Gimme Shelter

The new book is almost ready to go to the printer: in this case, as it's self-published, I've had to oversee everything, including the cover design, getting permission to use images, the weight of paper and printing specifications, as well as doing the index (which was fun). Not sure if I'd do it again, but I may have no choice.

It's time to start catching up on some of my other interests and books.

The excellent London Reconnections has had two interesting articles in recent days. One on the deep-level shelters of WW2 (covered in my Subterranean City book) and another on progress on Crossrail. Last week when I was in London I had a look at the work at Blackfriars: you can now cross the Thames on the Blackfriars rail bridge thanks to the new station entrance on the south bank and the underground station closed for many months has reopened. London Reconnections has covered these developments here. Picture above from London Reconnections site.

We also went on a 'heritage' train trip from Hastings to Southend last week via a fascinating route around London that travelled on part of what will, later this year, be the Clapham Junction to Dalston route, then by various freight lines in west London to the Gospel Oak to Barking line, a stop at Fenchurch Street and thence on to Southend and Shoeburyness. At Shoeburyness a mysterious line snakes away at the back of the station (which we didn't travel over) to a place with the even more unappealing name of Pig's Bay - more can be found on it here.

By the way, the new book is nothing to do with the above.