Outrageous Illegal Parking

Here we see again the arrogance of parking on a cycle track. This is in Pickering Road, Barking. The track is even demarcated by bollards with the "safe routes to school" logo. The pictures were taken at about 9.45am and 12.40pm.

New train on Barking & Gospel Oak Line - my first ride

On the 1800 service from Harringay Green Lanes to Barking. The air-conditioning is a delight and the ride is very quiet, though not as quiet as an electric train and a bit noisier at stations when the doors are open.

As we knew from the world of cycle campaigning there is no dedicated cycle accommodation - and Bromptoneers who use Barking and/or Gospel Oak Station will have to find a new place/angle to stash their machines as the vestibule layout is so different. At the moment there are no maps or line diagrams, but I'm sure that will be remedied soon. There are no tube style dangly things to hold onto.

A couple of minor details niggle - they're probably of no consequence, but why not get them right - and more to the point how do they get them wrong. They concern the on train station name announcements. Walthamstow, with a soft 'th' as in 'them' rather than a hard 'th' as in 'theme'  (I'll let them off the authentic 'Wharf-em stow'). And "One stead" Park, whereas the 'Wan' is always pronounced to rhyme with 'John'

Foodcycle

http://www.foodcycle.org.uk/

"FoodCycle combines young volunteers, surplus food and a free kitchen space to create nutritious meals and positive social change in the community!

The idea is simple. Food retailers throw out millions of tons of edible food every year due to supply overstock. The aim of FoodCycle is to redirect this food so it can be used to cook nutritious meals for people in the local community that do not have access to healthy foods for a variety of reasons, such as lack of income or knowledge of healthy nutrition.

The result? Personal health and well-being increase with proper nutrition, food waste is reduced, and young volunteers create positive change in their communities!

And for those who like numbers this means we have reclaimed 3,000 kg of food, served 6,000 three-course meals clocking over 3,000 volunteer hours!"

New train on Barking & Gospel Oak Line

What I presume to be the first new class 172 "Turbostar" train for the line has arrived - I saw it Gospel Oak bound at 17:45 today at Harringay Green Lanes. I'm looking forward to my first ride on one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_172

http://stibasa.blogspot.com/2007/05/biceberg-underground-automated-cycle.html

I've just noticed a comment on my post about the biceberg secure underground cycle park which refers to the almost unfortunately named b-igloo.

"an automatic, intelligent system of storage, parking and management, which receives and returns the bicycle at street level in less than 10 seconds and which also allows storage of items necessary for the use of the bicycle such as a rucksack, safety helmet, reflective elements, etc.

b-igloo is the fastest and safest system on the market for the safekeeping of bicycles, introducing an added advantage, the locker space, which allows the safe storage of the rest of the items transported, or “à la carte” personalisation of rented bicycles.

Its user-friendly, functional street furniture offers the possibility of installing different public services such as interactive information, automatic vending and advertising or additional facilities (repair and servicing of the bicycle).

Parking and retrieving bicycles is carried out via b-igloo parking cards that contain a chip, which stores user information, authorisations and restrictions.

The system facilitates all the management, customer service and attention to incidents tasks, guaranteeing perfect maintenance conditions and making b-igloo the best system for the application of parking and/or bicycle rental networks and, therefore, the best system to provide individual, sustainable, ecological transport."

http://www.bigloo.es/

http://treecar.co.uk/

"At Treecar we plant a tree for every car you hire - you pay nothing extra! This is the most environmentally friendly car site on the internet, but we believe you shouldn’t have to pay more for the privilege. You can help the environment without damaging your pocket.

Treecar is available for all destinations throughout the world. No matter where you hire a car from, irrespective of the duration, one tree will get planted. Treecar is your worldwide, friendly, car hire company."

Travelling light

Cycle (CTC's magazine) carried an interesting article on this subject in its August/September 2008 edition. Some of the ideas are way over the top, but amusing nevertheless. Others are good ideas or thought-provoking. I list a selection here,and there's also a website at http://www2.arnes.si/~ikovse/weight.htm

• A 20 litre saddlebag should be enough for any accommodated tour. Carradice recommended.
• Use a handlebar bag for camera and valuables
• Two small bags are less efficient than one large (but keep loads balanced)
• To travel light you have to do laundry often (though there won't be much!)
• Some hotels will wash and dry clothes for you overnight - £!
• Strip and "tread the grapes" in the shower - ie wash your clothes with yourself in the shower. You'll need a block of strong soap. Use the hand towel to dry yourself.
  
• Lay wet clothes on the bath towel and roll it up long ways. Put a foot on one end and twist hard
• Only take clothes that can be worn in >1 situation.
  
• Shorts with zip on legs are most versatile.
  
• Cycling tops must pass as casual shirts.
  
• Cycling shoes must be good for walking (cleats recessed). Exustar Stelvio recommended.
• Clothes are one sytem. Layering is the watchword.
• Take arm warmers and knee warmers.
• Bad weather clothing (worn): Thermal vest, short sleeved shirt, arm warmers, fleece, rain jacket, waterproof hat; Lycra shorts, knee warmers, shorts with legs zipped on (to make longs), rainlegs, waterproof socks, shoes, shoe covers.
  
• Bad weather clothing (spare, carried): Short sleeved top, lycra shorts, two pairs sports socks, underpants, flip flops
  
• Clothes not next to skin won't need much washing
• Wash such clothes when the forecast is sunny and dry them on your bike
• All items shoukd be quik drying --> man made fabrics or perhaps merino wool
• Third pair of lycra shorts if camping
• Sometimes you might have to wear something a bit smelly!
• Local clothing such as a Sarong or lunghi can be useful
• With care, specialist cycle clothing can be avoided
• Reduce tool requirements by careful choice of components
• Fit self-extractor bolts on cranks (example - http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/CR408Z24-Truvativ+Self+Extractor+Crank+Bolt.aspx) - no need for crank tool
• Relevant Allen keys may weigh less than a multi-tool and...
• Swiss Army knives have screwdrivers
• Threadless headset avoids the need for two spanners
• Consider borrowing an adjustable on tour if needed (spanner flats rare on modern bikes)
• Make sure pedals have a hex socket (avoid pedal spanner)
• Mend bike before trip (!)
• Get a charger that's compatible with all your gadgets / batteries
• Get a PDA or smartphone (several gadgets in one)
• 
  

EL1, EL2, 179, 369 Buses

The super-duper new interactive bus maps that TfL have been plugging have still not been updated to show the new EL1 and EL2 "East London Transit" routes, and they are still showing the defunct 369 route and the 179 route as serving Barking.

Barking Central

http://www.ahmm.co.uk/projects/doing/doing_barking_central_ii.php

"Barking Central I involved the construction and fit out of a new library framed by a colonnade and topped by two parallel housing blocks separated by a communal residential roof garden and the creation of an open and a wooded public square designed by Muf. Barking Central II will complete the masterplan by connecting the colonnade to the existing street and shopping centre by way of a ‘bike’ store and shop building. An eighteen story tower, an office and two further residential buildings reset the new wooded square in an open frame, close off some backs and reintroduce historical routes and connections."

I'm looking for news of the 'bike' store.

Kilsby Walk

The Barking & Dagenham Post describes this as an alleyway (p21 of 13 June edition) but one of the residents says "it's completely damaged from the morning rush of lorries and cars". Apparently it is owned by the hops in Porters Avenue that back onto it. Anyway the Royal Mail have refused to deliver to three addresses because of the quality of the surface and dumped rubbish. A postman fell off his bicycle there and broke his ankle.

Let's hope the postman is soon back on his bike and the problems at Kilsby Walk are soon sorted out to everyone's satisfaction.

New cycle parking stands

Thanks to Barking & Dagenham council for the new (additional) Sheffield Stands in Ripple Road near the junction with Harrow Road. Useful for people using the local shops.

At Upney station, where space is restricted, they have installed a different kind of stand that fixes to the railings. I think it is called the "cyclehoop". I'm not sure that using these is any more secure than locking up to the railings, but they are an elegant design and proper stands encourage cycling by making cyclists feel welcome.