Wednesday 28th November ~ To the Tate Modern

Took Enviro400 no.T168 on the 341 from HGL to Fleet Street at around 13.00. Then later at around 19.00 it was Enviro400 no.T150 on the 341 from it's first stop by County Hall (Waterloo) back to HGL.

Harrod's Routemaster RM2621 at the east end of Fleet Street

Thursday November 22nd ~ More wanderings in Paris and retour a Londres

Started with Metro MP89CC no.44 from Mouton Duvernet to Gare du Nord, then on to Metro MF2000 no.070 from Gare du Nord to Laumiére and then a stroll round the Parc des Buttes Chaumont, eventually finding myself at Colonel Fabien metro station from where I caught Metro MF2000 no.008 to Place de Clichy on Line 2. This being the elevated line that can be seen to the north of Gare du Nord station. From Place de Clichy it was a short one stop hop on Line 13 to Liege aboard Metro MF77 no.076 and my lunch.

Bus 3483 heads east on Rue Manin, by the Parc des Buttes Chaumont

Then at around 14.30 it was Metro MF77 no.070 on Line 13 from Saint Lazare to Invalides, followed by RER class Z 20500 EMU no.181A, or 20861 + 20862... these EMU's have two seperate numbers on their ends - the three digits plus letter is the same at both ends, and the five digit numbers are consecutive numbers at either end... I'm not sure which is the 'proper' one!... anyway this was on Line C, and I took it from Invalides to Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel. From there it was a nice stroll along the Allée des Cygnes (Promenade of the Swans) in the middle of the Seine.

Southbound Line 6 metro train crosses the Seine on the Bir-Hakeim Bridge

Looking east towards the Eiffel Tower, as an RER Line C train, formed of a pair of Class Z 20500 EMU's, crosses the Seine.

After that it was Metro MP73 no.6536 on Line 6 (I'd also had this unit the previous day) from Bir-Hakeim, across the Seine to Trocadéro, changing onto Metro MF67 no.3055 on Line 9, one stop to Rue de la Pompe. From there I walked to Avenue Henri Martin RER station for Class Z 20500 EMU no.07A (20513 + 20514), a two unit train with 180A. This was on Line C and I took it back across the Seine to St Michel-Notre Dame. Later on I caught bus 8146 from St Germain (Odéon) to Gare de Lyon on route 63.

Class BB 36000 'Astride' loco, 36007, at Gare de Lyon after bringing in the coaches for the 19.45 overnight sleeper to Venice.

TGV Duplex no.713 at Gare de Lyon with the 19.53 to Lyon Perrache

From Gare de Lyon it was on to the RER, and another Class Z 20500 EMU no.109D (+72D) on Line D, on the 20.00 to Orry La Ville, which I took to Gare du Nord.

TGV Sud-Est no. 04 at Gare du Nord

Finally, at Gare du Nord it was on to Eurostar 3014 + 3013 (I was in the second front carriage) with the 21.13 back to London St Pancras International.

Wednesday November 21st ~ Autumn in Paris

A grey, wet, autumnal morning in Paris. Started with a short ride on articulated (ie bendy) bus 1889 on the 62 from Alésia metro station to Avenue René-Coty. Then after a walk round the Parc Montsouris (as featured in 'Cleo from 5 to 7'), walked to Place d'Italie for Metro MP73 no. 6536 on Line 6 to Raspail.

Bus 6643 on route 88 running west along Rue d'Alésia, crossing Avenue René-Coty, in Montparnasse.

This curious electric bus is heading south along Avenue Reille, towards Parc Montsouris.

Then after a coffee it was bus 7340 on the 82 from Boulevard du Montparnasse (Montparnasse Bienvenue ) to Les Invalides.

Artic bus 4493 on route 91 heads east down Boulevard du Montparnasse, heading for Bastille.

Tour bus by Les Invalides

A coach of Begonia Reizen, from Belgium, outside Les Invalides.

Southbound bus on route 83 (Friedland Haussmann – Porte d'Ivry-Claude Régaud) at the junction of Rue de Sèvres and Boulevard Raspail in St Germain.

In the evening, after a walk through St. Germain, I boarded RER double deck Class 20500 EMU no. 34T on Line C at St Michel-Notre Dame for the ride to Champ du Mars-Tour Eiffel. From there it was an interchange on to Metro MP73 no.6524 on Line 6, from Bir-Hakeim to Denfert Rochereau, and then a short trip on Metro MP89CC no.07 on Line 4 for the short one-stop hop to Mouton-Duvernet, and thence to my hotel.

Tuesday November 20th 2012 ~ Across to Paris

An early start with a Piccadilly Line tube from Manor House to King's Cross, then it was aboard Eurostar 3219 + 3220 with the 07.55 London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord. I was in the second rear carriage of the train, on/in 3220.

Scenes from Paris Nord. Class BB 215000R (a sub class of BB 15000) no. 215031, regular BB 15000 no. 15008, and TGV Sud-Est no.71.

 After getting my Mobilis pass I decided to get bus 5160 on the 26, from Gare du Nord to Gare Saint Lazare.

Articulated bus 4679 on the 43 outside Gare du Nord

Bus 5165 on the 26 outside Gare Saint Lazare

Then after a coffee I decided to have a go on some of the suburban trains from Saint Lazare. First off class BB 27300 'Prima' loco no. 27346 (pushing) from Saint Lazare to Argenteuil on the 13.27 to Gisors. Loco hauled services are push-pulled with loco's at the Saint Lazare end. Then it was  27334 from Argenteuil at 13.50 with a stopping train back to Saint Lazare.

27346 propels the 13.27 Paris Saint Lazare to Gisors away from Argenteuil. The '8' prefix is to denote that the loco belongs to the Ile de France division of SNCF.

Then it was class BB 17000 no. 17041 from Saint Lazare with the 14.31 to Ermont-Eaubonne which I took 'all the way', and then the same loco back to Argenteuil on the 15.12 to Saint Lazare. Chainging there for 27366 at 15.30 back to Saint Lazare.

A bus exits the bus station at Ermont-Eaubonne, just to the north of Paris.

17041 at Ermont-Eaubonne at the head of the 15.12 to Paris Saint Lazare

27366 arrives at Argenteuil with the 15.30 to Saint Lazare

At Saint Lazare I hopped on to bus 3645 on the 20 for a trip across town to Gare de Lyon, followed by a class MP89CA Metro no. 01 on Line 14 back to Saint Lazare (the difference between an MP89CA and an MP89CC being that the MP89CA's are driverless). I needed to get south to my hotel in Montparnasse so I decided to go the long way round, first 17058 from Saint Lazare at 17.57 to Ermont-Eaubonne, then a new Class Z 50000 EMU no.15H (with 20H leading) on the 18.46 to Gare du Nord. These units are pretty stylish, with extra large windows and seats with a bright multi-coloured square pattern. I was pretty tired now and was glad to get class MP89CC Metro no. 06 on Line 4 from Gare du Nord to Mouton-Duvernet and thence to my hotel.

Monday November 19th ~ Piccadilly and back

Took Gemini WVL481 on the 19, from Finsbury Park to Waterstone's on Piccadilly. Then at 2 o'clock, after browsing the books and something to eat, I got Gemini WVL495 on the 19 from Hyde Park Corner back to Finsbury Park

OmniCity 15028 is about to enter Finsbury Park Interchange at the end of it's journey from Whitechapel on the 106. Meanwhile President VPL585 turns on to Seven Sisters Road as it heads to Archway on the 4.

Sunday November 18th ~ Sunday in the City

Aah lovely sunny Autumn day. Went out around midday to catch Gemini WVN51 on the 259 from Manor House to it's terminating point at King's Cross. Then it was Gemini WVL231 on the 68 from Euston to Kingsway. A walk round the corner to Aldwych and on to Routemaster RM2060 on the heritage 15, which I took to Monument. Later on after the Whitechapel walk I got Enviro400 no.9463 on the 35 from Bishopsgate to London Bridge. Finally at London Bridge it was on to Gemini VLW78 on the 141 back to HGL.

Saturday November 17th 2012 ~ A Chinese and the New Routemaster

Started with Solo OS16 on the W5 from Harringay Sainsbury's to Waterlow Park, Highgate. I do quite like this bus route. Then at Highgate Village we boarded President TP414 on the 271 for a slow and arduous journey down  Highgate Hill and Holloway Road to Highbury Corner. Traffic wasn't particularly bad, it was just the bus went slowly! Then onto the Victoria Line at Highbury & Islington to head for Victoria and some Chinese food...

At around 15.00 we boarded Enviro400 no.9544 on the 211 on Victoria Street for a run to it's terminus by the concourse at Waterloo station. Walked over the Thames to Trafalgar Square for Enviro400 T264 on the 29 for the short journey up Charing Cross Road to Foyle's bookstore. Then it was Gemini DW413 on the 38 from Shaftesbury Avenue to Victoria, and at Victoria it was on to New Routemaster (I'll call them that for now) LT1 on the 38 for a ride to Bloomsbury Square where we got off to get a Piccadilly Line tube from Holborn back to Manor House.

Thursday 15th November ~ Over to Archway and down to Euston

A misty morning in the Autumn-time... before heading out I saw DRS blue 66418 on the 4M51 Tilbury-Daventry freightliner, and 59201 with westbound MRL hoppers at 09.55. Then headed out to catch Solo OS15 on the W5 at around 10.15 from Harringay Sainsbury's to Archway. The mist had cleared by afternoon and after I had finished in Waterlow Park I caught President VPL591 on the 390 from Archway to Euston. This runs via Tufnell Park, York Way and King's Cross before heading over to Notting Hill Gate. Then it was Gemini VLW188 on the 253 from Euston to Manor House.

Monday 12th-Wednesday 14th November ~ Train Watching in Harringay

Decided to do a bit of loco watching at HGL. Locos noted on the morning of Monday 12th were 66416, still in DRS blue livery but now a Freightliner loco, on the 4M51 Tilbury-Daventry freightliner, passing at 09.02, and 59103 Village Of Mells passing at 09.47 with westbound Yeoman boxes. I then went for a walk across Finsbury Park and at the footbridge over the ECML saw 66046 with 4E25 Bow-Heck empty Plasmor wagons at 11.52, and also 91120 with a northbound express from King's Cross at 12.15. Northbound expresses were running at unusual times and I'm wondering if the timetable has been altered for leaf fall season. Back to HGL and I saw 66428 with 4M71 Purfleet-Daventry intermodal (the 'sugarliner') on time at 13.32, and 66429 with 4L48 Daventry-Tilbury Tesco express at 14.21, around 40 minutes late. Later at 15.17, 66105 passed with an unusually short 6X48 Dagenham-Didcot cars.

On the evening of Tuesday 13th, locos passing included 60019 at 19.06 with 6L21 Whatley-Dagenham loaded stone train, and 70013 with the 6L87 Earles-West Thurrock cement. I'm only noting loco's I see and identify, there are usually a few more that I don't!

Wednesday the 14th I saw 66091 on a westbound Redlands self-discharge train at 12.09, 66301 with 4M71, 66301 with 4L48 at 14.27 and 66171 with 6X48. 66538 was on 4L57 Daventry-Tilbury containers at 15.55, shortly followed by 66127 with 6L26 Acton-Dagenham running around 30 minutes late at 15.58. Final sighting was 66516 with 4L32 Bristol-Tilbury freightliner (the 'boozeliner') at 16.41.

Wednesday November 7th ~ Riding the 106 and the 38

Started at around 12.30 with a ride on the entire length of route 106, from Finsbury Park to Whitechapel via Stoke Newington, Clapton and Hackney. As a bonus it was diverted away from it's usual route down Cambridge Heath Road (due to CrossRail works) and went via Roman Road, Grove Road (not Globe Road as advertised) and Mile End Road to it's terminus at Cavell Street in Whitechapel, next to the Royal London Hospital. My voyage was courtesy of OmniCity 15024. At Hackney Central I saw an eastbound Freightliner crossing the bridge hauled by 66542.

OmniCitys 15027 and 15024 stand at the 106 terminus in Cavell Street, Whitechapel.

I walked round the corner on to Whitechapel Road and caught Gemini VN36142 on the 25 to Holborn Circus, it's terminating point. Although some 25s continue on to Oxford Circus.

Gemini VN36142 after arrival at Holborn Circus

Over to St Paul's Churchyard, where I caught Enviro400 DN39115 on the 23 to Piccadilly Circus, en route I told a French couple where to alight for Covent Garden. Then it was lunchtime and a read in Green Park. Afterwards, at around 16.00, I caught Gemini DW261 on the 38 from Hyde Park Corner to the south end of Rosebery Avenue, then crossed the road for another 38 and another Gemini, DW231, which I took all the way back to it's terminus at Victoria. I did notice that the 38 was very frequent, and a number of the new  'New Routemasters' or 'Boris Buses' or whatever they are called were in use.

After a coffee at Victoria I boarded Enviro400 no.9533 on the 211 on Buckingham Palace Road for a ride to it's Waterloo terminus. This bus actually runs up Station Approach and terminates at 'Upper Taxi Road', right by the station concourse. Then a walk to Westminster Bridge Road/County Hall where I caught Enviro400 T163 on the 341 (it was around 18.30 I think), which although advertised to run it's entire route to Angel Road, decided to terminate at Newington Green. So from Newington Green I caught another 341, in the shape of Enviro400 T164 to Harringay Green Lanes.

Monday November 5th ~ Autumn in Mayfair

A lovely sunny Autumn day. Took Gemini WHV24, a hybrid, on the 19 from Finsbury Park station to Green Park. Then a ride on the C2, Enviro400 no.9534 from Hyde Park Corner to the top of Great Portland Street. This runs through Mayfair, via Stratton Street, Berkeley Square and Conduit Street. Then up Regent Street and Portland Place, and across Devonshire Street to Great Portland Street, before heading up to Parliament Hill. Then a walk to Euston for Gemini VLW179 on the 253 up to Manor House.

An Enviro400 turns into Saville Row from Conduit Street at the start of it's journey on the 15. Taken from the top deck of Enviro400 no.9534 on the C2

Saturday 3rd November 2012 ~ DLR and Cable Car to Greenwich

Piccadilly and Northern Line tubes to Bank. Then I headed for the Docklands Light Railway, where I got B90 stock 43 (with 38 on the front) from Bank to Canning Town. At Canning Town I changed on to a Beckton line train - B07 stock 105, with 109 on the front, to journey one stop to Royal Victoria.

105 (with 109 on the front) calls at Royal Victoria, heading for Beckton

There I met my friends and we headed for the Royal Docks cable car terminus. We boarded Cable Car 24 for the ride over to Greenwich Peninsula. This was my first time on the cable cars and it was quite thrilling, they go up pretty high.

The view from Cable Car 24, looking towards Greenwich Peninsula

At North Greenwich bus station, having become temporarily seperated from the group, I took Enviro400 no.2413 on the 188 to Greenwich Church Street.

Enviro400 no.2413 on Greenwich Church Street after I got off

That evening we went to the fireworks at Blackheath. Returning, I went down to Cutty Sark station which was very busy northbound. I got on to B07 stock 122, on the front of a 3 unit train which also included B09 stock 148 + 143. I took this one stop southbound to Greenwich, where I waited for around 20 minutes before getting on the same train returning north, so it was aboard 122 on the rear, with 143 + 148 leading which I took from Greenwich (at 21.35) to Bank. Thence onto the Northern and Piccadilly Lines back to Manor House.

Tuesday 30th October 2012 ~ Back to London

Taxi to Blackpool North, then onto 158 790 on the 18.29 to York as far as Preston. From Preston I got 390 046 Virgin Soldiers on the 19.58 Preston to Euston.

Some sightings on the way.... At Warrington, DBS red 60015 was parked in the bay at the south end of the station. In Arpley Yard I saw another red 60, 60040 The Territorial Army Centenary, plus 66188 and 66211. It was dark after that, there was a Network Rail HST in the LNWR yard at Crewe, plus some 86s I couldn't identify. Arrival at Euston was around 22.25, where I observed 90026 at the head of the Caledonian Sleeper - the 23.50 to Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Monday 29th October 2012 ~ A Trip up to Fleetwood

Took a walk down Lindale Gardens to Highfield Road, specifically because I wanted to see Classic Buses 'Catch 22' Mereside-Cleveleys service.

Solo 240 heads down Lindale Gardens on the 5. It is still in the former Line 2 colours of green and yellow

Dart 512, a former London bus, heads east on Highfield Road with the 'Catch 22'

Then walked up to St Martins Road, as the southbound 5 was being diverted down here due to roadworks on Highfield Road.

Recently acquired by Blackpool from Bus Vannin (Isle of Man), DAF 363 heads away from the Fishers Fields stop on St Annes Road with a northbound 7 (Lytham-Cleveleys)

Solo 294, also in green and yellow, heads down St Martins Road with a diverted 5

Forward to the Solarium on the promenade, where we caught Trident 336 on the no.1 all the way to Fleetwood Ferry.

Trident 336 heads south past the Solarium towards Starr Gate on the 1, before returning to Fleetwood

From Fleetwood we returned to Tower on Flexity Tram 011, there was a blast from the past in Bispham as we raced alongside an old Blackpool Atlantean, Streetscene 270 (formerly Blackpool 350) for a while. At Market Street in the town centre we boarded DAF 354 on the 7, which we took to the St Annes Road/Highfield Road stop. It's nice to see double decker buses back on St Annes Road regularly.

Former Blackpool Atlantean, Streetscene 270 races alongside our tram down the promenade in Bispham

Flexity tram 011 by the Tower, ready to continue on to Starr Gate

Saturday 27th October ~ Blackpool Illuminations

Took Stagecoach Enviro400 no.19044 on the 68 from the Farmers Arms stop on Lytham Road to the stop outside the old bus station on Talbot Road. Due to the illuminations it was diverted away from the promenade, via Rigby Road, Central Drive, Albert Road and Cookson Street.

Enviro400 no.19044 after arrival outside Talbot Road Bus Station with the 68 from Preston

Walked down the promenade from North Pier. Saw three illuminated trams - Western Train 733 + 734, Frigate Tram 736 HMS Blackpool and Trawler Tram 737 - plus Balloon tram 717 and Standard tram 147 on illuminations specials. Plus several Flexity trams on the normal Fleetwood-Starr Gate services.

Western train tram 733 + 734 boards passengers at the Pleasure Beach loop

Friday 26th October 2012 ~ A Day Out to Glasgow

An early start with Solo 254 on the 5 from Lindale Gardens to Blackpool Town Centre. Then to Blackpool North where we boarded 150 118 on the 08.20 to Manchester Victoria which we took as far as Preston.

At Preston it was on to 11 car Pendolino 390 137 Virgin Difference, which arrived ex London Euston  on the 09.41 to Glasgow Central. Some sightings on the way - at Carnforth a motley mixture of loco's and carriages including 47772, a tatty DRS liveried 33 which I couldn't identify, and a selection of old carriages including an old mk.1 sleeper. More contemporary loco's thereabouts were 57005, and 66599 waiting with a northbound freight which had passed through Preston earlier. At the DRS depot at Carlisle Kingmoor were some 37/4's - including 37411 in green livery and 37427 in tatty EWS livery. Also present were 47805 and the usual selection of 37/6s, 20s, 57s and 66s. Further north in Kingmoor Yard were 08405, 66114, 66059 with a train of EWS coal hoppers, a Cola's 56 facing south with a timber train, and a red DBS liveried class 92. Arrival at Glasgow Central was on time at 12.01.

390 137 after arrival at Glasgow Central

Three buses wait at some traffic lights in central Glasgow. Led by a couple of Gemini's.

President 32871 in Glasgow city centre

380 012 parked in Glasgow Central at around 16.15

From Glasgow Central we returned to Preston on 390 114 City Of Manchester on the 16.40 to London Euston. At Carstairs I noted 66508 with a northbound coal train. Passing Carlisle Kingmoor more loco's I noticed were 37401, DRS liveried 37423, and 66213. Arrival at Preston was around 19.00 and we crossed to platform 1 for the 19.02 to Blackpool South. Over in the bay behind the old parcels platform, Thunderbird loco 57308 could be seen lurking. The Blackpool South train was slightly late, arriving at 19.10 in the shape of 142 052 which we took to Squires Gate.

Thursday 25th October ~ Heading up to Blackpool

Took the tube - Piccadilly Line from Manor House to Finsbury Park, then Victoria line from Finsbury Park to Euston - to Euston. Then it was on to Pendolino 390 052 Virgin Knight from London Euston to Preston  on the 10.30 to Lancaster. At Crewe I noticed 47769 Resolve still in tatty Virgin livery, parked just south of the station. At Preston it was on to 142 037 on the 13.02 to Blackpool South. This arrived 15 minutes late due to trackside problems in the Pleasington area, so it was announced it was to be terminated at St. Annes-on-the-Sea. From St Annes a replacement coach took me to Squires Gate.

142 037 stands at St Annes after being terminated, now forming the 13.52 back to Colne

Passengers board the replacement coach to Blackpool South at St Annes

Wednesday 24th October ~ Schalke 04 and a trip into town

Decided to walk across Finsbury Park to the bus station. In Finsbury Park there were a number of German coaches parked, it seems that Schalke 04 were in town to play the Arsenal in the Champions League (Schalke won 2-0).

Coaches for fans of Schalke 04 in Finsbury Park

From Finsbury Park I took Gemini WHV22, a hybrid, to Green Park on the number 19. I sat in Green Park for a while and also watched the buses around Hyde Park Corner.

A 'Big Bus Tours' bus on Piccadilly, approaching Hyde Park Corner.

A Vyking on the no.9 approaches Hyde Park Corner

 Then it was Gemini DW248 on the 38 the short distance from Hyde Park Corner to Piccadilly Circus. My next move was Enviro400 T269 on the 29 from Trafalgar Square to Warren Street, then a walk to Euston for Gemini WVL234 on the 68 as far as Waterloo. Finally it was Enviro400 T165 from Waterloo to HGL on the 341.