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.