Page 23
Call Sign February 2012
LOOKING AT (TAXI) LIFE
with Tom Quigley (Y33)
idiotic idea was it to have roadworks close off
Dollar, but my rates are 1.5 and 2 respectively.
all traffic turning into Victoria Embankment
I sometimes wonder if there is a back door
from Bridge Street and Westminster Bridge,
visual acceptance being manipulated with the
causing chaos right through the whole of the
design of all newly printed notes; the new £50
Calculating the cost?
Strand and lower Whitehall areas, isolating par-
and the Scottish £20 notes being virtually iden-
It seems that whenever there is industrial action,
tygoers looking for cabs and making it impossi-
tical to the Euro equivalent and with the rate
be it Tube workers, Health service, Public ser-
ble to drop off or pick up at Charing Cross? Not
the way it is and all the major department store
vices - it does not matter - what can be guaran-
only was the Taxi trade affected, but anyone
price tags showing both prices, I also wonder
teed is that there will be politicians or any num-
who thought they could pick relatives up from
how long it will be before the acceptance as
ber of other economic "experts" representing
parties were stuck in traffic jams at midnight! I
equals will slowly move in.
groups and quoting telephone number figures of
wonder how many of the hierarchy were com-
how much the action has cost the shops and gen-
A tissue, a tissue, we
plaining as they came out of clubs in Pall Mall
eral trading in London.Amazingly, the majority of
and the St James Street area that there are not
these same condemning experts and politicians
all fall down!
enough taxis, blaming us and not the hidden
seem to distance themselves and suddenly
culprits.
Over the Xmas period, my 81-year mother was
become unaccountable when their actions cost
London has been at the forefront of world
feeling a bit under the weather. So as a good
Londoners and shops colossal amounts in lost
media reporting on the riots, the tragic waste of
son I phoned her to see if she needed any pro-
revenue. Not surprisingly, when it comes to cost-
young lives to shootings and stabbings in so-
visions. Armed with a list of the usual milk, tea
ing their own inadequacies, no figures on how
called gang warfare. This has portrayed London
and other stuff - not actually needed but why
much revenue their actions cost us are ever
as an unsafe place to live and visit and has
not take advantage - off I went to the shops.An
forthcoming.
undoubtedly had an economic effect on tourism
easy enough task until a decision had to be
For example, who was behind the decision
and businesses, which is felt by us all. It is surely
made on toilet rolls.Which one?
to have the annual weekend Xmas closure of
down to the politicians and others to ensure
I was faced with an array of packed shelving
Regent and Oxford Streets for pedestrians,
that we live in as safe a city as possible.
of such a basic item; there are jumbo sizes, soft,
coincide with the weekend closure of
Instead of criticising our workers and blam-
supersoft, with Aloe Vera, without Aloe Vera, the
Blackfriars underpass along with roadwork clo-
ing them for shortfalls in the economy, they
store's own brand, designer name rolls, pat-
sures and lane narrowing of Westminster,
should look inwards and own up to their own
terned or coloured rolls! My brain was doing
Blackfriars and Tower Bridges, which made it
failures in ensuring we all achieve maximum
overtime trying to remember what colour my
virtually impossible for anyone wanting to trav-
income.
mum's bathroom was, with the wicked side of
el up from the southeast of London to do any
me wondering whatever happened to Izal - the
shopping in town? That, in turn, added pressure
Euro disappearing
paper that should have come with a health
on Waterloo Bridge south and northbound,
warning about paper cuts or even those days of
The economies of Europe are under pressure
which backed up all the way to Euston Road as
tearing up old newspapers into squares! Well I
with some countries in a dilemma about staying
buses blocked the interchanges at St Giles and
settled on good old plain white Andrex. You
with the Euro currency. Whilst some are patting
Princes Circus, causing further tailbacks to the
can't go wrong with that... mind you, I did!
themselves on the back for us not joining yet,
King Cross and St Pancras areas.
despite all the problems it seems to be only a few
On the last Friday evening before Xmas
Tom Quigley (Y33)
sheckles from one-to-one with the pound.
(known as Black Friday, although I think it
In some instances, I will accept the Euro or
should be called Sick or Blood Friday), whose
Former Dial-a-Cab driver, Bob Woodford, writes a regular column for Call Sign from his home in
Languedoc, France and his taxi somewhere in London...
CALL SIGN EN LA BELLE FRANCE
I recently read with interest that Crossrail has launched
Crossrail's tunnelling and delivery contractors.
a competition seeking names for six of the giant tunnel
Winners will also be invited to attend the tunnelling
boring machines (TBMs) that will construct the major
launch event at Royal Oak. To submit your names,
new rail tunnels under the capital, with Londoners and
visit www.crossrail.co.uk/tunnel-comp by 6
February 2012.
people living along the Crossrail route being asked to
Things have come a very long way since Marc
propose pairs of names for the machines. The winning
Isambard Brunel invented his unique wooden tun-
entries will be painted onto the tunnel boring
nelling shield to good effect in 1825 to tunnel under
machines.
the Thames from Rotherhithe to Wapping! His son
This spring, the first two 140 metre long TBMs weigh-
Isambard Kingdom Brunel joined his father as
ing 1,000 tonnes will travel 4 miles east from Royal Oak
joint resident engineer in 1835 to help finish the
via Paddington, Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road
project. So those two gentlemen would get my vote
before reaching Farringdon in summer 2013. Later this
for favourite pairs of names, although I'm fairly sure
year, the second pair of machines will launch from
Docklands, driving 5.2 miles west towards Farringdon via Now that's a bore!
that Boris and Ken will be nominated and selected
ahead of those renowned civic engineers.
Whitechapel and Liverpool Street. In the winter, two
Talking of Ken, he really is looking a tad tired these days - is he really
TBMs will be launched from Plumstead travelling 1.6 miles and under the
going to run for Mayor again? I will never forget when he told the
River Thames to North Woolwich.
Evening Standard in 2001 "...only some sort of ghastly demented moron
A Crossrail panel will select a shortlist before the public is invited to vote
would get rid of the Routemasters." You said it, mate!
online for their favourite pairs of names in February, with prizes awarded
to the three entrants who receive the most votes. Those winning entrants
will have the option of a prize of either Eurostar vouchers or an annual
Bob Woodford (Ex-P49)
family pass to Merlin Theme Parks, which have been donated by
Saint Genies de Fontedit, Languedoc, France
