Friday
Friday evening I depart about 7pm and drive via Manchester Airport, Maccelsfield, Leek and the M1 to Silverstone racetrack for a selfie on my way down to London town. Carrying on through Milton Keynes, I rejoin the M1 and in an hour arrive at the Northern edge of Greater London, Crews Hill and ten minutes later find myself at my rest for the night and the next couple of days.
Saturday
In the morning, I drive to Stratford Westfield and park there for the day, so that I am in time for the first Lea Bridge service in the day. It's unstaffed but is in keeping with modern London stations. I return to Stratford Westfield and begin to make my Travelcard pay dividends.
I take the Jubilee Line to Canary Wharf and enter into a landscape of dominating skyscrapers and a Blade Runner-esque sight of trams above ground disappearing through the centre of buildings. One of those buildings contained Herons Wharf which I enter and then leave the DLR at Island Gardens to take the Greenwich Foot Tunnel. I take the spiral staircase down and the lift back up on the other side where I dither around Cutty Sark looking for the adjacent DLR station, tucked away around the corner. I'm impressed with such a big station hidden under an assuming entrance. It reminded me of Liverpool James Street.
I continue on the DLR to Lewisham as I was keen to see the DLR route south of the river. At Lewisham I change for a Hayes service as far as Elmers End. Here I am not waiting longer than 5 minutes for a tram which goes the short distance to Arena. I wait at this peculiarly sited interchange. Okay it's not as remote as Dovey but it is on the edge of a housing estate. A tram comes 10 minutes later bound for Beckenham Junction which terminates slightly more uphill from the NR station but still just under 50m away.
At Beckenham I hope to take the service that goes through Birkbeck to Crystal Palace but there seems to be no service on this day so I conjure up a plan to take the next service to Penge East and walk the short journey skirting the edge of Crystal Palace park and drop into the fairly large building that houses the station and platform which I await the service to Tattenham Corner. This service calls everywhere so I quickly doze off knowing that I've got an hour until I get out.
At Tattenham I find sustainence on the high street in the form of a sausage baguette and I take it with me on the walk through this very leafy suburb to Epsom Downs where a team of painters are givign the place a lick of paint. I wait for 15 minutes and am whisked away back to Victoria. I did want to stop at Sutton and do the Thameslink Loop towards Wimbledon but sleep got in the way. I'm meeting a friend by St Pauls so take a combination of lines from Victoria and spend the afternoon watching the bikes ride around the cleared streets and do a spot of mudlarking with my friend and see a gamut of pipe tubes and more bleakly, horse and pig remains.
After my friend leaves at St Pancras International, I remain here and purchase a return to Ebbsfleet International to experience a Javelin service. Whilst looking at the departure boards I notice an arrival from Disneyland Paris. I assume this is the Summer equivalent of the Winter service to the Alpine station that Eurostar also serve.
I disembark at Ebbsfleet International and am welcomed by an armed BTP officer. Sadly, this is a fixture which I can't see being removed for years. I return shortly to the platforms so I can get some shots of those speeding bullets ferrying passengers between the two great nations of GB and France.
The Disneyland service rolls into the Eurostar platforms with announcements in both languages guiding them upstairs. My service comes by shortly afterwards and I am soon back under the arches in St Pancras. My day ends with me fetching the car from Stratford and parking up at my friends for the evening.
Sunday
Sunday starts very early with a drive to 100 Acre Wood, south of Edenbridge in Ashdown Forest so I can see the inspiration of Winnie The Pooh. A dog walker is in the woods as I am snapping and reading the information totem there. A 3/4 hours drive takes me to Orpington station where all day parking is only £1. I will need to remember to come back here to pick the car up.
Today was less of a travel day, more of a museum day taking in the Science Museum, the V&A, the Natural History Museum and the British Museum. In order to get to Central London I made use of Southeastern which unfortunately took the long way round through Beckenham Junction to get to Waterloo East. Here I walked over to Waterloo, bought an overpriced but necessary sausage barm and proceeded underground to Stockwell and then onto Brixton to see and read the letters at the David Bowie memorial.
I next moved onto Kensington using the District Line. It's a line I've hardly used whenever I've been in London. I got off at South Kensington and I was relieved to find out that there is a subway almost to the Royal Albert Hall which I took a couple of pictures of. It also has exits for the museums along the way. It was a very hot day so the protection of the roof was as beneficial as my fourth bottle of water during my stay in London so far. London Underground are very keen on telling people to keep up fluids and I'm happy to oblige them.
I was very impressed with the NH museum as most people would be. It's the dinosaurs that do it.
I walk along Brompton Road as my phone tells me Julian Assange is behind Harrods and has been for the past 4 years and 2 months. He didn't have his window open. I feel sorry for him in his predicament. I'm sure opinion on him will vary on this forum.
I move along to Knightsbridge station after seeing a Lamborghini pass me by. Here I proceed to the British Museum, north of Leicester Square, and almost cry at the queue to be bag checked. I don't have a bag which a guard spots and I'm fast tracked, reducing my wait from 40 minutes to 1 minute. Time is much needed for the 60+ rooms which all contain fascinating objects from Mesopotamia to more recent history. I saw the first 40 rooms but my brian and feet went into shutdown mode so I left after seeing most of the Egyptian artefacts which has my interest.
My next port of call via Stratford to use a phone charging point is Jeremy Corbyn's house near Finsbury Park (I won't reveal the street name.) I'm a bit surprised there are no more phone charging points in London but I didn't have enough data to check out other locations. Stratford was useful as the Overground takes me to Highbury & Islington where a short Tube ride takes me to Finsbury Park where I'm pretty amazed that JC lives here. It's not somewhere you expect a politician to live IMO. I was going to indulge in a meal at the pub at the end of the street but they were only doing Sunday Roasts today.
I return to the Overground at H&I and for my last tourist spot is the Abbey Road Studios (not Abbey Road DLR!!!) You go westward along the North London Line and get off at Willesden Junction which is another busy station for 9pm now. I did try to spot but it was a little tricky to get my bearings but i did notice some Pendolinos and Voyagers on their way North. The Bakerloo Line descends into Maida Vale and I get out and walk eastwards to the studios and see people still doing the Beatles picture and struggling to wait for a gap in the traffic to do it. I could have gone to St Johns Wood in hindsight to get me back to Orpington but I didn't want to get lost this late in the day so walked back down the hill and changed at Waterloo for Waterloo East, making the Orpington train to the minute!
I now need to go through the Blackwall Tunnel which is busy but fortunately open. I get to Enfield 30 mins after I left Orpington and have a couple of hours as my alarm is set early for Monday...
Monday
I leave Enfield at 3am driving to Kingsclere in Hampshire. It's not easily accessible by any other method but is home to Watership Down, a hillside which is to the south east. I spend twenty minutes but see no rabbits (Awwwwwwwww *hums to the tune of Bright Eyes*).
As I make my way to the A34, I spot a sign for Highclere Castle, where Downton Abbey was filmed. It is much too early for it to be open but you don't really get to see anything from the gate so I do a u-turn at the gatehouse and drive to the McDonalds at Amesbury with a heading of Gunnislake in my mind. After refreshments and fuel, I slow down ever so slightly for Stonehenge and continue at pace, diverting from the A30 and driving through Dartmoor using the B road to Dunsford and Moretonhampstead which goes slowly to Tavistock. It's a worthwhile diversion as I've never seen Dartmoor's interior before. I expected to see sheep and ponies but instead of ponies I saw long-horned cows.
Now we bash trains for a bit starting at Gunnislake at 1145. I arrive at 1130 into a free car park with 2 spaces left. The platform, much like the whole county, is wet and will be for the next day as well. I join in the game of how many people can fit into a bus shelter at Gunnislake but the two hot French women who look a bit younger than me seem to prefer hanging outside near the information point with their father, a great shame. The train is 5 minutes late which gives me a bit of time to wake up courtesy of the cold breeze high up on the Tamar here. An equally high number of people disembark and join the train. I try to find two facing seats so I can act clever at Bere Alston. I'm most interested with the initial corkscrew section and view over Calstock viaduct. The guard didn't ask for tickets so there was a queue before the barriers at Plymouth causing the ticket woman here to audibly wish to berate the guard for not bothering to let Plymouth know the situation. For me, I made sure I power-walked to the front of the queue as I was going return on the same train 10 minutes later. I paid for a Gunnislake to Plymouth return as I was unsure how many branches I'd be doing, or able to do with starting off at 1145.
I fell asleep after passing Bere Ferrers and woke up somewhere just after Calstock. I was fully awake by the time I switched the ignition on and left towards Liskeard to take 1525 Looe service stopping at Coombe Junction Halt in both directions!! How blessed am I? This picturesque valley is lush in green. I miss spotting St Keyne on the way down but spot it on the way up as well as a solitary passenger alighting at Coombe. The train is 4 carriages and I swap one for another on the ride back. Here I pick the brains of the young male conductor regarding the possibility of getting from here to Newquay and back to Liskeard at a reasonable time. Satisfied with his answer, I buy a Ride Cornwall ticket and enjoy the following journeys. The guard continued to ask if anyone needed any request stops along the way.
I am now on the mainline platform at Liskeard waiting for the 1637 Royal Duchy HST to Par and stand for the journey. Whilst on this train, I grow to like HSTs as this is the second one I have ever been on. I switch at Par with many others for the all-stopper to Newquay. The rain doesn't stop the anticipation and excitement for all who are heading to this coastal resort. A child reels of the name of all the exotic sounding stops on the way to his parents. I notice the two signal boxes at St Blazey and Goonbarrow and wonder why there are two of these on this long single line.
At Newquay, my app tells me I have 20 minutes in which to go to a cash machine, take in the sight and smell of the ocean and get an evening meal as it would be a while before I'd be back in my car or in any better location. I spot a chippy and think I'll take it back on the train. I still to this day do not know why I asked for a small sausage and chips in Newquay of all places instead of FISH!!! Maybe my brain just wants excuses to come back to Newquay. I don't need excuses. Newquay is a jewel.
The journey back to Liskeard is fine and I'm feeling more on top now I have eaten. I didn't have somewhere to stay but remembered last time that I used Menheniot to get a decent night's kip. It was far too early for sleep so I drove to the Tamar Bridge at Saltash and did a return walk over it and hung around for passing train pictures. Afterwards I returned to Menheniot and dreamed of Eden tomorrow...
Tuesday
I awake but don't rise. A train thunders towards Plymouth as a DMU does the morning trundle to all stations to the West. A passenger just about makes his commute. I freshen myself up and drive to a small layby on a country lane directly south of the Eden Project and walk down the footpath in order to save a bit off the entrance fee. To be honest, had I known what an experience the site was, I'd have paid more. If you've been to the Eden Project, you'll know what I'm on about. If you haven't, you just need to go as soon as possible. Close your browser and go now! :D
I spent a good 2 hours there. I arrived at 9.15am as did many other people, itching to be the first ones in. When I left Eden Project, the queue was so far out of the front door, you'd be waiting an hour to get in. I hoped my next destination in Cornwall wouldn't be as bad - Tintagel Castle.
Dinnertime at Eden Project consisted of me laughing at the food prices and driving off still laughing to Bodmin where just off the A30 is a Morrisons which I think is the best supermarket cafes as well as being good value for money. I had a small breakfast and a latte. I put diesel in and continued out of Bodmin, across a disused line which is still extant. I believe it led to a more central Bodmin station in yesteryear. I was aiming for Camelford and by extension to the pretty but open to the elements Tintagel, with a car park as large as the village. I park in the very far corner and hunt for paracetamol as I now have a massive headache. The paracetamol kicks in after I have paid for and ascended the steps to the enchanting promontory that is Tintagel Castle. I have to sit down and rest my eyes for a couple of minutes to allow my brain to recharge before I can fully admire the view along the North Cornish coast. Many pictures are taken and after a good 90 minutes here, I note that people are beginning to leave as the Castle is closing soon. I make my move via the church ruins and get a latte and use the wifi at the Hotel right at the top of the Castle access road. A German woman asks me for the code and I point her to the poster on the door.
I google the length of time to Launceston, Exeter, Taunton and Seer Green & Jordans and compare the M5/M4 and A30/A303 routes. Temptation was to just find a roadside chain inn for the evening but a second wind kicked in after stopping at Taunton services 2 hours after I left Tintagel and I pointed my car towards London and drove via Huish Episcopi (Odd name) and Langport to make use of the M5, A303 and rejoin the M4 at Reading via Basingstoke. I check out possible sleeping locations of Iver, Denham and lastly and most suitably Seer Green & Jordans. I do like that name a lot. It sounds very posh, much more posher than Prestbury or Alderley Edge. ;)
I still don't feel tired just yet as I had now destroyed my sleeping pattern so go the short drive to Beaconsfield services on the M40/A355 and am amazed at how full of 'yoofs' there are amongst other people. I don't know how easy it is to get to this service station by foot but these 'yoofs' may be of driving age however it is pretty late/early by now.
I return to SG&J, pausing as in front of the turning for the station, a car has stopped to inspect the very large tree that is lying prone across the road, and look at the Tube Map before setting my alarm for 30 minutes before the first service of the day, then rest for the evening.
Wednesday
I start the day at 5am waiting for the first service as far as South Ruislip, where I switch to the Central Line and go the short distance to Greenford, where I go back to National Rail as far as West Ealing. I pay here for a Hayes & Harlington - Heathrow T123 return at a whopping £8.20 IIRC. I swap platforms and notice the work being done along the line for Crossrail. I find these stations incredibly grotty but I imagine they are being left for the time being until Crossrail turns its attention to the stations rather than the tracks. I also spot the new flyover which I will be using on the return. The Piccadilly line's numerous stops don't enthuse me unfortunately. I arrive at Heathrow and ascend the warren of tunnels to the incredible sight of planes galore arriving and taking off from the runways all around. The terminal is very smart as is befitting something named 'The Queen's Terminal'. I ask to use a shower and am pointed to a premium place which charges £15. The last time I paid for a shower, it was £5 at Fort William station. I'd say the Heathrow one is a tad overpriced but YMMV.
I depart for Ealing Broadway which is bustling and move quickly to the Central Line again calling at several Acton stations before I get to Shepherd's Bush. I walk across the road to the LO station which takes me to Clapham Junction. This train is rammed!! I wait for the LO service to get out the platform as I'm sat at a bench so I can get an unobstructed view of the wider station. I'm amazed at the scale of Clapham Junction and the length of most of the trains that call, even the suburban stoppers.
I take a short hop to Battersea Park to snap up Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. I am relieved not to see Rolf Harris but disappointed not to see Paul O'Grady. The other NR station serving Battersea is Queenstown Road which takes me to Waterloo where I know I'll have more options for food. I still make the eye-watering decision for an Upper Crust sausage barm and latte. I must need my head testing.
Waterloo is a short walk from the Tate Modern. I elect not to dilly-dally to Southwark on the Tube as the journey time would be similar. I enjoy Tate Modern and am amused and captivated by some of the installations. I liked the Warhol section and some of the video installations.
After a good two hours at the Tate, the Millenium Bridge outside glistens and St Paul's is my compass as I return to the part of the Thames where on Saturday, I spent the afternoon mudlarking with my friend. On this side of the Thames, I make haste for Blackfriars and let the Tube take me to Westminster and 10 Downing Street where you could just about make out a charity having a publicity shot, possibly with Theresa May or some other senior politician.
From Westminster to Hyde Park Corner where I enjoy a stroll along the full length of the Serpentine towards Lancaster Gate. Here I stop and watch the world go by: cyclists, Pokemon Go players, tourists, park cleaners and full length veil wearers. I buy a bottle from the stall nearby and make my way towards the Diana Memorial Fountain. It is encircled by a metal fence and has stewards watching over the little ones who are playing in the very shallow water. The stewards also make me feel nervous as I am a single male by myself with a camera phone and my hoody up as I have no hat, taking pictures of fountains which happen to have little children in.
I move onwards and see green birds flying freely. I stop in amazement. A sign around the corner tells me that these are parakeets, common here and a 'pest' species. Beyond the birds is the Peter Pan statue and if you squint your eyes, my next Tube station appears - Lancaster Gate - which takes me on to Holland Park and a walkable distance to Portobello Road. I was unfortunate not to see any celebrities as I had my hopes pinned mainly on Keira Knightly. Next time hopefully. I stop at the Greggs on Portobello Road and watch the street scene for the next half hour. I follow the A40 Westway underneath the flyover and have the similarly titled Blur song in my head as I walk down towards Ladbroke Grove. My last journey is into Chinatown where the Underground Assistant informs me is nearest to Leicester Square. I take soem pictures, grab some food and listen to the busker in the centre of the area entertain passers by before I decide I better make sure I can get back to Marylebone in time for a service which calls at Seer Green & Jordans.
I return to my car, drive over to Beaconsfield services again to charge my phone whilst my latte charges me up and I drive direct to Bescot Stadium car park. The time now is about 1 am and I'm still feeling fairly awake but as this is a halfway point for me, I just take 15 minutes before rejoining the M6 to Strensham services at Stafford for a toilet break at an eeriely quiet service station save for a very distressed woman being comforted by her family members.
My last observation is the long 50mph restriction which many lorries at this time of the day just ignore. I'm not sure if the cameras are switched off but I'm not a big fan of these large vehicles overtaking me. The speed limit, whilst annoying, applies to everyone. The situation becomes more serious when you have 3 lanes being reduced to one intermittently. A lorry had overturned on the Southbound M6 near Congleton causing a long tailback to the previous junction where the police were diverting people off. After Knutsford, several of the lorries that overtook me were overtaken by me. Many more were nowhere to be seen. I arrive at home by 4am very satisfied with how much I've squeezed into so few days.
I'll upload some pictures shortly. I'm very impressed with my Eurostar shots. :D