Didcot

[PaulF]

My wife went to Didcot today. She's happy to be home...

[SteveC]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-27979230

[Kim]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-27979230

Do we need a forum ride / camping weekend?

[Jaded]

I wondered about something like that, but

it is only three of the 6 towers (I think) and
I'll be in Glasgow

[Cudzoziemiec]

Shame, in a way. They're not unattractive and they're certainly a feature.

[mattc]

I wondered about something like that, but

it is only three of the 6 towers (I think) and
I'll be in Glasgow

Yes, but the other 3 will come down pretty soon. That was the plan, anyway.

I'll be returning from Glasgow the evening before. I may be quite zonked after the 1300k in Scotchland, but will endeavour to get up in time for this!

[andyoxon]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-27979230

Do we need a forum ride / camping weekend?

How about a bring-your-own-breakfast sunrise ride to Wittenham clumps, and to see the towers come down?  A 'Didcot arrow'?    *


Looking to the power station.    From a ride I did with mini-ao: more here

P1220577 by ao, on Flickr

Looking at the sunrise:

P1220575-HDR by ao, on Flickr


*unfortunately I won't be around.

[andyoxon]

How does a defunct transformer catch fire?    http://www.heraldseries.co.uk/news/11300784.Update__Fire_at_Didcot_Power_Station_earmarked_for_demolition___pictures_and_video/

Oh, and...

Secrecy surrounds exact time of Didcot explosion

But the firm refused to give an exact time, although dawn will be at 5.17am on that day.

Spokeswoman Kelly Brown said: “[We] do not want thousands of people turning up to watch the towers come down (even though this may happen) so it is hoped that by not announcing the time this could help.

[Cudzoziemiec]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-27979230

Do we need a forum ride / camping weekend?

How about a bring-your-own-breakfast sunrise ride to Wittenham clumps, and to see the towers come down?  A 'Didcot arrow'?    *


Looking to the power station.    From a ride I did with mini-ao: more here

P1220577 by ao, on Flickr

Looking at the sunrise:

P1220575-HDR by ao, on Flickr


*unfortunately I won't be around.

I like this idea.

[mattc]

This is turning very bizarre! Didcot has never had a surreal controversy like this. It's likeone of the story ideas the League of Gentlemen rejected.

Anyhoo, I'm happy to get up for a 3am show, but not so happy to stand around in my jim-jams for 2 hours. So I hope the actual time gets leaked well before the day

[Jaded]

Well, you'd better get up.

We want live streaming of the event from Writtenham Clumps.

[slope]

The last time I was up at Wittenham Clumps ('70?) there were some droppings of lysergic acid diethylamide - if only I were young and foolish again . . . . 

[andyoxon]

On 27 July sunrise is 5.20am.

Looks like nightime demolition of cooling towers occurs...  Derby.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e_KZ35bbqM

ps. cheers Oranj.

[hellymedic]

Might not happen at night...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-28078785

[PaulF]

Ed Lazy has got in on the act and sent a letter requesting that it be delayed until after 6am and that a countdown be projected onto one of the towers as local residents won't be able to watch them for several hours and won't want to miss it if they blink!

[srw]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-27979230

Oh no! Another icon of my 70s childhood is brought low.

Stonking view yesterday from the top of Kop Hill above Princes Risborough - almost made up for having to walk the last hundred yards.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Didcot was hot and sunny yesterday morning. Glorious views of the Wittenham Clumps and the Iconic Cooling Towers from a long way off. Very helpful and friendly station staff made up for the driver of the huge tractor, with wheels above my head, which passed an inch from my shoulder (was this MattC's hit squad?)

[mattc]

Rode up the Clumps* today to eat my lunch. Glorious, not too hot.

I was reminded of the panoramic view of the J.E.Torus at Fulham, to the Diamond particle spinner thingy at Harwell, with the rather less subtle cooling towers in  between!
(+ lots of green fields in all directions)


Pissing down here now ...


*_{illegally, on a footpath}

[mattc]

Now the towers have their own thread, don't expect this one to go cold, oh no:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=575766135878423&substory_index=0&id=318597311595308&ref=m_notif&notif_t=group_activity

Apologies for FB link

[ian]

I was in Didcot yesterday. I'm pleased to see they're upgrading the front of the station to one of those ubiquitous and grim paved spaces that seem especially keen to associate themselves with train station frontages. Every town and city needs one. Rumours has it that they ship the slabs from Limbo, which explains the soul-sapping desolation of such spaces. It's not complete, of course. Half the vegetation in the planters needs to die, and the other half needs to look like it's planning to do so quite soon. There's no harvest of crisp papers and chocolate bar wrappers in the beds. Nor does it yet have the piss-stains, the mystery human-or-animal turd, the discarded cans of Special Brew, or the two bored teens with skateboards. Give it time.

[PaulF]

.... Nor does it yet have the piss-stains, the mystery human-or-animal turd, the discarded cans of Special Brew, or the two bored teens with skateboards. Give it time.

You obviously weren't paying attention or didn't have cause to use the car park. There were 2 fine specimens on the footpath in the morning which, come evening, had been smeared over the path and 'matured' quite impressively.

I wouldn't normally comment but such a gross lack of observation couldn't be allowed to go un-noticed.

[Jaded]

I'm off with my cat to Didcot, where the streets are paved with shit.

[Efrogwr]

I was in Didcot yesterday. I'm pleased to see they're upgrading the front of the station to one of those ubiquitous and grim paved spaces that seem especially keen to associate themselves with train station frontages. Every town and city needs one. Rumours has it that they ship the slabs from Limbo, which explains the soul-sapping desolation of such spaces. It's not complete, of course. Half the vegetation in the planters needs to die, and the other half needs to look like it's planning to do so quite soon. There's no harvest of crisp papers and chocolate bar wrappers in the beds. Nor does it yet have the piss-stains, the mystery human-or-animal turd, the discarded cans of Special Brew, or the two bored teens with skateboards. Give it time.

They get them from the mine that Charlotte posted in The Pub.

[ian]

.... Nor does it yet have the piss-stains, the mystery human-or-animal turd, the discarded cans of Special Brew, or the two bored teens with skateboards. Give it time.

You obviously weren't paying attention or didn't have cause to use the car park. There were 2 fine specimens on the footpath in the morning which, come evening, had been smeared over the path and 'matured' quite impressively.

I wouldn't normally comment but such a gross lack of observation couldn't be allowed to go un-noticed.

I did run for a taxi admittedly. In such a space, especially in Didcot, you can't help but feel that your immortal soul is exposed and ready to pluck. Of course, I was headed for the purgatorial hinterlands of Milton Park. They probably pipe the Styx under the entrance road.

I do wonder who actually thinks these pointless and grim spaces are improvements. I suspect they have dead eyes and say things like 'urban realm.'

[mattc]

Interesting. I think this is the first time I've lived through a station makeover.

it's taken bloody years. I honestly can't remember what it used to look like - maybe it was better, maybe it was even worse.

I also have no idea how to use the upper tier of the new bike racks; perhaps I'll never park a bike there ever again.