The Worship St Irregulars » transport

No such thing as a free lunch? How about a free bus?

chairmanmeow — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 00:56:52 +0000

Kingmug’s transport-related post yesterday got me thinking. As he accurately pointed out, traveling on the tube is frankly one of the most soul-destroying things that you have to do in your life. In fact, traveling on the tube is pretty much in my top 5 worst phenomena. For information, my other worst things are 1) lack of World peace/sorting out poverty/global warming/other eminently important stuff 2) getting out of bed in winter 3) lack of lulz (see picture) 4) losing socks.

Image courtesy of http://orly.yarly.org/

ANYWAY…as part of my New Year’s Resolutions I’ve decided to solve all of my top 5 worst things in the World. My answer for the tube problem is simply the bus. OK, that might sound obvious…but wait…there are these new fangled ‘bendy buses’ that let you get on without paying which is totally FOR THE WIN! (Obviously I always pay, being an upstanding citizen and all).

So using both my knowledge of the ‘free buses’ and my unbelievable computer skills, I’ve created this little baby to help you guys get around London for free. If you know any other free buses, drop me a line and I’ll add them to my sophisticated graphic somehow…

***UPDATE!!!11!!one!!

In response to the comment regarding bus users, I deployed my crack team of statisticians, economists and etch-a-sketchers and they have confirmed the commenter’s suspicions…

Although I hate the tube…

kingmug — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 00:59:46 +0000

…I love the tube map. Harry Beck did the one we currently use, and a masterpiece it is. It could be improved in some small ways, but in general it works pretty well. What I ahdn’t realised, until some fortuitous googling, was that there are many different versions; most of them pretty useless or odd (though not entirely devoid of interest). First of all we’ve got this:

Which I got from here. Frankly, I think every londoner should have one on their wall. It’s a good reminder that sometimes it’s just easier (and better) to walk. On which note, Chairman Miaow and I went for a lovely stroll through Wapping today. Of which more later, no doubt. You can also grab a full size version from that site; perhaps the first Worship St Irregulars merchandise will be a poster of this?

Next up are these awesome little culture jammed posters on tubes. Given our 8-bit flava here, this seems appropriate.

Which is just fucking cool. Moar here.

Over here, you’ll see that Stefan Magdalinski, general good egg and social provocateur (he’s one of the guy’s behind the awesome mysociety), has done a pretty wicked little video up he’s made of TFL’s tube disruption map. And yeah, the London Underground is, objectively, as shit as it subjectively seems. Video here; don’t raep his bandwidth!

Things to do in North East London when you’re dead – Kings Cross

chairmanmeow — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:33:33 +0000

This area isn’t all about dodging the crack heads and international students who coexist in blissful unawareness of each other’s shortcomings. There are precious stones in the rough, although unlike Fitzgerald’s diamond, they’re not the size of the Ritz.

The 205 bus – I am a big fan of the bus network, why go on the tube and have some weirdo staring at you reading whilst you read the same ad for laxatives over-and-over when you could be up there (*points up) seeing the world! The 205 is by no means my favourite bus (we’ll get on to that another time), but it goes from Old Street to Kings Cross through to the British Library along to Regent’s Park and beyond (ending up in Paddington).

The British Library – Err, hello. You may have heard of me, apparently I’m the godfather of all libraries. Basically, if other libraries start fucking around, I make them sleep with the fishes, capiche? Seriously, though the British Library is packing so much heat that if it was a dude it would stroll straight to the middle cubicle and wap it out. Get in there, get cultured. Also as an aside, there are loads of other cool bits and bobs (such as a memorial to David Ricardo) around and about this area so have a stroll towards Tottenham Court Road through the university-laden back streets and indulge.

Regent’s Park – OK, it’s not strictly in Kings Cross but the aforementioned chariot called the 205 bops straight past it. Regent’s Park was so awesome last summer despite the lack of sun, it is just a fantastic place to chill out and forget that we are all little urban robots doing little corporate jobs in little urban suits. There is a tree formation there that is perfect for a hammock, but be warned, if I find you in my spot I will strike down on thee with great vengeance.

Housmans – as their website states, this is a radical bookshop. Radical in both the conventional political compass sense and the Bill and Ted sense. They specialise in the 3 Ps – Philosophy, Politics and Peace Studies.

Big Chill House – Although this is the younger sibling of the popular Brick Lane drinking hole, it dwarfs its older sister considerably in the size department. There’s normally a few bits and bobs going on and generally a good place to have a few social drinks – I wouldn’t go there as a main venue though personally.

Clockwork – On the infamous Pentonville Road leading to Angel this place serves up some tidy cocktails and is pretty much equidistance from Kings Cross Thameslink and Angel – ideal for lubricating your journey.

La Scala – Some decent enough bands play here from time to time, ideally placed next to the tube to get the fuck outta Kings Cross!