Erk's Northern Hemiwanderer, June 2014

[erkpod]

Pedibus. The name could do with some work!



Well protected at our next stop. Various opinions from the locals on the status of the HMS Belfast.



There's got to be an easier way to get up the Thames!

 

[erkpod]

I decided that I needed to eat at the Horniman.



Brains!





It was decided to share the bottle of Trooper in front of London City Hall. My idea of "Let's hold the bottle up like a trophy" somehow turned into this!

 

[Atleastonce]

Iron Maiden beer. I have KISS beer, now have to find Iron Maiden beer in Oz.

 

[erkpod]

One for the grammar discussion thread.





Tonight's entertainment





Shooter & coughtail list at the Crobar. You can get Trooper there.

 

[Flashback]

I took this shot for you in Jersey yesterday

 

[erkpod]

The Crobar doesn't like football.



At The Crobar



Safety first in Soho.





Time to head home.

 

[erkpod]

Last minute Fathers Day gifts in Soho.



It looks like we are playing Bus Stop Bingo!



Time for someone to check in?



Me & guitarist Matt Stevens last night. He was very surprised to see me at his gig!

 

[erkpod]

Iron Maiden beer. I have KISS beer, now have to find Iron Maiden beer in Oz.

It's hard to get here even in London so you might have to import it.

 

[erkpod]

Sunday 15 June
Day 13
London, England
AFF London Sunday Roast

Feeling better than I should have after last night's Podcrawl, I headed off on the 98 bus to the Tube. Once again, I accidently tapped on with my room key. And for the first time I can recall on this trip, I had a female bus driver.

My original plan post trackwork saw me go to London Bridge on the Jubilee, change to the Northern to Bank & get the DLR. Had the Jubilee been fully open, I could have connected with the DLR at Canary Wharf.

Yesterday, though, I noticed the Waterloo & City line which runs Waterloo - Bank. So I thought I'd catch that instead.

Leaving the train at Waterloo, I think the train announced to change for the Waterloo & City - I'd have to check the audio. I went up the escalators to concourse level, through the barriers & for a decent walk until I saw that the W & C was KLOSED.

According to the sign (the first I'd seen with this info) and the map I checked later, the line is indeed closed on Sundays. As I found out later, it used to be closed on Saturdays too.

Consulting the map, I decided to get the Bakerloo to Elephant & Castle then get the Northern to Bank. I asked a staff member & he suggested going via Tottenham Court Road! I normally don't suggest to ignore the directions of staff but I did on this occasion & it was totally fine.

Arriving at Bank, I caught the DLR to Westferry as suggested & an easy walk to the pub followed.

The pub wasn't open when I arrived but I soon had company in the form of Mal & Flashback as well as seemingly half of Limehouse. A lot of people seemingly came from nowhere to fill up the downstairs section including the rest of our AFF party.

We went upstairs & had a nice chat with the River Thames visible from out of the back of the pub.

There was a huge choice of food - chicken or fish. I chose lasagne.

Roast beef or pork (I chose the beef) soon arrived & I swapped potato for vegetables (win!). It was nice but I remembered I should have asked for no gravy. I haven't had a roast in ages!


An excursion to the Canary Wharf area followed after lunch including my first trip to Waitrose (well impressed!). That area of London is really booming with a lot of development in progress. It is certainly different to Central London!

Lots of good conversation followed and once again it was good to be around like minded people.

On the return, I stuck to my original plan & returned back to the lodge via Bank, London Bridge & Willesden Green.

It was a nice relaxing afternoon & it is always nice to meet some new (to me) faces. Thanks to everyone who ventured out!

 

[erkpod]

I'm not paying as I go so I don't need to tap as I go.



THIS was the 1st sign I saw saying that the W & C is closed on Sundays Every one of the 10-15 signs I passed before that should say the same.



If this whole area is closed off, I would have been saved a walk. Another thing for me to change when I'm running the Underground!



Mind the gap! One thing the Tube usually does well in is wayfinding between lines.



Another thing that is well done on the Tube is the temporary labelling of things relating to service changes etc due to the amount of construction going on.

 

[erkpod]

Off to Bank.



I saw this sign while heading to the DLR. I've noticed that if someone goes to the effort of creating a sign, there's a need for it.



Little did I know how much of the DLR I was going to see today!



DLR unit 81 is ready to go.



I am sure that the sign makes sense to the person who designed the sign!

 

[erkpod]

Not sure what is going on here.



The pub.





The River.

 

[erkpod]

I keep getting told to mind the gap. Now I'm told to mind my head.



Over lunch, we had a discussion about the state of English plumbing. When I saw this in Waitrose, I knew what I had to do!



Afternoon tea as purchased at Waitrose!



Inside Canadia Place - warming up for Wednesday?



Interesting track configuration at Canary Wharf. May go back tomorrow for a closer look.

 

[carwashhair]

It's hard to get here even in London so you might have to import it.

I've seen it around Sydney a few times - I think at either David's or annandale cellars in annandale, Camperdown cellars or the oak barrel on Elizabeth st.

 

[erkpod]

Some special views.

 

[erkpod]

Following my original route via London Bridge was awesome.



I spent a penny (20 of them, actually) at Willesden Green on the way back.





Wrong place, Erk! Nice try, though!



That's more like it!

 

[erkpod]

Day 14
Monday 16 June
London, England

My penultimate full day in London.

Today I decided to check out the DLR & the Canary Wharf area again. I caught the Jubilee to Canary Wharf before catching the DLR down to Stratford.

I then headed back to the DLR to Canary Wharf, Jubilee to Canadia Water, Overground to Kilburn High Road via Canonbury, Willesden Junction & London Euston.

I went to a couple of pubs for steak without success (London Euston & Kilburn High Road) before getting some hot chicken from Sainsburys.

Tomorrow I plan to go on a walking tour before flying LHR - DTW - YOW on Wednesday.

 

[erkpod]

Train spotting at Willesden Green.





Different styles of station signs on the Underground & DLR at Canary Wharf.

 

[erkpod]

I saw that the onboard staff member operates the doors from the front between Bow Church & Stratford.

 

[erkpod]

I'm not the only one, then. On the way back to Canary Wharf from Bow Church, there was a little boy & his grandparents in the front seats - he enjoyed it. I suggested he should be a Tube driver when he gets older.