A balancing act

The title's an apt description of the trip (pun intended) down Central Road this morning as the nicely swept pavements of yesterday turned into sheet-ice deathtraps overnight and even my hiking boots couldn't save me from momentarily balancing most of my bodyweight on three fingers for a split second. The net result of that little adventure is that I've lost the ability to right-click..... or move some of my fingers into anything other than a slightly curled position. Ah well. Press on!

My praise for South West Trains may have been a tad too generous yesterday morning as the service out of Waterloo in the afternoon had some 'issues'. To be fair there were a selection of trains running but the real-time train info web site insisted there weren't any, which nearly dissuaded me from going to Waterloo to check. The main reason I did go was because my backup plan of going to Morden and then catching a 93 bus had been thwarted by the news that the 93s were only going as far as Stonecot Hill, which would have meant a particularly long walk home. As it worked out when I got to Waterloo I found a train going to Chessington South, hopped off at Motspur Park and walked up to Malden Road, getting there just as a 213 came into view. As there was no traffic on the roads I ended up getting home only 15 minutes later than I otherwise would, which I thought was pretty good going.

Actually the biggest problem I've faced is SW Trains so-called train "information" which, yesterday afternoon, seemed to consist of showing that there weren't any trains from Waterloo, which there were, and at Motspur Park showing that there were two Worcester Park trains due imminently even though there had been no sign whatever of them at Waterloo when we'd left there not long before. Similarly this morning I checked before going out and the website showed all of the trains as being "On Time" which meant that I was then doomed to spend an hour standing in minus 8 degree temperatures until a train finally arrived. Their information page can be useful, which is why I've got a link to it here but do remember that it needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. Just sayin'

There's snow business like snow business...

After the fresh fall of snow last night SW Trains continued their unerring service through Worcester Park. Not for me the feet-up-in-front-of-the-fire relaxation of a day off but because they were running on time I joined a select band of my fellow commuters in slogging my way into the office. Fair enough the train was five minutes late into Waterloo but considering the circumstances that's pretty darn good. If you couldn't make it to the station because the roads are stuffed then here are some pictures of what you missed.

[above] The SW Trains employee clearing the snow on the bridge drove in from Guildford. Not bad!

[above] Yes the man is trying to dig the van out and the car just to the right in front of him is spinning its wheels. Cars were waiting in the snow-less patch under the bridge and then using the grip to take a run-up to get past the lights.

Xmas evening

An enormous structure is taking shape outside WH Smiths! Going to be a great evening!

Phil on Andrews

I forgot that I did this the first time Andrews closed but just found it while I was looking for something else. It seems even more appropriate now.

Remember, remember

A few photos from last night of fireworks in the skies over Worcester Park. Great evening!

Nonsuch Palace

One of my wistful wishes is that Nonsuch Palace had survives like its counterparts, Hampton Court or Ham Palace. The Guardian is reporting on the auction of an early picture of Nonsuch Palace:

The earliest image of the gilded spires and towers of the lost palace of Henry VIII – so beautiful, costly and grand that it was christened Nonsuch – will be auctioned at Christie's next month with an estimated sale price of up to £1.2m.

The Guardian then gives a brief history of the palace

The palace itself, built at fabulous expense in 1538 near Ewell, in Surrey, to outshine the palaces of Henry's deadly rival, the French king Francois I, lasted barely 150 years. It was torn down in the late 17th century and sold off for building materials to settle the gambling debts of a king's mistress. Some of the stone and timber work survives in later houses.

The watercolour has been in an English private collection for most of the last two centuries, and has been publicly exhibited only twice.

Enough of me wittering on. Go read the whole thing for yourself here.

Say goodbye to the trees

I see that they're starting work on removing the trees. I can't imagine what it's going to look like after they've finished but I guess that I haven't got long to wait to find out.

Some say... ex Stig Ben Collins crashed his car at Brands Hatch!

See, I do get out of Worcester Park sometimes!

Former Top Gear Stig Ben Collins was at Brands Hatch yesterday for his debut in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). He had a good showing in the first two races but it didn't quite go to plan in the third when he put it in the gravel, bringing out both the safety car and the JCB...

And for anyone wondering where the local interest is here's a picture of New Malden resident Tom Onslow-Cole taking and unintended detour onto the grass. Sorry Tom!

I'd like to see him try that at The Fountain!