Inside the new train. Photo: Melanie Mcleod

Looking East from the roof of the control room, you can just catch the sun glinting on the spire of Nicholas Hawkmoor’s Christ Church in Spitalfields in the heart of bustling East London. To the south, you can see the densely packed streets of Lewisham and, in the distance, the suburbs of Croydon.

In between, there are the gleaming new tracks of the East London Line, which from the 23rd of May –  now the official opening date of the ELL -  will link these disparate parts of east and south London, creating a whole new community along the line.

Yesterday, East London Lines was among the first group of media representatives to be given a sneak preview of the newest addition to London’s transport network, which has cost £770m to complete.

The new trains themselves are a feat of modern design and engineering. The standard East London Line train has 4 cars, and is designed for maximum capacity, with lots of standing room. Allan Ramsay, press officer for TFL said: “The journey length of the train is an acceptable length of time to stand, and this is why so much standing space has been made available.”

The trains have been designed to match those of the Underground network. Even the seats are laid out in the same way as seats on the tube. This makes getting on and off the train far more efficient than with the airplane style seating, seen on most overground trains.

And with these new trains the warning of ‘mind the gap’ is a thing of the past: all of them have a sloped door entrance, so wheelchair users can alight easily.

Even the East London Line colour scheme has had thought put into it: “We kept it the same as the original line colour scheme so the re-use of the old signs would be easy” said Clare Mann, the general manager of the ELL.

As well as taking a ride on one of the new trains, the party was given a guided tour of the East London Line trains depot and the Operations Building Complex (OBC).

The OBC is a large minimalist grey building, with a glass roof and yellow metal meshing covering it ‘like a honeycomb’, Ms  Mann observed. The building houses the driver accommodation, as well as the administrative side of  ELL and the signal room.

The signalling system is one of the most advanced available – the long term aim being to link with the EU, and have trains from countries such as Poland running along the East London Line track.

Since 2007, 100 new drivers have been employed, mostly all new to the railway, the majority recruited locally from areas along the East London Line. In total 275 new staff members have been employed across the line, making up the 400 strong staff. Many new jobs have been created, such as station hosts, controllers, cleaners, route cleaners, supervisors and managers.

Nowhere are these new staff positions more present than Shadwell station, our first stop on the train. Anyone familiar with the old station will remember the lack of staff presence, and the horrible decor. Tony Baker, Stations Operations Manager for Transport for London shows us a small store cupboard telling us this used to be the station managers office. The staff are now clearly visible, in the ticket office, where customers will see them immediately. “There will now always be at least two visible members of staff,” Mr Baker said.

The ticket office holds a monitor for all CCTV cameras and live PA announcements can be made from the office. All the computers are touch screen for ease of use.

Mr Baker said: “It is a remarkable transformation. Out with the avocado greens last seen in 1970’s bathrooms…’’ Sam Russell, the station delivery manager, added: “We’re really keen to get down and use the station… we’re looking forward to day one.”

Photo: Leo Reynolds

A grandmother with links to right-wing extremist organizations has been announced as the British National Party candidate in the Lewisham mayoral race.

Tess Culnane, who is in her seventies, has been described by her opponents as a ‘neo-Nazi granny’, and will represent the controversial far-right party in the upcoming election. Campaigning on a nationalist platform, she has said she plans to turn Lewisham into ‘a borough where British interests and people are put first’.

Ms Culnane, who said she intends to take a strong stance against crime, has previously insisted that she is ‘not a Nazi’ but ‘a true blue patriot’.

However, her history of association with more extreme right-wing organisations adds weight to opponents’ claims that BNP attempts at promoting a moderate image are deceptive.

Ms Culnane previously stood unsuccessfully as National Front candidate for Greenwich and Lewisham in 2008’s London Assembly elections, and has also run for that party in Yorkshire.

She has also been linked to the self-described ‘ultra nationalist’ British People’s Party, who describe her as a ‘veteran activist’ on their website, which features overtly Nazi imagery. An official blog of the BPP includes sections contesting the historical facts of the Holocaust, and describes immigration as a ‘vociferous cancer’.

Other local politicians have spoken out against the BNP’s campaign, including Liberal Democrat mayoral candidate Chris Maines, who described the party as ‘vile’. Green Councilor Dean Walton, who is also running, said: “Racists aren’t welcome in a diverse and tolerant borough like Lewisham.”

Sir Steve Bullock, the incumbent Labour mayor, has expressed scepticism about the BNP’s electoral prospects. “The residents of Lewisham have too much sense to be taken in by the superficial makeover of the BNP,” he said. “It’s still a nasty, racist party with nothing to offer but division and hate.”

Photo: Tony Webster

A human rights lawyer who was stabbed to death at his Lewisham home is suspected to have been murdered for his political views.

Police today issued an appeal for information about the killing of AbdelSalam Hussain, 56, who was found murdered at his home in Boone Street, Lee on Saturday.

At about 7.10 am, a neighbour noticed Mr. Abdel Salam’s front door was open and discovered his body just inside. He had been slashed across the face and stabbed in the leg. Emergency services were called but he was pronounced dead at the scene. A post mortem examination gave the cause of death as severe blood loss.

Mr. Abdel Salam, who was originally from Sudan before becoming a British national, worked for international human rights organisation Redress as the Sudan adviser, helping victims of torture.

He had also worked for the charities Human Rights Watch and Justice Africa, who have paid tribute to him and describe him as, “a guiding light of Sudan’s human rights movement”.

Colleagues said today they feared there was a political motive behind the attack. Lutz Orzette, 43, a project adviser at Redree, said: “He was very well known in the field of human rights. Some people think there is a political motive. There have been threats against a number of Sudanese human rights campaigners.”

Police say there is no intelligence the lawyer was targeted because of his human rights work but could not rule out the possibility.  Detective Chief Inspector Damian Allain, of the Metropolitan Police’s homicide and serious crime command said: “We have a number of lines of inquiry and we believe it is linked locally. “I am keen to trace Abdel Salam’s movements and appeal for anyone with information to come forward to assist my teal with this investigation.

Abdel Salam was a large man, who used two sticks to walk as he had some difficulty. He would travel by minicab or bus to take him to the charity where he worked in central London, and many people would have seen him on his route.”

DCI Allain added: “This was a brutal attack on a defenseless man, made more tragic, as Abdel Slam had devoted much of his life combating the abuse of human rights upon others.”

Anyone with information can contact Crimestoppers, on 0800 555111.

Photo:wirewiping

Members of East London’s Jewish community have called for their long standing cultural involvement in the area to be recognised as part of plans for a local heritage trail.

The cultural trail has already caused controversy with the proposals to install ‘hijab gates’ on Brick Lane – which have now been temporarily withdrawn.

Now there are plans for a Jewish heritage centre  to  be housed in the last synagogue in Spitalfields, located on Sandys Row, just off Petticoat Lane. It would celebrate Jewish history and culture with archives and memorabilia.

Jack Gilbert, a board member for the synagogue, said: “We discovered that the Jewish community had been excluded from the heritage trail, which did not deal with the history of the area appropriately.

Jewish communities have lived in the Brick lane area since the 1650’s. Clive Bennington, chair of the Jewish East End Celebration Society, which has over 2oo members, said: “ Jews have been there for 400 years and were at the centre of the community. We want that honoured.”

A joint feasibility study has been authorised by Tower Hamlets council with the Sandys Row synagogue, to see if it would be viable to include the centre in the £1.85 million culture trail.

A stall at Ridley Road market. Photo: sean-b

One of the most popular markets in Hackney will be redeveloped thanks to a major council investment.

After a consultation of  local residents, shoppers and traders, carried out last year,  Hackney council decided to invest £1 million into improving the popular Ridley Road market. Works will run from late April to November 2010 and the market will remain open for business during the redevelopment.

The aim of the long-term work is to improve general market conditions for consumers and traders, as well as making the space more attractive for residents and external visitors.

The council envisages transforming the market into a more welcoming, cleaner and greener environment. The redeveloped market will provide improved recycling facilities and new secure cycle racks will be installed for shoppers arriving on bike.

The major works comprise more than a hundred new stalls and new pitch layouts, widened footpaths for a better flow of costumers and resurfaced roadways in the market area. There will aslo be new pavements at St Mark’s Rise, Colvestone Crescent and Kingsland High Street entrances.

For the Ridley Road traders, there will be better lighting in the market with shared ‘power bollards’ as well as more space between each stall.

Councillor Alan Laing, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: “It’s a pleasure to be able to announce the Council is investing in improving the experience shoppers and business people will have as they move around the market. These improvements will be visible and create a better environment for everyone who uses the market.”

Ridley Road market is open Monday to Thursday from 6am to 6pm and on Friday and Saturday from 6am to 7pm.

Musicians play at the Victorian fancy fair at the Thames Tunnel. Photo: Melanie Macleod

Over the weekend the public had a “never again chance” to take a step back in time, and look into the future… of the East London Line.

The Thames Tunnel, which will form part of the new East London line, opened for the public to walk through for the first time in 145 years.

The tunnel was built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and hailed as the eighth wonder of the world upon its construction in 1852. As the finale to the East festival, the tunnel opened its doors to the public with a Victorian fancy fair and guided walks through the tunnel.

The Thames Tunnel stretches 396 metres under the river, from Rotherhithe to Wapping, Tower Hamlets, was built in the Victorian era and is believed to be the first tunnel to have been built beneath a navigable river.  Brunel Museum Director, Robert Hulse, said the tunnel is “the birthplace of the tube system”.

In 1869 it was converted from a thriving shopping arcade and entertainment centre into a railway tunnel for the East London underground line. This year the Thames Tunnel will see trains running through it once more as the redeveloped East London Line goes live once more.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “We are delighted that the works on the East London Line are working so well to time that we have been able to put them on hold for two days so that the public will get this never-again chance to walk through the Thames Tunnel.

“Brunel’s achievements taught us that it is vital to invest in transport infrastructure, the benefits of which are preserved for Londoners for generations to come.”

The fancy fair harks back to Victorian times, when the tunnel captured the imagination of the city, attracting exotic dancers, sword swallowers and tightrope walkers. Speaking to visitors, Robert Hulse described the scenes of yesteryear: “Imagine this echoing with laughter and screams of delight, and parties of people. This is a Victorian rave, this is vaudeville, a party place.”

The modern day fancy fair, held at the Brunel Museum, Rotherhithe, boasted Victorian Strongmen, jugglers, acrobats and fire eaters, steams organs and Brunel themed cocktails and jellies.  Visitors were also treated to model painting and authentic Victorian costume and photography at the event.

Lawrence Wakefield, 21, a musician from Lewisham, said: “This event is a great way to get a feel for the Victorian era, I especially liked the Victorian strongmen – they were really entertaining and energetic. The Brunel museum was good too, really informative about the tunnel.”

Anyone wishing to find out more about the tunnel and Brunel’s other works can visit the Brunel Museum, on Railway Avenue, Rotherhithe.

Photo: Rhiannon Daly

A new exhibition championing the work of women in the construction of the Olympic site was officially opened by Tessa Jowell MP last night at the Museum of London, Docklands.

Photographer Janie Airey was commissioned by Jennette Arnold, Chair of the London Assembly, to take the images demonstrating the  diversity of the Olympics. The photos are also to be made into a limited edition charity calender, and proceeds from the sales will go to the Helen Bamber Foundation, a human rights charity.

Speaking exclusively to East London Lines, Jennette said: “We’re telling the story of these women here: women can do anything they want, it’s the constraints that get in the way and we are strong enough to remove them.

“Now we have hundreds of women trained in construction and these women will go on to have jobs in major construction firms when the Olympics is over. Women across the world are facing cruelty, not just social constraints, and so it’s important that we raise a lot of money doing this.”

Lorraine Martins, Head of Diversity for construction on the site and subject of one of the photographs said: “It’s been one of the most humbling experiences of my life. We invited Jennette to see the site but never imagined it would turn into this. It’s been one of the wonderful unintended consequences of the 2012 games being in London.”

Three local schoolgirls were also invited to the launch, and said they were inspired by the women in the pictures doing what could be considered men’s jobs. Farida Ahmed, 16, said: “I’m doing my GCSEs now and making some important choices so to see this exhibition makes me think anything is possible. I feel that there are women out there supporting us, and that culture isn’t a barrier.”

Her sentiments were echoed by Jasmine Martins, 14, who said: “It just shows that although there’s a hierarchy in some jobs, women can do as much as men and are valued.”

Helen Bamber, founder of the Helen Bamber Foundation, was also at the event and paid tribute to the women who continue to push the boundaries in a male-dominated field.

‘Women making the London Olympics’ is on until 2 May. For details, call the museum on 020 7001 9844.

The Olympic site in Stratford is still being built. Photo:London 2012

Twenty-five young people of the five London 2012 host boroughs have joined together to help decide the future of the Olympic Parks.

The East London youths, aged 13-22, have joined the Youth Legacy Panel which will help the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) and construction companies decide the fate of the facilities that will be used.

With five representatives from each borough, the Panel will meet with architects, visit local schools and have their say about decisions that will be made after the tournament. They will also have the opportunity to visit the Olympic sites and see the progress in construction.

Emma Wheelhouse, the Senior Stakeholder’s Relations Manager at OPLC described the programme as “phenomenal”.

This is the third set of youngsters to have been selected for these roles.  Ms Wheelhouse said: “They have been with us since January, so we now have 35 in total, and the older ones are helping the newer ones.”

The group will take part in mentoring and peer learning throughout their time working with the OPLC and contractors such as Fundamental Architecture Inclusion, from Newham.

They will act as a lobby group and will inform the Olympic Legacy Masterplan of progress and decisions being made throughout the development.

The young people will provide a fresh perspectives to debate about the future of  the  Parks.

Miss Wheelhouse added: “They are working on features to make people feel better about their borough such as CCTV”

“They are looking at things such streets, bridges and other land use.”

Photo:Tobyotter

An unusual tribute marked Mother’s Day in New Addington, on Sunday. Angelia Jordan, a funeral arranger, gave over the window of her shop to photographs of mothers past and present

Angelia Jordan, who works at Rowland Brothers in Central Parade, New Addington, asked people to lend her pictures of their mums so she could display them in the shop window.

Jordan, who lost her mother, June Tarry, two and half years ago, said: “I want as many people as possible to have their mums’ faces up in the display because they are very important people.

“It’s really hard to get people involved with things like this because of the stigma attached to funeral homes – people think of death and they run away.

“But we really want to do something positive and heart-warming to encourage more people to come in – even if it’s just for a cup of tea and a chat.

Photo:Francesca Waite

Boxing national hero, Amir Khan visited the Double Jab gym in Forest Hill, Lewisham on Friday. The Olympian, 23, met with young people who train at the gym: slogan, ‘Jab Don’t Stab’.

Amir Khan was in the local area, working on  a new television show called ‘Justin Lee Collins: Good Times’ which was being recorded in The Rivoli Ballroom in Brockley,  so  Double Jab manager and  coach, David John, invited him over to meet the young boxers.

Mr Khan knows how important these sorts of clubs are.  He said: “This is where champions come from. These kids are the future, and they have discipline.  It’s a totally different way of thinking and boxing kept me out of trouble.”

He added how important local boxing gyms are for the 2012 Olympics: “It’s very important, especially having it in London, and all these kids should have ambition. A world champion could come out of this gym”.

Margaret McCarthey watched her 7-year-old son Mickey meet one of the country’s sporting heroes.  She said: “It’s brilliant and all our family come from boxing so it’s great.”

The grass roots club has recently received £40,000 from the Forest Hill Local Assembly to buy new equipment.   Lewisham Councillor John Russell, said: “We now have about 12 or 13 amateur boxers, and we work as a youth club, we do personal training and we do mentoring”.