Now We Know

This must be the very definition of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. 

How else can anyone explain turning a 3-1 lead into a 3-4 loss..?

Perfect?

The weather in my little part of the UK is just right. Others may disagree but this is just fine in my opinion. Enjoy.

Rarity

It's not very often these days I willingly, or otherwise, get to visit Reading. 

The town has certainly changed these past few years. Some changes are positive, and sadly a great many not so. There's a lot of empty shop units, and those that are still occupied seem quite devoid of actual customers. 

Plus of course nearly at every turn there's people begging and also evidence of a lot of rough sleeping.

If this is what "success" looks like in 2026, I'll have none of it thank you very much.

Anyway, here's a selection of hopefully uplifting pictures. (Since the Bayeux Tapestry now on- temporary- display in London, I thought I'd take another look at the Victorian replica held at our local museum.)

M4

Can't believe my regular journey home from near Sandhurst has just taken shy of two and a half hours! 

Thanks Highways England and National Grid for closing the Motorway in both directions. In reality it wasn't their fault an electricity Pylon fell across the carriageways. Nevertheless having to divert all traffic trying to get to and from my home town has put severe strain on all surrounding routes. Got home very hungry.

Electric

What could be better than a tribute evening to the genius of Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra? Great night out at the Hexagon in Reading.

Years ago I was at this same venue seeing ELO Part II perform. They were (more or less) the Classic line-up but without Lynne, who was off being a Travelling Willbury or something LOL.

Important

One thing is certain this morning, coffee is well deserved LOL.

Lock 'N' Load

Interesting the things you see whilst waiting inside the local chippy, The Tasty Plaice. 

It's not often you see several police cars zoom past on "Blues and Two's" (blue lights and two tone siren), with the final one stopping outside so the two officers can get their semi-automatic weapons from the lockbox in the boot/truck before continuing down the hill.

In the UK we don't routinely arm our police and those that do carry or use weapons are specially trained and licensed. Although they don't receive additional pay. Hardly seems fair but this is the norm in the UK, officers take on additional responsibilities or learn new skills so they are able to perform a better or different role. In the capital officers will often be seen on foot carrying guns but away from London and airports, police weapons are generally kept in locked boxes inside designated vehicles. These usually display a "*" symbol.

Obviously this unusual sight was- for a moment or two- quite exciting to see whilst we waiting for our takeaway.

Feathers

Apparently, according to their Socials, there's a new dodgy character working in my town.

Well done to The Museum of English Rural Life (MERL), the University of Reading and of course Aardman LOL.

Build

Took a walk around the University of Reading grounds with ym today. It's probably been 10 years since I last visited (obviously he's fairly familiar with the site these days). 

Needless to say in the past decade a lot has changed, plenty of new construction with state of the art facilities. It was however sad to note the famous LEGO building closed and barricaded, possibly due for demolition. Times change.

Marmalade Sandwich

Not many are aware the town of Reading has links with Micheal Bond, creator of Paddington Bear.  

Bond was born in nearby Newbury but raised and educated in Reading. He initially worked in a solicitor's office and later, during the war, for the BBC in Reading, surviving a German bomb that fell on the building he was in. 41 people died and many others injured. It was at the nearby rail station that it is reported he saw child evacuees with card name tags attached to their clothing.

Reading now has its statue to mark Bond's most well known creation. It is situated in Broad Street not a million miles from where Bond had been working in 1943.

Apparently the statue needs police protection LOL.

(Image curtesy of Thames Valley Police)

Go Away

According to the children's rhyme, "Rain, rain go away. Come again another day."

You can tell it's the August Bank Holiday weekend, and also time for the world renowned Reading Festival, because it is absolutely bucketing down with rain. After all these years I probably should know this is to be expected. Guess there's nothing for it but to enjoy a tasty curry LOL.

Oracle

Took a quick visit to Reading and on my way out, thought I would people watch for a few moments from the top of the Oracle. Thought film some folks in slo-mo LOL.

Jackson's

This image came up this morning from 10 years ago, shortly after this landmark store closed for the final time. Everybody in Reading knew of Jackson's, far fewer I suspect shopped there. Most school children were dragged there during summer holidays to purchase their uniform for the new academic year. These days parents don't need to visit the appointed retailer in any given town but it was certainly the case until the 1990's if not later.

Entering it really was like stepping back in time. Dark wood panelled walls, with clothing displayed on equally dark shelving. Even the pneumatic tube system was still working on closing day, carrying the takings from the shop floor to Accounts and returning with a customer receipt and change.

The iconic frontage, with Jackson's sign remains, behind is or will be apartments. Handy for the town centre but also fast rail links to London.

Oracle Gates

Some may recall this post regards the Reading workhouse known as the Oracle. After its destruction, the gates were relocated to Tilehurst Road in Reading, until finally residing at the town museum. I recently came across this post, elsewhere on the interweb, which is of interest. At least to me LOL. 

I wrote a short paper about British Social Housing, from its beginnings through to modern times. This included the Workhouse system, looking in particular the ones in Reading and Newbury. This was a couple of years back for a separate project but if I can find the original version, I may look to reproduce some of it here in the near future.

NHS

Just published today, a report on National Health Service hospitals with the longest and shortest waiting times. Interestingly two near me, Frimley Health Trust (Frimley Park, Heatherwood and Wrexham Park hospitals) and Royal Berkshire Hospital have come top and near the bottom of the poll. Curiously the former is a military hospital and should in theory work like clockwork. 

Read more here.

Moto

I came across this fascinating picture a while ago but it came up in "memories" today. This is an aerial view of junction 12 of the M4 motorway, whilst under construction. 

The motorway runs bottom left to top right and the old A4 Bath Road can be seen intersecting (bottom right to top left). The Bath Road is historic and parts of that route may be Roman in origin. Both the A4 and M4 originate in West London and broadly speaking run in the same direction to the west, although the newer motorway mostly avoids towns and cities that developed along and around the older trading route. The M4 continues west beyond Bath and Bristol into Wales, land of dragons and Bira Brith LOL.

This image from the 1960's era is of some interest to residents of Reading. At the top is the small town of Theale, largely unchanged now. Although (below left and across the A4) is now an industrial park, with rail station, and home to a busy Amazon distribution centre. 

To the right, just over the junction and towards Reading, is Calcot where IKEA and Sainsbury's (previously known as Savacentre) are now located. Finally in the bottom area of the picture is part of Beansheaf Farm, now all but forgotten. Houses were starting to be built here in the 1980's, with the field in the middle, just below the junction itself developed only a couple of years ago. 

The white box-like structure in the next field is a WWII gun position, which remains today. Just in case of invasion LOL. Apparently it is now home to a colony of bats, a protected species in the UK, so cannot be disturbed. This is also the start of Linear Country Park, where mad dogs walk their owners. Linear Park itself follows the historic Holy Brook River that runs into Reading and the site of the historic Abbey ruins. 

For those really interested and still reading, the previous M4 junction (central Reading), off screen to the left, has the very imaginative name of junction 11. The next one- you'll never guess- is junction 13 and serves the town of Newbury, some 17 miles or about 20 minutes drive away.

Now you know LOL.

Pies

Nice little article about Sweeney and Todd's pie shop, which has been in Reading for 45 years. Read here. 

Yes, there is a Barbers shop next door LOL.

Fire

Yesterday a serious fire broke out in Central Reading development- Station Hill. 

This was  covered extensively by the national news outlets, which is quite unusual. Normally, this sleepy, working class town is overlooked by most. This is the second fire at the development in recent months. What perhaps made this story stand out was the rescue of two people, not by the emergency services but by a calm but quick thinking crane operator, who lowered a cage to the two workers through the smoke.

Read the Daily Mail story here.

Simod

Took a trip today to Reading Museum, to see the Simod Cup, now on display. This competition was won by Reading Football Club back in the 80's, when their fortunes were considerably better than they are now.

Back then they were still playing at the out of date Elm Park ground but on their way to promotion to the top tier league, the Premiership. Now they are are stuck at the bottom of the third league, facing sanction from the FA and a second winding up order in the courts from the tax man. At least though they have the Mad Stad, or SCL Stadium as it is now known. Perhaps this is the club's most valuable asset and it is no wonder Reading Borough Council have taken steps to ensure the current Chinese owner cannot sell the ground, without making adequate provision for the Royals. 

There is a campaign to force the owner to sell the club. Whether it will have the desired effect waits to be seen.

Goodbye Berkshire Records Office

Today the Berkshire Records Office celebrates 75 years. 

To mark this momentous occasion the service- which supports all councils across Berkshire (Bracknell Forest, Reading Borough, West Berkshire, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Slough and Wokingham Borough) is changing its name to the Royal Berkshire Archives.

Read more here.