Shades of Grey

When I was at Primary School in the Infants, I used to get picked up to go down to my Grandma Grey’s House on Silver Lonnen. I’d be sat down in front of the telly on a small wooden form and given a bowl of soup with some bread. The soup was invariably Tomato or Oxtail.

Back in the 60’s the Telly didn’a actually start until late afternoon and if I was in sharp I’d watch the Tyne Tees Television Test Card and listen to the long theme tune (which was a bit like the Radio 4 tune with Geordie songs like The Keel Row and Bobbie Shaftoe.)

Eventually the programmes would start and Robinon Crusoe always seemed to be on. The music takes me straight back to that house. Here is a seven minute YouTube with all the main themes, followed by the opening titles and then a compilation.

Back in 1969, Pelican Crossings were introduced into the UK. They were shown incessantly on the telly by a well known public information film starring the voice of Deryck Guyler.

I didn’t find the footage in the National Archives, but I did find a good Precis of it here. (You all come back now, you hear!)

Unfortunately, the brave new world of Pelican crossings are more high tech but low on usability. Take this one in Bradford which is probably a Hybrid Puffin…

It uses LEDs so is energy efficient, with a large-ish red circle instead of the normal WAIT words on the push button box. It has motion sensors at the top of the pole facing down and across the crossing so it can tell if you are still there. However, it doesn’t beep any more and there aren’t red/green men at the top of the pole where you are crossing to.

This one does have some sort of indicator at the top of the pole, but it is facing away from the road.

It isn’t entirely clear what it is, as it happens, and…

…as it is facing a car park it appears to serve no purpose whatsoever.

You can imagine it though, some Council jobsworth saying “The spec says 14 units and I can only count 13. I don’t care if it isn’t connected, there is meant to be an anunciator at the top of that pole.”

The letters aren’t overly inspiring this week. There are features, however, about Nick Griffin (BNP Chairman) visiting Morley, also a large advertorial about Ed (Blinky) Balls MP who promises to move his office to Morley if elected. (Not a big surprise there, the office rent probably keeps Unity House solvent). The headline is “Minister: I will work hard for independence and a strong economy“. The independence he refers to however, isn’t from Political Parties, the Union or the European Union, it is just a throwaway remark about us being a proud, independent area, whilst he delivers Searchlight leaflets.

Through the door tonight- Morley Mirror leaflet, from Labour. It has results of recent polling they have conducted: BNP 31% Labour 28%, MBI 22%, Others 17%. (That adds up to 98% so the numeracy of it is rather suspect!) They claim that they have overtaken the independents as the main challenger to the BNP. It is possible that they buck the national trend and bounce back, but I wouldn’t bet money on it…

This afternoon, David and I wandered down to Scatcherd Park in the Town Centre after picking him up. It is looking well cared for and very colourful.

You can see how close it is to the town centre- this is Queen Street leading up to the Town Hall.

This park also has the war memorial and is a splendid setting with a natural ampitheatre.

The Memorial silhouetted in the glare of the afternoon sun…

…and David put this plinth to good use!

The park continues up the hillside towards the former Morley Hall.

The flag has been raised in anticipation of St. Georges day on Monday, which will be celebrated in style on Sunday.