Last week we were looking at the Stanton Wagon on the island at the
northern end of Chalons Way but confusion reigned at the southern end
one day last week. The traffic lights at the pedestrian crossing are
being replaced and the work is expected to take three or four weeks
which has necessitated the closing of one or more lanes at various
times. As vehicles approached Chalons Way warning signs indicated the
one lane (of two) was closed but one sign showed the left hand lane and
another showed the right as the picture below shows.
It looks as though the new lights are of a different design to the old ones and the indicators for pedestrians to cross are no longer directly in front but are to one side which means that if someone is standing next to you, then you can't see when they change to green. Also if the lights are the same design as others that have been replaced, there will be no audible signal to aid the visually impaired. If this is progress it is not very good. I doubt that these traffic lights are in the running for any design awards. Confusion will continue to reign even when the warning signs are removed and the work is complete.
Cards have been on sale since August; the leaves on the trees are just starting to turn; there's a nip in the air as Autumn makes its presence felt; Ilkeston's Charter Fair is still a couple of weeks away; Hallowe'en and Bonfire night later still and adverts for never-ending sales of furniture and beds have reappeared on TV. To top it all men were working on Bath Street last week stringing coloured lights from building to building.
It can only mean one thing - Christmas is coming and before you know it, there'll be Easter Eggs in the shops!
*****************
The Stanton Wagon has always divided opinion among the townsfolk and now after extensive restoration work it has been returned to its position on the island at the northern end of Chalons Way. Regarded by some as an iconic Ilkeston landmark denoting the town's industrial heritage it was the subject of some criticism when first placed there as visitors to the town may have mistakenly thought the word "Stanton" was the name of the town. The wagon received little or no maintenance and deteriorated badly so the restoration work was costed at over £15000. This project again divided opinion with one section of the community saying the money could be better spent elsewhere but a majority seemed to be in favour of the work and the wagon was removed in February 2012.
Now that it is back the project has restored it to pristine condition with new parts being added to replace old ones. A fresh coat of paint and treated with sealant to protect it against the weather it looks as though it has just rolled off an assembly line but again it has attracted some negative comments. Basically I think the argument is just how much work has to be done before "restoration" becomes "replica"? Whichever side you come down on, I think most people will agree that it is good to see it back in its rightful place as a reminder of the area's past.
So it's been a big day in Nottingham this weekend with the Robin Hood half marathon and the local football derby between Forest and Derby. As an ex-referee myself I feel officials are put under extreme pressure in local derby games and on balance in today's match the referee made some really good decisions but equally just as many bad ones. In the end probably the only really good attacking move resulted in the bragging rights remaining with the visitors although who knows what the result would have been with a different official.
That's just conjecture but there can be no doubt about the next big thing in Nottingham and that will be the annual Goose Fair which runs from the 3rd to the 7th October. Personally I'll wait another couple of weeks for the more intimate and atmospheric street fair of the older Charter Fair in Ilkeston which marks its 760th anniversary in 2012.
There's been a fair bit of activity on Twitter this week about the stealthy and creeping privatisation of the NHS and although there have been several links posted to newspaper articles and internet blogs, one criticism that has emerged is the failure of the BBC and other media bodies to include it in their news bulletins.
I know that in our own town, a hospital ward is threatened with closure with more emphasis to be placed on "care in the community" but I fail to see any efficiency in this. Surely it is easier and makes more sense to tend to patients together in one place than to send carers to their homes for an hour or two a day. Is this another example of David Cameron's Big Society? - "Let them go home, fend for themselves and someone else can look after them. They're off our hands now and we'll have room at the hospitals to bring another company in to provide private treatment for a profit."
In a couple of years when it all goes pear shaped, all he will have to do is say "I'm sorry" à la Nick Clegg and all will be forgiven. Maybe! A petition has been set up to try and prevent the closure (link) but I fear it will need many more signatures to those already added to reverse the decision despite the idea being branded "a serious mistake". How long will it be before another plaque is required to accompany the opening one pictured: "Ilkeston Community Hospital was closed by the ConDem cuts"
Our first walk in the Erewash and Amber Valley Autumn Footprints Walking Festival took us past a village cricket match last Sunday afternoon at Denby (see picture) but it was back in May of this year that I wrote "With a summer of sport ahead, the Euros, Olympics and Test Matches to mention but three, I shall be keeping a close eye on the Derbyshire Falcons cricketers who have made a winning start to the season and currently stand top of County Championship's second division."
True to my word I have followed the fortunes of the Falcons throughout the summer where they have been at the top of the Division 2 table. A wobble recently put their finishing position in doubt right up until the last match against Hampshire but they ended with a flourish and secured the championship in fine style as this video of the highlights of the final day shows. After a decade of disappointment, all involved with the club deserve the heartiest of congratulations and the very best of luck for next summer in Division 1.
Sorry about the late upload - forgot all about it last week!
The Erewash and Amber Valley Autumn Footprints Walking Festival was launched at the Shipley Country Park Visitor Centre with representatives of both councils in attendance together with many of the Walk Leaders and the Festival Walk Co-ordinator Marion Farrell (centre) of Groundwork Derby and Derbyshire. We hope to participate in several of the walks over the next two weeks.
Whilst at the launch on Saturday, I picked up another leaflet (as usual) and this one was for the Derwent Valley Discovery Days for 2012. This is another festival that begins later in October and runs for nine days. This festival also includes a number of walks and there are many other activities as well in the World Heritage Site. I've had a quick scan through the programme and there's an on-line version too (linked below) but don't think Morris Dancing for Beginners will be on my agenda. Could be tempted by some of the other events though - we'll see what shape we're in after Autumn Footprints
The Erewash and Amber Valley Autumn Footprints Walking Festival begins on the 8th September and we've already booked to take part in many of the guided walks on offer. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the annual event so we're looking forward to meeting up with some old acquaintances and enjoying their company again as we trek across a mixture of country lanes and open landscapes. Some of the walks we have done before, others will take us to new territory whilst others will be variations of previous routes.
With over forty walks to choose from during the sixteen days of the festival, there really is something to suit everyone so all we are hoping for is some fine weather and plenty of photo opportunities such as the one above taken last year at the old lock-up in Alfreton. For details of this year's programme click here.
