please empty your brain below
"Much of Dartford, let's be honest, is not pretty"

DG code for...it's a s***hole. Even Croydon got a nicer opening sentence.

Dan | 16.03.14 - 10:52 a.m. | #

I zoomed over the QE2 bridge yesterday, maybe while you were standing underneath. It's a beautiful structure and I love your photos of it.

Caroline | 16.03.14 - 11:45 a.m. | #

It is said, that when "they" invited proposals from civil engineering contractors for the increased capacity needed for the Dartford crossing, the paperwork assumed that it would be more tunnels. However one of the suppliers asked whether they could bid a bridge. The rest, as they say, is history

100andthirty | 16.03.14 - 11:53 a.m. | #

'take the Fastrack bus' ...high-quality, air conditioned, state-of-the-art vehicles, fully-accessible, well-spaced seats and extra legroom for extra comfort, free Wi-Fi.

seems like London buses having a bit of catching-up to do? even the much talked about NB4L falls way short. the only thing is perhaps how 'green' these vehicles are...but from a user/customer/passenger point of view it what buses in a (world class) capital should now (not in years/decades to come) be provided with.

E | 16.03.14 - 12:57 p.m. | #

What a brilliant idea for the next series of jaunts.
Isn't Trevithick an interee rather than an internee?

Sarah | Homepage | 16.03.14 - 3:32 p.m. | #

E, that's a good point. Out here in Oxfordshire *many* of the local buses (operated by Stagecoach, or, in Oxford itself, by the Oxford Bus Co) have wifi, and reasonable proportion of those on the longer distance routes have high-backed, and in some cases leather seats, as well.

The one thing that London buses have that would be really useful, but which is only rarely found (and never round here) is the iBus displays telling you the name of the next stop. In many other regards buses in other parts of the country (on services that return a healthy profit) have overtaken what is on offer in London. Not that this is universally applicable, mind...

I have to agree that Dartford is not pretty. Rather like the bits of Greater London it neighbours...

Dominic H | 16.03.14 - 3:35 p.m. | #

Oxford is pretty good for buses, and certainly has better at-stop displays than London, far too many stops still have no display at all.

timbo | 16.03.14 - 7:15 p.m. | #

Nice to see you back round my (former) way, and as ever not a hint of the Gell-Man Amnesia Effect being applicable to your blog when I read you writing about stuff I'm familiar with :)

I think Dan in the first comment above has read between your kindly expressed lines pretty well. Dartford town centre suffered a lot when Bluewater opened, and got another huge kick in its teeth, if I understand correctly, at the hands of Tesco. (I suppose if it were at their *hands* it would be more of a punch than a kick, but you get my point.) I believe Tesco bought up a great chunk of the town centre including loads of small shops, which consequently shut, but Tesco still hasn't actually built its planned superstore (the expected existence of which I believe played a part in the rejection of a planned Asda on West Hill a decade or so ago) - a situation I guess may not be unique to Dartford.

Meanwhile, your photos from the land by the QEII bridge, especially the one featured in your post, transported me back 25 years or so to them building it and my family going for an outing to somewhere very near where that photo's taken from. I can recall looking up at this huge, unfinished bridge from a remarkably similar angle to that photo - I wonder if my parents may indeed have a photo of it buried away somewhere.

Briefly on the Fastrack buses, I suppose if I'm being kind to the council(s? Kent/Dartford?) involved I could suggest they should be put in charge if it's ever decided to build a bus-only bridge at Gallions Reach: I think one of the fears with that plan would be that it could all too easily be switched to take cars after completion, but if Fastrack's ongoing outright refusal to allow even any other *buses* anywhere near its vast network of specially-built roads is anything to go by, such a bridge would be in safe hands!

Looking forward to part two :)

Paul | Homepage | 16.03.14 - 11:13 p.m. | #

@ timbo

perhaps TfL 'like the idea' of people texting to find out when/what buses are due ...not sure how much money they make from this?

E | 16.03.14 - 11:15 p.m. | #

I write 1500 words about Dartford.
You insist on writing about buses.
Sigh :)

diamond geezer | Homepage | 16.03.14 - 11:16 p.m. | #

what that tell you about Dartford...? :)

E | 17.03.14 - 12:18 a.m. | #

Memories come to mind of Speech Day at Dartford Girls Grammar School, and long crocodiles of green clad girls walking two by two to Holy Trinity Church for the annual Founders Day service. Also, slightly less formal, adolescent bonfire parties on the marshes, long before the building of the Queen Elizabeth ll Bridge. It was wild and lonely and wonderful for riotous fun. And not too far from my friend's parents house on Temple Hill for hot chocolate when it got too cold!!

Christine | 17.03.14 - 11:52 a.m. | #

I love driving over the bridge late on a summer's evening. The sun setting in the distance and all the lights below on the riverside twinkling. It's structure and steel cables reminds me of a similar bridge in the USA.

SurreyGirl | 22.03.14 - 7:38 p.m. | #











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