GB4SH – From The Top of Shooters Hill

Title: GB4SH – From The Top of Shooters Hill
Location: The Bull
Link out: http://www.radioclubs.net/cvrs/events.php?events_id=1667
Description: At 132 m or 432 feet above sea level, the top of Shooters Hill has long played a part in communications; from bronze age barrows that could be seen from the thames, to the antennas and dishes that cover the hilltop today, so it’s no surprise that local radio enthusiasts are going to try their equipment out here this weekend, I wonder how far they will be able to reach?

For those hill dwellers who are not celebrating a late pancake day at a certain hill in west london, or scooting down to the south coast for a long weekend, it’s nice to know that the bull are putting on something a bit different for the last bank holiday of summer.

Start Time: 12:00
Date: 2009-08-30
End Time: 20:00

Fruits of the Hill

Well, 2009 was not a good year for plumstead plums, well at least in my orchard anyway, the late frost zapped the spring blossoms with the result that I only got 6 victorias this year 🙁

On the plus side, the weather conditions this year have led to a bumper crop of wild blackberries, I have never seen so many on the hill, and whilst still a bit sharp tasting, and with sharp thorns for protection – I had a go at my first blackberry and apple pie of the summer today, and it goes like this:

  1. several handfuls of wild blackberries, washed to flush out insects (no pesticides then, could be organic).
  2. the same amount of apple slices.
  3. a pie dish.
  4. sugar to take the sharp edge off the berries (if they are really sweet then this could be skipped).
  5. pastry as you like it, I just mixed together 5 Oz butter with 4 Oz of plain flour and 2 tbsp water for 30 secs, and then added another 4 Oz flour to make the pastry for rolling out on top.
  6. bake for 20 minutes at 200º celcius, then about another 20 at 180º.

With this year’s yields looking so promising, i’m hoping to make jam next.

Severndroog Castle Preservation Update

severndroog castle by andy linden
Severndroog Castle by Andy Linden (flickr.com)

Title: Severndroog Castle Preservation Update
Location: Shrewsbury House
Link out: http://www.shlhg.btik.com/
Description: At this meeting the Severndroog Castle preservationists update us on the work on the castle since the BBC Restoration program. The castle attracts nearly 1000 visitors on Open House day and people are willing to queue for 2 hours to climb the stairs to see this fine folly and wonder at the fine views over London.

The ongoing work to preserve the castle is currently looking very rosy, having turned around its fortunes and saved the castle for the public – at one point in its decline towards dereliction it was the subject of an office conversion bid by Cathedral Group, the people behind the re-development of the once beautiful streamline moderne Well Hall Coronet.

Start Time: 20:00
Date: 2009-08-20

Traffic Modelling

Thames-Map-Big

Is Shooters Hill still safe from Ringway 2?

On Tuesday June the 30th I was on the way to work and saw a police biker at the roadside pulling over drivers so they could be interviewed by traffic surveyors modelling journeys on behalf of tfl.

According to the researchers, this particular survey is a routine exercise, and will provide London’s traffic managers with an insight into the toing and froing in this area. This sounds plausible and even sensible, however, it also transpired that similar ‘routine’ inspections are being carried out in east london. Perhaps I was wrong to infer the link, but the utterance of the words east london, south east london, and traffic modelling in one sentence immediately made me think of Ringway 2

Traffic designs linking the south/north twistulars completing an inner london ring road go back at least as far as the now infamous Ringway 2 blueprint of the 1960’s, and they seem here to stay, in design form at least. These plans were succesfully blocked by the people of south east london in 1973, 1993 and 2008. Things looked especially bad for Shooters Hill in the early nineties, but the area did ultimately fare better than Wanstead and Twyford Down…

On past form at least, Shooters Hill does appear to be safe from the bulldozers for at least another ten years. However the surrounding area may not be, as attention has now shifted to Blackwall. Clive Efford is currently lobbying for a third blackwall crossing, which would include a doglands light rollercoaster to north greenwich and onwards to eltham. His campaign has its merits, primarily it doesn’t have ill intentions for the woods, secondly it makes use of pre-existing links to the south/north twistulars and A2 (which was the original justification for the oxleas woods bypass linking the A2 at falconwood to the crossing at woolwich), and thirdly, the inclusion of a public transport link is a very smart idea as it improves the image of what is, first and foremost, a road building scheme. There are probably some potential traffic problems to be worked out however, and this will be done with traffic modelling!!

If the link at Blackwall gets improved, will it attract more traffic? Will the approach roads and residential areas on each side be able to accomodate extra through traffic?… Furthermore, Blackwall has never had a particularly good record on pollution, air quality measurements at woolwich flyover routinely fail to meet the air quality objectives, what will the building of new roads do for air quality? (Actually for balance it should be added that most of London fails to meet its pollution targets – not that that makes it alright for blackwall to be as bad as it is).

On that note, here’s the survey debrief:

TRANSPORT FOR LONDON: ROADSIDE INTERVIEW SURVEYS

This survey has been commissioned by Transport for London (TfL). Colin Buchanan is conducting it at this site on their behalf.

In order to address transport problems, we need to know more about current travel patterns and so are conducting the survey. It is taking place at a range of locations across the study area. It will last only one day at each location. Stopping vehicles in this way is the only effective way of establishing the volume and types of journeys being made on a typical day.

Thank you for taking the time to provide TfL with this important information.

We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused by the survey. Every effort has been made to minimise disruption and congestion, but it is not always possible to achieve this as successfully as we would like.

The data you provide will only be used for transport planning purposes by TfL, its agents, London Boroughs and other agencies involved in transport planning.

Should you require any further information about the survey please contact us using the details below. Phones are not continuously manned, but calls will be returned within 24 hours.

Transport for London

T: 02071261423 E: travelresearch@tfl.gov.uk

Colin Buchanan

E: surveys@cbuchanan.co.uk

Three days ago I emailed the supplied contact details to enquire about the motivations for this survey, if I hear back, I will comment further…

The Odyssey

Title: The Odyssey
Location: Oxleas Woods
Link out: http://www.londonbubble.org.uk/fanmadetheatre
Description: London Bubble’s acclaimed promenade performances take audiences on a journey through parks or woodlands, involving them in an unfolding story. Hugely popular with a wide range of ages, previous shows have included Greek myths, classics such as the Arabian Nights, the surreal The Crock of Gold as well as Alice in Wonderland, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Dates
Tuesday 14 July, 7:30pm
Wednesday 15 July, 7:30pm
Thursday 16 July, 7:30pm
Saturday 18 July, 7:30pm
Sunday 19 July, 7:30pm
Monday 20 July, 7:30pm
Tuesday 21 July, 7:30pm

Ticket Prices
Full Price: £15
Concession: £8*

*Concessions available to children under 16, students, over 60’s, disabled people, unemployed family credit and leisure cardholders (proof must be shown).

Group discounts are available for parties of 6 people or more. Please call the Box Office on: 020 7237 1663.

Review: Digging Dad's Army

ww1 gun emplacement against zeppelin attacks
Andy Brockman, Shooters Hill's very own archaeologist at the eaglesfield ww1 gun emplacement

Well this is not exactly hot off the press, and the digging dad’s army blog gives the full scoop (groan, shameful pun) on what transpired, but the main message I got from the Eaglesfield dig was that the ww1 gun emplacement for bringing down zeppelins could perhaps be put on display, with an information panel like the one at the mayplace lane bronze age barrow.

Photo Version

the site header now contains some great photos of the hill. the titles and photographers have been listed wth their flickr details. all the photos were originally tagged with the shootershill label on flickr:

IMG_3500 - Oxleas Meadows
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stopher/3223309059/
oxleas meadow
Shooters Hill
wharf in a storm