Information systems are complicated according to First Capital Connect
March 14th, 2009
I recently wrote to First Capital Connect, who manage the railway station at Loughborough Junction. I wrote because the so-called real time train information is frequently incorrect for services operated by train companies other than FCC. I regularly catch Southeastern trains from this station, and while the trains are routinely late, the display will continue to show ‘on time’ at all times, regardless of the delay.
I understood that we operate a national rail network and I expect the signalling and train running information to be standard across the network. Apparently not so, according to FCC who tell me that data would need to be provided to them manually by Southeastern if it is to be included on their displays. I was particularly consoled by the closing line of FCC’s reply:
Unfortunately information systems are very complicated, we will continue to look at ways to improve our services but we have to be realistic about these goals.
my new friend mr sourdough
January 5th, 2009
I was lucky enough to receive a copy of The Handmade Loaf by Dan Lepard for Christmas.
I’m a big fan of Dan’s, especially since he complemented the (South) Chelsea buns that I made for last years Brockwell Bake. Inspired by reading his book, I decided to cultivate my own sour dough starter (or leaven) over the Christmas break. Approximately a week of dedication required to get the process kick-started, with daily feeding and monitoring my leaven.
I was incredibly surprised to find that actually it wasn’t that painful. At times I felt it wasn’t working (especially when my loaf on day 5 appeared to fail), but the result on day 6 was just amazing. I’ve certainly never made a loaf with such a remarkable crust (so crispy) and crumb (so chewy).
I now just have to work out how best to keep my leaven alive going forwards. See the pictures below to see how the drama unfolded.
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- Day 1 - a mixture of rye flour, strong white flour, live yoghurt, water and raisins
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- Day 1: mixed up
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- Day 2 - following mixing (hence the bubbles, they aren't real)
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- Day 2 close up - a better colour than day 1. Probable raisin decomposition.
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- Day 3 - the mixture has separated. Perhaps got to cold over night?
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- Day 3 - looked more healthy after a mix and a feed
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- Day 4 - natural bubbles! That is evidence of the yeast starting to breathe. It has a slight sour smell, but only for a second after removing the lid. I kept a wooly hat over the leaven over night to keep it warm!
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- Day 4 - after a good mix and a new feed
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- Day 5 - the bubbles are yet more pronounced. It smells pretty sour now.
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- Day 5 - time to have a go at turning the leaven into bread. Unfortunately after a day of rising, day 5's loaf was showing no signs of rising.
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- Day 5's loaf didn't rise, but day 6 leaven looks more promising (more bubbles).
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- Day 5's loaf. After a day of rising, it spent the night in the fridge, and was reinvigorated with some yeast. Cheating, I know, but I didn't want to waste a good loaf. Just look at the crumb!
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- Inside Day 6's loaf. Sourdough bread contains these wonderful cavernous air holes.
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- Day 6 - the final loaf. It looks like a mis-shapen mince pie, but it tastes amazing. Chewy on the inside, crusty on the outside.
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- Day 6 again, with Day 5.5 taking the back seat.
Extremely secure
November 9th, 2008
Thanks to the Identify and Passport Service for processing my passport application so quickly. I hadn’t quite expected my renewed passport to arrive so quickly.
I was quite surprised, however, to find it sitting on the door mat of my communal stair. As I live in a flat, I share a post box with the other flats. I was led to believe that the return of my documents would be secure, but apparently not. They didn’t even want a signature.
Curiously Canadian
October 26th, 2008
Last week I returned from a trip to Canada and New York. It was great and the autumn colours were incredible. Here are some photographic highlights:
Montreal’s biosphere:
A sunset over the Hudson river, viewed from the Adirondack train between Montreal and New York (for reference, possibly the most picturesque train journey ever at this time of year):
A vote Obama mural in New York:
omni-foods
September 13th, 2008
I dislike these list things, but am strangely drawn to this one. Courtesy of Sarah and The omnivores hundred.
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich - it’s wrong
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras (this was not my fault - it appeared as a secret ingredient to one course in what was meant to be a vegetarian tasting menu (!) at a Michelin starred restaurant..)
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters - I don’t think so anyway, they are wrong
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects - I’ve swallowed flies while cycling.. does that count?
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine - NOT YET, but I intend to in Montreal!
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake
Faster than a speeding bullet
June 21st, 2008
Sarah and I have just returned from a week of cycling around North Wales, starting in Bangor and following the NCN route 8 with a slight diversion around the LLyn Peninsular.
Highlights included:
Bangor pier:
Camping on Shell Island (with views over Snowdonia):
The Talyllyn narrow gauge railway in Tywyn:
boris who?
June 3rd, 2008
As an inhabitant of the Coldharbour ward, which really is a very small part of South East London (as we know a ward should contain 5,500 people), I was very pleased to learn that my ward came bottom of the list for votes for our new mayor. Coldharbour had the lowest proportion of votes for Boris of any London ward (just 12.3%).
Hoorah for my neighbours.
London sponsored Facebook poll
April 7th, 2008
Facebook just asked me to take part in a ‘London Sponsored Poll’. It looks like a cross between a public service poll, and an advert. I’m not sure what happens to the results, but it looked like this:
It’s not clear why Brian is at the top (unless the order is randomly generated), and the non-candidate options seem slightly weirdly placed. Is it an advert, and if so, who by?
Some more photographs
March 23rd, 2008
I’m celebrating the installation of the iPhotoToGallery plugin for iPhoto - which allows me to upload photos directly from iPhoto to my gallery - with some more photo galleries.
First, a some pictures from Sarah’s birthday trip to Southend-on-Sea.
Second, from the Good Friday meeting at Herne Hill Velodome.
(yes, that cyclist does appear to be chasing a motorcycle - as is common in motor paced racing)
Boris’s Bus Blunder
March 15th, 2008
Ken is obviously paying for Google Mail ads, as I just saw this ’sponsored link’ at the top of my GMail client.
Boris’s Bus Blunder - www.KenLivingstone.com/Transport - Join Ken Livingstone’s call to Recall Boris’s Transport Manifesto