Saturday 29 September 2012

Easy Money?

An interesting post in Robert Fripp's online diary, wherein he outlines his present financial situation and muses on the lot of the modern musician trying to earn a crust.  It seems that today everyone is trying to exploit the internship/work-for-nothing trend, including touring musicians who don't want to pay their backing groups (see the link in the diary entry).  Fripp is someone I've long admired, one of the most creative, innovative and talented musicians to have emerged from the world of 'rock'.  I've particularly enjoyed attending some of his 'soundscape/Frippertronics' performances (usually free), an especially memorable one was held in the foyer of the Queen Elizabeth Hall a few years ago.

Wednesday 19 September 2012

Kingsway Tram Tunnel and Crossrail



Recent developments at Kingsway, former tunnel in central London originally built to be used by trams carrying passengers from Holborn to Waterloo bridge and providing a link between the north and south London tram networks.  Opening in 1906, it served stations at Holborn and Aldwych and was enlarged to accommodate double-decker trams in 1929; it closed in 1952.  The southern end was converted into the busy Strand underpass, which opened in 1964.  The northern section has been mostly abandoned, being used as a store by Camden council and occasionally by the odd film-crew and art installation.  Now it's been reported that Crossrail is using the northern entrance to construct  a grout shaft 8 metres deep and 5 metres wide.  To minimise ground settlement during tunnelling activity these shafts allow grout to be pumped deep into the earth to stabilise it and protect nearby buildings from any potential ground movement.  Tunnel boring machines Phyllis and Ada are due to pass beneath this area in 2013. According to Keith Sibley, Crossrail Area Director West: 'The Kingsway Tram Tunnel has played a fascinating and unique role in London's transport history.  Now it will play a vital part in helping prepare the ground for the city's most ambitious transport project to date.  As the tunnel is a Grade II listed structure, crossrail will return the Camden section to its prior condition when the works are completed.'

Talking of Crossrail, you may be interested to learn that there will be tours this weekend (22nd and 23rd September) of Bond Street Crossrail station (although it looks from the text as if you won't actually be going into the construction area).  Details here (scroll down to Westminster).  I hope to go on Saturday morning, but if the queues are impossible I won't be hanging around.

Monday 3 September 2012

English Heretic AGM


I shall be one of the speakers at the English Heretic AGM to be held in the highly atmospheric surroundings of Bath Masonic Hall on Saturday 13th October.  Details here.