White Hart worries.

The photo above shows the ongoing building work being carried out on the former Erith Riverside Swimming Baths site, opposite the Riverside Gardens.  The construction work has been going on for a considerable length of time. The project is to build 12 mews houses and 55 apartments overlooking the River Thames. They will be a mix of properties for conventional sale, and a number which will be for part buy / part rent. The whole development is produced by London and Quadrant Housing Association. The former swimming baths site is actually somewhat larger than it appears when viewed from the High Street; a corner of the space actually exists behind the car park of the Running Horses, which many locals may be unaware of. London and Quadrant were the organisation that originally submitted a proposal for the Thames Gateway Project back in 2010 – the notorious plan which showed the Riverside Gardens being built upon. This was what prompted the formation of FORGE (Friends Of Riverside Gardens Erith), and the campaign to preserve the gardens. It turns out that it was a mistake at the printer – London and Quadrant at no stage wanted to build on the gardens – it was a mess – up with the printer using the wrong file; by the time they realised it was a couple of weeks later and thousands of leaflets had already been distributed. Back in 2015, I was told by a London and Quadrant senior executive that the gardens and the scenic view across the river was the reason they wanted to build on the swimming pool site in the first place, and that they would hardly shoot themselves in the foot by building on that very view! I think many locals are justifiably cautious about the development, wondering if it could be "creeping redevelopment" with the Riverside Gardens merely being a further, future phase. The Riverside Gardens are an absolute gem and deserve to be preserved for the enjoyment of all local people for the years to come.

After the tragic hit and run death of a cyclist on Bronze Age Way in the early hours of last Monday morning, when it has been reported that a 60 year old man was killed by a vehicle that did not stop, it has become apparent just how strategically important the area around the Bexley Road / Bronze Age Way / Queens Road area and the notorious De Luci Fish Roundabout actually is. On Monday, Part of Bronze Age Way was closed by Bexley Police during the initial stages of the hit and run investigation. This mean that the area around the De Luci Fish Roundabout was also partially closed. A lot of traffic, including buses and heavy goods vehicles were diverted for all of Monday morning, until the road block was lifted at around 1.15pm - the photo above (click on it for a larger view) was taken a few minutes after the local traffic resumed normal operation. 

I make no secret that I am a big fan of Google; they have turned online search into a verb, they are that good at what they do that to perform a web search has for many become “to Google”. Many of their online products such as Gmail and the Google G-Suite are excellent and widely used, but they have one product, which many people – myself included, actively dislike and avoid. Google+ was intended to be a direct competitor for social networks like Facebook, but it never gained the popularity or traction with web users – and nowadays Facebook is a verb as well. I predicted back in August 2015 that Google would pull the plug on Google+, and it would seem that this has now begun. This week Google announced that they would be phasing out Google+ over the next few months; they cited security loopholes and serous bugs in the application that could leave users data exposed to hackers. From my investigations, it would seem that whilst this explanation is essentially true, it hides the fact that Google have wanted to get rid of Google+ for ages, and this security issue provides them with a very convenient and well - timed excuse. The fact is that Google+ was and has for a very long time essentially been a source of embarrassment to Google, who have been keen to quietly terminate the unpopular and underused web service. The security issues surrounding Google+ have given Google exactly the opportunity they have been seeking for some time. I doubt many will mark the passing of Google+ - if indeed many had even heard of it. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

I took the photo at around the same time I took those of the decommissioned Woolwich ferry, the John Burns, last Sunday, when I spent much of the morning on Erith Pier; I did not publish the photo of the PS Waverley (photo above - click for a larger version) then, as I was already overloaded with photos and text content, and I thought it best to hold over the PS Waverley details to this edition. The Waverley was headed down from London on a trip out to the historic Thames sea forts. The fact that it was in pretty close convoy with the John Burns and its tugs was just a happy coincidence. The PS Waverley is unique; is the last seagoing passenger-carrying paddle steamer in the world. Built in 1946, she sailed from Craigendoran on the Firth of Clyde to Arrochar on Loch Long until 1973. Bought by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society (PSPS), she has been restored to her 1947 appearance and now operates passenger excursions around the British coast. Since 2003 the Waverley has been listed in the National Historic Fleet by National Historic Ships UK as "a vessel of pre-eminent national importance". PS Waverley is named after Sir Walter Scott's first novel. She was built in 1946 to replace a PS Waverley that was built in 1899, served in the Second World War as a minesweeper and was sunk in 1940 while helping to evacuate troops from Dunkirk. Shipbuilders A. and J. Inglis of Glasgow launched the new 693 tonne steamer in October 1946. She entered service with the London and North Eastern Railway in June 1947, working the LNER's Firth of Clyde steamer route from Craigendoran Pier, near Helensburgh, up Loch Long to Arrochar. In her first year in service she wore that company's red, white and black funnel colours. The 1948 nationalisation of Britain's railways brought their Scottish steamers into the Caledonian Steam Packet Company (CSP), a subsidiary of the Railway Executive, and the funnels were repainted yellow with a black top. In 1965 a Scottish red lion rampant was fixed to each side of both funnels. Waverley's hull was painted blue until 1970. After a revival of fortunes in the 1950s, the 1960s saw a gradual change in holiday habits that led to a decline in passenger numbers and the closure of many of the small piers. Since 1969 and the formation of the Scottish Transport Group, the CSP had been gradually merging with the West Highland shipping and ferry company David MacBrayne Ltd. In 1973 the company became Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd (CalMac). CalMac withdrew Waverley after the 1973 season as she was too costly to operate and needed significant expenditure. By then the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society (PSPS) had been set up as a registered UK charity, and had bought the near-derelict small River Dart paddle steamer PS Kingswear Castle. CalMac, keen to ensure that the ship was preserved, sold Waverley to the PSPS for the token sum of one pound. Neither side really believed that the vessel would return to steam but, just in case, Caledonian MacBrayne stipulated that she should not sail in competition with their remaining cruise vessel, TS Queen Mary. A public appeal was launched to secure funding for the return of the Waverley to service and the fund-raising operation was successful. The PSPS found itself running a cruise ship operation, "Waverley Excursions". Since then Waverley has been joined in the PSPS fleet by PS Kingswear Castle and MV Balmoral, and has had a series of extensive refits and much restoration work, including a new boiler and improvements to meet modern safety standards. She has circumnavigated Great Britain and every year makes extensive sailings around the country. Listed as part of the National Historic Fleet, between 2000 and 2003 the ship underwent a substantial rebuild and re-boilering at the shipyard of George Prior at Great Yarmouth, funded principally by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The work was done in two stages, has added many 21st century safety and technological improvements and returned the ship to her original 1947 livery. In 2009 the ship was affiliated with HMS Defender, having hosted the official dignitary party at Defender's launch on the River Clyde. And in 2011 the ship was awarded the Institution of Mechanical Engineers 65th Engineering Heritage Award. PS Waverley is powered by a three-crank diagonal triple-expansion marine steam engine built by Rankin and Blackmore, Engineers, Eagle Foundry, Greenock in Scotland. It is rated at 2,100 IHP and achieved a trial speed of 18.37 knots (34.02 km/h; 21.14 mph) at 57.8 rpm. Passengers can watch these engines from passageways on either side of the engine room. The main crank is solidly attached to both paddle wheels so they cannot turn independently of each other. The PS Waverley therefore has a much larger turning circle than modern ferries.

There has been extensive press coverage in respect of the proposed work to replace the historic footbridge over the railway at Plumstead Station. Network Rail applied for “prior approval” to dismantle the 1892 structure and build a modern replacement. National Rail already has the power to remove the footbridge without needing the council’s consent, but needs “prior approval” for the design of the works. The footbridge in its current state is popular with locals, with more than 80 objections being made about Network Rail’s plans. Network Rail is  proposing to demolish and replace the footbridge with a boxed structure, with two new lifts and a new walkway. Previous proposals for a station revamp were thrown out by Greenwich Council, which said the development would detract from the character of the station. What I do note is that once again the new footbridge proposals include a passenger lift to both platforms - something that should be expected nowadays. Once again this throws the whole situation at Erith station - pictured above - click for a larger view - into the spotlight. Whilst extensive building work is still being undertaken at Erith station, it is not going to address the long - standing problem of the lack of any form of step free access to the London bound platform, which is only accessible via the Victorian footbridge. The fact remains that if you are a wheelchair user, or a parent with a heavy pram or buggy, it is not possible to take a train towards London from Erith station. You have to go on the Kent bound platform to Dartford, then change there to pick up a London bound train. This means you go three stops in the opposite direction, only to then come back on yourself. Apart from the inconvenience and waste of time this brings, there is the added expense of what should really be an unnecessary journey. If Plumstead Station is getting lifts and step free access, surely Erith station should do too? What do you think? Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

The spoof Snakes and Ladders game graphic above - click on it for a larger view - was sent to me by a regular reader; it certainly makes for entertaining reading. I do not claim copyright on the image - if you are the creator, please contact me, and I will credit you accordingly. One local hazard that is not featured on the Snakes and Ladders board is the current temporary traffic lights that are located at the junction of Erith Road, Fraser Road, Riverdale Road, Alford Road, Pembroke Road and the newly created Loam Pit Road. The multiple phase temporary traffic lights mean that one may need to add 10-15 minutes to any vehicle journey that involves any of the aforementioned roads. The reason for the temporary lights is due to road access building work to the adjacent Erith Quarry Development, which will be under way until around Christmas. It also means that journey times on the exceedingly popular 99 bus route are now extended. 

If you a re a coffee drinker, you may not be aware that you may have availability issues with certain coffee outlets for a while; If you are a customer of Greggs. Waitrose, McDonald's, English Heritage, Tesco or Asda, to name but a few, you may find their supplies of fresh ground coffee running short for a period of time. The reason for that is their supplier, UCC Coffee - a Dartford based commercial coffee wholesaler had their main office and production facility located on the Riverside Industrial Estate went up in flames in the early hours of Thursday morning.  Fortunately all of the staff in the production facility (which operates 24/7) were able to evacuate, and there were no casualties, though I understand some local residents were temporarily evacuated as a precaution, due to large quantities of smoke and sparks created by the conflagration. I understand that the building was almost completely destroyed. What will happen to the business and the workers is currently unclear. 

The licensing hearing for The White Hart African restaurant and bar in Erith High Street is due to take place this coming Wednesday the 17th October in rooms G04/05/06 in Bexley Civic Offices, 2 Watling Street Bexleyheath, starting at 10am. The hearing will be open to members of the public, so if you are available on Wednesday morning, please come along. The restaurant/ bar owners want to open the venue from 10am until 5am the next morning, serving alcohol and playing live and recorded music until 4.30am, and they also want the current restrictions on the playing of music, and ban on the admittance of unaccompanied children, and children under 16 dropped from the licence. Suffice to say that I will be attending the licensing hearing. I am in possession of a great deal of background information on the White Hart issue which is not currently available to the general public, but I will not be in a position to publish it until after the licensing committee has sat, and made a decision. Suffice to say that the hearing will almost certainly prove to be a most interesting one. I know that this issue is of very high importance to many readers - concerns over potential noise, disruption, crime and anti social behaviour have been expressed by many local residents. It has also been pointed out to me that there is already an African restaurant and bar less than 200 metres away, in Pier Road, and doubts raised if another in such close proximity could be financially viable. Whatever the discussion points, the licensing committee will have to make a decision as to the future of the place. More on this in the weeks to come. 

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly from Barnehurst ward:- "Good news again for Barnehurst as we did not have many crimes. The Barnehurst have been visiting residents this week and have been offering crime prevention advice. We are more than happy to come to your home and offer you crime prevention advice, so please give us a call on 0208 721 2577. The team are continuing to conduct ASB patrols on the ward especially around Hampton house. Please join us for our community contact day on Wednesday the 17th October at 1pm at Barnehurst Golf Course. We will discuss any ward issues that you have and we will also provide residents with crime prevention advice".  Belvedere ward:- "PC Holmes has been carrying out extensive enquiries this week in relation to a fraud warrant that took place on the Belvedere Park estate. A/PS Green has taking part in an ongoing investigation into a recent road traffic collision in which a driver failed to stop at the scene of an accident. Fortunately, there were no persons injured during this incident although there was a substantial amount of damage done to property at the Belvedere Community Centre. It appears that the driver had also been driving without a valid insurance policy. A burglary took place on Thursday 4th October in Norman Road in which an elderly female observed a male within her property after she had returned home from shopping nearby. On Wednesday 10th October, the team were assisted by officers from Bexleyheath Police station to carry out a traffic operation initially in Nuxley Road as we had noticed several drivers not wearing seatbelts and also using mobile phones whilst driving in this area of the ward. Further to this, we then carried out traffic speed tests in Abbey Road as residents had raised the issue of vehicles speeding on this particular road. During this operation, 6 traffic offences were processed and one vehicle was seized by officers for having no insurance. Our next Community Contact Session is set to take place on Tuesday 16th October 2018 from 5pm at the Belvedere library on Woolwich Road". Bexleyheath ward:- "We had a report of an attempted burglary along Upton Road Bexleyheath on the 08/10/2018; A theft from motor vehicle was reported on the 08/10/2018 in ASDA's. Also a theft from person that was reported on the 09/10/2018 in TK MAXX. The team are in the process of trying to resolve issues that are being raised by residents within the ASDA car park area. Patrols are also still continuing around Martens Grove and Grove Road including the garages to reduce anti-social behaviour. 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 and 101 for non-urgent reporting". Crayford ward:- "Thankfully another week with not too many notable crimes. On 26th September at 00.30 a van (unknown details) was stolen by a named suspect from an address in Halcott Avenue with keys, the male also stole cash from the victim. Overnight on Wednesday 3rd October (between 00.00-06.00) there was a burglary in Claremont Crescent. Entry was made through a front door and a black hand bag was stolen containing a purse, diaries, store cards, cash, vouchers and oyster card. The bag was found locally in an alley minus the cash. It became apparent that the UVPC front door had not been locked properly and crime prevention advice was given. On 4th October at 12.30 a large quantity of cigarettes were stolen from a parked vehicles at Bookers at Thames Road. It seems the suspect watched the victim place the items on the rear seat of their car and as they got in their driver's seat the car came along side and suspect snatched the items. The suspect was a passenger in a silver car and was a white male. It was reported that a black Audi A1, registration BP18UDU was used to cause criminal damage to a gate at Hall Place car park on Overnight between Thursday 4th October and Friday 5th October at 7.45am. The vehicle was damaged and left at the scene, at the time of the report there were no reports on the vehicle. Between 18.00 on 7th October and 9.25 on 8th October a Nissan Cabster, number plate LX52WTC was stolen from Lea Vale in Crayford. We have been out patrolling open spaces, completing reassurance visits and about listening to residents concerns.. On Wednesday 17th October PCSO Joyce Barlow will be at the Ellenor Charity shop in Crayford Road between 12.00-13.00. Please feel free to come and say hello or ask for crime prevention advice leading in to autumn nights". No report from Erith ward this week, so instead, straight on to Northumberland Heath ward:- "Unfortunately we have had one burglary over the past week in Lawrence Road. This took place in the early hours of Friday October 5th. Entry was gained to the property and the keys to the victim's car where taken from a cabinet next to the front door. Thankfully the vehicle was fitted with a tracker which was located in Dartford. The vehicle has now been restored to the owner without any damage to it! One report of criminal damage to a motor vehicle in Sussex Road overnight between Sunday 7th October to Monday 8th October. The windscreen to the vehicle was smashed but nothing was taken from it. PC Tom Smith assisted officers from Immigration last week which resulted in two Males being arrested for Immigration offences. A youth who recently ran away from police during a stop in Erith has been identified from body worn video. He is now being referred to the youth offending team. The next drop-in police surgery will be held this Friday October 12th at 4pm in the Library in Mill Road Erith. All are welcome to attend". 

Slade Green and Northend ward:- "All good news this week, no crimes of note have been reported and no burglaries in the ward. 2 successful stop and searches have been carried out by PC Telfer. One today (Weds) in Whitehall Lane and one yesterday in Bridge Road. Both suspects had cannabis taken from them and were issued with a PND fine (£90). After recent reports of ASB in the Rainbow Road and Forest Road parts of the ward, we now have good images from various CCTV footage that has helped identify some the group involved. One of the group is already on an Acceptable Behaviour Contract and home visits are being made this week to several of the others involved as we look to reduce the issues in these areas. In the last week PCSO Mark has attended a couple events involving Peareswood Primary School. On Monday, a year 4 class was invited to an Orbit Housing Sheltered scheme where they spent an hour with some of the residents talking about how life was back when they were younger. All of the children had a great time listening to the residents reminiscing about days gone by and the different games they played/food they ate/lessons they had in school etc. Mark joined PCSO Adam from Erith SNT at this event as it was held at Sherwood House in Erith. There is a follow up visit planned for next Monday. Then, on Tuesday this week, Mark attended Peareswood School to read again with some Year 1 pupils and was very impressed at the levels of reading they have at such a young age. More of these reading sessions are going to be planned in the run up to Christmas. Earlier today, Mark met up with Helen who is the Neighbourhood Watch coordinator for Elm Road in Slade Green (see photo above) and they delivered letters to all residents in the street reminding them that they had a watch for their road. This road is regularly being used as a cut through by the groups of youths loitering in the aforementioned areas (Rainbow Road, Forest Road) so Mark and Helen thought it would be good to try and encourage the residents into reporting any issues they see, in what is usually a trouble free part of the ward". Thamesmead East ward:- "Motor Vehicle Crimes - Between the hours of 10:30pm on Wednesday 03/10 /18 and 08:45am on Tuesday 09/10/18 a vehicle parked, locked and secure in Parkway was broken into. No details of anything being taken. A vehicle parked in Bernal Close had the victim's wallet taken ,which contained a driving licence, cash card and a sat nav was also taken. This happened between the hours of 11:10 pm on the Wednesday 03/10/18 and 12:00 pm on the Thursday 04/10/18.On Thursday 04/10/18 at 07:20 pm a vehicle locked and secure parked in Pointer Close was broken into. Victim believes that the suspects were going to steal the vehicle". West Heath ward:- "Details of drug dealing in Sandgate Road DA16 have been reported to us and sent on to the West Heath SNT Team for investigation. If anyone in the area has information that may be relevant, please let us know and contact the West Heath SNT team / 101 directly".

Now for the end video - and this week instead of the usual local content, I have opted for something a little more esoteric; The video below is an engaging and very easy to follow guide to the mysterious world of Secret Numbers Stations - these are shortwave radio transmissions from foreign intelligence agencies to spies in the field of foreign countries. Appearing at just about any time of day or night on the shortwave bands, number stations have been calling out with their automated voices since at least the first World War. Since the fact of operating a number station is technically a state secret, there have been very few confirmations from government organisations - those that have were the Czech Office for Foreign Relations and Information, the Polish Institute of National Remembrance and the Swedish Security Service SÄPO. Usage of number stations has additionally been confirmed by former Cold War spies. Secret Number Stations transmit encrypted messages in forms of groups of numbers, or less commonly letters, using either automated voice (many languages), Morse code or digital signals. While the encryption method used for most number stations is unknown, some have used and others are widely believed to use one-time pads - mathematical addition of a set of random numbers (the key) to the plaintext, which can be used only once, and must be destroyed after usage. Some of the stations are believed to transmit pre-defined codebook instructions. Secret Number Stations offer a powerful advantage in our modern world: practically complete anonymity. The recipient of the message can be almost anywhere in the world, and receive instructions without fear of being traced through a phone call or internet connection. All the recipient needs is a shortwave radio and to be in the right place at the right time. The BBC were noted for sending messages to people overseas which where coded messages to SOE agents during WW2. From then on encrypted messages broadcasted with creepy automated voices have been being sent with stations appearing and disappearing as political events changed over the last sixty years. The amount of active Secret Number Stations has significantly decreased since the late 1990s, though number stations are still actively used by countries such as Russia, Poland and Cuba. The video below explains how anyone can pick up these mysterious broadcasts - you don't even need to own a shortwave radio - can you can dial into them using a web based virtual shortwave receiver - a link to the website is here. Give the video a watch and then let me know what you think by posting a comment below, or by Emailing me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

Major Turp.

Work to renovate and repurpose the historic old Carnegie Library in Walnut Tree Road is now fully under way. As you can see from the photo above, which I took last week, the scaffolding has now been fully erected, and now covers the entire building. I have been told that the first priority of the workers is to take off the current roof (which has been patched up over the years and is not in a great condition), then to put on a temporary roof, and then later replace the temporary roof with a bespoke new one, which will be designed to last a minimum of 25 years. My reliable source also informs me that the builders have also had a window survey done, identifying the repair need in advance of window repairs being carried out. Dealing with these two elements will make the building watertight, something that has not been the case for several years. When I visited the Carnegie Library during the open day last year, water was coming through several windows, and a couple of trees were actually growing inside the building! It is sad that the building has been neglected for over a decade, but at least now that is finally being put right. I will be covering the refurbishment of the old library in greater details in the months to come. 

Approval has now been granted for the new privately run bus service that I have written about previously. The bus service will operate on weekdays only, and will run between Harrow Manorway outside of Abbey Wood Station, and Carlton Road in Northumberland Heath. The service will somewhat inappropriately be called The Nuxley Navigator - as previously covered, Nuxley Village does not exist - it is properly named Belvedere Village. The roads that the new private bus service will cover are as follows:- Towards Abbey Wood Station (mornings only) - Carlton Road, Brook Street, Parsonage Manorway, Swaylands Road, Matfield Road, Stream Way, Bedonwell Road, Orchard Avenue, Bedonwell Road, Glenview, West Heath Road, Brampton Road, Knee Hill, Harrow Manorway. Towards Erith (afternoons only) - Harrow Manorway, Knee Hill, Brampton Road, West Heath Road, Glenview, Bedonwell Road, Orchard Avenue, Bedonwell Road, Stream Way Matfield Road, Swaylands Road, Parsonage Manorway, Brook Street, and Carlton Road. The Crossrail service will be opening at Abbey Wood Station at the end of this year, and many of the roads covered by The Nuxley Navigator are currently not covered by any existing bus service. The Nuxley Navigator features a reserved seat and, in London, standard rides are £2.40. A standard bus fare is £1.50. Chariot works by being pre-bookable but with predetermined stops, similar to a bus route. The real reason for the service is to connect the Erith Quarry housing development with Abbey Wood Station. The developers of Erith Quarry are aiming the new development primarily at second or third time buyers who want larger, family sized houses - for people who intend to "put down roots" in the area. In order to attract middle class professional people into the local area, they need so show that there are good commuting connections into London - something that The London Borough of Bexley has lacked up until now. The fact that we have no DLR or Tube services in the Borough has been a factor that has discouraged some people from moving into the area. Providing a purpose built mini bus link between the Erith Quarry site and Abbey Wood Station will do much to convince people that they should move into the area, as housing is significantly cheaper than in other parts of London, and the commuting issue will be at least partially answered by The Nuxley Navigator - even if the name of the new bus service is inaccurate.

The photo above shows the current state of the redevelopment of the former Erith Riverside Bath site on the junction of Walnut Tree Road and Erith High Street; one of a number of housing developments currently in progress in the local area - click on the photo for a larger view. Following my article on the redevelopment of the former tram shed site adjacent to the London South East Colleges Bexley (yes, I know it is a dreadful, convoluted name) site last week, I have had a handful of readers making negative comments about the level of housing is being built all over The London Borough of Bexley; I merely report the news - I don't make it. It would seem that quite apart from the residential developments currently in progress that I have reported in the past, there are plans sponsored by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan for more housing. A consultation is currently taking place in respect of this, which is running until the 2nd of March. The part of the Greater London plan that affects The London Borough of Bexley contains the following proposals that may well cause concern for existing residents. In the draft plan, the Mayor of London proposes several measures to address the capital’s housing crisis, including: Increasing the borough’s housing targets four-fold, from 446 units a year to 2,145. Increasing the amount of housing coming from small sites, mainly in Bexley’s residential areas around stations and town centres, eight-fold from around 110 units a year to 856. Introducing a presumption that small housing developments (up to 25 units) will get planning permission, with considerations limited to privacy, heritage, biodiversity and safeguarded land such as green belt. Removing housing density ranges so proposals are considered individually, but recognising that the existing character of residential areas will need to change. Pressing for zero parking on developments in places considered to have good public transport, such as Bexleyheath town centre and Abbey Wood station. The draft plan also includes a range of other policies, in a bid to produce an integrated economic, environmental, transport and social framework for the development of London. The final version of the Bexley Growth Strategy, which forms part of the Greater London Strategy was published by Bexley Council on Thursday of this week; it is a sizeable document, which will take some considerable examination and study. I have taken a good look at it, and I am of the opinion that it contains a number of erroneous fundamental suppositions and basic flaws. Take a look for yourself and formulate your own opinion - you can download the PDF of the final version of the Bexley Growth Strategy document by clicking here.

You may not be aware, but the 13th of February has been declared World Radio Day by UNESCO. UNESCO’s Executive Board recommended to the General Conference the proclamation of World Radio Day, on the basis of a feasibility study undertaken by UNESCO, further to a proposal from Spain. Radio is the mass media reaching the widest audience in the world. It is also recognised as a powerful communication tool and a low cost medium. Radio is specifically suited to reach remote communities and vulnerable people: the illiterate, the disabled, women, youth and the poor, while offering a platform to intervene in the public debate, irrespective of people’s educational level. Furthermore, radio has a strong and specific role in emergency communication and disaster relief. There is also a changing face to radio services which, in the present times of media convergence, are taking up new technological forms, such as broadband, mobile phones and tablets. However, it is said that up to a billion people still do not have access to radio today. A wide consultation process started in June 2011, carried out by UNESCO. It included all stakeholders, i.e. broadcasting associations; public, state, private, community and international broadcasters; United Nations agencies; funds and programmes; topic-related NGOs; academia; foundations and bilateral development agencies; as well as UNESCO Permanent Delegations and National Commissions. Among the answers, 91 percent were in favour of the project. The objectives of the Day will be to raise greater awareness among the public and the media of the importance of radio; to encourage decision makers to establish and provide access to information through radio; as well as to enhance networking and international cooperation among broadcasters. The consulted stakeholders also proposed ideas for the programme of celebration: extensive use of social media, annual themes, a dedicated website enabling virtual participation, special radio programmes, radio programmes exchange, a festival involving key partners, and so forth. You can read more about UNESCO World Radio Day by clicking here.

Robert Turp was an officer in the British army during WWII. After Germany’s surrender, he was part of an army weapons intelligence team called MI-10 that travelled the British occupation zone examining captured German armaments. He was later the First Defence Attache to South Korea. After leaving the army, he purchased a firearms manufacturing and reconditioning workshop in Bexleyheath, just behind Bexleyheath Broadway; he later added an office in the City of London. He also had a warehouse in Belgium, where he stocked items that would have caused him legal  problems with the authorities in the UK. Usually just known as “Major Turp”, in particular he sold weapons around Africa, developing something of a knack for supplying newly-independent nations on the continent. His arms company was called International Ordnance, and was registered in Jersey. The photograph above shows him in the Bexleyheath workshop posing with some of the weapons that he sold - click on the photo for a larger view. On a more grim note, he also had a knack for exploiting corruption in these new countries. He was attributed the quote “where arms are concerned, the newer and blacker the country, the greater the graft.”. This did not go unnoticed and in 1966, a petition to P.M. Harold Wilson suggested Britain ban private arms dealers entirely; with Major Turp specifically cited by name as an example why. Major Turp’s most public moment came when he refused to sell guns to 1970s Rhodesia. While he received accolades, his decision was rooted less in morality and more in self-interest: it appeared at the time that Britain and Rhodesia might come into conflict, and he was concerned about criminal charges that might be brought against him if guns he sold ended up used against British troops. Turp’s final notoriety came in 1992. A German arms dealer at the Sheraton hotel in Sofia, Bulgaria contacted Turp and inquired if he’d be interested in brokering a sale of weapons grade plutonium; presumably to Iraq. Turp declined and notified British authorities. A shady and morally dubious figure, he was a minor local celebrity who many would rather have not existed. Turp wrote a "tell all" book in 1972 which he called "Gun Runner" - about his life as an international arms dealer who based himself in Bexleyheath. There are indications that Robert Turp had some input into the design of "Project Babylon" - the Iraqi super gun that was being built for Saddam Hussein by renegade gun designer Gerald Bull, until he was murdered. Gerald Bull was assassinated outside his sixth-floor apartment in Brussels on March 22, 1990, by two assassins who pumped five 7.65mm bullets from a silenced gun into his neck and back and then escaped. It was believed that this was the work of Mossad who feared Bull’s super gun could be used against Israel using chemical and potentially nuclear projectiles. It has since been revealed that senior Israeli intelligence officials have claimed responsibility for the assassination, something that almost never is admitted. In 1985 Bull had been given the long-hidden designs of a legendary German super cannon of World War I. Called the Kaiser’s Paris Gun, it had been fired with devastating effect. At the war’s end, the Germans had dismantled it and hidden the plans. According to Robert Turp, Bull also had reconstructed British reports on two captured Nazi super guns of World War II, including the so-called “V-3,” envisioned by Hitler as a terror weapon to be used against England with the V-1 buzz bomb and the V-2 rocket. Built on the French coast, the V-3 was destroyed by RAF bombers before it could be used. Robert Turp said he and Gerald Bull spent long hours discussing the reports on the Nazi designs. It is thought that the Iraqi super gun design was based on the WWII German V3 gun plans which Turp had uncovered during his time in military intelligence just after the war.

Last week I wrote in some detail about the refurbishment of the former White Hart pub in Erith High Street, with "before and after" photos of the restoration work that has been carried out on the building, which is in a conservation area. In the piece I wrote that the building was owned by The Wellington Pub Company - an organisation with an excellent reputation for turning around problem pubs; in the last week I have learned from a reader that this is no longer the case. I have been reliably informed that The Wellington Pub Company sold the freehold title to the White Hart back in 2016, and that it may well have been sold on a second time since. It is not known who the current owner is, and tracing them via Bexley Council is proving difficult. If you have any inside knowledge regarding this, then please do let me know - you can stay anonymous, should you so wish. Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com with any information - many thanks in advance.

Bexley Police are trying to trace two cars which have been used in criminal activity - you can see photos of similar cars in the photo above. Please notify the Police if you see a car similar to the ones above that is being used to carry out illegal activity. Now for the weekly safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. First from Barnehurst ward:- "On Thursday 25th January the Barnehurst team with the assistance of Crayford SNT and the RSPCA carried out a warrant under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. What we discovered was truly heart-breaking and distressing, Dogs were found wet, cold, matted and covered in faeces. In total we seized 34 Dogs, 9 puppies and a large number of cats. All were examined by a vet on the day and are now in the care of the RSPCA. The investigation is ongoing and we will keep you updated with any results. If you have any concerns regarding animal welfare please contact either the local policing team or the RSPCA direct. Sadly we have had an attempted Burglary reported in Bowness Road. This incident occurred on Wednesday 31st January 2018. Between 8.30pm and 8.50pm, Three white males wearing gloves and face coverings have attempted to gain entry to an address by forcing open the front door when unsuccessful they have then gone to the rear of the property onto a flat roof and attempted to gain entry via a bedroom window again unsuccessfully but causing damage to the window. Suspects were disturbed and made off into Long Lane towards Erith Road where it is believed they had a black Audi A3 (or similar) vehicle parked. Please remain vigilant and report anything suspicious to police if you believe that a crime is happening call 999 immediately. As always for updates on what the team are up to and for crime prevention advice please follow us on twitter, @MPSBarnehurst and Facebook, Barnehurst police". Belvedere ward:- "The team were joined by housing officers from Orbit Housing late last week after reports of ongoing suspicious behaviour around Lumley Close. We had been given information that cannabis may have been being stored in one of the disused garages, which are owned by Orbit. Several of the garages were opened and nothing was discovered. We continue to patrol the area on a regular basis and urge any suspicious behaviour witnessed to be reported to Police. The team also responded to an incident on Thursday evening at around 5pm involving a vehicle collision in Picardy Street which subsequently became a lengthy chase around the Lower Belvedere area involving a silver car and a black car. This incident resulted in significant damage to one of the vehicles involved. If anyone witnessed this incident or has any information in relation to this, please contact the team. We have also been carrying out extensive CCTV enquiries in and around the Picardy Street/ Gilbert Road areas in relation to this incident. On Friday and Saturday nights PC Holmes/ PCSO Worrall were joined by officers from neighbouring wards and completed patrols in the north of the borough, in areas of Belvedere, Erith, Northumberland Heath and Barnehurst. During these patrols, a group of 4 youths were seen heading away from in Ruskin Road, Belvedere who were thought to have been using cannabis at the location. Officers were able to stop and speak to the group in Upper Abbey Road. We have two meetings taking place in the coming weeks – a community contact session taking place at Asda on Tuesday 6th February at mid-day and our next ward panel meeting is taking place on Thursday 8th February at the Belvedere Community Centre, beginning at 7pm". Christchurch ward:- "We have had reports of two burglaries recently on the ward and one attempted burglary to a local business , which is a vast improvement. One within The Grove, a shed was broken into and items had been taken and was reported on the 25/01/2018 The other Within Oakland’s Road. This was reported on the 27/01/2018 and entry was gained from the rear of the property via a door. The attempted burglary was reported on the 27/01/2018 which was a local business along Princess Street. When burglaries are reported we make sure the victims are visited , deliver crime prevention advise and leaflets , Cocooning and target hardening conducted to neighbours with team contact details provided. Where possible NHW coordinators contacted. We have also had a report of tools being stolen from Woolwich Road. The items were taken whilst the property was undergoing building work, this had accrued on the 24/01/2018 A mobile phone was reported stolen on the 30/01/2018, phone was stolen from inside NATWEST BANK. Had also report of a theft, victim had their bank card and oyster card taken from their purse. This had occurred along Geddes Place on the 25/01/2018. As mentioned previously we are always very keen to increase our NHW coverage and make it as active as possible. We want to work in close partnership with you all to keep our community safe and tackle concerns and issues together, so please keep those email address coming. The team had a fantastic day when they attended the Indian Republic Day Community Building Event , at Townley Grammar School. We had the opportunity to discuss community issues and the event was attended by esteemed guests from the Council and MP’s. Our Chief Inspector also had attended the event and we was also in a position to offer crime prevention advice. One youth was recently processed for possession of cannabis when they w ere stopped within the Premier Inn car park following your concerns with ASB issues within the area . On a daily basis, the team conducts ASB patrols around the ward depending where the issues arise". Colyers ward:- "It’s been a relatively quiet week this week with 1 burglary on Monday 29.01.18 in Northumberland Way where the rear door was forced and an untidy search conducted, unknown if any items were taken and 1 theft of number plates from a car in Frinsted Road on Sunday 28.01.18 sometime between 0300 and midday. Also worth a mention is a male chased from a motorbike in Hampton House who ran on seeing officers. The male was found hiding in a nearby road hiding behind a car, the bike turned out not to be stolen and there were no offences. There was also a suspicious male in Conniston Road Bexleyheath seen paying attention to a property doing building work, possibly looking for scrap metal. Colyers Officers did 2 weapon sweeps this week in the Dell and around Ramsden Road and Frinsted Road Footpath and pleased to say nothing was found. Ward officers have also increased their patrols around the footpath between Heath Way and Northumberland Way due to reports of ASB from bikes and drugs". Erith ward:- "Erith Team carried out a weapon sweep in Compton Place which resulted in a drug find. A warrant was carried out on the ward on which we has the help from TSG (Territorial Support Group). 2 more roads where signed up for NHW. Erith team will be patrolling parts of the ward next week with one of our councillors. Patrols carried out in Erith High Street at school closing time as a lot of schools seem to meet up around the town and McDonalds area, Contacting the school and parents if needed. Action on youths riding bikes around Erith in an unsocial manner". Lesnes Abbey ward:- "Burglary - Between the hours of 10:00 am and on Thursday 25/01/18 and 10:00 am on Sunday 28/01/18 a burglary occurred in Abbot's Walk. Entry to the property was gained through the bathroom fanlight window had been smashed by means of a stone being thrown at it. A glass panel at the bottom of the back door had a part of a paving slab also thrown through. Motor vehicle crimes - On the 23/01/18 a motor vehicle was damaged outside Wyfold House, Wolvercote Road. Theft of a motor vehicle occurred outside Clewer House, Wolvercote House on the 24/01/18. Also on the 24/01/18 a motor vehicle which was parked in Manorside Close had the windscreen smashed, object believed to have been thrown from Harrow Manor Way, linked to the same area a construction vehicle on the bridge near to the train station was also damaged. On Thursday 25/01/18, early hours of the morning a motor vehicle parked in New Road had the windscreen smashed and the rear window scratched. Do you know any friends or family who reside on the Lesnes Abbey ward interested in joining Neighbourhood Watch? Please ask them to contact the NW office. Date for your diary. Police surgery on Tuesday 13/02/18 4:00pm until 05:00pm at the Bostall Library Community Group, King Harold's Way". North End ward:- "We have had two separate overnight damage to vehicles reported in Frobisher Road over the last week. One car had paint poured over it but the suspect was seen and has since been arrested, the other was scratched and dented but no clues at this time. There was also a motorbike stolen, overnight, from Slade Gardens on 30th January. We are checking the normal hidden places where bikes get dumped to see if we can recover it for the owner. PCs Mark and James have again been productive with 6 stop and searches in the last week with one cannabis seizure resulting in the suspect coming in for an interview next week. They also assisted Erith officers in two weapons sweeps in the last week with some class A drugs discovered in a wall in Compton Place. Our surgeries are now referred to as Community Contact Sessions (CCS) and these are now a chance for anyone to come along and use it as a means to report crime. They are still in the café, library etc but will have a police officer in attendance, should a crime need reporting". Thamesmead East ward:- "Good piece of proactive work this week by PC Nana and PC Moore. On Saturday the 27th and while on routine foot patrol, North of the ward, they came across a male riding a motorbike, that had been reported stolen earlier in the week. Enquiries led them to an address close by, the property was searched. Unfortunately the rider was not present. During the search, cannabis was discovered, as well as clothing. Enquiries are ongoing. On Sunday 28th, PC Pruden and PC Nana, assisted the RSPCA, in relation two horses identified to be neglected, that had been left in a small field, near to Sporting Club Thamesmead. After examination by a vet, who declared neglect, PC Pruden seized the two horses under S18 (5) of the Animal welfare act 2006, and handed them over to the RSPCA, who arranged for the horses to be transported to a place of safety. Hopefully a better life awaits. The RSPCA will be investigating, regarding any prosecution in relation to the owner(s) Between the 26th and the 29th January, building equipment was stolen from a storage area at Parkway School. The school is currently in the process of development. Any information please let us know. On the 26th January, a motor vehicle was stolen from outside an address in Mangold Way. Date for the diary, On Tuesday 13th February, between 1415 and 1515 hours, we are holding a Police surgery at The Thamesmead Library, opposite The Link. Any issues, please come and tell us. We are always interested in recruiting new Neighbourhood watch co-ordinators for the ward. Please ask your family and friends if they would like to set up a Neighbourhood watch in their road. Please spread the word to any family and friends in the Borough - they can contact us on 020 8721 2049 or Thamesmead.SNT@met.police.uk for more information".

The end video this week may be a bit of an eye opener to some readers. The video below demonstrates just how much information a mobile phone gives out during normal operation. For me personally, mobile phone ownership has more negative aspects than positives, which is the reason I don't have one. Of course your own experience may differ greatly. Please feel free to leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

TGINO.

Bexley Council have published updated and revised plans for the redevelopment of the former Erith Riverside Swimming Baths site on the corner of Erith High Street and Walnut Tree Road. The proposal from London and Quadrant is to build a total of twelve town houses and sixty one apartments, along with several retail units at ground level. You can see a full collection of relevant documentation online by clicking here. What strikes me from the artists impression is that the artist had patently never visited the site. As locals all well know, Erith High Street is one way only, with vehicles able to pass West to East only, whereas in the illustration above, a cyclist can be seen in the foreground riding East to West. Secondly, Walnut Tree Road (on the right hand side of the picture) is a fairly steep hill, not flat as is shown. On top of this, the former Erith Library building, which is directly behind the proposed construction site is not shown. Nevertheless, it would be good to get the currently empty plot of land re - used for something productive at last. 

Word reaches me that production of the new revised BBC version of “Top Gear” is not going very smoothly. I understand that the pilot episode for the new format of the show has been screened to a test audience, who apparently hated it. BBC bosses have demanded extensive changes and re – shoots. Personally I am not bothered, as I won’t be watching the new BBC Top Gear when it airs in May. I am sure that many people like Chris Evans, but personally I cannot stand the man – my reflex action whenever I encounter him on TV or the radio is to either change the channel or switch off. I, like many “proper” Top Gear fans, am waiting for the announcement of the air date for the new car show starring Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, and produced by “proper” Top Gear boss Andy Wilman which will be shown on Amazon Prime. I am happy to take out an annual Amazon Prime subscription just to watch the new show. Apparently even some of the crew working on the BBC revamp of “Top Gear” refer to the show using the acronym “TGINO” which stands for “Top Gear In Name Only”. I think this says more than enough about the confidence in the programme. Time will tell, but I would not place to many bets on the success of the show under the stewardship of Chris Evans. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The News Shopper are reporting that there is now only a month left for local residents to have their say into the proposed new river crossings to the East of London.  The consultation period ends on the 12th February. The report on the outcome of this consultation is expected to be published in March with the crossings to be completed by 2025. The proposed crossings are in addition to the planned Silvertown Tunnel near the existing Blackwall Tunnel and the proposed new Lower Thames Crossing being developed by Highways England for the Department for Transport. To have your say on the schemes, particularly in regards to the integration of public transport, pedestrian and cycling routes to new crossings visit this site. While the exact alignment of each crossing has not been finalised, the Gallions Reach crossing would link the A2016 Western Way in Thamesmead with the A1020 Royal Docks Road in the North. The Belvedere crossing would link the A2016 Bronze Age Way in Belvedere with the A13 Marsh Way junction in Rainham. A decision whether to build a bridge or tunnel as the preferred option in each location has not yet been decided either. As I have previously written, I think that at Lower Belvedere, a tunnel would be a superior engineering solution. I know that some local groups oppose any kind of new river crossings – the main one being here. London Mayor Boris Johnson said in a recent interview that “Delivering new river crossings to the East is going to be vital to the future success and prosperity of the Capital. We know from this consultation that Londoners are overwhelmingly in support of new crossings and TfL will now be pushing full steam ahead with plans for Gallions Reach and Belvedere." The main local concern seems to be that it will be all very well building extra river crossings, but if changes and upgrades are not made to the road infrastructure in Bexley, then it will merely increase local congestion to traffic using the area as a cut - through when heading elsewhere. The debate will no doubt grind on for years. 

I had some great reader feedback from the article last week on AM Stereo radio – the great media format that was successful in the USA, Japan and several Commonwealth countries, but never got off the ground in the UK, despite the best efforts of a failed offshore radio project. The article was even more timely than I had anticipated, as standard mono AM (Medium Wave) broadcasting is now being phased out all over Europe, as engineers in France, Germany and Luxembourg flicked the switches and turned off their Medium Wave signals at midnight on New Year's Eve. Amongst others, Deutschland Radio closed down its seven Medium Wave transmitters; and Radio France, France Info, France Blue RCFM and France Blue Elsass all went off air. RTL also finally turned off the famous 1440 (208m) Luxembourg apparatus which had carried the UK directed 'Luxy' service until 1991. In the UK, the BBC has quietly begun to shut down some of its power-hungry BBC local radio AM transmitters, using the cunning plan of turning them off for a ‘trial‘ and seeing if anyone notices. Many though still battle on. Commercial radio’s local AM business is in peril too, with many frequencies kept operational by leaning on parallel brands and sharing business overheads. BBC 5 Live still delivers appreciable audiences on AM as do Talk Sport and Absolute Radio (formerly Virgin AM). The national scale of those stations adds bulk to the UK AM total listening hours figure, but one imagines that the costs of transmission and the Ofcom licence fees mean that the owners, UTV and Bauer, can see the day when they wouldn’t trouble to contest their AM licences. DAB alone would work better for them. Radio 4 boasts a clutch of Medium Wave transmitters, but its prize possession remains its powerful 198 Long Wave transmitter, beaming out from an antenna slung from the 700' high masts at Droitwich. The closure of that would be for the BBC would be extremely unpopular with the core Radio 4 audience.  It may be apocryphal, but it is suggested that this dusty transmitter relies on valves which can no longer be replaced. (Actually this is untrue – the Russians still  make the huge ceramic RF power valves that could replace those in the Droitwich 198 kHz Long Wave transmitter). The fact is that whilst AM services are being retired, the predicted rise of DAB just has not happened at anything like the extent the powers that be would have wanted. Ironically, listening figures for Internet radio have in many instances exceeded the number of listeners to DAB, especially as many people listen on the move using 4G on mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets. Many European governments would love to sell – off the VHF FM band as well, but for many people FM is still the radio waveband of choice – signals are reliable, receiving equipment is cheap and widely available, and unlike DAB, FM portable receivers can run for ages on batteries. AM analogue services may be well on their way out, but analogue FM still has years of life in it, and in my opinion may outlast the never very popular DAB. What do you think?

I may have got to the bottom of origin of the mysterious lights I saw in the sky back in September. Earlier this week I received an Email from a reader who has seen my account of the bright lights I saw flying over the River Thames at around 8.30 on the evening of Monday the 20^th September. My informant wrote:- “I have been reading for many months of the balls of light over the Thames which you witnessed last September and have been meaning to contact you since your first post in regards to them. I am pleased to be able to finally put your curiosity to rest, I couldn't see you suffer any more haha. The lights you saw were Chinese lanterns released from the Riverside Gardens after Courtney Webb nee Terry's funeral. You may recall the story as it made many papers at the time. I assume there were actually 27 lanterns released, one for each year of her life but cannot say for certain.” Well that makes a lot of sense – I knew that there had to be a rational explanation for what I saw, I just did not know what it was. I had mistakenly assumed that the lights were quite high in the sky, and moving very rapidly; it would seem that they were actually a lot lower than I had perceived, and moving more slowly, with the darkness hiding their actual identity. At a guess, what the other observer in New Eltham saw and what I saw were not the same fire balloons. I counted eighteen and no more, but apparently twenty seven were launched. I am guessing that there was a change in wind direction during the mass launch, and some balloons went in one direction, and the rest in another towards New Eltham.  As far as the going against the wind direction is concerned, winds on Erith river front are very confused, and can blow in one direction on the ground, yet in another higher in the air (you can sometimes see this with aeroplanes on the approach to London City Airport - the air is calm at ground level, yet you can see the plane fighting against a crosswind at altitude). I understand it is to do with (relatively) hot ground near cold water - and back at the time of my sighting it had been an exceptionally warm day. Thanks to Brett for supplying the information it had been bugging me ever since I saw the lights. Brett is a DJ for online retro radio station Radio Sutch. You can hear them and find out more about the station by clicking here. The original Radio Sutch began in 1964, following the launch of Radio Caroline, Screaming Lord Sutch (born David Edward Sutch - Screaming Lord Sutch, was an English musician. He was the founder of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party and served as its leader from 1983 to his death in 1999, during which time he stood in numerous parliamentary elections. He holds the record for losing all forty elections in which he stood) said he would start his own station. On 27 May Radio Sutch began broadcasting from the south tower of the Shivering Sands former army sea fort. It was a low-powered, low-budget operation. broadcast (intermittently) on 194 metres (1542kHz) medium wave. The broadcasting hours of Radio Sutch were somewhat variable – DJ’s would wake up late for their shows, or the studio equipment would experience regular breakdowns. Even the broadcast transmitter was a total lash – up, based on a heavily modified wartime Royal Navy H.F unit re – crystalled for medium wave, which was powered from a bunch of truck and milk float batteries The antenna system was laughably inefficient, and it seems to me that it was a miracle that it worked at all, based as it was on a scaffold pole with a skull-and-crossbones flag on the top . After four months, Sutch got tired of running the station, and sold it on to businessman Reg Calvert for a reported £5000, who renamed it as Radio City, injected some capital into it, and re-launched it. The new station has the same musical format as the original Radio Sutch – basically music from the 50’s and 60’s that was considered “left field” at the time. The current Radio Sutch was started in 2012 and runs as an internet radio station, broadcasting the same style of music as the original offshore station. Do give them a try.

A couple of very sad local stories this week. I am in the fortunate position of being party to many news stories before the press manages to get hold of them, and I have quite a number of mostly anonymous sources who send me all sorts of interesting facts. I try and act responsibly – unless a source is well known to me, and has proved completely reliable in the past, I will not print a story without third party verification. Also, when a story involves potentially damaging impact to the family and friends of someone involved in a story, I will not report it until the mainstream press has already done so; an example of this happened at the beginning of this week. One of my longest serving and most reliable sources of local information emailed me with the name and personal details of the man who had been killed in a tragic motoring accident in Heath Lane Dartford on New Year’s Eve. I held back the details until the News Shopper had published the details of the deceased – Doctor Wilson Fok, who worked at the Northumberland Heath Medical Centre. He was hit by a van whilst out walking with his wife. A tragic story, and by the sounds of it, a genuine accident. I also have a policy of not normally featuring stories that make the national news – there is no real point, as “proper” journalists generally do a far better job than I could, and in any case, the stories I cover have very strong local interest. This week I have found that I cannot avoid the story of Erith resident Sian Blake. The story has been covered and picked apart by the press to a very large extent. All I have to add to it is that I used to see Sian occasionally walking around Erith Riverside Shopping Centre, and every so often in Morrison’s. I did not know she was an actress, or had been in EastEnders at one time (I am not a soap watcher).  I had not seen her for some considerable time, I guess as her Motor Neurone Disease got worse, and she was forced to limit her mobility; the whole case is tragic. What do you think? Post a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com

Last week I wrote at quite some length about pioneering inventor, engineer and innovator Richard Trevithick, and how the last couple of years of his life was spent living in Dartford. I complained that there was no monument to the great figure of the industrial revolution in the town; well regular Maggot Sandwich reader Dana Whiffen has proved me wrong - he recently took the photo above which shows the blue plaque which is on the wall of the Royal Victoria and Bull Hotel in Dartford. Back in the day when Trevithick had lodgings there, it was known just as the Bull. Another giant figure of Victorian technology has recently had what would have been her two hundredth birthday. Ada Lovelace - her collaboration with Charles Babbage on mechanical computers included her writing what is arguably the world’s first computer program. As well as being a woman pioneer of what is still a male-dominated profession, Lovelace was an engaging writer, a gambler who lost money at the races, and an aristocrat by marriage and birth – she was the daughter of Lord Byron, although her mother left the notorious poet (accompanied by Ada) as a one-month-old baby. Lovelace died at just 36 with Babbage’s computers unbuilt, leaving plenty of room to imagine what more they might have done. Since then, books, plays and films have imagined just that. Lovelace may not have been too surprised by her cultural impact, as she was perhaps the first person to imagine how computing and culture would be linked. “Through translating her poetical inheritance into the mathematical and scientific sphere, Lovelace was able to bring a startling and unique perspective to bear on Babbage’s engines,” Imogen Forbes-Macphail, a graduate student of English at University of California, Berkeley told a recent symposium on Ada Lovelace's short life. Lovelace thought the computational engines could produce works of art such as music and emulate the human nervous system, as well as just manipulate numbers. Babbage and Lovelace were rediscovered by 20th century computing pioneers including Alan Turing, the father of the modern computer, who included ‘Lady Lovelace’s objection’ in his 1950 paper on artificial intelligence that included his eponymous test. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that Ada Lovelace emerged as a cultural figure.

As regular Maggot Sandwich readers will be fully aware, I have frequently featured content related to televisions,  and the pros and cons of HD versus 4K. Up until fairly recently I advised people on the lookout for  a new TV to not bother with 4K, but just to buy a cheap HD screen, and then wait for a couple of years until proper 4K content became more widely available. That is now about to happen; Sky have announced Sky Q, their 4K UHD content delivery system.  From the details on their Sky Q website, it would seem that what is remarkable about the new receiver is its sheer versatility in terms of content sharing and advanced smart functionality features. At least based on what we’ve heard so far about the Sky Q, it’s looking to turn out as the most advanced set-top media and streaming box with 4K capability on the market so far. In effect, the new Sky Q will essentially be a sort of hub that offers a central content delivery point for 4K and HD content, from which video and other media can flow outward to assorted devices in the home simultaneously through the system’s dual-band router with its ability to share as many as twelve different content streams at the same time. The new set-top box will come with a 2TB internal hard drive which Sky claims will be capable of recording as many as 350 hours of HD content. In addition to this, the box can use that space to deliver its on-demand content for viewing around the home, on a 4K TV or on other mobile devices to which the content can either be streamed or even downloaded completely in some cases for later viewing. For the sake of helping out all this content distribution, the Sky Q comes with twelve different internal tuners. These tuners will allows users to record as many as four different programmes at once, and still be able to watch a fifth at the same time. Additionally, the tuners also supply the Sky Q Mini additional box, which is capable of streaming live TV and supporting features to two different tablets or phones at the same time if they have the Sky Q app installed. There will also be other capacities built into the twelve tuners in the Sky Q Hub but so far we don’t have every one of them detailed out too finely. There is a possibility that some of their functionality is reserved for still more complex future content delivery plans by Sky in 2016. At least based on these descriptions, the Sky Q is shaping up to be more advanced and versatile than some existing 4K UHD set-top box competitors like the Roku 4. This is all very well and good, but no process for this new it have yet been published; at present you can register an interest on the Sky Q website here, but little else - no prices or dates of availability have yet been released - so from my perspective it is still a promise of "jam tomorrow". On top of this, the industry standards for 4K television have only just been formally agreed. The technical specification covers production, distribution and display characteristics, with a bunch of individual content line items. While there are audio recommendations, video is front-and-centre of the specification. To pass the spec and buy the right to use the "Ultra HD Premium" logo, TVs will need a minimum display resolution of 3840 x 2160 (which, naturally enough, will be the production and distribution resolution as well). Devices will also need 10-bit colour depth, and will support minimum specs for colour representation (based on the ITU's BT.2020 recommendation), and the SMPTE's ST2084 EOTF (electro-optical transfer function) dynamic range spec (which defines the range from black to peak brightness). Producers and distributors have to meet the same specs – for example, if Netflix wants to brand a program Ultra HD Premium, it'll have to comply all the way from source to when it starts firing packets to the Internet. There are also specs for the displays in mastering suites: they'll have to cover one hundred per cent of the DCI's P3 colour space (consumer devices can get away with 90 per cent), and go from 0.03 nits (candela per square metre) at black to a maximum brightness beyond 1,000 nits. Samsung is one of the first consumer TV outfits to take the brand, for its 2016 range of UHD TVs, but inexplicably the Korean giant isn't running with Ultra HD Premium for its  recently launched refrigerator with video display (!) It looks like 2016 will be the year of UHD 4K visual displays – and may see the ramping down of production of HD televisions – production costs for 4K screens is dropping rapidly, and for the end user will soon come to parity with HD.  Once this happens ( which I predict within six months or so), there will be no financial incentive to either purchase or manufacture “old” HD units any more. It seems only a short time since HD was the best thing since sliced bread, and the great aspirational purchase for many people, yet now it is regarded as old hat. Things are moving fast, and it would seem to me that 2016 will be the year when 4K Ultra High Definition TV will actually hit the mainstream. 

The ending video this week is some archive footage of Erith and the surrounding area which was taken back in 1969 when the historic old town was being demolished and the grotesque 1970's concrete shopping centre was being constructed - events that all those old enough to remember regret to this day. Only now is the town recovering from the historic act of architectural and cultural vandalism. Watch the short film and leave a comment below, or Email hugh.neal@gmail.com.