h a l f b a k e r yI think, therefore I am thinking.
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This is a proposal I put forward when I was a student, but it's sufficiently loopy that Ithought you lot might appreciate it.
Years ago, I came across a book - more a catalogue, really - of photos of the cunning vents which the London Underground system uses to ventilate its tunnels. They're big structures
- all those trains zooming around are effectively acting as pistons, so there's a lot of air to get rid of, and the vents have to be disguised as buildings, because that's how big they are. One of my favourites was a complete, fake terrace house, minus the roof.
Now I was a student in London, and I used to cycle around a lot. Mostly into head winds, because that's Sod's Law and Things Are Arranged That Way. So I got to thinking about all that moving air. And the result is this:
Whenever a cycle path comes near to one of these big Tube vents, it can duck through a short bit of subway tunnel. This subway tunnel is cunningly connected to the vent so that each passing train causes a following breeze for the cyclists (obviously each tunnel would have to be one-way). Such a subtle effect might not be noticed, you might argue; believe me, a tired cyclist will be marvellously grateful for every little bit of help (s)he can get. A following wind of five miles an hour might reduce your relative speed, on a bike, by something like 25% - that's something you'll feel.
Wheee!
(?) tube vents
http://www.antipode...ondon/battersea.jpg
one of the many vents dotted around London. This one is of the larger ones. [xenzag, Aug 22 2006]
BLDGBLOG - subterranean London
http://bldgblog.blo...on-topological.html
Doesn't say much about the vents, but alludes to them... [moomintroll, Aug 22 2006]
another larger vent
http://www.freefoto.../13_52_10_thumb.jpg
notice fetid air belching from busy Northern Line [xenzag, Aug 22 2006]
(?) Jubilee line vent
http://www.copperco...asp?rid=14&langid=9
A modern one. [moomintroll, Aug 22 2006]
23/24 Leinster Gardens, Paddington, London W2
http://www.urban75....ondon/leinster.html
Cool! I had no idea. [jutta, Aug 22 2006]
[link]
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I've not heard of these vents before...<scurries off to investigate> |
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Oh crikey...
<scurries off to fake evidence of vents> |
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A broad sail and rollerskates..weee... |
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All I ask is a tall ship, and a Tube-generated wind tunnel to sail her by. |
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By the way, that first link to the vent pics is a photograph of Battersea Power Station. I'm willing to be proved wrong on this, of course, but if I know my London geography and history, I'm pretty sure that it was still producing power until its closure in the early 80s. Thus making it a fairly unlikely candidate for a Tube vent. |
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If it's there as a joke, of course, I knew all along. |
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Ahh yes, well spotted [xenzag] now I know what we're talking about! |
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I didn't realize Drax was on the Northern Line. It's clearly a lot more Northern than I thought. Thanks [xen]! |
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yep - well identified [ml] it's Drax Cross -
not marked on tourist maps for obvious
reasons |
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No, I've not been through that way - looks nice and green round there - must be in Zone 2. |
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[+] for this, having both canceled journeys due to head winds and tacked my way via strong tail and crosswinds on a bicycle. |
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Sorry [neuro] it was not a power station but made just for Pink Floyd to take a picture of. They are like that you now, think big, spend a lot and have big tax advantages. |
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Do you get a funny feeling up your back? |
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//well identified [ml] it's Drax Cross//
Really?! Yay! Amazing. Do I get a prize?
...a visit from some nice men in suits and sunglasses, probably. |
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Surely these vents must "suck" equally as often as they "blow". The proposed bicycle tunnels would need to have a current wind direction arrow shown on them. |
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Nah, we'll stick some big butterfly valves in. The blow/suck thing would happen too fast anyway - the wind direction would be changing every couple of minutes. We'll need to keep the direction constant. Therefore, valves. |
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What about arranging for the wind to come out on the correct side of the road according to its direction? |
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Nice link jutta, I had no idea either, will have to go and have a look. |
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You found one! Thanks, [jutta], brilliant. |
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From [jutta]'s link: //There's a long tradition of [wagsters] sending pizza deliveries, taxi cabs and religious representatives to this address!// |
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Who would have thought it?! |
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Heh, that'll explain that every time I speak to [Wags]I can hear trains. |
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Of course cyclists should start buying up the use of these vents before the cabbies and bus drivers get hold of them and start using them as weapons to knock the hated cyclist of his bike..... :-) |
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The vents actually date back to when the tube used steam trains and needed to vent the smoke. I believe they have very little to do with wind as the trains always travel the same way down the tunnels so there is always wind in the direction or the train, which you can feel when you stand at the station. |
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In that case, why don't they close them and sell the real estate? Eh? |
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Ah, but so has most of the rest of London (including, annoyingly, the Festival Hall). Given that a kennel in central London is probably worth more than the Rolls Royce parked next to it, it'd be worth something. to someone. Possibly a trainspotter. |
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Anyway, that is so not the point. The point is, the phenomenonneonmeohnrdglih of the moving air exists, so let's exploit it. |
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I'm surprised no-one has suggested a turbine yet. Free energy, man. Might as well hang turbines off the sides of the bikes, too. |
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Tube vent live Doom games... |
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