'HMS Belfast'

Gateway Services: Targeted.

Saturday June 6, 2015.

It was while walking around the Unfinished City, and its environs, that I managed to grab yet another image of this iconic piece of Royal Navy history. Thankfully, the sun was just right and the crowds were few, which allowed me to get this shot, with the Tower of London in the background, rather than the standard shot of H.M.S. Belfast with Tower Bridge. I have clambered under, and over, her decks on a number of occasions, but on this visit it was purely for the photograph.

Gallery

'Stompie': The T-34 Tank

Stompie's Stomping Ground.

Saturday June 6, 2015.

For this walk around the Unfinished City I began my journey at Borough Market, where I had a late breakfast, before heading down the Old Kent Road, towards Mandela Way. 

I had heard so much about 'Stompie' that I wanted to see her for myself, so that I could mark it off my 'to see in London list'. I was not disappointed. 

The land that 'Stompie' resides upon is only partially fenced, so you can get up close and personal with this piece of military history.

Tower Bridge Exhibition

Built to last.

Saturday March 26, 2015.

For a birthday treat, I went to the Tower Bridge Exhibition, as I was eager to see the newly installed glass floors. I had last walked across the pedestrian walkways in 1982, when I was 10.

The sheer scale of the bridge, and its inner workings, are amazing to behold, considering what tools they had to use, back in the 1880s.

BBC Broadcasting House

This is the BBC.

Wednesday March 18, 2015.

It had been a nice stroll around the Unfinished City's West End, and as I was heading back towards Baker Street station, I found myself in front of BBC Broadcasting House. With a lack of traffic and pedestrians, to spoil the view, I managed to take this shot, of the oldest part of the BBC Headquarters.

Night falls at the BBC.

Since, at he time, the building was open to the public, I decided to go inside.

Inside and to the right of the  main entrance was a mock-up of a news studio, where you could pretend to present the news or deliver a weather forecast. 

Heading left you could stand beside a Dalek and the T.A.R.D.I.S., from Doctor Who, before heading into the canteen. 

A Dalek from the TV series Doctor Who.

Doctor Who's T.A.R.D.I.S.

The canteen offered views down into the bowels of the building, where journalists and support workers busied themselves. 

Looking down in to the heart of the BBC news centre.

You could just make out the studios, from where news programmes were broadcast, and, looking across, you could see the BBC weather presenters and forecasters.

The weather today is...

Memorial to Heroic Self-sacrifice, City of London

More than just a park.

Saturday January 31, 2015.

It was during a wet Saturday morning, in January, when I found this quiet little park. I had been enjoying a stroll from St Paul's Cathedral, through Paternoster Square and up to Greyfriars Church Garden, when I noticed a gate leading into a small park. So, I went in to see if there was anything of interest. And, boy, was there. 

The park appears, at first, to be simply a small patch of grass, surrounded by paving slabs and benches, with a few trees and bushes breaking up the space. As you move further into the park you notice a sundial and a small fountain. 

A very sombre place.

However, it is not until you enter the park proper that you notice a small, covered area, with ornate tiles affixed to a wall. The legend, written on the timber, says, "Commemoration of heroic self-sacrifice."

The tiles all commemorate local heroes who lost their lives while saving others.