehurst and also on Facebook at Barnehurst Police". Belvedere ward:- "The team are continuing our Street-a-Week initiative, and since our last update, we have visited both Stanmore Road and Kentish Road. There are many more streets to visit over the coming weeks, please keep an eye on Twitter or our website to find out where these will be taking place. On Thursday 14/02/2019, Valentine's Day, the new Lidl opened on the Belvedere Park Estate, on Clydesdale Way. It had only been open for a few hours when security guards at the store detained a shoplifter! The offender was dealt with by a banning order. Big on quality, Lidl on shoplifters. The team have also recovered two stolen vehicles from around the Battle Road area, both on Wednesday 13th of February (at different locations). More drug use is being reported to us by people congregating along Parkside Road, near to Stanmore Road and Gordon Road. Please contact us if you see anything suspicious with time, date and any descriptions. There was a burglary on Gordon Road on Monday 18/02/2019. The suspects entered via the rear door by smashing the glass. Please be on the lookout and report anything suspicious". Bexleyheath ward:- "There has been six reports of a burglary along Wenvoe Road Bexleyheath on the Friday 15/02/2019, sheds and garage broken into by breaking locks. Door to door knocking Burglary leaflets posted through letter boxes advised on crime prevention and enquiries made. The team also called as part of our street a week campaign a local initiative to visit at least one street a week and meet as many residents as possible across the ward. Between Wednesday and Thursday13/02/ - 14/-02/2019 between 2100hrs – 1500hrs - Rydal Drive garage broken into by cutting hole in roof items taken. Two males stopped Premier Inn car park Bexleyheath for possession of cannabis. On Wednesday 13/02/2019 – 0630hrs along Erith Road theft from motor vehicle. On Sunday the team door knocked on ST AUDREY and presented Met Trace a smart water to deter burglary. The officer who delivers your Met Trace pack will talk you through how to register your details and use smart water to mark your property. A theft of purse was report on the Wednesday 13/02/2019 – 1400hrs along the Broadway Bexleyheath The team has received reports of males on bikes causing ASB in the carpark area at the Premiere Inn, patrols are conducted daily. If you do wish to pass on information to Police then please contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111. Please do not hesitate to contact us via Twitter, Facebook, email and the ward phone. If you are after crime prevention advice, please look at the Met Police website which has lots of information that you may find useful. Remember in an emergency please dial 999 or 101 for non-urgent reporting". Crayford ward:- "Our apologies for a very brief message. We are pleased to say that there have been no residential burglaries in Crayford in the last week. We carried out a 'street a week' in London Road on Wednesday the 20th. We attended a meeting at Town Hall Square Community Hall with our partners from Peabody Trust, local Councillors and residents from Town Hall Square to discuss issues including anti-social behaviour. We will be visiting many addresses around Bourne Road in the coming days to ask residents their thoughts on their local area".
Erith ward;- "This week our patrol and community engagement took us via the Bookstore Café (see photo above). It looks very nice inside and well worth checking out. Other activity - Weapons sweeps have been carried out in west Street, Compton Place and Erith High Street Team have had a meeting with Bexley Council at the civic offices and with MOAT housing officers, which resulted in 2 joint visits to residential addresses with the housing officers. Theft of MV (Motor Vehicle) Thursday14/02/2019 Avenue Road - Victim left engine running on driveway when he popped in to get his coat and when he returned the car was gone; Theft of MV Thursday 14/02/2019 Erith High Street - unknown suspect has stolen the vehicle from the location; Shoplift <£200 Friday 15/02/2019 Farm Foods - suspect entered store and placed legs of lamb in his jacket and left without paying; Theft from MV Friday 15/02/2019, Erith High Street - By suspect taking victim's car keys, entering the vehicle, starting the car before being disturbed and making off with the keys; Shoplift <£200 Monday 18/02/2019 Farm Foods - Shoplifting by suspect unknown at location on said time and date shown; Making off Monday 18/02/2019 Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc, James Watt Way - drives off the forecourt making no attempts to pay; Burg Res Monday 18/02/2019 Tower Road - Residential Burglary gained entry through the front door but didn't take anything untidy search of the house; Criminal Damage Sunday 17/02/2019 at a newsagent in Pier Road - By suspect attempting to shoplift before causing damage to door. Community Contact Session for this upcoming week:- Friday 29th February at the Library - 1pm". Thamesmead East ward - no report this week. West Heath ward:- "The ward has had no burglaries this week. We have however suffered six motor vehicle crimes. A motorbike was stolen from outside a house in Denton Road overnight on Friday 15th - Saturday 16th February. Number plates were taken from a car in The Pantiles in the early hours of the Sunday 17th February and in Preston Drive three cars were broken into overnight Sunday 17th - Monday 18th February and various sundry items such as sunglasses, small change tobacco and a dashcam were taken. There was no damage caused to any of the vehicles and it is not known how entry was gained. Lastly, number plates were taken from a vehicle in Glenview overnight Monday 18th - Tuesday 19th February. The team held a street briefing in The Pantiles on Friday 15th February which was very well attended. Issues raised were the ASB and drug activity in the alleyway behind the shops and lighting. The team have been concentrating our patrols in The Pantiles and will be contacting the landlords to discuss the issues. Our next street briefing is in Brampton Road at the junction with Shakespeare Road at 1pm on Tuesday 26th February".
Regular readers may recall that not long ago I featured a short piece and video about the pedestrian crossing across the Angerstein Wharf Branch Line which is located between Charlton and Westcombe Park Stations. The freight trains one sees on a fairly regular basis travelling on the North Kent line almost exclusively transport sand and gravel to various sites in the region. They load up at Angerstein Wharf. There is a branch line which connects to the main line just outside of Charlton station on the London bound side. This branch line is believed to be the oldest privately owned standard gauge siding in the world. Angerstein Wharf was built and opened by Russian born Charlton landowner John Angerstein in 1852 in order to get rail access to the to Angerstein Wharf on the River Thames; it also ran deep into the old East Greenwich gas works. Nowadays it is purely used for freight. Many of the ballast and gravel trains one sees passing along the North Kent line divert onto the Angerstein Wharf Branch Line. Gravel and sand that has been dredged from the sea is collected by the freight trains for use in the construction industry. No passenger trains run on the branch line, with the notable exception of the very rare special trains run by railway enthusiasts. When I previously featured a video of the pedestrian crossing over the single rail line, I got a lot of very positive feedback from readers. Today I feature a brand new video of the same location, which was created by well known broadcaster and transport enthusiast Geoff Marshall. Give the video a watch, and feel free to either leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.
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