2 October - Goodbye to Scabby Wood
The
fortnightly comparison of progress at Lesnes Abbey and at Abbey Wood station is
abandoned for today, neither have shown a great deal that is new. That is one reason why far fewer
photographs have been taken at Abbey Wood station over the past two weeks.
It has been non-stop trench digging, trench filling, piling and roof building
but one hole dug or roof beam installed is much like any other.
The other reason is
the finger wagging episode and the impediments placed on
weekend photography. If the sequence of photographs cannot be maintained through
the weekend there doesn’t seem to be a lot of point in maintaining a regular record at all.
Network Rail emailed an apology for “a contractor being rude” but the threat to
sue me was not from a contractor, it was Network Rail staff.
As tends to happen when instructions are passed down from HQs, they can be
embellished as they filter down the line. One of the train enthusiasts on the
platform told me that he was stopped during the past week by Southeastern
ticket inspectors from taking photos with his phone. They were not one of the
regular staff at Abbey Wood, every one of whom tries to be helpful.
Round
the corner in Wilton Road the £300,000 regeneration (less in excess of 100k.
of Council fees) is making its presence felt but very slowly. Things are
undoubtedly looking better but not everyone is happy although some traders clearly are.
If individual shop owners had organised a refit of their own premises I imagine that
the new window would go in on Day 1, an awning, new fascia and shutter on Days 2
and 3, and snagging work carried out on Day 4. Job done.
Not so in Wilton Road, the work is being done more on production line
principles. Several shop fronts over a couple of weeks, then back to do the
fascia and awnings etc. much later. One shop had its windows replaced in August,
its new fascia installed in late September and is still waiting for a
replacement shutter. Its insurance company must be pleased.
If things run to schedule Greenwich Council will start work on the Public Realm
quite soon and with a break for Christmas finish before Spring.
Photos taken
over the past four months will give some idea of how much better things will look.
The corporate shop fronts are now the ones that look both messy and shabby.
For the record, West End Styles did not take part in the Council scheme, their
improvements were self financed. The florist’s fascia was due to have a flower
within the design, it has not shown up yet, and work on the chip shop has yet to start.