4 years on from 7/7....I remember it

[natweststaffmember]

On the preceeding week I had gone to New York visiting a friend of mine. I remember the day we got the Olympic Games. I was packing to go to the airport to catch the flight back. I remember telling people in the airport, "London will be buzzing from the Olympics decision!".
I caught the plan due to land at 7am delayed by half an hour. At about 08:30 I was gonna catch the coach back to Cambridge but having missed one that was full could not be arsed so decided on Paddington Station and then tube to Kings Cross. I remember walking to the Heathrow Express thinking they could run the marathon in Heathrow since it took you ages and ages to get to the train. I missed one. When I got the next one and arrived at Paddington the tube had been shut with an electrical fault. I thought I would be cheaky and take a different line on the tube cos it was obscure however, that was shut as well. So I decided the best thing was to walk to Kings Cross or Victoria coach station albeit I only had a tube map. So down the road I went with sirens blaring away. I kept walking and was kinda wondering what was going on as every tube station was shut. I remember walking past a car showroom and seeing the signs saying 6 bombs gone off in London just before my mother telephoned me.
I was walking towards Victoria via my tube map. I had no idea how to get there and ended up in Chelsea and asked people where Victoria was. I should add I had 2 rucksacks and a bag and my T shirt had the words "Don't **** me off, I've forgotten where I have hidden the bodies!".
I spent 6 hours at victoria before getting a taxi to Finsbury Park and then train via Welwyn Garden City to Cambridge. I found out that over 50 people had died a lot later......a very stange day needless to say.

RIP to those who lost their lives that day.

[enaid]

Re: 4 years on from 7/7....I remember it

Families unite for bombing memorial


Relatives of the 52 victims of the July 7 bombings marked the fourth anniversary of the attacks with the unveiling of a memorial commemorating their loved ones.

Families unite for bombing memorial



They were joined by the Prince of Wales, Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other political leaders as the nation remembered those killed and injured in the atrocities on London's transport network in 2005.
A monument honouring the dead and costing nearly £1 million has been created in Hyde Park - 52 stainless steel columns, or stelae, 11.5ft (3.5m) tall.
Each one is unique and they have been grouped together in four clusters, reflecting the separate locations of the bombings - Tavistock Square, Edgware Road, King's Cross and Aldgate. Four suicide bombers detonated their rucksack devices near these locations on the morning of July 7 2005, killing the 52 and injuring hundreds of others, some seriously.
A stainless steel plaque naming all those who died has also been erected at the memorial site between the park's Lover's Walk and Park Lane.
Meanwhile, MPs have launched a major new inquiry into the July 7 bombings on the anniversary of the attacks.
The House of Commons Home Affairs Committee is expected to call senior intelligence officials to give evidence.
In its report on the Government's anti-terror strategy, the committee warned the London Underground was still "extremely vulnerable" to terrorist attack.
Committee chairman Labour MP Keith Vaz said: "Following this report we will now embark on a new inquiry into the 7/7 bombings."
He said MPs would begin by looking at how Cobra, the Cabinet Office's emergency committee, responded to to attacks. It follows criticism of the committee by former Scotland Yard counter-terror boss Andy Hayman.

Families unite for bombing memorial - Yahoo! News UK

[scoobydoo]

Re: 4 years on from 7/7....I remember it

My bosses daughter was in London that day looking for a property to rent.

Her friends got caught up in the tube problems and she was on her own - she got shepherded away from a tube station and was walking towards the square where the bus bomb went off - she was only a street or so away.

She was very frightened and there was very intermittent phone signals so my Boss was here really panicking

A cafe owner took her in with lots of others and kept them inside and gave them free tea and coffee.

much later when there seemed to be a lack of info she decided just to walk out of london and our sales director who was outside london decided to go and try and find her. He said it was the weirdest sensation evreyone was walking or driving out of London - he seemed to be the only one going in and everything by that time was very quiet and surreal. Somehow he managed to find her ( her bright purple hair helped!) and they turned round and drove home.

My thoughts are with the families of those who died and were injured on that terrible day.