Morning, Surbiton. Yesterday I asked about a bus stop, and by teatime two of you had walked down and settled it. That is first, and then a correction on the K4, because TfL moved the goalposts overnight.
Both stops at Surbiton Health Centre are open and staying open. Jonquil passed within a couple of hours of yesterday's issue and sent photos: no notices on either side, both stops in use. Carmen went and checked both directions separately and found the same. Between them, question answered inside six hours — thank you both.
What probably started the alarm: the 281 timetable has been ripped off the Surbiton-bound stop, and the electronic arrivals display on that side is dead. A stop with no timetable and a blank screen does a very good impression of one that is closing. I am reporting the dead display to TfL today; if a real closure notice ever does go up, I trust one of you will be past it within the hour.
I told you the K4 diversion ended at 6pm last night. TfL has extended it — it now runs until 6pm on Friday. That was true when I wrote it and is not true this morning, so if you walked to your Ewell Road stop today and found nothing, that is why, and I am sorry.
Until Friday evening it is the same arrangement as all week: buses via Lingfield Avenue, Maple Road and Claremont Road, nothing served between Cheyne Hill and Surbiton Station towards Chessington, or between St Mark's Church and Cheyne Hill towards Kingston.
The K3 is also on diversion today until 8pm — Thames Water works on St Leonards Road in Claygate, buses via Oaken Lane and Hare Lane, with the stops around The Green and Church Road not served. Back to normal tonight.
Roads are quieter than yesterday. The Galsworthy Road lights by the hospital are running with no reported delays this morning — they are there until 18 September, so that is the standing item. Leatherhead Road, Hook Road, Malden Way and Upper Brighton Road all still have their works, all rated minimal. Trains are clear both ways.
Today. Dry this morning, then a burst around 1pm — short but proper rain — and showery through the afternoon to about 7pm, around 22°C. Then it clears: dry from nine onwards, and still 20°C at ten. If your plans are this evening, they survive.
Tomorrow is the wet one. 93 per cent and nearly 9mm — that is a rain-all-day day, the wettest of the week. Plan indoors — and there is a good indoors below.
Friday looks better than its number — showery on paper but barely half a millimetre in it. Saturday is showery too, about 22°C — worth knowing before the weekend plans below.
Football, updated. Aaron wrote back with a correction to yesterday: the Esher Kings under-12s play Saturdays and Sundays, not just Sundays, and they still need players — reply and I will put you in touch. And if you were tempted by the over-forties five-a-side, that is tonight, and the rain is gone by nine.
Monday is a bank holiday, in case it had crept up on you the way it crept up on me. Here is the run of it:
Tomorrow night, out of the rain: Jam Night at the Surbiton Flyer — 8.30pm to 11.30pm on Victoria Road, an electric jam with the fronting artists changing through the night, and musicians and listeners equally welcome. On the wettest day of the week, a room full of live music is the correct answer. Richard sends over their listings — the town is lucky to have a venue doing this every fortnight.
Saturday, 12pm to 5pm: the Royal British Legion open day on Hollyfield Road — barbecue, craft stalls, candy floss, a full bar, and The Paperback Writers live at 4pm. Free to walk into. The forecast says showers; the bar is indoors, and a barbecue in light rain is a British institution anyway. 020 8399 3993 for questions.
Saturday night: Average Joe at the Flyer, 9pm till late — live loops and songs across the decades, the last of their August Saturday residency. Walk in.
Bank holiday Monday: Chessington Community Fun Day, Sir Francis Barker Recreation Ground on Leatherhead Road, from 12.30pm, free. A proper free family day out that most of the borough never hears about.
Tonight and tomorrow at the Rose: Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again, the community production — local cast, and a wet Thursday is exactly what a theatre ticket is for.
And one for next week's diary now, because it is ours: Celebrate Surbiton, Thursday 3 September from 4pm on the station forecourt — local food vendors and traders, with entertainment into the evening. Free. More on it next week.
Yesterday a reader asked a question in the morning and two more had answered it by evening, with photographs. I just typed it up. That is the whole model, and it is a good one.
See you tomorrow,
Mike
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