Saturday 6th April ~ A few moments in Harringay

 Afternoon scenes showing the four bus routes that serve Harringay Green Lanes...

Solo OS12 on the W5 begins it's journey to Archway

Gemini-2 DW497 with a southbound 29

Enviro400 T164 on the 341

Gemini VLW37 with a southbound 141

Thursday 4th April ~ Return to London

Started my journey back to London courtesy of (ugh) 150 222, on the 18.20 Blackpool North-Manchester Victoria from Blackpool North to Preston. After an hour or so at Preston, during which 37607 + 37610 passed through at 19.40 with 6K73 Sellafield-Crewe nuclear flask, I boarded Pendolino 390 009 Treaty of Union on the 19.58 to London Euston (17.30 from Glasgow Central) and rode it back to London. It was snowing slightly at Euston as I boarded hybrid Gemini-2 HV31 on the 253 and took it to Manor House.

Wednesday 3rd April ~ A day out to Preston

A late morning ride from Lytham Road (Health Centre) to Preston Bus Station aboard ALX400 no.18148 on the 68...

PrestonBus Olympian 42558, dating from 1991

A 2000 Lolyne at Preston Bus Station

Fishwick's no.40, a Wright Commander, on Fishergate in Preston

Streetlite 20908, new in 2011, on Fishergate

PrestonBus Olympian 42552 on Fishergate

Return from Preston Bus Station, at about 17.00, to Lytham Road (Farmers Arms) was aboard ALX400 no.18156 on the 68

Tuesday 2nd April 2013 ~ Wok's Cooking

After Chinese food returned from Lytham Square to Halfway House aboard Centro 533 on the 7.

Saturday 30th March ~ Lolyne to Knott End

Started with Solo 283 on the 16 from Highfield Road (Fisher's Fields) to Mereside Tesco's. Then a quick change to Lolyne 307 at the start of it's journey on the 14, which we took to the Town Centre. From the Town Centre is was an epic ride aboard Lolyne 350 on the 2C to Knott End, running via Grange Park and Poulton and then through several Wyre villages including Hambleton and Stalmine. This bus is ex Isle of Man and was built in 2000, so is relatively older than the lower numbered Lolyne's. As can be seen I have discovered that Blackpool's modern double deck buses are Lolynes - like those on London's 388 - along with a few Lowlanders, so I will now refer to them as such rather than 'Tridents' (Trident is the chassis).

Lolyne 350 at the Knott End terminus of the 2c

Then it was a hop across the River Wyre to Fleetwood on the ferry Wyre Rose. Departing at 15.37 and the journey only taking 2 or 3 minutes.

The Wyre Rose at Knott End

After some fish-n-chips it was all aboard Lolyne 328 on the 1, for the short ride to it's terminus at Fleetwood Freeport, then all the way to Starr Gate, picking up some Gillingham and Fleetwood fans at Fleetwood Town (where they had drawn 2-2). Departure from Fleetwood was 16.55, arrival at Starr Gate was 18.05.

Lolyne 328 at Starr Gate after arrival on the 1

Thursday 28th March ~ Slow train to Preston

Going up to Blackpool for Easter. My ride from London Euston to Preston was 390 128 City of Preston on the 11.33 Euston-Preston additional. This train called at Rugby, Crewe, Warrington and Wigan and was somewhat slackly timed, spending several minutes at each of it's station stops. Some things I saw on the way... preserved 86's NSE liveried 86401 Northampton Town and InterCity liveried 86213 Lancashire Witch at Willesden, along with Cola's liveried 86701 Orion. At Wembley, 90047 was at the head of 4L97 Trafford Park-Felixstowe freightliner, while alongside pointing in the other direction were 86628 + 86622 with 4M54 Tilbury-Crewe freightliner. In Wembley yard were royal 67006 Royal Sovereign and 90018 newly painted in DB Schenker livery. Heading north we overtook 66590 on 4M94 Felixstowe-Lawley Street freightliner at Cheddington, and at Bletchley passed 66955 heading south with 4L93 Lawley Street-Felixstowe. While we were stopped at Rugby, 66424 went past at 12.22 with 4S44 Daventry-Coatbridge intermodal, although we re-overtook it south of Nuneaton. At Crewe Basford Hall, 66513 was reversing with a ballast train, while over at the LNWR depot were 86247 in Europhoenix livery, and much travelled, now DRS liveried 47712 Pride of Carlisle. At Warrington Arpley, 66102 was at the head of a train of concrete sleepers, also present were 60092 and 09106. At Preston, 57308 was lurking in the bay behind the old parcels platform.

The nameplate of Pendolino 390 128 City of Preston, at Preston

Finally at Preston it was on to 142 039 with the 15.02 to Blackpool South (13.50 ex Colne), which I took to Squires Gate.

Wednesday 27th March ~ The Oxford English Dictionary

Started on Solo OS11 on the W5 from Harringay Sainsbury's to Hornsey Library. Grabbed a coffee and went for Enviro400 TE669 on the 91 from Crouch End Broadway to Russell Square. From Russell Square it was Gemini WVL265 on the 68 to Waterloo, along with a load of primary school children. At Waterloo I boarded Enviro400 TEH1240 at it's first stop on the 139 for a ride to Piccadilly Circus. After buying a dictionary, a Warsaw guide and some crumpets it was a walk across to Trafalgar Square for Gemini-2 DW492 on the 29 for the ride back to Harringay Green Lanes.