Today, March 1st, is Saint David’s Day. The patron saint of Wales.
The first day of March was chosen in remembrance of the death of Saint David as traditionally it is believed that he might have died on that day in 569, 588 or even 589; the date is uncertain.
St David (Dewi Sant) was a Celtic monk, abbot and bishop, who lived in the sixth century. He spread the word of Christianity across Wales.
A famous story about Saint David tells how he was preaching to a huge crowd and the ground is said to have risen up, so that he was standing on a hill and everyone had a better chance of hearing and seeing him.
He was born towards the end of the 5th century. He was of the royal house of Ceredigion and founded a Celtic monastic community at Glyn Rhosyn (The Vale of Roses) on the western headland of Pembrokeshire (Sir Benfro) where St David’s Cathedral stands today. David was famous for being a teacher.
His monastery at Glyn Rhosin became an important Christian shrine and an important centre in Wales.
Before his death, Saint David is said to have uttered these words: “Brothers be ye constant. The yoke which with single mind ye have taken, bear ye to the end; and whatsoever ye have seen with me and heard, keep and fulfill.”
Daffodil the national flower of Wales, Photo by PH Morton
Welsh ex-pats around the world celebrate St David’s Day. The daffodil & the leek are the national emblems of Wales and badges of which are worn with pride.
Why a leek as an emblem?
One theory is that St David advised the Welsh, on the eve of battle with the Saxons, to wear leeks in their caps to distinguish friends from the enemy. Shakespeare mentions in Henry V, that the Welsh archers (fearsome for the power and accuracy of their legendary long bows,)
Leeks the national emblem of Wales
wore leeks at the battle with the French at Agincourt in 1415.
The traditional meal on St David’s Day is cawl. This is a soup that is made of leek and other locally grown produce.
Another symbol of Wales is the iconic Welsh Dragon in Welsh- Y Ddraig Goch (“the
red dragon”)
It appears on the national flag of Wales. The flag is also called Y Ddraig Goch.
The Historia Brittonum (History of Britons written around 828) records the first use of the dragon to symbolise Wales.
One Welsh dragon legend is that a 5th century war leader & King of the Britons named Vortigern was looking for a site to build a castle in Wales. He eventually found a spot he liked on the hillside of Dinas Emrys.
A young boy some believe to be Merlin the magician or Ambrosius Aurelianus, a candidate for the legendary King Arthur), warned Vortigern that the site he had found was directly above an underground lake, where two dragons lay sleeping.
On digging up the ground to begin the castle’s construction, Vortigern’s men found two dragons – one red, one white – fighting fiercely. After a real scuffle, the red dragon won.
The Welsh Flag flown over churches etc.
The Dragon was popularly supposed to have been the battle standard of the legendary King Arthur other ancient Celtic leaders.
Archaeological literature and documentary history suggests that it evolved from an earlier Romano-British national symbol. During the reigns of the Tudor monarchs, the red dragon was used as a symbol of support in the English Crown’s coat of arms (one of two supporters, along with the traditional English lion). The red dragon is often seen as symbolising all things Welsh, and flags are flown by many public and private institutions in Wales and some in London too.
With Chinese New Year upon us Jean & I are Blogging items that have a red connection 😉
Not as famous here as their blue counterpart, the Police telephone Box famous as the iconic disguised time travelling space craft used by Dr Who, the red public phone box/kiosk designed by Sir Giles Gilbert & introduced within the UK in 1920. Red was the chosen colour as it is easy to spot was a familiar sight on the streets of the United Kingdom, Malta, Bermuda and Gibraltar. Despite a reduction in their numbers in recent years, this traditional telephone box can still be seen in many places throughout the UK, and in current or former British colonies around the world. It is often seen as an iconic British symbol.
throughout the world.
Redundant Red Phone Boxes Re-used
Red public phone box and red mail post box. Interior of a red phone box with restored Series 200 black Bakelite telephone used up-to the 1960s
With the development and mass introduction of mobile and smart phones, the red public phone box was largely to become redundant and a relic of the past. Many were demolished, in some areas newer rather boring looking dark glass and metal phone boxes were erected.
For heritage reasons, some red boxes remain as working phone boxes. British Telecom allowed some requesting local communities and groups retain some stripped out red phone boxes.
These well made and sturdy boxes have been put to a variety of innovative uses. Many have become mini libraries/book exchanges in small communities. One has been used to store a an emergency heart defibrillator. Some boxes find a home in enthusiasts gardens.
09/01/2014 – Today is the 151 years anniversary of the London Underground!
On 9th January 1863, The world’s first underground passenger train pulled out of Industrial Revolution (West London) and made its maiden 3.5 mile (5.6km) journey to Faringdon, East Central London.
London’s subterranean train system is known as London Underground, Underground or the Tube (due to the tube-shaped deeper tunnels). Other countries refer to their underground train systems as Metros or subways.
London led the way with developing and running a viable city-wide underground train network, of course the first trains then were not electric but steam-powered.
England and Britain also led the world in steam engine technology, as witnessed in the Industrial Revolution, which dramatically changed the world of industry, transport and manufacturing. The first Underground train line was built by the Metropolitan Railway Company. The line relieved overground main line trains and road traffic congestion between Euston, King Cross and Paddington.
The first underground railways in London, the Metropolitan Railway (MR) and the Metropolitan District Railway (MDR), used purpose-built steam locomotives to haul their trains through shallow tunnels which had many ventilation openings to allow steam and smoke to clear from the tunnels. It was impossible to use steam locomotives in the small un-vented tubular tunnels of the deep-level lines an alternative to steam had to be found.
Electric locomotives were first used on the London Underground after the world’s first deep-level tube line, the City and South London Railway (C&SLR), was opened in 1890. The trains began running between Stockwell (Northern Line today) and King William Street.
Londoners found it a novelty to travel underground and long queues formed at the stations with 25,000 passengers using the system in the first six months. Today the Underground carries approx 3.5 million passengers on weekdays between 270 stations and 250 miles of track of which 45% is underground. In 2012 over 1 billion passengers used the Tube.
During World War 2 1939-1945, some of the deeper tunnels and stations were used as air raid shelters by thousands of Londoners, some were kitted with bunk beds.
WW2 Air raid shelter at Aldwych Underground train station, London
Driving a Tube Train
1967 tube driving controls
The driving controls of a tube train have grown in sophistication over the years. The most well known control is the so called ‘dead mans handle’ a safety switch/pedal on a piece of machinery, such as a train, that allows operation only while depressed by the operator so if the driver is incapacitated, the train wil automatically stop.
Tube Driver Robyn and her more modern driving controls 2013
From about 1987 the new Docklands Light Railway (DLR) has driverless trains controlled by computers. A Passenger Service Agant (PSA) AKA a Train Captain patrols the moving train, checking tickets/fares and can take manual control of the train if there are problems. Plans are being put forward to extend driverless trains throughout the London Underground. with fierce opposition from the militant transport unions. Technical and safety issues of adopting such trains on the much more complex and heavily used main underground networks, means that this is some time away.
Driverless Tube trains on the DLR
Train Guards
Up to 1984, the tube trains had a guard located in the end carriage. The guard ensured that passengers got & off the train safely and judged when to close, operated the electric sliding doors, lights to each carriage and informed/signalled the driver when to depart a station when all passengers were on board after closing the doors. Seeing this as a cost saving exercise by Tube companies which could compromise passenger safety, the union dominated tube staff managed to delay removal of guards from 1973. Tube train drivers benefitted with a large increase in salary as they operated the doors etc. It has to be said that having a guard on a tube train did offer reassurance to passengers, particularly those travelling late at night.
The guard’s station on the last carriage of the train, note the worn operating buttons! Located on the top left hand corner of the operating panel is a speaking tube connected to the tube train driver. The botton left below the panel is a pull down (green) seat for the guard.
The London Tube is the world’s second largest metro system in the in terms of route miles, after the Shanghai Metro.
In high summer, the tube trains can get very hot almost unbearable during rush crush hour!
Air conditioned trains are now being introduced on some lines.
It is more problematical to get air conditioning on deeper tunnel lines like the Northern Line, but engineers are looking at this.
Over recent years, major engineering work on upgrading very old tracks signalling, trains and stations has been underway.
Since the early 1960s, as a child, I have used the Tube going on outings with my parents. So far, for the past fifty years, I’ve continued to use the Tube every day to commute to work and for travelling generally in London, I remember the inside of the carriages(cars) having wood effect panelling and domestic type light bulbs, which would go out for a few minutes as we entered the tunnel, plunging the car into utter darkness 🙁 Nowadays the lighting is more stable!
Piccadilly Circus Tube Train station circa 1960s
Interior of Tube train carriage circa 1938
Circa 1960s interior of a Tube train carriage (car)
2013 Tube train carriage Interior, some trains have air con.(Photo by Peter)
Around 19 000 people work at the London Underground and after the Tube stations close in the early hours , an army of engineers, maintenance workers and cleaners descend the depths to work overnight to make the system ready for commuters and travellers by 5-6am every day.
I like the underground and the stations, there is a buzz and vibrancy, generally friendly and helpful staff. I can feel the history of using the world’s oldest underground train system, some of the stations have unique atmospheres even their own ghosts! Many movies and TV shows such as BBC’s ‘Dr Who’, have used the Underground. The latest James Bond Movie ‘SKYFAL’L features an exciting action sequence on the Tube! Dedicated moves have been made on the Tube, horror movies ‘Death Line’ and’ Creep’!
Horror movie made on the Tube ‘Creep’, see what happens to fare dodgers !
The Tube fares are among the highest in Europe however some discount can be obtained using the innovative prepaid ‘ Oyster’ cards.
Another recent innovation is the ability to use bank debit cards on Oyster fare machines to save queueing and paying at ticket offices.
Prepaid fare Oyster card denoting 150 years of the Tube (Photo by Peter)
On Sunday 13th January, the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, dignitaries & international VIPs will travel in coaches pulled by an 1898-built steam engine, known as Met Locomotive No 1. to recreate that first historic underground journey.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the travellers TUBE!
Sketch made in 1863 of the world’s first city underground train system at Baker Street
Steam trains on the early London Underground in the 1860s
Steam locomotive no 1 used on the early London Underground before electric trains
First electric tube train circa 1890
1923 Electric Locomotive no. 12 “Sarah Siddons”
Electric and steam Tube trains together
One of the latest model London Tube trains with air conditioning
Flag denoting 150 years flying from the top of the London Underground HQ in St James’s Park, London(photo by Peter iPhone from work office opposite!)
On Friday 5th Oct 2012 , my Lovely wife and I visited the National Portrait Gallery in London followed by us perambulating around nearby Chinatown
The nearest Tube(Underground train) station being Leicester Square. It was fine sunny early autumnal day, however late afternoon light rain showers prevailed. Despite the wet weather the place was crowded.
The original Chinatown was situated in the East End of London at the start of the 20th Century. The Limehouse and dockland district where there were opium dens. Some Sherlock Holmes stories mention the dens and area. After the Second World War Chinese restaurants and increasing number of Chinese Hong Kong migrants moved nearer to the centre of London where Chinatown is now located. We enjoyed an excellent meal at a dim sum restaurant and the meal consisted of crispy aromatic duck with crepes hot and sour soup, sweet and sour pork, sizzling beef,vegetables pak choi etc, washed own with jasmine tea and Chinese beer.. yummy!
We then looked around some of the various supermarkets offering a dazzling variety of SE Asian vegetables, fruit and foodstuffs not only from China but the Philippines Korea et al. We bought some delicious colourful cakes. We will certainly return as regular visitors to this bustling part of London.
We went to Camden Town last Monday. It has been years since we last went to the place and we were suitably impressed with how Camden had changed. It is more vibrant than ever and the street market is even bigger than I remember and now sells everything and almost anything under the sun.
Of course there are still plenty of clothes to be had, which Camden Market is really famous for. Goth clothing are in abundance that I would presume the beauteous Helena Bonham Carter, who lives not far away, would have visited and bought a few pieces to suit (no pun) her unique style wardrobe from the vast array that can be had at Camden Market.
The food stalls were amazing, providing starving shoppers with delights from recipes around the world. “Bang Bang “chicken from the Chinese stall was so good, you are sure to go back for more.
Crepes (a.k.a. pancakes) here offered with various stuffing, syrups and sprinkles provided a welcome smell wafting the vicinity of Camden Lock. Pizzas were rolled, pummelled, stuffed and then baked in a kiln.
Leather goods are competitively priced; beautiful leather handbags and stylish shoes were everywhere. Leather bound notepads were really stunning that my husband and I came away with a few of those.
Camden Market is an ideal tourist spot especially for shopping. London memorabilia were cheaply priced. My advice is to go deep into the market for cheaper or more attractive goods and prices.
We went to Cyberdog, a cool store selling gizmo, techno/goth clothes and where trendy shirts and attires were enticingly displayed in dim light but glowing with ethereal ultra-violet lights and heart-thumping music that could cause serious ear injury. The basement area was a revelation. LOL. Sex toys of numerous kinds and sizes were prominently displayed. I would advise not to miss this place for a bit of fun and shopping.
I can’t wait to go back to Camden Market and buy some more clothes and gifts. I know now what I might be getting love ones for Christmas. Watch this space. 😉
