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All across the Great Western territory => The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom => Topic started by: Chris from Nailsea on March 20, 2010, 23:03:05



Title: Anthrax or Plague warning over London Crossrail site (March 2010)
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on March 20, 2010, 23:03:05
From the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8574619.stm):

Quote
The government has warned that traces of bubonic plague or anthrax could be found at a site on the route of ^16bn cross-London Crossrail scheme.
Lord James of Blackheath warned that an area in the City of London to be used for tunnelling may be a missing 16th Century anthrax burial ground.
Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said that a compulsory purchase of the area, a car park, was expected to go ahead.
A decision on the purchase of 10 Hayne Street is expected on Friday.
"We may very well have here at Number 10 Hayne Street the missing anthrax burial ground that has been lost for 488 years," Conservative Lord James said. He said that churches in the area had "refused to accept the bodies of the 282 victims of the anthrax outbreak that wiped out the whole population of Hayne Street at that time".
The threat of diseases being released was raised by Lord James at the passing of the Crossrail Bill in 2009.
Human remains were found in May 2009 in a deep exploratory bore hole in Farringdon, central London, but they showed no traces of plague or anthrax.
Deadly anthrax spores can lie dormant for centuries but if disturbed can spread through the air. The bacteria which causes bubonic plague can also survive in plague pits.
Lord Adonis said he accepted it was an issue that needed further study. "Crossrail understands that there is a very small possibility of buried human remains being encountered during the works at 10 Hayne Street," he told peers. But he said it was "highly unlikely that the works would release any anthrax spores or bacteria causing plague".
The Crossrail scheme is intended to link towns to the east and west of London with Heathrow, the West End, and Canary Wharf from 2017.


Title: Re: Anthrax or Plague warning over London Crossrail site (March 2010)
Post by: inspector_blakey on March 21, 2010, 04:34:58
The media and the public get so overexcited about anthrax  ::)

It's certainly a nasty disease, but here are a few down to earth reassuring facts:

a) anthrax can't spread from one person to another: it can only be passed by the bacterial endospores, so you won't catch it from anyone else coughing or sneezing - it would need to have directly contaminated them or their clothing;
b) although the bacterial endospores are robust and long-lived, they're reasonably easy to decontaminate using oxidizing agents like peroxides or, to a lesser extent, household bleach solutions...autoclaving and burning are also very effective;
c) there are good vaccines against anthrax infection available and...
d) even if you do get infected some forms of anthrax respond well to antibiotics.

Ain't science great?


Title: Re: Anthrax or Plague warning over London Crossrail site (March 2010)
Post by: Electric train on March 21, 2010, 07:57:03
It is also likely that if these are "Plague Pits" the bodies would have been buried with quick lime which was the standard way of burring bodies with infectious diseases before cremations


Title: Re: Anthrax or Plague warning over London Crossrail site (March 2010)
Post by: paul7575 on March 21, 2010, 13:05:10
Seems to be a standard straw for last minute objectors to clutch at.

Same question was raised about the M3 Winchester bypass IIRC, and I firmly believe it is a standard sort of check the eventual contractors do anyway under the heading of 'site investigations'...

Paul


Title: Re: Anthrax or Plague warning over London Crossrail site (March 2010)
Post by: Btline on March 21, 2010, 20:37:01
It's a good job most of the Tube was built ages ago before H&S! Imagine if there was this amount of hoo-haa we'd be lucky to have anything more built than the Waterloo and City!

And these "mega diseases" stories are ALWAYS made up/ exaggerated by the press. Taking a look at the science (as IB did) puts things into perspective.


Title: Re: Anthrax or Plague warning over London Crossrail site (March 2010)
Post by: Electric train on March 21, 2010, 20:40:40
The other precaution is that all the shafts, stations (that is all the ground level to subterranean works) will be watched and monitored by archaeologists who will stop the digging at the slightest signs of a grave


Title: Re: Anthrax or Plague warning over London Crossrail site (March 2010)
Post by: grahame on March 21, 2010, 21:22:29
... anything more built than the Waterloo and City ...

"You CANNOT be SERIOUS .... you can't build a railway line that small under water!"  ;) :D ;D


Title: Re: Anthrax or Plague warning over London Crossrail site (March 2010)
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on April 06, 2011, 20:35:59
From the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12988980):

Quote
Crossrail archaeology dig unearths mass burial ground

Archaeologists surveying the ground at Liverpool Street station in preparation for Crossrail tunnelling have unearthed hundreds of skeletons on the site of a historic mental health hospital.

Opened in 1247, St Bethlehem hospital was the first institution dedicated to mental health patients and is believed to have led to the coining of the word "bedlam".

The site now lies beneath what will be Liverpool Street's new Crossrail ticket hall.

There are 20 archaeology digs along the Crossrail route and they have to be completed as part of the planning regulations.


Title: Re: Anthrax or Plague warning over London Crossrail site (March 2010)
Post by: JayMac on April 07, 2011, 00:08:44
Dunno about skelingtons, but I was caught short today trying to get to Tottenham Court Road on the Northern Line. Missed all the signs and announcements that TCR was closed. Still, not to far to walk to where I needed to be from Goodge St!!!


Title: Re: Anthrax or Plague warning over London Crossrail site (March 2010)
Post by: Ollie on April 07, 2011, 00:16:26
Missed all the signs and announcements that TCR was closed.
to Northern Line services only.


Title: Re: Anthrax or Plague warning over London Crossrail site (March 2010)
Post by: JayMac on April 07, 2011, 00:26:01
Aye. Heading north from Waterloo.


Title: Re: Anthrax or Plague warning over London Crossrail site (March 2010)
Post by: Ollie on April 07, 2011, 00:28:53
You should have stayed for the evening to see We Will Rock You at The Dominion Theatre :)


Title: Re: Anthrax or Plague warning over London Crossrail site (March 2010)
Post by: inspector_blakey on April 07, 2011, 03:18:51
but I was caught short today trying to get to Tottenham Court Road on the Northern Line.

Sounds messy...!



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