Caught red handed.

News has just broken that The Redeemed Christian Church of God Praise Embassy located in Electricity House, 33A Bexley Road, Erith has lost its temporary planning permission. The building. shown in the photo above - click on it for a larger view, has been used as a church, and formerly as a children's nursery, until after an investigation by Ofsted and the Metropolitan Police, the Bright Steps nursery was closed down and its licence revoked after a member of staff was seen hitting a child, and the operators of the nursery destroyed CCTV footage of the incident, which I have covered in detail in the past. Now Bexley Council want the church out. The decision of Bexley Council reads as follows:- "TAKE NOTICE that Bexley Council, the Local Planning Authority under the Town and Country Planning Acts, HAS REFUSED TO PERMIT the development of land situated at :33A Bexley Road Erith, Kent DA8 1SH. For continued use of premises as a place of worship and educational training / community centre and day nursery previously approved for a limited period. Referred to in the application for permission for development received on 25th February 2019, and that the grounds for such refusal are as attached. The applicant has failed to provide the Local Planning Authority with adequate and unambiguous information to enable a thorough and detailed assessment of the proposed scheme. Information including; detailed floor plans showing how the rooms within the building are utilised; details of how and when the outdoor play is going to be used; and an up to date travel plan. Access to the site to conduct an inspection was also denied. The proposed is therefore contrary to Policies ENV39, COM3 and T17 of the Unitary Development Plan (2004) and Policy 3.18 in The London Plan (2016). PLEASE NOTE:- In dealing with this planning application, Bexley Council has worked with the applicant in a positive and proactive manner, in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs 186 and 187 of the National Planning Policy Framework, to seek solutions to problems where practicable. Detailed advice is available in the form of the Council’s Development Plan as well as in the Mayor of London’s and Bexley Council’s Supplementary Planning Documents and Guidance. The Council also offers a full pre-application service that is available to all applicants to assist in formulating their proposals". Quite what will happen to the church now is anyone's guess. As far as the building is concerned, my sources indicate that Bexley Council want to redevelop the site. Electricity House was built back in 1938 and opened in November 1939 as a showroom and offices for the local electricity company, which at the time was run by the council. Pre – war services such as gas, water and electricity supply were quite commonly managed and supplied by local councils; the idea of private companies being involved was something that did not happen until after the war had ended. Electricity House was also a place where new electrical customers could view domestic appliances which they could buy via hire purchase (it sounds like an early version of BrightHouse, but without the crippling interest rates). As well as the showroom, Electricity House was home to what contemporary accounts say was a very upmarket dance hall with a fully sprung Canadian Maple floor; there was also a small Pathe cinema. The local electricity business was astonishingly successful – probably much helped by the fact that it offered the cheapest metered electricity in the entire UK at the time – one penny per unit. Ten thousand local people signed up for electrification in the first month alone, attracted by the offer of free connection to the local power grid – unusual at the time – many suppliers would even charge for the copper cable to connect new customers. In 1939 the Erith electricity board made a (for then) massive profit of £13,000. The idea was that the money would be used to improve local services and amenities for all, but the advent of war meant that early in 1940 Electricity House was handed over for war work, and once peace was restored, the money intended to benefit local people was absorbed by the LEB during nationalisation, and nothing was ever seen of it. The building is now very run down and dilapidated, and from what I understand the only real source of income is the mobile phone masts and cell transceivers mounted on the roof. This is all under a background of Bexley Council negotiating with the individual leaseholders in order to buy out the leases in Electricity House prior to what I and many others believe to be a compulsory purchase order and then site redevelopment. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

After last weekend's Open House event, when I met several readers as I ran guided tours around the historic Carnegie Library building in Walnut Tree Road, Erith, I have had correspondence from long time reader Dana Wiffen, who sent me the photographs above. Dana writes:- "The Railway RANG (Royal Arsenal Narrow Gauge-Railway) is now running - which is wonderful, as their original predictions were for the spring 2020. The Loco and carriage are looking really good, and they are working to extend to the car park with appropriate platforms and passing double tracks. This is a 2 foot gauge railway and follows the route of the 1861 William Websters contractors railway which brought in the materials for the building of Crossness Engines Pumping Station. This is a superb added attraction for the many visitors to the wonderful partly restored pump engines that visit every year which includes a growing band of visitors from outside of the UK. The next and final open day of this year will be Sunday 20th October 2019 when the pump engine "Prince Consort" will be in steam as well as the railway running and the many other places of interest to visit, there is also a superb tea room". The engine pictured above is named "Bazalgette" after the pioneering Victorian engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette, the creator of Crossness Sewage Works, and much of London's sewage systems. As chief engineer to London's metropolitan board of works in the mid-19th century, Bazalgette had a significant impact both on London's appearance and, through his design of an efficient sewage system, on the health of its inhabitants. Joseph Bazalgette was born in London on 28 March 1819. His father was a captain in the Royal Navy. Bazalgette began his career as a railway engineer, gaining considerable experience in land drainage and reclamation. In 1842 he set up in private practice. In 1856, London's metropolitan board of works was established. The board was the first organisation to supervise public works in a unified way over the whole city, and it elected Joseph Bazalgette as its first, and only, chief engineer. In the mid-19th century, London was suffering from recurring epidemics of cholera. In 1853 - 1854 more than 10,000 Londoners were killed by the disease. It was thought at the time to be caused by foul air. The hot summer of 1858 created the 'Great Stink of London', which overwhelmed all those who went near the Thames - including the occupants of Parliament. This, together with the frequent occurrence of Cholera, gave impetus to legislation enabling the metropolitan board to begin work on sewers and street improvements. By 1866 most of London was connected to a sewer network devised by Bazalgette. He saw to it that the flow of foul water from old sewers and underground rivers was intercepted, and diverted along new, low-level sewers, built behind embankments on the riverfront and taken to new treatment works. By 1870 both the Albert and the Victoria Embankments had been opened. These replaced the tidal mud of the Thames shore with reclaimed ground for riverside roads and gardens behind their curved river walls. The Victoria Embankment protected Bazalgette's low-level sewer, as well as a service subway and the underground railway. The Chelsea Embankment was completed in 1874, reclaiming over 52 acres from the Thames. Throughout this busy time, Bazalgette continued to train young civil engineers and provide independent advice to other British towns and cities - as well as places as far apart as Budapest and Port Louis, Mauritius. Bazalgette died on 15 March 1891.

In another rail related post, details of the remedial work to the banks of the railway in and around Barnehurst Station have been published during the week; as you may recall there was serious disruption to the Bexleyheath line in February, when a series of landslides caused the line to be blocked for a week; temporary remedial action was taken then, and there are now plans for a permanent fix. The 853 Blog wrote recently:- "The Bexleyheath line will be closed between Blackheath and Dartford between 15 and 23 February so engineers can remove thousands of tonnes of soil and install retaining walls with steel beams at Barnehurst. Network Rail says the work, timed to take place in the half-term holiday, will protect the route from landslips for the next 120 years. Extra and longer trains will run on the adjacent Greenwich and Sidcup lines, with the route between Blackheath and Charlton also staying open for trains". The Bexleyheath based Community Rail Partnership said of the forthcoming closure:- "In short, whilst the Community Rail Partnership is broadly in favour of the closure and only for the week as it means the problem is solved, we are mostly concerned with the impact on passengers. The last closure saw buses running between Dartford and Lewisham which were absolutely empty (except between about Dartford and Bexleyheath), because nobody wants to sit on a bus for 60+ minutes between Bexleyheath and Lewisham (if not longer) then to have to get on another train. The B11 was creaking at the seams between Bexleyheath and Abbey Wood and this means we need rail replacement buses not to go 'linear' but 'lateral'. We also want to make sure absolutely tonnes of trains go through Woolwich so that they not only still serve Blackheath and Lewisham; but also allows the focal point for rail replacement to be at Erith, Abbey Wood, Woolwich Arsenal and maybe one other place in the Greenwich area. We have asked Network Rail and South Eastern to attend a meeting with councillors and MPs but also want them to submit their plans for the train service before the T-13 week (3 month) deadline so they can't then 'hide behind' the fact that everything's already been decided. We assess that we've got until about October 15th to give them up to 3 weeks to make any changes and still have 3 months to prepare the rail replacement plans with local councils (temporary bus stops and such). I'll hope they bother to email back and hope for good news".

I came across some pretty worrying information earlier this week. Millennials only truly relax for seven hours a week – because they are too wrapped up in their mobile phones. A poll of 2,000 adults found hectic home and work lives mean those aged 18-34 get less than 60 minutes to themselves each day. Around six in 10 even say they ‘never’ truly relax, because they’re always checking their phone for emails and messages. One tenth even admitted they struggle to go longer than 10 minutes without checking their smartphones. A staggering nine in 10 also confess to opening their phone, even though they know they haven’t had any messages, just to look at the screen. But even older generations are struggling to relax, getting just 90 minutes to unwind each day. Sometimes people wonder why I don't have a mobile phone - this concern is just one of my many answers. On from one form of communication to another - who says I don't plan these things?

I know that I have a fairly large number of Radio Amateurs amongst my readership; As many may know, I too am a Radio Amateur, though not a particularly active one. Something that has come to my attention that should be of concern to anyone with an amateur radio licence is that radio equipment that is only to be used by qualified and licenced individuals under the terms and conditions of their licence is being sold online with no check as to the purchaser, and whether they are allowed to own and operate the equipment. Test purchases have been made on Amazon,  and no questions as to the customers licence type or callsign were made when an order was placed for a 2m VHF and 70cm UHF transceiver of the type illustrated in the photograph above. It strikes me that it would be very easy for anyone to purchase amateur radio equipment online and use it without the necessary training or qualifications in how to operate it properly and within the law. One might argue that in the past, many prospective radio amateurs started off pirating - mainly on the two metre VHF band. The difference in the past was that even basic equipment was relatively expensive - a handheld transceiver similar to the one pictured above would cost several hundred pounds. This meant that only fairly serious people would try to purchase such a unit, and they would usually be asked for their licence details. Obviously they could use someone else's callsign - the checks were fairly rudimentary - which had the effect of making a purchase, even for someone unqualified, quite a challenge. Those unlicensed people were committed, and almost invariably they went on to study for the Radio Amateur Exams (RAE). I am pretty certain that a "blind eye" was turned to these individuals in many cases, as it was regarded as one way of bringing new blood into the technical hobby. Circumstances nowadays have changed remarkably. The handheld radio above is currently on sale on the Amazon UK website for £31.99. That is not a misprint - one can buy the radio for just under £32. Price is no longer a bar to purchasing, and when this is added to the complete lack of eligibility checks, it creates a worrying situation. Non - radio amateurs do have access to some very good two way radio products, the first of which is Citizen's Band radio. Citizens’ Band (‘CB’) radio operates in the 27 MHz band. It is a short-range radio service for both hobby and business use. It is designed to be used without the need for technical qualifications. However, its use must not cause interference to other radio users. You can read more about Citizen's Band radio in the UK by clicking here. The other radio service offered to unlicenced people in the UK is PMR 446 ("Private Mobile Radio, 446 MHz") is a licence exempt service in the UHF radio frequency band and is available for business and personal use in most countries throughout the European Union. PMR446 is typically used for small-site, same-building and line of sight outdoor activities. Equipment used ranges from consumer-grade to professional quality walkie-talkies. Depending on surrounding terrain range can vary from a few hundred metres (in a city) to a few kilometres (flat countryside) to many kilometres from high ground. You can read more about PMR 446 radios by clicking here. The point is, that there are very good alternatives to amateur radio if you want wireless two way communication without the need to study, sit three exams and get an amateur radio licence. Why should you become involved with Amateur Radio, when so many other communications methods are now available? This short video, which is mainly aimed at younger people, and those with no background in technology, will explain. 

It would appear that a new Micro Pub may soon be opened in the local area; a planning application has been submitted to convert a former tattoo parlour located at 149 Long Lane, Bexleyheath into a new Micro Pub. Word reaches me that the woman who has submitted the application has been trained in how to run a Micro Pub by the owners of the The Broken Drum in Blackfen.

I know that many locals are now looking forward to the annual Christ Church Erith Christmas Tree Festival. The Christmas Tree Festival will be taking place as usual on the 13th-15th December. The event is a firm fixture in the calendar of the local area, with visitors coming from as far away as Milton Keynes to see the decorated Christmas trees which fill the Grade II* listed church over the long weekend, and which raises so much money for local good causes. Last night was the annual fund raising Friends of Christ Church Erith quiz and raffle night. Turnout was excellent; around a hundred local people turned up for a very challenging general knowledge quiz, and a raffle with some excellent prizes - first prize was £250 cash, second £100 cash, third was a £50 Marks and Spencer voucher, fourth was a DAB radio, and runners up prizes included a beer gift set from the excellent Bexley Brewery. Only one thing threatened to mar the event before it even started. I, along with several other people were witness to an attempted fly tipping yesterday afternoon. A dark blue Ford Transit van with white lettering on the side saying "LC Plastering Services" stopped in the car park of the church hall at Christ Church at around 5.20pm. Two young white males were in the cab. The driver got out and opened the back of the van. I, and a couple of other people went out to investigate, as we suspected the occupants of the transit van were about to carry out fly tipping. The driver got back into the van saying "It is all right, we are going" and then drove off after being caught red handed. Due to the angle, I was unable to get the vehicle registration number. No actual crime was committed, but I feel had we not interceded, one would have. I detest all criminality, and fly tipping in particular. Please keep a look out for a van matching the description above; I suspect that they will fly tip elsewhere. What do you think? Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Talking of local Micro Pubs, The Kentish Belle in Pickford Lane, Bexleyheath has been in the news recently, when a reporter from the flagship BBC Radio 4 Today programme interviewed customers with regard to the current Brexit situation. Whilst the comments were heavily edited, the views expressed covered a number of opinions, all of which appeared to be erudite and well expressed. The Kentish Belle also started an experiment, which I have not heard any other Micro Pub trying. It opened at 6am on Friday morning as a cafe as a part of MacMillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning. Its location next to Bexleyheath Station means that they get a lot of passing trade. On the early morning opening, with teas, coffees, toast, cakes and muffins along with breakfast bars and fruit juice, I understand that in addition to custom from regular visitors, many new faces were welcomed for breakfast on their way to work. The event was judged a success; If further early morning cafe dates are planned, I will let readers know when the details become available. I also hear that any leftover wrapped / portioned food with a long life was going to be donated to Bexley Food Bank. A total of  £369.48 was raised for MacMillan. 

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly the report from Barnehurst ward:- "A relatively quiet week on the ward with only 4 crimes of any relevance to report, one of which actually occurred on the Wednesday 11th September but was only reported this week. There was a theft from motor vehicle in Eversley Cross overnight of Wednesday / Thursday 11th / 12th of September. No entry appeared to be gained despite the quarter light glass being removed. On Wednesday 20th September at 5:20pm there was an attempted burglary in Pennine Way. The victim was at home on her own as the husband was out walking the dog. Suspect entered the property via the side garden gate but fled after being confronted by the victim. Suspect was a white male, slim build with a gaunt appearance. He was wearing jogging bottoms, white T-shirt and a white baseball cap. At 12:30am on Wednesday 11th September in Midfield Avenue a man entered a private driveway and attempted to gain entry to a high value car. Nothing was taken. CCTV shows a suspect who was a white male approx 5'10” wearing dark jacket and jogging bottoms. He was about 25 years old. Finally, unfortunately there was a burglary in Downbank Avenue overnight of Tuesday / Wednesday the 24th / 25th September. Victim heard nothing and woke to find she had been burgled. She discovered the front door open and an untidy search had occurred. Several items had been taken including jewellery. If you would like to meet your officers please feel free to come and have your say at our community contact sessions. The next one is coffee with cops at Barnehurst Golf Course on Tuesday the 8th October at 4pm". Belvedere ward:- "There was a garage burglary in Lower Park Road during last weekend. Residents returned home late in the evening to discover their garage door open, although it appears that no items were taken. It is thought that as many as five males were possibly involved, one of which was driving a white transit van of some kind which was being driven around the block several times. It appears that this group were trying to remove a motorbike from within the garage. PC Holmes took part in a Mental Health Assessment which was conducted at an address in Waterfield Close. The person was placed under section and conveyed to hospital for assessment and care. A car was damaged on Standard Road. Someone had put three nails into the tyre of the vehicle, which is said to be the third occasion on which this has happened. Please be vigilant when parking". Bexleyheath ward:- "Monday 9/9/19 Sadly we had an attempted burglary in Horsham Close whilst the occupant was on holiday, no entry gained and nothing taken. Thursday 12/9/19 Catalytic Convertor stolen Martens Avenue whilst occupant on holiday. Friday 13/9/19 Attempted Theft of Keyless Vehicle Bowness Road – not taken due to protective methods by owner. Sunday 22/9/19 Theft of Pedal Cycle from outside Church on Broadway not locked or chained up. Friday 13/9/19 Theft of Pedal Cycle from Leysdown Avenue. Wednesday 25/9/19 Theft of Number Plates Freta Road. Some of these crimes occurred a week or so ago and due to holidays or late reporting have only just arrived in our figures this week. The team have been successful in working with the council on the ASB issues in Iris Avenue and several youths have been called into meetings, this is ongoing as more are identified. We have also been working closely with L&Q on ASB within a property in regards to the residents living there, also ongoing. Stops and searches continue across the ward, including the war memorial, car parks, Braeside garages and other hotspots with several arrests for possession of cannabis". Crayford ward:- "Criminal damage was caused to two vehicles parked in Maiden Lane on Saturday 14th September between 21.40-22.00. A corrosive substance was thrown over all panels on each vehicle. Local CCTV shows 2 males doing this, a woman was seen to walk by soon after, it is believed she may have witnessed the incident and may be able to identify the males. A taxi driver was robbed of cash whilst dropping off a fare at Moreton Court in Perry Street on 15th September at about 14.30, the suspects are male and female and in their teens. Between 5th and 17th September a motor home was broken in to in Thames Road, items stolen included a media station valued £450, Nintendo Switch Plus £400, Bose Bluetooth Sound System £170, DVD's, Sat Nav System £150. On 17th September at 20.15 a black Audi TT was stolen from outside Crayford BR Station, the victim was selling the car and the suspect sped off with it, including documents. This vehicle has since been recovered by police to the car pound. Overnight between 6th and 7th September tools including a Makita drill, Facom tools and other items were stolen from a car parked in Walker Close. A black and green FLY370 bicycle with a 26 inch frame and 21 speed gears was stolen from the rear garden of a property in Hall Place Crescent on 20th September at 6.12am. The suspect was seen on CCTV and described as wearing a light coloured top with PUMA written on it and wearing a cap or hood. a Volkswagen parked in Tower Retail Park was criminally damaged on 22nd September between 15.00-16.00, it was scratched from front to back. A white Mercedes Sprinter had the ignition tampered with, there was no sign of entry, this happened at Tanners Close between 17.00 on the 20th September and 9.40 on 21st September. There seems to be an increase in road rage incidents around the area. On Friday evening our team conducted a traffic op at Bourne Road. Twelve vehicles were stopped for speeds well above the speed limit, tickets were issued for speeding and not wearing a seat belt. It was noted that other road users were flashing their lights to warn oncoming vehicles that we were there, this is actually an offence. Our next community contact session will be held on Thursday 3rd October at Crayford Library between 14.00-15.00, please come along if there is something you would like to discuss face to face".

Erith ward:- "No Burglaries again this week in Erith. Please see the attached leaflet re motor vehicle crime. We are planning some dates for crime prevention stalls outside of Erith police base which will include number plate theft with free secure screws plus cycle marking. Dates will be listed soon. Criminal Damage 18/09/2019 Erith High Street,  Theft from Motor Vehicle 13/09/2019 17:00:00 Riverdale road, Theft of MV 21/09/2019 01:00:00 Downton Mews, Theft of Motor Vehicle 21/09/2019 14:18:00 Fraser Road, Theft from Motor Vehicle 23/09/2019 Lesney Park Road,  Theft from Motor Vehicle 25/09/2019 12:00:00 James Watt Way". Northumberland Heath ward:- "Sorry no crime report this week from your team, please remember car crime is high with both theft of MV and theft from MV continuing to be a problem. If you know friends or family that live in your ward and are not covered by NW perhaps you can encourage them to join us. Crime stats are lower in NW-covered areas with 2 out of every 3 burglaries being in areas that are not covered by us". Slade Green and Northend ward:- "An attempted garage burglary took place around 0430 on Saturday 21/09/2019 at Peareswood Road. The victim chased the suspects who were after his 3 motorbikes, in the process of jumping from his bedroom window he has ended up seriously injuring both feet. Please proceed with caution should you see any crime taking place and wait for police to respond. We know this can be easier to say but your safety is first and foremost during any such situation.  Number plates were stolen from a vehicle overnight in Burns Close junction of Newbery Road on Friday 20/09/2019. If you would like some anti-theft screws, please let us know. PCSO Mark helped Bexley Council and staff from McDonalds on behalf of Erith SNT on Monday 23/09/2019 with a litter picking event in and around Erith. Many adults and children from the local area joined in and got lots of litter collected just before the rain came. On Friday 20/09/2019 Mark made his first visit of the term to Peareswood Primary school where he attended the Stars assembly and made a visit to all classes after. Thamesmead East ward:- "On Wednesday 18/09/19 at about 8:10pm a property in Hinksey Park was broken into by unknown suspect/s, unknown items taken. Motor Vehicle crimes : Between the hours of 01:00pm and 05:00pm on Thursday 19/09/19 a vehicle parked in Hartslock Drive had the catalytic converter stolen from a Toyota . Another Toyota also parked in Hartslock Drive was broken into on Saturday 21/09/19 between the hours of 01:00am and 08:00am ,a wallet was taken. Between the time of 03;00pm of the 12/09/19 and 12;00am of the 21/09/19 a vehicle parked in Kale Road had the catalytic converter stolen .A vehicle parked outside of Dexter House, Kale Road was broken into between the hours of 11:30pm of the 21/09/19 and 09:30am of the 22/09/19 ,no details given of anything taken . Overnight of the 21/09/19 and 22/09/19 a vehicle parked in Lanridge Road had the driver's window smashed .both the front and rear number plates were stolen from a vehicle parked in Lensbury Way between the hours of 03:00pm on 21/09/19 and 12;15 of the 22/09/19.on the 22/09/19. A vehicle parked outside of Argali House ,KALE ROAD was broken into, a wallet was taken". West Heath ward:- "Please be aware that there are men wearing hi-viz jackets touring round the Pantiles area saying they can jet clean your drive. They start off at £400 but as a special they can do it for £250. My own builder does it cheaper. They turn up in a blue van reg 04 KY 2118. When challenged they gave me a lot of verbal. They do a 'test' patch but they leave all the dirt sprayed up the cars and windows. Around 1 am in the early hours of Wednesday morning, 25th September, a man climbed into the gardens of 57-61 Berkeley Avenue. He took a golf set out of shed 57 then wandered about the gardens looking over fences; finally, he leaves without the clubs rather than taking them. Unfortunately, we have had one shed burglary in Preston Drive. This took place on Thursday September 19th between 0100 am – 8pm when the victim's neighbour alerted them that the garage door was open. The suspect stole meat to the value of £100 from the freezer that was in the garage. One report of criminal damage to a vehicle parked in Exmouth Road which took place between Friday September 20th at 8pm to Sunday September 22nd at 2pm when the victim discovered it had been broken in to. The rear passenger rear window was smashed but nothing was taken. An attempt was made to break in to a vehicle in Axminster Crescent on Monday September 23rd at 01.37am. The suspect was seen trying to gain access to a van but did not succeed. The potential victim called police but the suspect was not seen in the area when they attended. On Sunday September 22nd a van was broken in to in Powys Close between 0300 – 0330am. The victim discovered that a number of power tools stolen from the vehicle when he left for work at 5am. The team along with colleagues from Crook Log and East Wickham have been busy conducting proactive patrols. As a result of this a male was arrested for failing to appear at court for drug offences".

The end video this week was sent to me by regular reader, occasional contributor and technology whiz Miles. It is a video taken last Saturday evening, towards the conclusion of the Erith Pier Festival. What is somewhat unusual is that is is not a straight 2D video recording - it actually shows a 360 degree view of Miles' journey on the pier - you can drag the view around by clicking and holding with your mouse pointer on the video window. It is best viewed in full screen. If you look carefully in "Where's Wally?" style, you can catch me waving to the camera. Let me know what you think by either leaving a comment below, or by Emailing me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

The Nursery.

The photo above shows what used to be one of the offices inside the old Carnegie Library in Walnut Tree Road, Erith. Currently the office space is being used as a giant greenhouse / plant nursery for seedlings. The large windows on two sides of the space allow large amounts of sunlight into the room, making for an excellent growing area for small plants. When the seedlings are larger and more robust, they will be planted in the garden to the rear of the old library building, adjacent to The Bookstore Cafe. Indeed most of the seedlings are vegetables and herbs that once fully grown and harvested, will be used in the meals cooked in the cafe kitchen by head chef Marina Power and her staff, and served to customers. Plans are afoot to eventually have both chickens and at least one beehive in the garden - free range organic eggs and fresh local honey will be added to The Bookstore Cafe menu in due course. If you would like to see more of the former library building, which is now operated by not for profit group The Exchange, you can sign up here to join one of the regular, free behind the scenes tours of the building which are run every Saturday afternoon at 3pm by myself. The need to book is to regulate numbers; there is no charge for the tour. You can also see other activities taking place in the former library by clicking here. The Carnegie Library is really coming to life with a great many community events already taking place - with more still to come. There are some vacancies at The Exchange - both in volunteer and in paid roles. You can see the volunteering opportunities by clicking here. You can see the paid roles by clicking here. 

Now for part two of the three part essay on the state of the local train services by former rail worker and now landlord of The Kentish Belle micro pub, Nick Hair. Nick continues:- "When private companies order trains, much like when airlines order planes, they are buying not just the actual train but also the ‘slot’ in the production line. One train could become ready in, say, March 2020 for testing and training but then the next two might be earmarked for a totally different franchise so the second train for South Eastern might be stuck until August 2020 and so on. In short, a continued postponement of the South Eastern franchise is enough to allow other franchises across the country (and based on recent developments, other countries and their railways) to ‘steal’ construction slots and therefore distend the time taken to get a new fleet ‘online’ for the passengers to enjoy. With this in mind, we at the Lewisham and Bexleyheath Community Rail Partnership feel that the Government must, at the very least, determine the rolling stock strategy for the local Metro network and therefore ‘buy’ the production slots for these trains. If they do not, it could take until April 2020 for a new franchise to be installed and then, with about a 2-year lead time, procure trains. Realistically, we don’t have the time and trains are being crush-loaded further daily as more and more houses are built. Pensions. This is important: the BBC actually led on the relevant day this week that Stagecoach had miraculously been barred from all franchises in Britain as they refused to accept the Government’s ludicrous demands that new companies ‘plug’ the gap in pensions that currently total a despicable £7.5 Billion on a national basis (split then into companies / regions respectively). Stagecoach had submitted vastly more conservative bids, it is understood, than others that were aggressively pitching to take on new franchises; and given that the South Eastern area alone has thus far experienced 3 iterations of privatised / public company since privatisation in 1996 to today (that’s Connex South Eastern, a private firm; Southeastern, a Government subsidiary due to the failure of Connex and South Eastern, the current incumbent as a subsidiary of Govia), it is genuinely unreasonable to feel that the new franchisee should have to stump up all of the money to cover a deficit that could have existed since British Rail. Indeed, our view is that if a failure of the national, then privatised, then national and then privatised railway (again) in pensions has created the relevant share of the total £7.5Billion national gap in pensions, then it is the Government that must step in and ‘pay up’ and then simply ensure new private companies bother to regularly moderate the gap between theory and reality in pensions. Stagecoach’s exit from the modern privatised railway scene is bad for the railway: it simply removes yet more options from the competitive tender. Are we heading for a summer of discontent? Well, our understanding from the ASLEF Drivers’ Union is that the pay gap between South Eastern and other companies locally has been caused by South Eastern being unable to negotiate any more than an inflation pay rise annually due to not having many years left on their franchise. Indeed, as mere ‘tenants’ on a repeating short-term basis, they seem to have allowed such a significant pay lag that many drivers have gone elsewhere! Whilst we don’t wish to get political about train driver pay and whether or not they deserve their salaries, it is fair to say that a train driver on an urban railway is a train driver on an urban railway: in short, if a London Overground driver is worth almost £61,000 then so is a South Eastern driver; not the £53,000 they currently get. The £8,000 difference is, lets be honest, a decent incentive to cut your loyalties and move to a company that not only gives you more but also gives your family an Oyster card and such instead of mere leisure travel to somewhere like Hastings…" The final part of Nick's analysis of local train woes will be published next week. 

Erith based bagpipe expert Chic Mackie is in the news; he will be appearing on a forthcoming episode of BBC One TV show "The Repair Shop" at 4.30pm on Tuesday the 7th May. Chic will be playing a set of pipes recovered from the trenches of WW1. They have been refurbished by bagpipe maker ‘Blue’ MacMurchie. You can see Chic to the left in the photo above - click on it for a larger view. 

A reader sent me details of a fascinating story that until now I had been completely unaware of. Over sixty years ago, one of the most widely witnessed and studied UFO sightings of the 1950’s occurred locally. On the 17th of July 1955 at around midday an incident was reported in King Harold's Way between Upper Belvedere and Bexleyheath; a 30-foot-wide saucer-shaped object was allegedly seen to hover a few feet above a street in broad daylight by local resident Margaret Fry and her doctor on a very hot cloudless day. Car engines located nearby were said to have cut out. It was seen by around thirty people; the craft made a humming noise and landed at the junction of Ashbourne Road and Whitfield Road. It hovered over Bedonwell Primary School (now Bedonwell Junior School) for around one minute. It finally shot off into the sky. Another UFO had allegedly landed a few streets away at the same time. A similar object had been seen in Bexleyheath in 1952, and had been reported in the popular press of the time. Surprisingly for such an incident, it has not received the coverage of other sightings such as the famous multiple sighting at Rendlesham Forest in December 1980. I can note that both incidents occurred at times of high cold war paranoia, which may possibly have contributed to misinterpretation of events. I must say that I have personally seen an unidentified flying object in bright daylight – I am not saying that it was of extra-terrestrial origin, just that it was flying and did not resemble any kind of craft I had seen before. It all happened in the spring of 1994; I was walking along Picardy Road in Upper Belvedere, heading towards Belvedere Station. I had just passed Venmead Court when I saw something in the sky; I looked up and saw an object that initially I took to be a dark grey hot air balloon. Upon closer examination, I soon realised that the object was far bigger than a balloon and higher up in the sky, and was actually triangular shaped. It was flying slowly Northward, towards London City Airport. The object was visible to me for over ten minutes – long enough for me to reach the station and point out the object to others. It turned out that hundreds of people in the area saw the craft, and many reports were made – the story made the London Evening Standard. I am now of the opinion that the UFO may possibly have been an American B2 “Spirit” Stealth Bomber flying to RAF Lakenheath from a training mission – I doubt that I will ever know for sure. If you have a story to tell, Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

It would seem that the story I featured last week about the pedestrian crossing over the Angerstein Wharf Branch Line near Charlton has hit a nerve with local residents and commuters alike. Network Rail announced that the widely used and almost unique pedestrian crossing was due to close on the 13th April, after being open to the public since 1852. Locals were only given eight days notice of the impending closure. After this was announced, a campaign to keep the popular crossing open was started, and the MP for Greenwich and Woolwich, Matthew Pennycook contacted John Halsall, Network Rail’s Route Managing Director for the South East. The outcome of this was a summary of the meeting by Matthew Pennycook, which reads as follows:- "Aside from apologising profusely for various mistakes made in terms of communication, primarily the letter that went out to residents which appears to have been drafted by an engineer rather than anyone with a passing familiarity with public affairs, the following is what we touched on during the call: - The temporary postponement of the crossing closure should not be interpreted as a shelving of it, merely a temporary reprieve. Network Rail are very clear they need to overhaul the outdated signalling system that is currently in place on this line as it has contributed to regular (in their world) freight derailments over recent years. It is the installation of this new signalling system that would bring freight closer to the crossing point. This is what would present a danger to pedestrians not, he was at pains to argue, because they are likely to be hit by 5mph freight trains but because (he pointed out this has tragically happened elsewhere) there is a real risk on an open crossing that people try to cross underneath stationary freight and are injured/killed when trains start moving. If the number of freight is set to increase (see below) the risk in this regard increases too. Network Rail are also responding to a projected increase in freight along the line up from one or two per day to 20 or so. This is in itself a good thing in that it means less aggregate transported by road and therefore less air pollution but I pressed Halsall on whether it was a definitive increase or merely an aspiration on the part of the aggregates. Network Rail are clear they have a legal right to undertake a closure if necessary. Halsall told me the walk to Westcombe Park station was a comfortable five minutes from the PA2 polling district in Peninsula south of the Woolwich Road (Farmdale Road, Fairthorn Road, Gurdon Road etc). I set him straight with regard to the journey time on foot as well as pointing out what a dangerous, unpleasant walk it is compared to the existing crossing. Where are we now? Halsall agreed to send out regular updates to residents and his team will have oversight of what now goes out in terms of communication. More importantly, he agreed to carry out a proper review pending a final decision. This review will determine not only whether the projected increase in freight is definitive or merely aspirational but also for him and his team to give further consideration to whether there are alternative measures that can be taken rather than installing the proposed new signalling system. He mentioned the possibility of new, upgraded tracks (in order to prevent derailments) which may obviate the need for the new signalling system. In turn, I suggested (if the new signalling system proved to be a necessity) the installation of a small pedestrian walkway over the line. I strongly made the case for either of these options, or indeed any others that may be feasible, even at increased cost, if the alternative is an outright closure". The final outcome of this campaign against closure is unclear; it would be a real shame if the only pedestrian railway crossing in Greater London* was lost due to petty bureaucracy. *Actually it is not the only pedestrian rail crossing in Greater London - see the end video for an explanation and a view of the other crossings.

Now for a bit of an appeal for information; can anyone provide me with details of the old barge that used to be moored in the small dock at the Western end of Erith Riverside Gardens? It was there for years, and I believe it was the home of the local Sea Scouts. Secondly, from around the same period (the early 1990's if my memory serves), the small minesweeper that was moored on a buoy on the Thames off Erith, which I believe was used by the sea cadets and the Royal Navy Reserve. I think it was moved away or scrapped in around 1997, but I cannot be certain. Can anyone advise? These two vessels seem to have been lost in the mists of time, even though they were important landmarks back in the day. If anyone has any memories, or better still, photos of these two vessels, I would be extremely grateful for any information that you can provide. 

A new radio station launched yesterday. Maritime Radio, a Greenwich based station aimed at the population of Greenwich, Woolwich, Blackheath and Lewisham is now on air. You can see their website here. They broadcast on 96.5 FM and online. The signal in Erith is not great - but then, we are outside of their primary coverage area. The signal in Upper Belvedere is considerably better - due not only to the slightly closer proximity to the transmitter site, but also due to the fact that Upper Belvedere is located on a hill, and the height helps the low power VHF FM signal. If any readers can supply reception reports from their location, that would be greatly appreciated. Please email your findings to hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

You may have seen the trailer for a new British film that came out on Friday; an espionage thriller called Red Joan, starring Dame Judi Dench. The film is loosely (and I use the term advisedly) based on the life of Melita Norwood (pictured in the lower of the two images above), who many experts believe was the most important Soviet spy in Britain during the Cold War. The reviews of the film have been lukewarm, at best, and from what I can make out, the film bears very little resemblance to actual historical events - the protagonist has a different name for some unknown reason, and many of the incidents in the film either never took place, or if they did, the circumstances were dramatically different. Critics have written that the film is everything from "preposterous" to "inaccurate". Long time readers may recall that I wrote about long time Nursery Avenue in Bexleyheath resident, British communist and covert KGB spy Melita Norwood, also known as "The Bolshevik of Bexleyheath" and "The Spy who came in from the Co-Op" back in October 2011. At that point it was thought that she was not really very important and that MI5 had not had her arrested as they felt that she was not a high risk to security. This was before The Mitrokhin Archive relating to Soviet espionage over the last eighty or so years was released. The archive has been the property of the Churchill Archive Centre at Cambridge University since they were handed over by MI6 after they had been analysed in the late 1990’s. At over two thousand closely hand written pages, The Mitrokhin Archive is the largest academic record of Soviet era spying known to exist. It was created by KGB Major Vasili Mitrokhin during his thirty years as a KGB archivist in the foreign intelligence service and the First Chief Directorate. When he defected to the United Kingdom in 1992 he brought the archive with him. One of the conditions of Vasili Mitrokhin’s defection was that the documents were to be released into the public domain when they were no longer likely to endanger any operations. This has now happened, and much historical detail concerning KGB operations in the West is now open to public study. MI5 had only found out about her spying activities in when the Archive reached their hands, by which time Norwood was an old lady (she died in 2005). Melita Norwood was a civil servant at The British Non – Ferrous Metals Research Association (a research organisation that conducted work ostensibly into areas such as the effects of corrosion in pipes and seawater cooled condenser tubes used in warships; there is also some debate that the organisation was a cover for British nuclear weapons research, though there is contradictory evidence regarding this). She had access to the safe that contained documents graded as secret and above, and photographed thousands of pages which were handed over to her KGB masters. The Mitrokhin Archive says that Norwood, far from being a minor and not very significant figure in Soviet espionage, was actually the most important and highly regarded female spy in KGB history. She had been secretly awarded the Order of the Red Banner and granted a lifetime pension of £20 a month. It seems to me that the KGB would not have given her this very prestigious award simply for passing them information on rusty warships. The Order of the Red Banner was the highest award of Soviet Russia, subsequently the Soviet Union, until the Order of Lenin was established in 1930. Recipients were recognised for extraordinary heroism, dedication, and courage demonstrated on the battlefield. The order was also awarded to individuals as well as to military units, cities, ships, political and social organisations, and state enterprises. In essence the award was not given lightly. Despite the contradictory evidence, I find the claims that Norwood stole many of Britain’s nuclear secrets and enabled the Soviets to create their own nuclear weapons to be very credible; it is ironic that this person, acknowledged by the KGB as their finest female spy would live for much of her life in a comfortable if unremarkable semi detached house situated in Nursery Avenue in Bexleyheath. After her story came out and Melita Norwood gained a degree of infamy, my Mother saw her on a local bus on a couple of occasions, and felt sorry for the old lady who was often the target of loudly whispered gossip by fellow travellers. She did what she did for ideological reasons, and was quoted as saying “I did what I did, not to make money, but to help prevent the defeat of a new system which had, at great cost, given ordinary people food and fares which they could afford, a good education and a health service”. It is not known if at the time of her active spying career if she knew of Stalin’s state sponsored programme of mass murder or the millions he consigned to Gulags, or indeed the incredible repression and shortages undergone by all but the political elite in the corrupt Soviet system. It may well be that she was naive and credulous – as many Europeans were prior to World War II. Whatever the reason, she went to her grave knowing that communism was dead and the belief system it engendered was thoroughly and thankfully discredited.

Now for the weekly safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly a report from Barnehurst ward:- "We are pleased to report there have been no burglaries in the past week, In fact we have had a really positive month so far with only one residential burglary at the beginning of April. There has been one theft of motor vehicle in Hillingdon Road on Wednesday 10/04/2019 between 22.00 and 0130 hours. A screw cap from the number plate and cards belonging to the victim were found in The Chase off Long Lane and the vehicle was later found in Thamesmead and recovered by Police. The original number plates were missing from the vehicle. Between Monday 01/04/2019 and Wednesday 17/04/2019 in Birling Road a rented garage was broken into. Details as to what or if anything has been taken is unknown as yet. Our next community contact session is on Tuesday 23/04/2019 at 11.00am in Barnehurst Golf Club". Belvedere ward:- "On Wednesday 10th April there was an incident involving a group of male youths that had gathered in Picardy Road and were observed in possession of weapons. The team took part in a search for this group however they had left the area prior to the arrival of Police. You may recall that the team had identified several youths that had been acting in an anti-social manner across the ward recently. As we had referred the group to Bexley Council, the decision has been made to offer Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABC's) to those that have been identified. These contracts are discussed with the individual and certain ‘conditions' are considered in an effort to curb anti-social behaviour. The team are in the process of visiting the remaining three members of the group that we have now identified and once spoken to, they will also be referred to Bexley Council. There was a burglary in Norman Road overnight from Saturday 13th into Sunday 14th April. Car keys and a vehicle were stolen from the property. There was an attempted break in in Elmbourne Drive overnight from Monday 15th/ Tuesday 16th April. Damage was caused to the frame of a window to the rear of the property. Entry was not gained to the property. Further to this, there was a burglary in Harold Avenue in which a property that is currently being renovated was broken into. The owner of the property challenged those responsible who then ran from the location. If anyone has any information in relation to these incidents, please contact the team on 0208 721 2050 or via email at Belvedere.SNT@met.police.uk. Our next Community Contact Session/ Drop in surgery in due to take place on Friday 26th April from 10am at All Saints church hall in Nuxley Road". Bexleyheath ward:- "There has been one report of a burglary that had taken place on the Tuesday 16/04/2019 between the hours of 8.30am and 1530hrs which was along the Broadway. Scooter was taken from the porch. Between Saturday 06/04/2019 and Monday 08/04/2019 – A indicator light were stolen from a vehicle along Meadow Close Bexleyheath. Patrols have been and still will be conducted in and around the Premiere Inn car park and including the cinema car park to help tackle anti-social behaviour. The team have had reports of youths riding motorbikes at Bursted Woods, as a result the team shall be continuing to patrol this area. 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 there have been no residential burglaries, please don't be complacent about home security though, especially with the lovely weather forecast for the days ahead. In this last week there have been mainly vehicle related crimes. On Monday 15th April, number plates were stolen from a vehicle whilst parked at Crayford BR Station, these should be on a Citroen DS3. A White Ford Transit with the registration plate YS12 ETX was stolen whilst parked in Shearwood Crescent, there is reason to believe this vehicle may now be on different plates. Between 1800 on Saturday 13th April and 20.00 on Tuesday 16th April there was an attempted theft of a vehicle whilst parked at Alcock Crescent, the lock was drilled, the ignition barrel damaged and the steering column pulled down. Two vehicles were damaged by youths in Heath Road on Sunday 14th April between 20.40 – 21.10, a blue Peugeot and a Black Mercedes, the youths were seen to run off towards an alleyway nearby. A grey Nissan XTrail parked on a driveway in Mayplace Road East was broken in to between 19.00 on Friday 12th April and 10.00 on Saturday 13th April, the glove compartment was opened and golf clubs and a sports holdall had been removed from the boot of the vehicle, it was believed the vehicle was locked. A blue Ford Transporter was stolen between 17.10 on Friday 12th April and 05.50 on the Saturday 13th April from Maiden Lane. Between 23.00 on the Thursday 11th April and 08.00 on Friday 12th April a significant amount of items were stolen from a green Honda Civic whilst parked in Stephen Road, items include bank cards which were used locally, Photographic equipment including tripods, microphones, headphones and a playstation were stolen, the vehicle was believed to be locked. Between 16.40 on Thursday 11th April and 09.15 on Friday 12th April a Blue Hyundai Tucson was entered whilst parked in Mayplace Road East, it doesn't appear that anything was stolen. An elderly lady had her bank cards stolen whilst she was shopping in Sainsburys between 14.30 – 16.00 on Wednesday 10th April, a significant amount of money was withdrawn from her account. Please be vigilant when making card transactions, ensure no one can see the pin number you are entering and take time to put cards away safely before leaving the till area. On Wednesday 10th April between 13.30 – 13.35 a rock was thrown at a rear door in Crayford Way, causing the glass to shatter, there were young children playing nearby and thankfully no one was hurt. Between 18.15 on 9th April and 08.50 on 10th April small change was stolen from a black Nissan Qashqui whilst parked in Stephen Road, it is unknown how the vehicle was entered. Our next community contact session will be at Crayford Library on Tuesday 23 April between 11.00-12.00, please come along and speak with us if you have any concerns, or we can be contacted on our ward phone or email".

Erith ward:- "On Sunday we were at the Sikh temple in Belvedere handing out smart water kits. Saturday night we patrolled around the ward in all crime hot spot areas. Crimes from the week: Theft from motor vehicle on Wednesday 10/04/2019 Larner Road; Theft from motor vehicle on Friday 12/04/2019 Compton Place, and Shoplift >£199 on Saturday 13/04/2019 Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc, James Watt Way". Northumberland Heath ward:- "Another short report this week. We are pleased to say that we have had no reported burglaries. One report of criminal damage to a motor vehicle in Shinglewell Road. The vehicle, a Fiat Punto was left locked and secured on Wednesday April 10th at 8.30pm. The following morning Thursday April 11th at 7am the owner of the vehicle discovered the passenger window and windscreen had been smashed. A brick was found by the car and it is believed that this was used to damage the vehicle. It is unconfirmed if any items were stolen. We are aware of some recent reports of motor cycle ASB, in and around Northumberland Heath Recreation Ground. We are working on this issue and hope to have some news to share with you on this topic soon in relation to long term prevention of this. We will continue to patrol the park on the lookout for this and anyone we identify riding on the field will be issued with a Section 59 Warning (Police Reform Act 2002) meaning if they are caught committing a similar offence again within 12 months, their vehicle will be immediately seized. We plan to issue one of these warnings to a motorcycle which was recently seen being ridden in the park over the weekend. There has been a burglary in Redleaf Close, Belvedere between Sunday 14/04/2019, 2300 hours to Monday 15/04/2019, 0420 hours. The suspect has gained entry by forcing open the rear patio door. Property stolen from the burglary includes gold jewellery and a car which had been parked on the driveway, a Green FIAT 500, registration LX16VCE. We are aware that several residents have seen a male walking the local streets approaching properties on the same night of the burglary. The investigating officer has been made aware of this. We continue to get reports of theft of number plates and also some theft of motor vehicles". Slade Green and Northend ward:- "The only crime of note was a van broken into in Frobisher Road at 0830 on Friday April 12. An iPad and other items were taken. Please do not leave any valuable items on display. PC Mark was walking towards Appold Street on Friday afternoon when he saw a moped being ridden by 3 males in balaclavas. The males jumped off the bike and ran off before Mark could get close to them. The bike was recovered and reunited with a very grateful owner. We assisted our colleagues from Belvedere SNT on Saturday with a plain clothes operation. No arrests made but a good operation. On Sunday 14/04/2019 a male was found in possession of cannabis near to Morrison's in Erith. He will be back for interview soon". Thamesmead East ward:- "PC Nana was invited to a women's conference to talk about youth violence and internet safety among young people by a church organisation which was well received. PC Pruden arrested a male who was wanted in the Barking & Dagenham area for a serious assault which was Domestic related. PC Nana arrested a female who assaulted her whilst on duty at a bus stop on The Broadway Bexleyheath whilst waiting for a bus back to Thamesmead. Investigation still ongoing. The team conducted joint door knocking exercise with Peabody Housing to speak to residents at Penton and Osney Houses to find out if they have any concerns especially around ASB-related issues. Crimes reported in the last week: Racially Aggravated Harassment after Road transport collusion outside Lakeside medical centre, Yarnton Way. Criminal damage in a dwelling Domestic related at Kinder Close, SE28. Theft from motor vehicle in the early hours of Saturday 13/04/2019 on Mangold Way. Window smashed and property taken. Theft from BP garage Harrow Manor way, Drive off. Criminal Damage to property. Landlord/Tenant dispute at Ormesby Close. Criminal Damage to Payphone on Yarnton Way". West Heath ward:- "Motor vehicle crime - Wednesday 10th April at around 7.30am a van was broken into and tools stolen on Brampton Road; Saturday 6th April at 2am a male was seen on CCTV trying a car door handle in Berkeley Ave; Wednesday 6th April overnight someone attempted to break into a vehicle by removing the window sill in Shakespeare Road; Sunday 14th April overnight a scooter was stolen from an address in Langley Road; Monday 15th April overnight in Woolwich Road the spare wheel cover of a car was taken. Burglary - We have had three attempted residential burglaries, one actual and a garage burglary. Saturday 13th April at 10pm in Canberra Rd someone attempted to gain entry through a rear kitchen window. Suspect made off when disturbed by the house alarm; Saturday 13th - Sunday 14th April overnight in Heath Avenue there was an attempted where garden items were moved and trellis broken, no entry gained; Sunday 14th April at 10am in Heath Avenue a male gained entry into a conservatory but was chased off whilst trying to break into inner door leaving the tool they were using stuck in the door. Entry was not gained and nothing was taken; Sunday 14th April around 2pm a male was seen on CCTV doorbell trying a porch door handle and peering into the property in Berkeley Ave. Male was wearing a green jacket with fur edged hood; Monday 15th April overnight in Osborne Road a garage was broken into by cutting off the padlock and tools taken. The team have carried out several plain clothes patrols around the The Pantiles this week resulting in several stop & Searches all with negative results. We have also conducted arrest enquiries for offenders. Our street briefing held in Brabourne Crescent on Saturday 13th April was well attended, main issues arising were parking and littering. Our next street briefing will be on Saturday 20th April in Exmouth Road at the junction with Seaton Rd at 7.30pm. The ward panel met on 10th April, the promises remain the same ASB / drugs, Burglary and Motor vehicle crime". 

As mentioned earlier, the Angerstein Wharf branch line pedestrian crossing in Charlton is not actually the only pedestrian rail crossing in Greater London, as had previously been assumed. The short video below shows the other crossings and gives some background information about them. Do feel free to leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The Odeon.

Next Sunday the annual Erith river clean up will take place, organised by environmental charity Thames 21 and the Friends Of Riverside Gardens Erith (FORGE) with help from several local volunteer organisations. I will be attending with my camera to get some photos of the invaluable work that will be undertaken. I wonder how many shopping trolleys will be removed from the River Thames this year? Details of the event in the photo above - click on the image to see a larger version. 

Moments before this Blog update went to press, I received a press release from local not for profit group The Exchange:- "The Old Library in Erith, an impressive local architectural spectacle, sits at the gateway to the town reminding visitors and residents of Erith’s proud history as thriving port town and industrial centre. Built in 1906 using funds granted by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, the Library represents what communities can achieve by working together – local architect William Egerton designed a building incorporating bricks made locally, and utilising the skills of local craftspeople including builders, carpenters, plasterers and Sidcup’s Crittall window factory. It then served the community as a library, and later as the town’s museum, until 2009 when it was closed owing to major building dilapidations and lack of funds to deal with them. 10 years later, and the Old Library has reopened as ‘The Exchange’ – a not-for-profit social enterprise that deliver a community-led programme of events and activities that aim to encourage better cohesion and provision of opportunity for Erith. For the past 3 years, The Exchange has been working in partnership with Bexley Council, who own the building, to bring the disused and dilapidated historic space back to life. The Exchange programme started five weeks ago, bringing the historic bookstore back into use as a new café and bar run by a talented local chef, and providing access to other beautiful spaces that have not been used for years. Members of the community are defining what happens in these spaces, including exhibitions, pilates workshops, performing arts classes for young people, film and photography shoots for emerging local artists and makers, and an upcoming market supporting local producers. “Local people are choosing how this building should be used in the future, and the variety and the quality of resident’s aspirations is exciting.” Says Sarah Batten, Co-Director of The Exchange. The Exchange was set up by two Erith residents keen to reopen the Old Library, and maintain it for public use and community benefit. For the past three years, The Exchange has been delivering activities in the town – at Erith Lighthouse, Erith Fun Day and the Christmas Tree Festival – asking people what changes or additions they would like to see in Erith. These conversations and relationships that developed are now informing what happens next at The Old Library. But there is a lot more to do to secure the building’s future: the recent redevelopment project, costing approximately £1.8m, has ensured that the building is now watertight so no further damage is being done, and has brought the lower-ground floor back into full use. However, the ground and upper floors still need a lot of work - there is no heating or proper lighting, walls and floors require repair, and the building needs a lift to make it fully accessible. The Exchange and Bexley Council have been successful with an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund, and will be submitting a second-round application later in the year. If successful, this will secure a further £1.2m towards the building works. However, The Exchange needs to raise £300,000 as match towards this figure, and is responsible for how this building is fitted out and used. “Ultimately, it will be the community that save this building. If we as local residents can make it busy, and vibrant with activity, ideas and opportunities, we will get the support we need from funders to make the building’s future viable.” Says Co-Director Peter Nutley. If you are interested in finding out about The Exchange or in getting involved with the programme, please visit or contact The Exchange through their website: www.theexchangeerith.com". 

Some readers may be aware that last Tuesday marked the 30th anniversary of the World Wide Web. This was created by British Scientist and engineer Tim Berners - Lee.  He called it the World Wide Web, and he was given a NeXT workstation (a sort - of precursor to the Apple iMac) develop his system. Berners-Lee – now Sir Tim – built a very basic website that had further details about his World Wide Web project plus some software for accessing it. The site is still hosted publicly here.  To call the website basic is an understatement, but it did spread the word about the WWW's protocols. Crucially, the project's designs were published openly along with the source code for servers and browsers, allowing anyone to set up on the web without having to pay a penny in royalties or licenses. It is probable that this was the biggest boost to mankind's ability to share information since the invention of moveable type. I actually encountered Sir Tim almost by accident seven years ago. I attended a meeting at The Royal Society in Carlton House Terrace, London. As I came out from the meeting room and headed into the reception area, I noticed a tall figure waiting close to the main entrance; he was wearing a long and rather impressive drover style coat. I recognised him, but could not recall his name. I then realised that there was a life - sized portrait of the same person on the wall, right next to where he was standing in real life. The penny then dropped. I must admit that I was tempted to go up to him and say hello, but fearing I would only make myself look like an idiot, I thought better of it and left the great man alone. 

I have been aware for some considerable time that Nick Hair, landlord and owner of the Kentish Belle micro pub in Pickford Lane Bexleyheath, very close to Bexleyheath Station has had plans in place to upgrade and improve his already impressive facility. He has recently announced that the micro pub will be closing on the 24th March and reopening on the 4th April to allow for a mild refurbishment of the bar area and the replacement of the beer chiller system with an upgraded version; I also am led to believe that Nick will be altering the fascia of the pub to include an awning and some outside seating for the milder weather to come. In order to run down the stock prior to the commencement of the building works, The Kentish Belle will be holding a "bin end" sale from Wednesday the 20th March, so some beery bargains may well be on the cards. Nick told me:- "Everybody is welcome to attempt to ‘drink us dry’ from Thursday 21st to Sunday 24th as we will be putting on yet another vast array of beers when we reopen". The Kentish Belle celebrates its first birthday this weekend. Congratulations to Nick and his team. 

The upper photo was taken in May 1985, and shows the old Art Deco Erith Odeon cinema, which by that time had been converted into a Mecca Bingo hall. Built for the Oscar Deutsch chain of Odeon Theatres Ltd. The Odeon Cinema was opened on 26th February 1938 with Barbara Stanwyck in "Stella Dallas". Located on the corner of High Street and James Watt Way, the huge frontage was entirely covered in glazed tiles, broken only by long narrow window, just above the canopy. To the left of the facade was an impressive sweptback 65 feet high fin-tower, which became a landmark in the town centre. Inside the striking Art Deco style auditorium, seating was provided for 826 in the stalls and 420 in the circle. On each side of the proscenium were panels with horizontal bands, that were back-lit. There were a series of decorative plaster bands along the ceiling towards the proscenium, which were broken only by a daylight fitting in the centre of the ceiling. The Odeon was taken over by the Independent Classic Cinemas Ltd. chain on 10th December 1967, and was re-named Classic Cinema. The Classic Cinema was twinned from 16th September 1973, with a 1,000 seat Mecca Bingo Club operating in the former stalls area, and a 400 seat cinema in the former circle, which opened with Glenda Jackson in "A Touch of Class". Classic Cinemas leased the entire building to Mecca Ltd. from 3rd January 1974, and the cinema was re-named Mecca Cinema. The Mecca Cinema was closed on 25th September 1976 with Robin Askwith in "Confessions of a Driving Instructor" and Anthony Sharp in "House of Mortal Sin". The building was de-twinned and the Mecca Bingo Club took over the stalls and circle levels from November 1976. In 1995, it was taken over by the independent Jasmine Bingo Club chain, and was closed on 4th February 1996. The building was boarded-up and lay unused until late 2002, when it was demolished. A block of retail / office units and flats was built on the site in 2005, which you can see in the lower photograph. It was a great pity that the original cinema building could not have been retained; Oscar Deutsch’s cinemas were the most exotic architecture in many British towns and cities. Oscar Deutsch was the Birmingham-born son of a Jewish scrap metal worker who had emigrated from Hungary. By the time he died from cancer at just 48 years old, he had opened a total of 258 cinemas across the UK. the name of the cinema chain came from “Odeon”. It was an ancient Greek word meaning “singing place” – and Deutsch and his team decided it wasn’t too exotic to risk alienating the British cinema going public. Additionally, it started with Oscar Deutsch’s initials, and was used to spell out “Oscar Deutsch Entertains Our Nation” in advertising campaigns. In 1940, the year before Deutsch’s death, Odeon cinemas sold 100 million tickets, but this level of popularity would eventually wane, as home television and then video rentals took over. In 1984, the entire British cinema industry sold 54 million tickets. As the silver screen fell out of fashion, Deutsch’s cinemas were at risk of coming down as quickly as they went up. Rank came up against similar opposition in 1981 when it tried to demolish the Woolwich Odeon. “We would love to take over the place and run the place … as we feel it should be run,” an impassioned Tom Myatt, a projectionist at the cinema, told BBC Newsnight in a contemporary interview. Today the old Woolwich Odeon is Grade II-listed but is now known as Gateway House, and is run by the New Wine Church. Seventeen of the surviving 173 Odeons are listed, with 10 of those now used as churches or bingo halls, or standing empty. The Erith Odeon is now little more than a distant memory for many locals, and the block which took its place on the site offers little than a vague similarity to what stood there before. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

Bearing in mind Erith is very much a maritime town, the River Thames does not really get the exposure or use one would expect. Historically Erith was an important port outside of London. Many ships which were too large to make it into the Port of London were unloaded at Erith, with their cargoes being taken further up river by Thames sailing barges similar to the one in the photograph above - click on it to see a larger version. This was before the river was fully dredged and managed as it is nowadays. Today one can watch huge container and bulk carrier ships passing Erith river front on a daily basis; the best time to see ship movements is at or around the changing of the tide. As previously mentioned, some of the small and medium sized vessels can often be seen moored on Erith Pier as well. Until 2013 there was an annual Thames Barge race, but for reasons unknown it has not been run since. The origin of this historic competition is well documented. It was the brainchild of a man who was nick named “The Golden Dustman”. His real name was Henry Dodd. He was born in 1801 into a very poor family; his first job was as a plough boy in arable fields that were within view of St. Paul’s Cathedral, which he did until he was in his early thirties, when he found employment as a “scavenger” – a sort of prototype recycling consultant. He soon discovered that the big money was in transporting waste, rather than actually sorting it. London was rapidly growing in size, and the population was booming. As the number of people in the capital increased, the amount of rubbish they generated went up. Dodd saw this as a very lucrative business opportunity, so instead of using slow and somewhat unreliable horses and carts to haul rubbish, he first hired, then purchased a fleet of sailing barges, which could transport far greater cargoes at a higher speed than any contemporary road solution. Most of the waste material Dodd was transporting was burned outside the capital, and the resulting ash was a vital ingredient in making bricks, which in turn were used to build the expansion of London. Never one to overlook a business opening, Dodd invested in several brickworks, including a very large site on what is now Manor Road in Erith. Nowadays, this kind of end to end ownership of all stages in a manufacturing process is known as “vertical integration” and Henry Dodd was a pioneer of it. All this made Dodd incredibly wealthy; he was one of the richest commoners in England, right at the start of the then new middle class. Dodd’s money bought him a degree of respectability in Victorian society (though I am sure there were whispers behind his back – though after having been brought up in the environment he had, I somewhat doubt if this bothered him). Dodd became a very enthusiastic patron of the theatre, and through this mutual interest he became very good friends with Charles Dickens. Dickens scholars believe that Dodd was the inspiration for the character of Mr. Boffin, the millionaire dustman who appears in the novel “Our Mutual Friend”. Dodd invested a large amount of money in sailing barges, and soon discovered that there was an intense rivalry between barge skippers. Never one to miss a main chance, he decided that in 1863 he would stage a sailing barge race – for entertainment, but also as a means to improve the business. The first race was only for his own sailing barges, and was run from Erith to Canvey Island and back, with the first barge and skipper to make the round trip being awarded a generous cash purse, which was awarded under the auspices of the Prince of Wales Yacht Club. Many in society assumed that the event had Royal patronage (something that Dodd did little to discourage), but in fact it was named after an Erith pub! In 1864 the race was opened to all comers, and after a while it became such a big event the running of it was passed over to a committee of barge owners. Within ten years, specially built racing barges were being constructed purely to try and win the race. Passenger steamers would be chartered to follow the racing barges on their course, and records show that over 10,000 people watched the race from on board these steamers. Henry Dodd, the “Golden Dustman” died in 1881; he left a fund to sustain the match – an eye watering sum of £100,000, which today is equivalent to tens of millions of pounds. In the latter years of the 19th century, the event was covered by Charles’ Dickens son (who confusingly was also called Charles) in his annual gazetteer. For the Centenary Match raced in 1963, the two principal rivals in Britain’s coasting trade, F T Everard and The London and The Rochester Trading Co. lavished money on their fastest barges in an attempt to ensure success for craft which were, by that time, an anachronism in transportation terms. The 48 mile course was from Mucking to the Mouse Lightship, and then back up to Gravesend. F T Everard’s Veronica was the winner, leaving the rest far behind in her wake. Not only was this spectacle thought to be the second oldest sailing contest in the world after the America’s Cup, unlike the America’s Cup of 1851, it was still sailed in craft virtually unchanged since those times until 2013, and as such is in itself was an especially important part of this nation’s maritime heritage.

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly a report from Barnehurst ward:- "Another good week crime - wise across the ward with only one crime of note reported (please note we do not include domestic related crimes in this report) Overnight from 5pm on Sunday 10th March in Colyers Lane a Ford transit van was broken into by unknown suspects forcing the door locks. Please make sure that anything of value is removed from vehicles when left unattended especially work tools. Please see https://www.met.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/theft-of-a-vehicle for the latest up to date crime prevention advice. A member of the team will be at Barnehurst Golf Course on Tuesday 19th March at 11am. Please pop along for a chat about any local issues that may be of concern. As always, please follow the team on twitter @MPSBarnehurst and Face Book - Barnehurst police to find out what the team are up to and the latest crime prevention advice". Belvedere ward:- "Good news to start - the team have now been joined by PC Marc Smith which puts us back at full strength. PC Smith has worked in Belvedere previously so is aware of the areas and issues that arise throughout the ward. Our most recent ward panel has taken place, and it was decided that the team will focus on burglary, road safety/ motor vehicle crime , and also anti – social behaviour in the coming months. We have also continued our Street a Week initiative with a successful visit to Alfred Road recently, where we were able to speak to many residents about a wide range of topics. This gives the team opportunity to consider various issues when patrolling the area, and has made us aware of what we need to be looking out for. Street a Week will continue on the ward, look out for the team in your street soon. After a recent call from a concerned resident, PCSO Worrall attended the Gordon Road / Parkside Road area to discover various documents and several passports had been dumped at the location. These were collected and moved to a safer place for checks to be completed. It transpired that these items had been taken from a burglary in the Sidcup area and as such, they have been returned to their owners. During patrols of the Picardy Manorway underpass last week, a small amount of drugs (namely cannabis) was discovered near to the public walkway area. Unfortunately, there were no people in the area for the team to question in relation to this. Our patrols will continue. Our next Community Contact Session is due to take place on 18th March at Belvedere library In Woolwich Road". Bexleyheath ward:- "On Saturday 9th March there was a burglary in Arbuthnot Lane between 2005 and 2030 where a laptop was stolen and an untidy search of the property was conducted; There was an arson attack on a car in Chapel Road on Saturday 9/3/19 around 0340 hours, fire brigade attended along with police and it was contained. Between Saturday 9/3/19 and Monday 11/3/19 there was a van broken into in Grace Avenue, small box of electrical items taken and alarm tampered with; Monday 11/3/19 1645 – 1650 Mobile phone left on side at till area and whilst busy with their child the phone has been taken and switched off; Sunday 10/3/19 – Male detained under mental health act following incident at Jolly Millers Public House; Friday 8/3/19 Whilst parked in The Mall multi storey car park between 1145 and 1545 a car had its catalytic convertor stolen from underneath the car; Distraction theft on Thursday 7/3 at Asda Bexleyheath 1130, victim took money from cash machine whilst distracted suspect has taken cash as it came out of machine. Police were nearby location and staff at Asda had located the suspect who was still in the store. Suspect was apprehended and detained at the time; Friday 8/3/19 Theft of purse from The Mall shopping centre between 1200 and 1500; Friday 8/3/19 Theft of items from inside an office of a shop on The Broadway between 1230 and 1700 nothing of value taken; Tuesday 5/3/19 Theft of child's micro scooter from footpath in Martens Avenue between 0930 and 1440 hours. The team are continuing to patrol the ward and support the smart water initiative being rolled out around the ward. Patrols are carried out around all the local known areas for anti-social behaviour. If you do wish to pass on information to the Police then please contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111. Please do not hesitate to contact us via Twitter, Facebook, email and the ward phone. Remember in an emergency please dial 999 or 101 for non-urgent reporting. Keep phones and purses safe whilst out and about, be vigilant and stay safe". Crayford ward:- "Not a bad week crime wise for Crayford with two burglaries to report. There was a residential burglary on the 8th March in Green Walk however it appears this property was targeted as it was currently undergoing refurbishment and was empty. Several tools were taken from the property. There was also a burglary of a commercial premises in Crayford High Street on the 11th march with a hand tool being taken. A vehicle in Iron Mill Lane had both number plates taken overnight of the 7th March. Shoplifting in the Retail Park continues with Boots being hit for baby milk on the 11th March. Crayford SNT are working closely with the shops in an effort to identify suspects from CCTV images. Enquiries are ongoing. Officers from Crayford SNT are being pro active in an effort to reduce anti social driving in and around the car park at Hall Place in Bourne Road with perpetrators being identified and given warnings for their unacceptable driving. These warning last for 12 months and if either the driver or vehicle concerned are involved in a similar incident it will result in the vehicle being seized. Also anti social behaviour and drug use / dealing in Town Hall square is being dealt with by increasing patrols in the area, this has resulted in several youths being stopped and searched. Although knife crime is not a major problem for Crayford at the moment, officers are still taking the threat seriously and under the banner of the MET's Operation Sceptre they have conducted weapons sweeps of several open spaces and built up areas in Crayford but these searches have thankfully proved negative thus far". Erith ward:- "We have been out this week on daily weapon sweeps in a lot of areas across Erith. This involves searching bushes and other areas for hidden weapons, and this is a national operation at the moment. Burg Res 08/03/2019 Riverdale Road – window broken items taken. Burglary Residential Monday 04/03/2019 Riverdale Road – door opened items taken; Theft from Motor Vehicle Saturday 09/03/19 Lowry Close; Theft from Motor Vehicle Sunday 10/03/2019, Erith Road; Burglary Residential Monday 11/03/2019 Rutland Gate – nothing taken window opened and entered; Attempted Burglary Residential Tuesday 12/03/2019 Hampton House Erith Road; Wednesday 13/03/19 Theft from Motor Vehicle Thwaite Close. Regular drug dealing in the vicinity of Rutland Gate and use of drugs in stairwells of one of the blocks and adjacent areas outside. Resident will report to Orbit as it appears there could be improvements put in place to help prevent the issues. Is also contacting the SNT team direct. NW office have passed on basic info to SNT and are putting her in contact with NW Coordinator to help support". Northumberland Heath ward:- "This week the team have been conducting weapon sweeps across the ward as part of Op sceptre, with the aim of reducing knife crime. It's good news to report that no weapons have been found thus far on Northumberland Heath. The team have continued target area patrols, and have had 2 x positive stop searches, a quantity of cannabis has been found, the subjects have been dealt with accordingly. Unfortunately we do have a few crimes of note this week - On Friday 8th March between the hours of 6am - 8.30pm a motor vehicle was stolen from Parsonage Manor Way; On Sunday 10th / Monday 11th March overnight, the front and rear number plates were stolen from a vehicle on Frinstead Road. On Sunday 10th March we had an overnight non-residential burglary on Parsonage Manor Way". 

Bexley Fire Brigade report:- "On Wednesday 6th we attended another fire on the Darent Industrial Park in Landau Way Slade Green and Northend ward. This was at 23:18 hrs. with just one call being received by our mobilising control. Twelve pumping appliances, 2 hose layers and an aerial attended this fire which occurred within the yard of a metals recycling plant. The yard was approximately 160 metres by 95 metres in size and was sited at the end of a long access road on an industrial area adjacent to the River Thames. On arrival of the fire crews they found a developing fire within a 10 metre high pile of scrap metal which was 15 metres by 15 metres. They used a number of water jets and breathing apparatus to fight the fire, with assistance from on site staff who used grabber cranes to pull apart the pile of scrap metal. This allowed deep seated pockets of fire to be accessed. Crews remained at the scene throughout the night and into the following morning". Slade Green and Northend ward:- "Unfortunately we have three burglary type incidents to report this week. In the early hours of Friday 8th March a suspect was seen looking into the window of a flat at Old Church Court (Bridge Road). At this exact time fortunately response team officers were driving past, arrested the male and he was found to have drugs on him too so a double result. There was nothing taken from the address. In the evening time on the same date a resident in Alexandra Road was disturbed by noise in his back garden and as he went to investigate 2 suspects ran away across the garden after smashing his back door to try and gain access. PC Mark Brookes - Smith was the first to attend and the investigation continues. Finally, at 3am on Sunday March 10th an unknown suspect gained entry to Bushey Court Sheltered Scheme in Hazel Road by using a fire drop key and tried to take items from the padlocked communal fridge. CCTV has no clear image of the suspect but evening patrols will be made at the scheme. There have been seven stop and searches carried out by our team in the last week with one suspect given a fine for cannabis possession. The team assisted Belvedere SNT in executing a warrant on their ward last Saturday with suspected drugs seized at the location that have been sent for analysis". Thamesmead East ward:- "Stop and Search: Wednesday 6/3/19 Midnight Male stopped and searched found in possession of x2 bags of cannabis. Arrest: Wednesday 13/3/19 Male was charged and remanded after being forensically linked to Theft from Motor vehicle x2. Child Abduction Warning Notice: (CAWN) Saturday 09/3/19 As part of the fight against county lines and violent crime a male was served with a child abduction warning notice to safeguard some of our vulnerable youngsters on the ward. Theft of Motor Vehicle Manordeane Road Thursday 7/03/19 1:15am unknown person attempted to steal vehicle, pushed down road and unknown person made off. Kale Road Sunday 10/03/19 2:30am Vehicle interference by a group of males in an old shaped Ford Focus in blue or grey - who tried to steal victims van - the lock was drilled and the wires were pulled out. Bazalgette Way Wednesday 13/3/19 9:16 am Theft from motor vehicle. Victim left personal items on view inside the vehicle unknown suspect has smashed window and removed items". West Heath ward:- "We are very happy to report that there have been no burglaries or motor vehicle crimes reported over the past week. Even so the team have been busily patrolling the ward in both uniform and plain clothes. We stopped and searched a male and his vehicle for drugs in Sandgate Road but no drugs were found. On the way back to our ward from that stop we stopped and checked on the welfare of an elderly male showing signs of distress. He was okay but as he resided in a neighbouring borough we helped with transport home. Yesterday, we stopped and searched a male delivering charity bags door to door in Madison Crescent. Several weapon sweeps have been done in Stevens Park and West Heath Recreation Ground and we assisted with a knife arch operation in McDonald's in Welling High Street as part of Operation Sceptre aimed at reducing violence crime. Despite the inclement weather several residents attended our street briefing which was held in Bedonwell Road on the corner of Elmhurst on Sunday 10th March. We were joined by Councillor Philip Read and the main topics discussed were inconsiderate parking at school times, speeding and dog fouling which Councillor Read will look into. The team will increase patrols at school times and request Parking Enforcement. Our next Street briefing will be on Friday 15th March at 8pm in Milford Close at the junction with Westergate Road. The team had a meeting with our Councillors during the week in which we discussed residents' concerns raised at the last street briefing by Bostall Community Library around speeding in King Harold's Way. It was confirmed the Speed indicator device (SIDS) and the speed camera by Bedonwell School do work".

The end video this week is a bit of a curiosity; it features a bus journey from Woolwich to Bexleyheath on the 99 route. It has been speeded up somewhat, as to carry out the full journey at normal speed would take a little over an hour. Apologies for the dreadful music - I have no idea what the person was thinking of when dubbing the video - at least you can mute it if so desired. Please leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.