BARKING 1-6 DARTFORD

[Ajaxman DFC]

I've spent the best parts of my life working and backpacking my way around Australia, Europe and the Middle East. Originally starting out before the advent of the mobile phone.
Imagine that? Gen Z certainly wouldn't. They can barely navigate their way from the bedroom to the front door without one.
It taught me how to be organised and resourceful. So today I carefully planned my trip to Barking with military precision.
The trains were up the spout for engineering works. I could hear them first thing this morning working on the railway bridge near me using what sounded like, in the absence of a good dose of WD40, a piece of outdated machinery that would be more at home in a museum. The railway line also serves routes via Barnehurst and Slade Green meaning no chance of travelling to the likes of Woolwich or Greenwich then.
So I looked forward to using the bike and planned to follow the Thames Path to either the Woolwich Ferry or the adjacent foot tunnel, then pick-up the cycle super-highway 3 via the Sir Steve Redgrave Bridge to Barking.
With lights fully charged, bike tools, phone charger, notebook and other necessary accessories packed, I set off towards the Thames stopping at Morrison's Erith to grab a couple of sarnies for fuel on the way.
After battling a constant headwind I arrived at Woolwich in fairly good time. I always find if I operate independently, under my own steam, I always achieve my goals. But, as soon as you involve even just one person or service outside of that, then that's when it can all go wrong.
In this case it was Transport for London (TFL).
As I approached the slip road to the ferry I spotted a pedestrian family heading towards the embarkation point. I also saw them being turned back. The automaton in a security hut was frantically waving his arms shouting closed! closed! I think he was trying to say the ferry service wasn't running and closed was the only word he knew. No point in asking why then. I went to the foot tunnel. There was an Out of Order sign on the lift door. The stairs were also closed. Probably due to elf 'n' safety incase anyone less able decided to risk it.
This is London for you. Overseen by a numpty of a mayor. And that's the problem in broken Britain. There are far too many people being hired in positions of responsibility for every reason other than their ability to do the bloody job competently in the first place. On the one hand the government pretends it's encouraging people to use public transport, (didn't stop them putting the fares up), then some buffoon closes both the ferry service and the adjacent tunnel on the same day. And when there are major disruptions on the local railway line too. So where did this leave me apart from up the creek without a paddle? I didn't even have a dinghy. I only wanted to cross the Thames. A water taxi was out of the question. I didn't have the Border Force's number. Basically, I was stuffed.
I'm gutted not to be at the game this afternoon. And I missed an Emily Woodhouse hat trick too. But if that's what she does in my absence then maybe I should stay away until the end of the season, when she can buy me a drink! Only joking. Except for the drink.
It sounded like another great all round performance from the girls today though.
Player of the match. Well obviously I wasn't there, but Woodhouse has dug me out of that one. She got a hat trick, so can't take that away from her. Well done Em!

BARKING 1-6 DARTFORD

Emily Woodhouse 10, 27, 51
Emily Vaughan 68, 86
Sarah Hill 83

[TonyDart]

Oh for God's Sake what's wrong with this damn country.

Do you want me to contact our very own Jim Dickson MP and tell him what we think? We know he likes hearing from me!

The UK is committed to reaching net zero by 2050. So when we do (and I won't be here at any rate) everyone must just walk everywhere.

But I suppose that means the ferry won't be working - it will be long dead, but you will have to take your own rope and attach it to some device to pull yourself cross the Thames. There we go .... sussed!

As for the foot tunnel. That's easy. Closed for good as we won't be able to have the lights on. Maybe back to candle-power.
Wonderful Britain.

Anyway, let's give a great cheer and well done ladies for coming away from Barking after hitting SIX!! - THREE FROM EM WOODHOUSE.

Brilliant stuff

Thanks to everyone concerned

[Ajaxman DFC]

I agree with your comment regarding the Woolwich Ferry Tony. Although it will probably be taken down by a Russian submarine before 2050.
My ETA for the 5 mile journey to Barking FC from North Woolwich would have seen me arrive at the ground 30 minutes before kick off.
Short of attempting to swim across the Thames, had I opted to head towards the foot tunnel by the Cutty Sark which would have deposited me on the Isle of Dogs, it would have been futile.
Did you know, in total, it would have added 14 miles to the journey. Which means I would have missed both Emily Woodhouse's first half goals.
No doubt being an Essex club I would have still been expected to cough up the full admission fee for the second half, as most of them are run by dodgy second-hand car salesmen masquerading as Elon Musk.
I hadn't been through the foot tunnel in Greenwich since I was a kid either until last summer. It was a culture shock I can tell you. With the amount of tourists down there, crammed in like rats in drain pipe, imagine Oxford Street under water and you'd be spot on.
For anyone not suffering from claustrophobia they would have been by the time they reached the other end.

[DA Mikey]

Went through the GFT last month. There was a really fat busker down there which could explain the closure.

[MINTY]

Can't have a fat busker clogging up your pipes

[Ajaxman DFC]

Went through the GFT last month. There was a really fat busker down there which could explain the closure.

Doesn't bear thinking about does it? Infact, Monty Python's 'The Meaning of Life' springs to mind.
An explosion like that would cause a tidal wave of catastrophic proportions outperforming The Great Fire of London in 1666.
The Thames Barrier wouldn't be much cop either. It takes 90 minutes to close!