Olympic Torch arrives in Swindon (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)
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Olympic Torch arrives in Swindon
7:00am Wednesday 23rd May 2012 in Wiltshire By Scott McPherson
Didier Drogba will be carrying the torch in Swindon today
EXCITEMENT is mounting in Swindon with just hours to go before the Olympic Torch arrives in the town.
Thousands are expected to line the streets in and around the town as the flame travels through Chiseldon, Wroughton, Royal Wootton Bassett before coming into the town centre.
Chelsea star Didier Drogba is set to carry the torch through the town – although Olympic officials remain tight-lipped about his appearance.
The torch is expected to arrive in Chiseldon a few minutes shy of noon before getting to Wroughton at 12.07.
It will then leave there along Wharf Road at 12.18 before arriving at Royal Wootton Bassett at 12.32.
The torch is expected to enter Swindon along Kingshill Road at 1pm and will travel along Bath Road, Victoria Road, Crombey Street, Curtis Street, Commercial Road, Market Street and into the live site at Wharf Green at 13.35.
It will then travel back up along Commercial Road, along Princes Street, Clarence Street, Groundwell Road, Drove Road, County Road, Great Western Way, North Star Avenue before arriving at Swindon College at 14.08.
The torch will then leave the town at 15.12 via Gypsy Lane and Bridge End Road.
You can keep up to date with all the whole torch relay on the Adver’s website with a live blog from our reporters stationed amongst the crowds across the town.
We also want your photos from the day – these can be emailed to fharrison@swindonadvertiser.co.uk with your name, age and whereabouts you took the photo.
Our readers' pictures, along with our own, can be viewed on our special photo galleries which will be updated throughout the day.
There will also be a souvenir photo supplement in tomorrow’s Adver along with all the coverage of the day.
Comments(28)
towney
says...
7:28am Wed 23 May 12
towney
says...
7:30am Wed 23 May 12
BorisIsTheSpider
says...
8:00am Wed 23 May 12
jimmys lovechild
says...
8:24am Wed 23 May 12
SockPuppet
says...
9:11am Wed 23 May 12
Or am I missing some other tenuous link he has with Swindon?
PaulD
says...
9:15am Wed 23 May 12
mr_fix_it
says...
9:33am Wed 23 May 12
swin86
says...
10:00am Wed 23 May 12
PaulD
says...
10:24am Wed 23 May 12
Swindon doesn't appear to have any Olympians: http://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/List_of_peo
ple_from_Swindon but I think David Hempleman-Adams would be a good choice, but then he's not a premiership poodle is he.
Robfm
says...
10:59am Wed 23 May 12
towney
says...
11:49am Wed 23 May 12
dc the 2nd
says...
12:05pm Wed 23 May 12
towney wrote:like? we're hardly a sporting powerhouse.
Sadly it is true and now there are chelsea fans in town. Oh well, Swindon is let down yet again. Why they could not have had someone local is beyond me. Very disappointed.
towney
says...
12:10pm Wed 23 May 12
dc the 2nd wrote:It does not have to be someone sporty. It could have been anyone local, surely that would have been better than someone who has nothing to do with the town.
towney wrote:like? we're hardly a sporting powerhouse.
Sadly it is true and now there are chelsea fans in town. Oh well, Swindon is let down yet again. Why they could not have had someone local is beyond me. Very disappointed.
Glass half full
says...
12:26pm Wed 23 May 12
Likewise I also recognise that the arrangements of the Torch Relay to involve 'celebrities' and famous sports stars will often be made at short notice, which may be why Didier Drogba is to carry the torch through the town today, before he jets off either to the Ivory Coast or China.
I also recognise that there are torch carriers from Swindon carrying it through the town, and also other local towns.
I understand that it would have been great if we could have had a Swindon related sports star or celebrity carrying the torch, however in the absence of this it's good to see one of the highest profile football stars at the present time carrying the torch in Swindon, and raising the profile of our town, even if the BBC this morning were too happy to mention that the torch is being carried through 'nicer' towns such as Marlborough, Cirencester and Cheltenham and that Didier Drogba will be carrying it at some point, whilst being reluctant to mention Swindon at all.
SockPuppet
says...
12:56pm Wed 23 May 12
I Too
says...
12:56pm Wed 23 May 12
I don't work in Swindon so will not see the event
I probably wouldn't bother if I was in Swindon, but it is good news that Swindon has one of the more famous "celebrities" to carry the torch
saul1664
says...
1:14pm Wed 23 May 12
adver jurnolist
says...
1:26pm Wed 23 May 12
uknowwhoiam
says...
5:34pm Wed 23 May 12
PJC
says...
5:53pm Wed 23 May 12
FiremanSam
says...
6:17pm Wed 23 May 12
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We embraced the occasion and held an open day by the Fire Station at Drove Road and were flooded by hunners and hunners (and hunners) of mums, dads and kids alike who all entered into the spirit of the Olympic Torch Relay. (Regardless of who carried the bl**dy thing!!).
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As well as showing you our fire engines and stuff, we supplied tea and coffee, orange or blackcurrant juice, all at donation prices (we left it up to you the cost...).
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As you know, today was especially hot and the majority of squash drinks were given away willy-nilly as we know, small kids need hydrating more than most.
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However, we made over £170 through our refreshing tea/coffee/jooce, proceeds of which will all go to the Firefighter's Charity.
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Thank you a million times to everyone who supported us today. You are the real heros!!!!!!
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itsamess
says...
9:15pm Wed 23 May 12
Glad to hear you chaps took the opportunity for folk to visit an important part of our emergency services-a very vital part in many different areas.
Great to hear it went well--as it appears did the torch relay. Nice to see swindon included in the relay--wish i had been there to join in.
Let us hope cuts to the service do not affect a vital service. I was surprised to hear none of the appliances in the Roves fire carried CO2 extinguishers.
towney
says...
8:47am Thu 24 May 12
Despite me and many other locals who were disappointed at the choice of torch bearers we still had a wonderful time watching the torch and also you were not the only one raising money for charity.
Glad to see you had such a wonderful day raising £170 and entertaining the children. I do hope though that you did not let your excitement show considering you had only a couple of hours before watched a man burn to death, but hey don't let that spoil your fun!
I would have thought for someone who is in such a public role that you would be a little more considerate to others views and feelings.
FiremanSam
says...
10:09pm Sat 26 May 12
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Especially regarding who did or did not carry the olympic torch through our town.
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(Bear in mind for a second that you yourself stated that despite you and many other locals who were disappointed at the choice of torchbearers).
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We all have our own opinions and I do respect that. That was after all, your opinion!!
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However... when have I ever said that "I am always right and that the view of others matters not?" Quote me please!!! I await with interest.
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Yes we raised some cash in selling orange squash and the odd cup of tea/coffee, all the proceeds of which went to our Firefighters Charity but at what point did I say we were the only ones to be raising money???.. Please tell me that? Again,I await with interest.
I am completely abhorred by your comment regarding the unfortunate incident whereby someone took their own life and we just carried on, enjoying the occasion without concern. What Mr Towney, would you have us do?
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At the time the call came in, we had the appropriate number of fire appliances located at the rear of the station, who promptly responded to the incident and dealt with it with the appropriate tact and diplomancy required. The remainder of staff and the fire appliances which remained on station, bearing in mind what was going on elsewhere, we maintained an appropriate level of respect.
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What Mr Towney, would you have us do? I ask... Close the station because something you feel is so important is going on elsewhere should stop all other activities????
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Welcome to the world of the Emergency Services!!!!
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We must deal with events on a daily basis which may or may not upset the general public but we must do this without having an adverse effect.
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When that particular call came in, we were all distressed, but we knew the attending crews would deal with it, leaving those behind, to carry on, without affecting the proceedings.
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I only hope that you actually do realise that those of us in the "Public Role" actually do have quite a lot of consideration when such unfortunate indidents occur. We always take into account your "views and feelings".
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ITSAMESS..... All front line appliances carry a CO2 Extinguisher however when we are dealing with a considerable fire involving a consumer unit (fuse box), then a single CO2 fire extinguisher will not suffice.
Think what would happen if we were to pour water on a live 240V electrical source??
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Our main priority is to isolate the electric supply, and in this instance, we had to request for the isolation of the supply further up the line, hense the requirement of the local Electic Company.
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We are devilled if we do, and devilled if we don't.
Again, welcome to the world of the Emergency Services.
itsamess2
says...
12:27am Sun 27 May 12
I am sure you are aware i value all our our emergency services. I also appreciate some of the incidents all the services have to attend can be quite horrific and heartbreaking and regularly.
My query as to extiguishers was from claims made on the Roves farm issue that none of the appliances carried CO2 types.
I am also well aware of the dangers of live power and using water.
Part of the inspection routine in my industry covers the safety of all electrical equipment and we all must have a working knowledge of safety cutouts and isolaters for any part of the grid and substations etc. You would know power stations recruit firemen with specialist training.
FiremanSam
says...
3:00pm Sun 27 May 12
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Roves Farm claim we had
inadequate extinguishers? Well in truth, it's down to Roves Farm to provide their own adequate supply of extinguishers, appropriate to the risk present. Not our responsibility.
In your industry, you will have appropriate quantity of extinguishers, including trained and competent staff. Perhaps Roves Farm did not, who can say.
itsamess2
says...
4:01pm Sun 27 May 12
Pleased to say one of our specialists on fire issues began life as a Swindon fireman.
I wondered if any of the special team for the torch relay is trained to tackle the unlikely event one of the burners went out of control?
towney says...
7:28am Wed 23 May 12