Tuesday, December 03, 2013

Jan 2013: Choo Choo Trains – I become a trainspotter

 photo 04-IMG_7243_zps45d43ebc.jpgSo there was this announcement that to celebrate some very many years of the first running of an underground railway, an old train will be running through Baker Street.

 photo 05-IMG_3039_zps900c9bd9.jpg 

Its the oldest underground station and you can see some of the evidence. This plaque commemorates the railway employees who gave their lives in WW1

 photo 06-IMG_3042_zpse2acdab2.jpg  photo 08-IMG_3048_zpsc6867a29.jpg

And a shell from that age made into a donation box

 photo 07-IMG_3045_zpsf78c1600.jpg

A traditional railway clock, surrounded with anti pigeon spikes

 photo 09-IMG_3050_zps7dbfd3bd.jpg

I reached there with some time to spare

 photo 10-IMG_3053_zps1a43f3a0.jpg

so was sitting there

 photo 11-IMG_3057_zps7921578d.jpg  photo 12-IMG_3060_zpse00d5bd4.jpg

these are giant iron staples, designed to hold in the brickwork from the pressures of the roof above. Can you imagine? this was setup in 1863AD…years back. 

 photo 13-IMG_3063_zps84b6ac14.jpg

these used to be gaslights, now obviously converted into electricity

 photo 14-IMG_3066_zpsf7cec7d5.jpg  photo 16-IMG_3072_zps85d842e3.jpg photo 15-IMG_3069_zps530db8ec.jpg

these used to be the ventilation shafts. At that time, it was steam engines so there would be clouds of steam and smoke, it had to go somewhere…now obviously bricked off and tiled..

they could have used better tiles, now this looks like an upside down urinal

 photo 17-IMG_3078_zps676b73db.jpg

looking at people through windows

 photo 18-IMG_3080_zps2ffdcc55.jpg

a date plaque

 photo 19-IMG_3083_zpse5467e01.jpg

a cross bridge

 photo 20-IMG_3087_zpsbcc0f3a0.jpg

slightly spooky

 photo 21-IMG_3096_zpsfdeb8f93.jpg

our eyes are on you

 photo 24-IMG_3105_zpsb0829b33.jpg

a map of the platform

 photo 25-IMG_3108_zps25baeb27.jpg  photo 26-IMG_3111_zpsfea61311.jpg

Faces of London

 photo 27-IMG_3114_zps4fb341b4.jpg

Waiting

 photo 28-IMG_3116_zpsd5ac9ad3.jpg

Nice ponytail

 photo 30-IMG_3120_zpse85ccc42.jpg 

Eating breakfast.

 photo 32-IMG_3125_zpsbbb4a02b.jpg

Waiting for passengers

 photo 33-IMG_3128_zps7ddfdc75.jpg

Waiting for trains

 photo 36-IMG_3137_zps108e0c37.jpg 

More trainspotters, with a little step ladder, man, he is prepared

 photo 38-IMG_3143_zps7786f4f7.jpg

Come on

 photo 39-IMG_3146_zpsdd86369d.jpg

Police at the ready

 photo 40-IMG_3149_zps1e9b701d.jpg

stepping on board

 photo 41-IMG_3152_zps2f0f0961.jpg

now the announcement happens that the train is going to come

 photo 42-IMG_3154_zps24afd524.jpg

crowd of people doing train spotting

 photo 44-IMG_3160_zps2e676aa5.jpg

there are quite a lot of little posters showing the history

 photo 48-IMG_3171_zps3a10a17a.jpg

Coming and going

here

 photo 54-IMG_3190_zpsb61b1ccd.jpg

there it is

 photo 55-IMG_3193_zps44373ab3.jpg

slowing down

 photo 57-IMG_3198_zps7d4cb153.jpg

Here’s the train

 photo 58-IMG_3200_zpsf01f31c6.jpg

Number 12

 photo 59-IMG_3202_zps852d77b1.jpg

loads of people crammed in

 photo 60-IMG_3205_zps0554e580.jpg

zipping through

 photo 61-IMG_3213_zpse6085c3f.jpg

old old wooden carriages

 photo 62-IMG_3215_zpsf17b1a32.jpg

they were amazingly priced, about 100 quid or so

 photo 63-IMG_3217_zps22e9eddc.jpg

and the clouds of steam

 photo 64-IMG_3219_zps0e6e40af.jpg

see? completely covering the roof, lovely smell

 photo 65-IMG_3222_zpscfea49f4.jpg

and then this stupid tube train came along blocking my view, dammit, I should have been on the other platform…but then I wouldnt have gotten a wider view..sighs, next time

 photo 66-IMG_3226_zpsbc2b0d5f.jpg 

came out of the platform for a cuppa tea

 photo 67-IMG_3228_zps0cc2a905.jpg

that is a crime against doghood. Can you imagine a toy dog of that size? bah!

No comments: