Barbican Underground Station for Barbican Centre and Museum of London

Getting to the Barbican Centre has been described as a bit tricky, but I have now done this twice on my own.  Barbican Underground is served by more than one line and on arrival there are several flights of stairs to the ticket hall and gates.  On my first trip, on July 3^rd, I was approached by Rohan from the station who kindly took me across two crossings and described an onward journey which worked first time.

Rohan first notified the controller that he was taking me out of the station.  We then crossed a “tactile” crossing, rippled texture and light controlled with rotating signal below the button.  We crossed this directly outside the station and turned right and crossed again.  From then on I followed Rohan’s instructions and turned left and proceeded into what seemed a tunnel/underpass with side access for car parks, dumpsters and deliveries.  There is a panelled metal cladding in different colour and ventilation vents which can be whacked with a cane, for auditory feedback.  The end of the tunnel is marked by lighting changes and accompanied by the sound of being in the open air again.   At the next crossing, turn right.  At this point you should be on the approach to the Barbican Centre in Silk Street- this is straight ahead and about 80 metres, I think.   This point has an interesting feature on the corner of Beech Street/Silk Street.  It seemed to me to resemble a Pictish broch such as one finds in Scotland (Dun Carloway in Lewis) For my purposes, it is a broch! 

This orientation to the Barbican seems to be safe and though going through a tunnel it has an advantage of having virtually clutter free pavement (sidewalk) http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/stations/1000014.aspx

Once in the Barbican Centre (entrance Silk Street access point), there are several glass doors and corridors and when I went in there was a car in the way. Lucy approached me and asked if I needed help. I asked what the car was doing there and was told it was 007 James Bond’s Aston Martin!  (The next day Fiona took my picture posing with Sir Sean ‘himself’.)

Prof Whitestick meets James Bond with Aston Martin

Barbican Centre, London

4 July 2012

©ProfWhitestick

Lucy also described the doors, some of which open outwards automatically. I wanted to go to the Barbican Gallery and was given instructions to go to the elevators beside the exit to the waterfront.  I found this and asked other passengers for floor 3.  I found the gallery and talked with Priya.  Lucy’s directions and the function of the building had delivered me, again first time.   I asked Priya to thank both Lucy and the station staff at the Barbican for both approaching me and asking if I needed any assistance. 

Priya told me about the live guiding system they have and was pleased that I had booked a curator guide for the next day.  However, they can also cope with a visually impaired person turning up, out of the blue.  Priya told me more about the Bond show which was about to open (http://www.barbican.org.uk/bond/) as well as showing me two of the cafes and the orientation of the levels. She also suggested that I ought to try out the Museum of London and gave me details of following a yellow bricked road walk which goes part of the way.

Prof Whitestick with James Bond

Barbican Centre, London

4th July 2012

©ProfWhitestick

I explored the fountains and waterfront in the Barbican Centre but take care and pay attention to the cane’s feedback.  Next, I followed the yellow line after a flight of steps and though it ran out, it brought me, with some help from others, to the Museum of London. http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/

I had not been here before and they were very geared up for new faces and whitesticks.  All the staff wear pink/cerise/fuchsia coloured shirts/blouses and operate a relay system where you are passed from guide to guide. They are all linked to radio control with mike and earpiece and when I was put into a lift it was explained that someone else would be there (and they were) on the next floor. 

I met Lorraine who said they ran tours at 3pm and 4pm explaining the layout of the museum from prehistory to the present.  I wanted to jump start with the 1300s and talked with different guides about medieval London and the Black Death, Tudor times and the Great Fire of London.  In a showcase was a sword given to Lord Nelson and I was chatting to Edwin who was describing it when I went into renaissance sword/neutron diffraction mode.  It turned out that Edwin had completed a MA at UCL and was hoping to do a PhD in archaeo-metallurgy.  He knew all the Wallace Collection staff I had met at the study day (http://profwhitestick.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/noble-art-of-sword-study-day-wallace.html ). 

I was then taken by Nicola around the 20^th Century section, finishing with the original elevators of the Selfridges shop in Oxford Street, which had been relocated and installed in the museum.  We also took a look around the Lord Mayor’s coach and horses. 

A lot to see and do.  When finished, I was taken across a road and given instructions on how to find Barbican Underground.  Approaching the station and remembering there was only one entrance, I was offered help from Michael who was going in my direction and we got on the right train, i.e. Metropolitan line train.

Trainspotting: Highbury and Islington Station and environs

Highbury and Islington Station is a local hub with London Overground, London Underground and a National Rail link from Moorgate to Finsbury Park and beyond.  I have used this station for connections to the East London section, which was restored relatively recently, though Canonbury is more convenient for Eastbound traffic.  For westbound traffic, the chances of a platform change are lower here.

London Overground trains at Highbury & Islington station

20 June 2012

© Prof Whitestick

Coming from the West on the Overground, there are 3 sets of 9 steps which will take you to the ticket hall level.  Turning right there are lifts and stairs.  For the return to Richmond or a Whitechapel and South London link, there are only 3 sets of 8 steps and a ramp. At this point there are connections “indicated” to the subway level lines of the Victoria Line and the National Rail link.  This station could be another useful hub to meet friends and offers a safe environment for independent travel. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/

Below signage for connections at Highbury & Islington station

20 June 2012

© Prof Whitestick

I was photographed below some signs and station staff are usually around or fellow passengers if you get lost.  I got lost first time round, but on subsequent trips have become more familiar with connections here.  I have not yet tried the lower ground connections since I lost my sight.  The ticket hall is still in reconstruction, though with a sharp right and left through the ticket gates, you can reach the exit for Highbury Corner. 

I went with Stephen, who uses an architect’s and designer’s eye to observe and note objects of interest.  Stephen spotted part of an original piece of railway architecture hidden in development in an otherwise example of British brutalism including the Post Office buildings at their worst.  This block more or less hides Highbury Corner from view but Stephen spotted an unused Highbury Station entrance as well. 

Outside Highbury & Islington station

20 June 2012

© Prof Whitestick

Old Highbury station entrance, near Highbury & Islington station

20 June 2012

© Prof Whitestick

Highbury Corner is a well known London transport feature and as a one way system it can be crossed by a series of crossings.  We headed for Canonbury Road and crossed several streets to get there.  There is a bus stand on the left hand side with the stop further down.  It is one stop to Canonbury Square with a side entrance to the Estorick Collection on the left hand side.  You can read about my visit to the Estorick Collection here: http://profwhitestick.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/estorick-collection-of-modern-italian.html

Outside the Estorick Gallery. Highbury, London

20 June 2012

© Prof Whitestick

The sculpted metal gates are fascinating to touch.  Turning right on to Canonbury Lane one reaches Upper Street with major Islington landmarks.  The Town Hall and Union Chapel can be made out, and although the latter is set aside the tower is a major landmark. 

Union Chapel rising out of Prof Whitestick's hat

20 June 2012

© Prof Whitestick

Union Chapel is a church which was started in late 18^th Century but has been remodelled through the 19^th Century.  It holds about 2000 people and offers an uninterrupted view of the pulpit.  It is a popular venue for concerts and gigs.  http://www.unionchapel.org.uk/

I enjoyed walking up and down Upper Street, with its many restaurants, cafes and shops.  It seemed less hectic at this point than some North London main roads, probably on account of trees and no noticeable large retail outlets.  Walking up Upper Street we got back to Highbury Corner and into the station for the return to the North West postcode area.  

NB Any comments on interchanges are welcome.

Trainspotting and a boat trip on the River Thames

I couldn’t resist the heading as I am a fan of the books of Irvine Welsh.  His Edinburgh as some of the grit found in the earlier Ian Rankin novels, Iain Banks, James Robertson, AL Kennedy and less of the contrived Alexander McCall Smith.  Needless to say, all these authors are available on RNIB talking books.  My fascination with St Pancras is partly historic, though it is handy for a visit to Camden Town Hall, British Library and RNIB and a lot more comfortable than the construction site that used to be Kings Cross. 

The weather in London has been quite warm and, for me at least, with two ‘good vision’ days on Tuesday and Wednesday.  (We had a terrific downpour on Thursday and I got well and truly soaked.)  On my way back from a routine eye clinic I forgot to count the stations and realised I had gone past my ‘home’ station.  It was probably a case of too much information, as the announcements were clear enough but I was not paying attention.

I found myself at Willesden Junction, which has connections to London Overground and the Bakerloo line, and decided to go to Clapham Junction.  This was my first solo trip.  I used to use this station quite a lot from the 1970s, but have only used it in the company of others since I lost my sight.  I found myself on the revamped overhead walkway and when I got to the gates, asked the staff how to get to Waterloo.  I was told that the smartened-up walkway had lifts to the platforms and then taken to one.  On the way down, I was shown where the emergency button was - the one you’re not supposed to hit – and then put on the next Waterloo train.  Very helpful staff!

Waterloo Station is one I was familiar with, but again had never been here on my own for the last 10 years.  The staff at the gate indicated the next available ‘relay point’.  I got to the information kiosk and then the Travel Centre.  The purpose of all this was to get hard copies of the new timetables.  I know they are available on the web, but sometimes it’s nice to have a current timetable that you can hand someone to check, in case you’re fed up with a poor website or are bored with your screen reader. 

My train journeys were going quite well so I decided to see if I could make it to Greenwich.  I have done this before and for my first post you might recall some conflicting pointing from the railway police!  I got to Greenwich, found the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) platform and went one stop to Cutty Sark.  I managed to find the Greenwich Peer, which is a massive building site, and the ticket booth where I bought a ticket for Thames Clippers from Greenwich to Embankment (£2.80 with a Freedom Pass). 

Now here is a pleasant surprise: at the ticket booth I was given instructions on how to get to the peer for the Clipper.  Later I was commenting to one of the staff how good the instructions had been by the lady at the ticket counter, only to be told “I sold you the ticket!”  So well done Jessica (0174)!! (A sighted friend read out the details on the till receipt!) 

The Thames Clipper is well worth a trip.  Again, I have used it before with friends and was doing this one on my own for the first time.  It’s hard to describe what one actually sees, but I was aware of the changing silhouettes on my peripheral vision and going under the bridges, especially the stop near Tower Bridge.  At the Embankment, London Underground staff took me down to the platform and I knew my way back once on the Bakerloo line.

The next day I thought I would be more daring and tried out a totally new line on my own.  The old East London line extension recreates the North London Line link from Dalston Junction to Broad Street, but diverts at Shoreditch to South London.  This might sound very trainspotterish but I confess to being fascinated by railway architecture: bridges, especially the Forth Railway Bridge; stations, such as St Pancras; and junctions such as Crianlarich Junction.    (In the old days I had made very long train journeys in the USA, west Europe, the old Eastern block, southeast Asia and bits of Africa.)

I managed to negotiate Highbury & Islington on my own and changed at Sydenham and West Croydon to arrive at Sutton, where I had lunch and then came back on the Thameslink via St Pancras. 

You may well ask what is the point of all this.  I think this proves that with some attention by the transport providers in London, and the right amount of information and goodwill from staff and fellow commuters, a blind person can get around independently – or at least arrange to go somewhere on a whim without having to rely on others taking him.  This makes a lot of London accessible, provided you know what you want. 

So, many thanks to all, especially Clapham Junction staff, London Waterloo Information Centre, a fellow passenger at London Bridge, Thames Clippers staff, London Underground Embankment, London Overground – particularly Highbury & Islington – and Sutton railway station. 

Regarding communications, I’ve had problems with a revamped Twitter interface with JAWS 12 update.  This is beginning to be as nightmarish as a Google predictor, though I have just discovered Msgs (it says Alt+3 - note for anyone using JAWS) on mobile twitter. 

Update: (4/6/11)

The following are excerpts of a conversation I was having with @defarrington on the Guardian blog regarding the new hybrid buses that are to be introduced in London in the next few years.  As a blind person, I am concerned that we may not recognise a silen vehicle as a a moving vehicle, especially if we listen for traffic noise in making a judgement about when to cross the road.  I don't have a guide dog so can't speak for those who do, but I've had a couple of near misses with careless drivers who reverse illegally into a road and you just don't hear them.

(http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/davehillblog/2011/jun/03/boris-johnson-new-london-bus-probably-good-stuff?commentpage=last#end-of-comments)

Me:

As a blind person, one has got used to hearing the whine of the current diesel buses. I am concerned that a hybrid bus will go into silent mode at the apparent whim of a GPS signal, thus removing a sound 'signpost' or warning for people like me. We might think that the bus has stopped when in fact it might still be moving. I've had a couple of near misses with hybrid cars, especially when they reverse in silent mode.

@defarrington’s reply :

Prof

They're engineering an exterior noise for the bus when in electric mode. Most electric cars have them and they'll soon become law in the EU and US.

No need to worry.

Me:

@defarrington:

Thanks - but it's still scary. Is this noise rule widely known? I will try and raise this at a transport liaison group. We've had problems with the top market hybrid cars and their drivers! Green doesn't always mean safe - or polite and considerate.

@defarrington’s reply:

Prof

The noise rule isn't yet law, but I believe it's on the way.

I'm currently using a Nissan Leaf battery car which has an exterior noise mode.

Worth bringing up with TfL.