Wednesday 31 December 2014

Happy New Year !!!


Tuesday 30 December 2014

Today's London Picture Gallery 30/12/2014

Thank You ! To all the contributors via - https://www.facebook.com/LondononLondon
Beautiful Bond Street...
Photo by Giselle Jones
Photo: Beautiful Bond Street...
Photo by Giselle Jones

Yesterday's sunrise over Tower Bridge!
Photo by Ella H. Photography
Photo: Yesterday's sunrise over Tower Bridge!
Photo by Ella H. Photography

Regent Street by night...
Photo by Ella H. Photography
Photo: Regent Street by night...
Photo by Ella H. Photography

Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park! #sunset
Photo by @roshniI7


Yesterday's gorgeous sunset over Big Ben!
Photo by Mali
Photo: Yesterday's gorgeous sunset over Big Ben!
Photo by Mali


Monday 29 December 2014

Royal Mint makes £100 coin featuring Big Ben clock tower

£100 coin
A new £100 coin featuring London's Elizabeth Tower which houses Big Ben has been minted to mark the start of the new year.
The Royal Mint in Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf, has produced 50,000 of the commemorative pieces.
The coins, which contain two ounces (56 grams) of silver, will be available at the face value of £100.
The design was chosen in celebration of Big Ben's distinctive sound, which for many cues the start of the new year.
The coin is expected to prove popular following the sell-out success of the first £20 coin struck in honour of the birth of Prince George.
The design shows the clock tower from street level from the view of a person gazing up towards the sky.
Shane Bissett, the Royal Mint's director of commemorative coin, bullion and medals, said: "The sound of Big Ben chiming in the Elizabeth Tower is one that will have become synonymous with Britain for millions of British citizens and tourists alike, particularly on New Year's Eve when the world listens for Big Ben, which marks Greenwich Mean Time, to chime in the New Year.   More 

London Picture Gallery 29/12/14

Thank You - To all the contributors via - https://www.facebook.com/LondononLondon

Yesterday's gorgeous sunset over Big Ben!
Photo by Mali
Photo: Yesterday's gorgeous sunset over Big Ben!
Photo by Mali

Covent Garden and its beautiful Christmas tree.
Photo by Bass Dj @twentymuk
Photo: Covent Garden and its beautiful Christmas tree.
Photo by Bass Dj @twentymuk

Incredible shot of Tower Bridge & the Shard at sunset!
Photo by Martin Crosbie @martin_crosbie All rights reserved.
Photo: Incredible shot of Tower Bridge & the Shard at sunset!
Photo by Martin Crosbie @martin_crosbie All rights reserved.

Cute mural at Crystal Palace Overground station.
Photo by Rakesh K. Mathur

Photo: A mural, much loved by London families.

Glamourous Bond Street!
Photo by @backwards7

Photo: Glamourous Bond Street!
Photo by @backwards7

O2 Arena looking stunning at sunset!
Photo by http://instagram.com/joelucas92/

Sunday 28 December 2014

In pictures: London in 2014 BBC

London has had an eventful 2014, with everything from poppies at the Tower of London, Tube strikes and the closure of an iconic venue grabbing the public's attention.
BBC News takes a look at some of this year's most memorable events.
Tower Poppies
The Tower of London marked 100 years since World War One with 888,246 ceramic poppies planted there to represent the British and colonial soldiers who died.
The artwork by Paul Cummins captured the public's imagination, and queues to see the hand-made poppies became a daily occurrence.
The title of the work, Blood-Swept Lands and Seas of Red, was inspired by a line from the will of a Derbyshire serviceman who died in Flanders.
He described "the blood-swept lands and seas of red, where angels fear to tread".
Tube strike
Much of 2014 was marked by the ongoing tension between Transport for London and the transport unions RMT and Aslef.
In February, much of London came to a standstill when Tube drivers staged a 48-hour strike over plans to close all ticket offices and cut 960 jobs. A further two-day strike was suspended a week later.
The same thing happened again in April, when a two-day strike was held, only for a further three-day strike the following week to b\e cancelled.
In between these disputes, the main cheerleader for the drivers, RMT leader Bob Crow, died from a heart attack in March. He was replaced by Mick Cash.
Finally in October, another 48-hour strike was cancelled following more talks at conciliation service Acas.
Search for Alice Gross
The disappearance of 14-year-old Alice Gross shocked many across the country, none more so than in her home town of Hanwell, west London.
The search to find the missing schoolgirl was the biggest the Met Police had carried out since the 7/7 terrorist bombings in 2005, involving 600 officers from eight forces.
Her body was found about a month later in the River Brent.
The main suspect in her disappearance, 41-year-old Latvian builder Arnis Zalkalns, was found dead several days later.
Protests in London
London has always been a focal point for protests, and 2014 was no exception.
In December, a so-called "die-in" demonstration was held at Westfield in Shepherds Bush in west London. An estimated 600 people held the protest in solidarity with rallies in the US prompted by the death of Eric Garner, a black man who died during an arrest in New York in July.
November saw thousands of students protest against education cuts, tuition fees and student debt while an austerity protest organised by the People's Assembly campaign group was held in June, as was a taxi driver demonstration against Uber, a mobile phone taxi app.
Mark Duggan inquest
The family of Mark Duggan, who was shot dead by the police in 2011, were outraged in January when an inquest ruled he was lawfully killed.
There were angry scenes outside court, with their supporters chanting "murderers" at Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley as he read a statement.
The inquest, led by Judge Keith Cutler (bottom right), lasted several months before a jury came to the conclusion Mr Duggan did not have a gun when he was shot by officers who surrounded a minicab he was travelling in but it was more likely than not he had thrown a gun on to some nearby grass just before he was killed.
Edmonton murder
The death of an 82-year-old woman at her home in Edmonton, north London, stunned many. Palmira Silva was stabbed in the heart before being beheaded.
Hundreds paid their respects as her funeral cortege went through the town, pausing outside her business, Silva's Cafe.
Nicholas Salvador, 25, from Enfield, has been charged with her murder.
Earl's Court
Once a prominent venue for entertainment, Earls Court exhibition centre finally closed its doors after it was sold to be turned into thousands of homesas part of an £8bn scheme.
Since it opened in 1887, it has hosted many big shows and events such as the Brit Awards and the Ideal Home exhibition, volleyball in the London 2012 Olympics, and in World War One it acted as a camp for refugees.
Indie rock band the Bombay Bicycle Club was the last band to play the venue, on 13 December.
Sport
Although Saracens were beaten to the Premiership title by Northampton Saints in May, some Londoners were crowned champions in 2014 - Arsenal women retained the FA Cup when they beat Everton 2-0 and double Olympic champion Charlotte Dujardin broke her second world record at Olympia 2014.
Wembley
Although one iconic entertainment venue - Earls Court - closed this year, Wembley Stadium went from strength to strength.
This year saw the home of the England football team taken over by the American game as three NFL games were held there. The games have been so successful there are now calls for a team to be based permanently at Wembley.
Meanwhile in English football at the north London stadium, Arsenal won the FA CupQueens Park Rangers were promoted but Leyton Orient lost out in their play-off final on penalties.
Cat and cereal cafes
East London has always been known for its quirky businesses, and this year was no exception.
A cat cafe, Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium, opened with a two month waiting list in March while December saw the opening of a cereal cafe.

Saturday 27 December 2014

London helmsman sets Royal National Lifeboat Institution record

Stan Todd
Stan Todd has become the first RNLI crew member in London to have responded to more than 1,000 call-outs
A Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) crew member has become the first in London to have responded to more than 1,000 emergency call-outs.
Stan Todd is a full-time helmsman at London's Tower lifeboat station next to Waterloo Bridge.
He reached the milestone earlier this month after clocking up more than 34 years saving lives at sea and on the River Thames.
Mr Todd has rescued 295 people and saved 47 lives along the way.
'Adrenalin rush'
During that time, he has rescued people from sinking boats, plucked swimmers from the waters and found frightened children drifting miles out to sea in rubber dinghies.
Nicknamed Stormy Stan for his ability to helm a lifeboat in the fiercest of seas, Stan first joined Brighton RNLI aged 21 in 1980.
The 55-year-old from Patcham, East Sussex spent 21 years rescuing people off the south coast before being recruited to the newly-formed RNLI service on the River Thames in 2001.
"When the emergency bell goes there is still the adrenalin rush the pager used to give me 30 years ago," Mr Todd said.
"I like not knowing what is going to happen each day and that if someone out there needs me, I'll do everything I possibly can to be there for them."
In 1986, Mr Todd was presented with a bravery award for his part in rescuing three people whose yacht had been smashed to pieces against Brighton Harbour wall during Hurricane Charley.
After the RNLI lifeboat capsized three times, Mr Todd and fellow crewman Roger Cohen swam 200m through huge waves towing the yacht's life raft with its crew inside to safety.

International Space Station visible in London skies



The International Space Station was visible on two occasions as it moved across the London skyline on Wednesday evening.
At a speed of 17,000 mph, the ISS looked like a very bright fast moving star as it travelled from west to east across the southern sky 200 miles above the earth.
Chris Rogers reports.

Wednesday 24 December 2014

Merry Christmas Everyone!


Monday 22 December 2014

London Tube's lost property treasure troveLondon Tube's lost property treasure trove

Lost items
A hairdressing mannequin head is among the more unusual objects to be found at Transport for London's lost property office

Transport for London's Baker Street lost property office marked its 80th anniversary this year. Take a look at some of the weird and wonderful things passengers leave behind.
Paddington Bear could have ended up there. False teeth, prosthetic limbs and thousands of mobile phones have ended up there. But who leaves breast implants on the Underground? Or, for that matter, their wedding dress?
The answer to these questions remains a mystery, as their owners are yet to be found.
Ever wondered what happened to that brolly you left on the District Line, the one you really needed when you got to the other end and found it was raining? It is probably in among the other 10,907 umbrellas lost in the past year on London's public transport.
Stuffed toy
A giant red-nosed reindeer is among scores of toys at the office
Size 17 trainers and a baby's shoeA basketball player's size-17 trainers were left on the Tube, as was a judge's wig
When items come into the office, their details are entered into a computer system rather aptly called Sherlock, after the Lost Property Office's fictional Baker Street neighbour.
Each piece of lost property is tagged with a description and date, receiving a red label if it was found in a taxi, a white one if it was left on a bus or a yellow one if it ended up on a train or at a station.
Within the three-storey building, sits a stuffed puffer fish, a gas mask and hundreds of lost teddy bears. There is also a hairdressing mannequin head, which looks as if an aspiring stylist was practising hipster haircuts.
And how did a school crossing guard forget to take their lollipop with them when they got off the Tube?
line
Lost property officeTransport for London's Baker Street lost property office marked its 80th anniversary in 2014
The top five items left on London's Transport network in 2014
  1. Mobile phones - 20,309
  2. Travelcard wallets - 18,433
  3. Wallets - 11,580
  4. Umbrellas - 10,908
  5. Keys - 10,790
line
William Mombo, who has worked at the office for eight years, said: "We'll sort through the items to look for identification, which if we find, we'll write to the owner."
But to avoid items ending up with the wrong people "we say we have something that might be yours rather than telling you what it is".
Nearly a quarter of items that pass through the office are reunited with their owners. Higher value items, such as mobile phones have a better success rate, with up to half being returned.
Mickey Mouse and Gorilla stuffed toysA giant Mickey Mouse toys sits in a shopping trolley while a Hawaiian-shirted gorilla costume takes a break in a wheelchair
African carvingAfrican carvings are among artwork left on London's public transport
The muffled cacophony of mobile phone ringtones signals the site of the unclaimed phones, which are stored in padded brown envelopes.
It is a sign of the times that they have supplanted gloves and umbrellas as the items most likely to end up in the lost property office.
There has also been a "big increase in tablets and e-readers handed in", says Mr Mombo.
In fact 2014 saw more lost items handed in than any of the previous 40 years. Perhaps it shows Londoners are becoming a more honest bunch, or simply getting more careless at leaving their stuff lying about.
Spiderman toyA life-sized stuffed Spiderman looks over forgotten belongings on the lowest floor of the lost property office
Shopping trolleysThousands of bags are left on London Tubes and buses every year
After three months, unclaimed items are dispatched down a spiral slide to the office's lowest floor.
Most of the items are donated to charities including the Salvation Army and British Red Cross, with others being recycled, disposed of, or auctioned.
And in case you were wondering about the lost teddy bears, a happy ending may well lie in store.
The Salvation Army will be delivering more than 200 teddies, dolls and toy cars to those who may otherwise have gone without this Christmas.
Lost property officeMore than 200 teddies, dolls and toy cars will be delivered to new owners over the Christmas periodBBC News

TV Times Christmas Cover 1982 - What Was On

Christmas Eve Friday 24th December 1982

  ITV London

  9.30am  Sesame Street

10.30am  A Handful of Songs

10.40am  Once Upon a Time

10.55am  The Dollar Bottom  starring Robert Urquhart

11.30am  A Christmas Treat  read by Edna O'Brien

12.00       Aldabra-Island of Giant Tortoises

  1.00pm  News at One

  1.20pm  Thames News

  1.30pm  The Journey 

  2.00pm  We Six Kings  The King's Singers from Nostell Priory

  2.30pm  Film : Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood

  4.15pm  Strawberry Ice  spectacular fantasy on ice

  5.15pm  The Goodies Christmas Special  Snow White part 2

  5.45pm  ITN News

  6.00pm  Thames Weekend News

  6.15pm  Cartoon Time

  6.30pm  Punchlines! with Lennie Bennett

  7.00pm  A Christmas Lantern  with Cliff Richard, Una Stubbs, Robert Hardy,
                Christopher Timothy, Mike Reid and Wayne Sleep


  8.00pm  In Loving Memory  God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
  8.30pm  The Stanley Baxter Hour

  9.30pm  ITN News

  9.45pm  A Christmas Carol  Thea Musgrave operatic version

11.45pm  Watchnight Service  from St Andrew's and St George's Church of Scotland, Edinburgh

12.30am  Closedown

  ITV Yorkshire (as ITV London except)
  1.20pm  Calendar News, Weather

  6.00pm  Calendar, Weather


  Christmas Day Saturday 25th December 1982

  ITV London

  9.00am  Film : Journey Back to Oz  cartoon

10.30am  Christmas Morning Service  from the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady, St John's Wood

11.30am  Film : Enid Blyton's Island of Adventure  with Wilfrid Brambell and Norman Bowler

  1.00pm  Film Fun at Christmas  with Derek Griffiths

  2.00pm  Andy Williams' Christmas Special

  3.00pm  The Queen

  3.05pm  Film : The Parent Trap  starring Hayley Mills, Maureen O'Hara & Brian Keith

  5.25pm  ITN News

  5.35pm  3-2-1  with Ted Rogers

  6.35pm  Game for a Laugh

  7.25pm Bruce Forsyth's Play Your Cards Right

  8.00pm  Film : The Black Hole  starring Maximillian Schell, Anthony Perkins and Robert Forster

  9.50pm  Chas and Dave's Christmas Knees-Up

10.50pm  ITN News

10.55pm  Cleo and John  Cleo Laine and John Dankworth
11.55pm  Christmas at Radio GOSH  at Great Ormond Street Hospital

12.05am  Closedown

  ITV Yorkshire (as ITV London)



  Christmas Sunday 26th December 1982

  ITV London

  9.00am  A Snow White Christmas, animated sequel to the fairy tale

  9.50am  Day of Days, Dr Robert Runcie looks back to the historic Canterbury service with the Pope

10.20am  The Birth of Christ, with Dr John Newton, past-president of the Methodist Conference

10.50am  FILM: The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie

12.30pm  Survival Special: Tiger !, Tiger !

  1.30pm  University Challenge

  2.00pm  Film : Benji, with Edgar Buchanan and Peter Breck

  3.30pm  The Krankies Christmas Club

  4.15pm  The Pyramid Game

  4.45pm  Pop Goes Christmas  with David Essex, Shakin' Stevens, Toyah and many others

  5.40pm  Bullseye

  6.10pm  ITN News

  6.15pm  Children Sing Christmas  introduced by Nanette Newman, from Salisbury Cathedral

  7.15pm  FILM: Bear Island  starring Donald Sutherland, Vanessa Redgrave & Richard Widmark

  9.25pm  Secombe at Christmas  with Gemma Craven and Christopher Gable

10.25pm  ITV News

10.30pm  Rod Stewart- Tonight He's Yours  at the Los Angeles Forum last Christmas

12.10am  Closedown : Peace on Earth  with Barbara Leigh-Hunt

12.20am  Closedown

  ITV Yorkshire (as ITV London except)


12.10am  Five Minutes

12.15am  Closedown


  Boxing Day Monday 27th December 1982

  ITV London

  9.30am  Cockleshell Bay

  9.40am  Rainbow

  9.55am  Stainless Steel and the Star Spies

10.45am  Dangermouse

11.05am  Film : Black Beauty with Mark Lester

  1.00pm  ITN News

  1.05pm  Racing from Kempton (1.10, 1.40, 2.15 races)

  2.30pm  Film : Hollywood : The Gift of Laughter

  5.15pm  ITN News and Sport

  5.30pm  Give Us a Clue, presented by Michael Aspel

  6.00pm  Coronation Street

  6.30pm  The James Bond Film : Moonraker  starring Roger Moore, Richard Kiel and Lois Chiles

  9.00pm  The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show

10.00pm  ITN News

10.15pm  Film : California Suite  starring Michael Caine, Alan Alda, Maggie Smith,
                Walter Matthau, Jane Fonda and Elaine May


12.15am  Closedown : Sit Up & Listen with Barbara Leigh-Hunt

  ITV Yorkshire (as ITV London except)

12.10am  Closedown