Page 29
Call Sign October 2011
Former fireman Richard Potter and life behind the
Riots
Because I was away at the time, I didn't really
POTTER'S WHEEL
know much about the London riots except for
the information texted to me by a fellow DaC
driver. When I got home and saw the archived
even though we are being told we will play a
video footage, I was really saddened to see such
major part. After all, even though we are not
violence. I remember back in the days of the IRA
allowed in the ORN, Royal Mail vehicles can!
and how the number of tourists coming to
One test a Police Officer goes through is the
London increased dramatically when they
junction test. You are directing traffic at a 4-way
announced a ceasefire and ever since then things
crossroads with a police car coming from one
have been getting better year on year.
direction, an ambulance from another, a fire
With the Olympics coming up, these riots must
engine from a third and all on lights and bells.
be a major setback so let's hope things stay
From the fourth direction is a Royal mail vehicle.
quiet. What was very unusual was that for about
The question is which of the four gets priority?
3 weeks following the riots, it appeared that
The answer is the Royal Mail vehicle because
London was being policed by officers from
you can't stop the Queens mail. Where that puts
Norfolk to Lothian and Borders, from Sussex to
us I'd hate to think...
Lancashire and even the Heddlu from Wales!
Obviously the Met needs to start recruiting!
Bitten by a police dog???
However, what I found most alarming were the
number of fires started and which eventually
Have you ever let a police dog bite you? Well
developed into major incidents. Fire crews being
having a friend who is a Police Dog Handler can
able to men and wondered whether I'd look
unable to attend quickly - fearing for their own
make you feel safe, unless he needs to do a
good with nail extensions or if I'd had my legs
safety - may have caused this. Over the years the
demonstration in front of 45 Scouts and needs a
waxed and then went to the pub in shorts!
Fire service has been proud of its neutral status
robber for his dog to chase and bite! All I can say
So I took the plunge no, not nails or waxing
but that's not good enough for these hooligans,
is that it is a little unnerving having a 4 year old
- and went to my local barbers and had a hot
who were quite happy to let bricks, bottles and
German Shepherd Police dog running at you at
towel wet shave. Since then it has become a
you name it, rain down on people who were at
15 MPH with its chops wide open and saliva
monthly ritual. It really is refreshing and
the scene to help. Makes you wonder doesn't it.
dripping from the sides, but you do these things
extremely relaxing. I don't know if it was ever
for your friends... don't you! It was a good job I
that popular, but most barbers still do the tradi-
Top Gear
used a protective sleeve, because I could feel the
tional hot towel shave but you rarely hear of
dogs teeth through it and the power was incred-
anyone getting it done anymore. If you have
After waiting some time, I finally managed to get
ible. To show me how much he trusted his own
never tried it, you will be pleasantly surprised.
my hands on some tickets to see Top Gear. It's
dog, the handler allowed me to set it on him. Oh
strange to think that one of the Beeb's most
the power! But in all seriousness, they are high-
Olympic Route Network
watched programmes is made in a half ware-
ly intelligent animals and extremely obedient and
house unit on an occasionally used airfield
Well the Olympic route network (ORN) is really
after that experience, I have the utmost admira-
somewhere between Horsham and Godalming!
causing a stir and the fact that we will not be
tion for the both dog and handler.
Luckily for me I went to the edition with Rowan
allowed to use it is somewhat disappointing, but
Atkinson who spoke about his McClaren F1 car -
the writing was on the wall for a long time.
Richard Potter (T51)
which he subsequently wrote off a few weeks
Fortunately I got some
later - and the Skytrain. If you fancy being in the
Olympic
tickets
audience for Top Gear, X Factor, Britain's Got
through the sales
Talent and many other TV shows, go to
process and last week
www.applausestore.com. This company
I got an email inform-
arranges studio audiences for various pro-
ing me that each tick-
grammes on all channels, so if you would like to
et holder will be given
take part go and try their website.
a free all-zone travel
card for that day. I
Nail extensions for men???
think we all will earn
money from the
Driving round town I've seen many shops offer-
Olympics, but in what
ing ladies pampering services such as American
form remains to be
nails and at one place I saw a lady getting a foot
seen because I feel we
massage. I thought it looked relaxing and it
are being side-lined
occurred to me that there wasn't that much avail-
Roman baths found at
London Bridge roadworks!
The roadworks on the south side of London Bridge that any Dial-a-Cab driver
will tell you have been going on forever and which have caused awful hold-ups
for taxi drivers and their passengers, has finally come up with something good.
Engineers have unearthed the remains of a Roman bath that once stood on the
corner of London Bridge Street and Borough High Street.
Going back around 2,000 years, the ruins of the Roman bath were discovered
on land being re-developed as part of the £5.5bn Thameslink programme and
are believed to be one of the biggest Roman finds on the south side of the
Thames most seem to appear on the north side.
A new office block has been penciled in on the site and the baths will now be
incorporated into the building. A new railway bridge will also be close by.
Network Rail has commissioned a team of specialist archaeologists from Oxford
Archaeology and Pre-Construct Archaeology to excavate the site and although
work is at an early stage, the bath house appears to include a range of rooms
including a cold plunge bath as well as hot rooms warmed by under floor heat-
ing. Elsewhere on the site, substantial walls are thought to belong to predeces-
sors of St Thomas's Hospital, which also used to stand on the site.
