Straw bales

On a run this week, I passed Barnes Bridge (above) and then Hammersmith Bridge just as scaffolding was being dismantled - the workmen were also taking down the three bales of straw that had been hanging underneath the bridge whilst repairs were taking place. The man in charge told me that Thames byelaw 29, dating from the 1700's, requires that a bale of straw be hung from any bridge reduced in headroom as a result of repairs. Straw is used so that there will be no damage to any boat or person hitting the bale.

River Byelaws 1978 (as amended) - Part 5

Bridges
29.
(1) When the arch or span of a bridge is closed to navigation the person in control of the bridge shall suspend from the centre of that arch or span -
(a) by day, three red discs 0.6 metres in diameter at the points of an equilateral triangle with the apex downwards and the base horizontal;
(b) by night, three red lights in similar positions to the discs displayed by day.

(2) When the headroom of an arch or span of a bridge is reduced from its usual limits but that arch or span is not closed to navigation, the person in control of the bridge shall suspend from the centre of that arch or span by day a bundle of straw large enough to be conspicious and by night a white light.

It also seems that this warning dates back to Roman times. Makes you wonder what the Romans ever did for us ...

Below is the bale destined for the Blackfriars Bridge renovation project.



I also found another great river image when researching straw bales on the Port of London site - three Port of London policemen engage in their annual life saving practice at West India Dock in 1930. Can't believe they stayed afloat or saved anyone with all of that gear on.

Its the second image under the people category - http://www.pla.co.uk/centenary_galleries.cfm

Ich bin ein typewriter

I have been trying to buy a certain type of typewriter for some time now - it is one of the thinnest made and featured in the brilliant film, 'The Lives of Others'. This is about the East German secret police, the Stasi, and how it kept records on all East German citizens.

Anyway, I had a real result on German E-Bay and now own a very beautiful Groma Kolibri (Hummingbird in english).

I particularly like the three extra keys to enable the use of umlauts.

Thought I would try them out with a description of the end of our sunday morning run

Breakfast for Champions.

Victory in a bottle

Easing ourselves back into running today - air was full of dust and seeds from London plane trees, so we spluttered our way round.

Saw the new sculpture on the forth plinth in Trafalgar square - would have liked to see the reaction at the glass factory when the artist, Yinka Shonibare, commissioned the four tonne bottle.



It is the first commission for the plinth by a black British artist.

We've also wondered for some years what the markings on kerbstones represent




My research has been inconclusive - they may be benchmarks, used by surveyors to keep track of where and how high they are.
Or they are stone mason marks to show who carved them - see http://www.flickr.com/photos/73704776@N00/2506808546/


Finally, Mark's theory is that they represent Parish Boundaries.


But who really cares - I hear you say...

ORC ALERT

On a recent trip around the Elephant and Castle area, I couldn't help but notice a new landmark tower - this is the Strata tower which features three wind turbines integrated into its roof. That should save the planet.

To me it looks like the Tower of Isengard from Lord of the Rings

I'm waiting for the Orcs to come steaming up the Old Kent Road ...

Running on water

Another virtual run this weekend - but getting excited about a new running sport. Will try it out on the Thames next week ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y0BsnTa5RA

Also happy birthday to Hugh and I

Here we see Hugh receiving his present from Mark and thinking

"not another bloody mountain climb for my birthday ..."

Ageing rock stars

Iggy and the Stooges were again on top form at the second gig - I also saw him interviewed on Later... - whilst these days 2 night in a row singing is his limit, he implied that was the only thing that he could only do 2 nights in a row.. .

Seeing Iggy (63) on the same programme sitting next to Ozzy Osbourne (61) watching Ian Hunter (71) perform, made me wonder how long this generation of rock singers will go on. Will they be like the old bluesmen of yesteryear ? How will their acts change ? Perhaps the following video gives us a clue ...

Hope I die before I get old ...

Iggy and the Stooges

Mark and I went to see Iggy last night - despite the use of ear plugs, my ears are still buzzing.

He played the whole of Raw Power from 1973 - still sounded fresh and violent. Also exciting that the original Raw Power lead guitarist, James Williamson, is back with the band after recently retiring as Vice President of Technology at Sony!

I had heard Iggy had given up diving into the crowd now that he was 62 and following a recent dive when no-one caught him - he dived 4 times in the first half hour so what do the media know ?




My favourite song was 'I Wanna be your Dog' - it was the 'most beer thrown into the air' moment as well.
Photos by Mark with his flashy new camera.



Iggy, pull up your trousers you naughty boy ...

Off to see him again on monday night - more news next week...