Tunnel vision

So as you can see, I did make it to London today.  I didn't go primarily to blip for my Thames series, most of the time was spent in Covent Garden and old haunts.  However, I did get the tube from Waterloo down to London Bridge to capture this blue sky touristy view of the river, then walked back up to Villiers Street and across the Strand.  It was a nice day and I'm glad I went but problems do have a way of resurfacing, don't they?

Anyway, here is indeed lots of blue sky (wheeeeee!), Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast, to the left Canary Wharf in the distance and on the very left at river level a smidge of the Tower of London.  Did you know there is a 'ghost tunnel' under Tower Bridge?  I do only from reading about it in Peter Ackroyd's book on the Thames.  It was dug in 1869.  He says,

'It was lined with cast iron rather than with brick, and was designed for omnibuses travelling beneath the Thames.  It was not a success.  If the omnibus stopped for some reason in the middle of the tunnel, the sound of the paddle steamers overhead could distinctly be heard by the passengers.  It was then turned into a tunnel for pedestrians, before being entirely replaced by Tower Bridge.'

He also says the movement of the tide changes the shape of the tunnel 'and under the pressure of high water it becomes slightly bulbous or egg-shaped.'  It now just carries cables and pipelines.  Are you surprised?

Okay, that's enough from me.  Hope your day's been good.  Friday tomorrow!  Have a peaceful evening  xx