No Internet October 8, 2004
Posted by Andy Roberts in : soundvideo, movie clips, learning, internet , 1 comment so farDays of no internet access can be interesting and productive. I tried something today which I’d known about for years but never had the opportunity to try out - using Flash with movie files. I remember getting excited about the potential of this when Flash MX first came out in 2001 but it remained just that - potential. The exciting idea is that once imported into the Flash library, a film clip becomes an object just like any other type of object - graphic, text, Flash movie , which can then be animated on the stage and manipulated along the timeline. Mindblowing isn’t it? Embedding a film clip within a Flash movie may have efficiency benefits as well, it’s another option in the sometimes tortuous route from camera to web page.
So all I did as an initial experiment was to import the Hampton Court Maze movie ( you can see the original properly on the CuttySnark blog ) and place several copies of it on the stage at different sizes, offset a little along the timeline. It worked straight away, just like that, and I found the split-screen view effective so here it is.
Friday rush hour October 8, 2004
Posted by Andy Roberts in : soundvideo, transport, London , 7commentsFriday afternoon and everybody just wants to go home.
(only 1.5Mb, but possibly tedious)
Full sized still photograph accessible from thumbnail below :
Requests October 6, 2004
Posted by Andy Roberts in : meta-blog , 7comments
I’m coming up to my 100th blog entry, for which I shall be writing a short reflection on how the blog has developed and where it may be leading me. So I’d like to invite general feedback from any readers who may be out there. Which sort of articles do you prefer, what works and what doesn’t - what would you like me to post more of in the next 100? It would be great if you can take a couple of minutes to do that, please. Use comments, trackbacks or if you prefer email me at aroberts@gmail.com.
Enigmatic O2 ads October 6, 2004
Posted by Andy Roberts in : movie clips , 2commentsThey’ve been around for a few weeks, these ads for the mobile phone network O2,
with the variable number of tower blocks in a blue city. It was when I was riding an esacalator that it suddenly appeared to me as stopped frames which the escalator motion made into a movie for me. That’s when I twigged what the tower blocks represent.
Here’s a movie I took of an advertisment installation on a station which is made up of two pictures sandwiched between directional plastic so the picture moves as you walk past. ( Just like the little action slides which came free with cornflake packets about 40 years ago )
Do you get it yet?
No Emissions October 5, 2004
Posted by Andy Roberts in : soundvideo, transport, London , 2comments
Above is a Hydrogen Fuel Cell zero emissions bus, of the type currently being trialled on several routes in London. It may not look much different to an ordinary fossil fuel bus, but take at look at my VIDEO HERE
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That’s pure steam or water vapour coming out of the exhaust at roof height. Post-space-age meets steam.
More information from Transport For London in this pdf document
Oh, all right then - I’ve typed it all out for you…
Partners in Progress
London Buses is part of Transport for London,
and is responsible for achieving environmental
targets and standards for the whole of London’s
bus fleet, as required by the Mayor’s Air
Quality Strategy.
First operates around one sixth of the London bus
network. Their experience, support and expertise
in transit management is crucial in ensuring the trial
is conducted and assessed to rigorous standards.
BP is providing the hydrogen-refuelling facilities
for the fuel cell buses. BP is an infrastructure
partner in five of the nine CUTE (Clean Urban
Transport for Europe) cities and is demonstrating
a range of different hydrogen technologies in
each location.
Energy Saving Trust is supporting the project
through grant funding from its new vehicle
technology fund programme.
Daimler Chrysler has developed and manufactured
the buses and will provide technical support during
the trial.
The European Union has co-financed the trial,
with the support of the European Commission
Directorate-General for Energy and Transport.
Fuel cell buses on Route 25
Route 25 between Oxford Circus and Ilford has
been chosen as the first fuel cell trial bus route
for a number of reasons.
Firstly, it’s important to test the buses in different
inner city areas. Route 25 is a busy route that
extends all the way from the centre of London,
through the East End and onto Ilford. It’s a long
route that offers a wide variety of traffic conditions
in the largest city taking part in the trial.
In addition, fuel cell buses will run alongside
conventional double-decker buses on the
same route. As a result of all these factors,
the operating and environmental data gathered
will play a major part in helping the project to
gain experience of how the fuel cell propulsion
system actually performs day-by-day.
Once the field trial is well established London
Buses will begin to run the fuel cell buses on
other routes in order to test their operational and
environmental effectiveness more thoroughly.
Like most of the London bus fleet, fuel cell buses provide full low-floor access.
London leading the way
London is taking part in a pioneering project to
reduce air pollution and noise by testing the first
generation of zero emission fuel cell buses. This
important initiative is a key part of the Mayor’s
Transport and Air Quality Strategies, which are
designed to help give Londoners a cleaner and
healthier future. Not only is the fuel cell bus trial
a significant step towards achieving that goal,
it also demonstrates that London is leading the
way in alternative forms of public transport.
Energetically efficient
Nine cities in Europe are taking part in the fuel
cell bus trial, making it the largest project of its
type anywhere in the world. The reason it’s so
important is because of greenhouse gas emissions
and inner-city noise levels which are a major
source of complaint.
The project brings together over 40 organisations
including the bus manufacturer, operating
companies, hydrogen suppliers, fuelling and
storage facilities, and universities. It is part of the
ongoing development of clean urban transport
systems which combine energy efficiency with
cost-effectiveness.
The fuel cell buses will be subjected to rigorous
ecological, technical and economic analysis,
which will then be compared to conventional bus
transportation. By the end of the trial London will
have made a major contribution to a much-needed
initiative, the results of which are eagerly awaited
by transport authorities and governments across
the globe.
Fuel cell buses can travel more 125 miles before refuelling.
How fuel cell buses work
The new Mercedes Citaro buses, which have
been built by Daimler Chrysler especially for
this trial, use the latest fuel cell and hydrogen
production technology.
Do they really run on hydrogen? Yes
[ useful diagram ]
Hydrogen can be made in a number of different
ways including steam reforming of natural gas
and the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen
(electrolysis). The hydrogen is then liquefied by
cooling it down to a very low temperature.
The liquid hydrogen is delivered to the fuelling
site where it is dispensed as a gas into pressurised
cylinders. These are the cylinders you can see
on top of the bus, along with the fuel cell system,
coolers and other components.
The only emission from a fuel cell bus is water,
which forms a vapour cloud as soon as it leaves
the exhaust and enters the atmosphere.
Just as importantly, the infrastructure and support
systems needed to conduct the trial
Valentines Park October 3, 2004
Posted by Andy Roberts in : movie clips, wildlife, London , 3comments
Valentines Park, Ilford. The lovely Long Pond, coots’ nest, mistle thrush, grotto bridge and a duck movie.
Some history…
By the 1890’s Ilford was growing rapidly, the population rose from 7,645 in 1881 to 78,188 by 1911. This increase in bricks and mortar spread eastward over the fields of Essex. The large private estates with their own farmlands began to sell up and move out.
In 1899 the Cranbrook Estate, to the west of Valentines, was about to be sold for housing. The northern boundary of development was the areas south of the Valentines Estate. The Council had acquired its first section of parkland in 1898 and was keen to enlarge its size, as land became available. The farsighted local officials realised that unless an area of ‘relaxation and pleasure’ was retained for the growing urban population, all traces of a rural undeveloped Ilford would be lost.
Latest news….
The Heritage Lottery Fund has announced the award of a grant of over
Frequently Asked Questions October 2, 2004
Posted by Andy Roberts in : wildlife , comments closed
Dave Fryatt used to say that East London is steeped in long traditions built up over many generations of immigration, class struggle, and revolting seafood.
Borough Market October 1, 2004
Posted by Andy Roberts in : London , 5commentsBorough Market is a kind of urban farmers’ market /delicatessen stalls type place near London Bridge. I go there sometimes to find some real cider and to pick up some wet fish or game. The cider stall is from the New Forest, oysters from Colchester, lakeland rabbits, and lots of speciality bread, olives and cheeses. Today’s star is a monkfish head.
is an online professional who initiated DARnet 
