Transport | Being 42

Jan 06 2016

Punts on the Cam, at St John’s College

Wednesday 6th January 2016, 3.15pm (day 1,595)

By many reckonings, the University of Cambridge is considered the best in the world. Today was my first-ever visit there, and what struck me is that it’s so goddamn small. Even Oxford feels like a city, but this place is just a little town in the Fens. Beautiful though, even on another grey January day (I’ve literally seen ten minutes of sunshine all year thus far). I thought I might struggle to catch a photo of a punt, but there were loads of them on the River Cam, including two for the price of one in this shot. Tourists on the right, but the guy on the left does look as if he is just using the punt as your basic local transport option.

Tagged 46, boat, Cambridge, gallery, photography, punt, river, St John's College, University of Cambridge

Dec 13 2015

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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger, Transport

On the train to London

Sunday 13th December 2015, 2.30pm (day 1,571)

I have a day’s work to do down south tomorrow, and it was easier (and cheaper) to travel down this afternoon rather than getting up at 6am tomorrow morning. Though as my single-serving companion reflects, it’s still a good opportunity to grab a kip, even if one is trying to do some work on the Mac, while drinking a glass of wine (note: wine not paid for by British taxpayer).

Tagged 46. gallery, photography, rail travel, train

Nov 25 2015

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Daily Post, Family Member, Portrait, Transport

This is how it feels to use Northern Rail

Wednesday 25th November 2015, 4.55pm (day 1,553)

After two blissful days working at home, welcome back to sodding Northern Rail’s dreadful recent performance on the Calderdale line. Just to put this in perspective, over the last two weeks I have lost a total of 7 hours of my life to delays — that’s a whole working day. This is how it feels.

Tagged 46, commuting, gallery, grumpy, Northern Rail, photography, self-portrait, train

Nov 22 2015

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Daily Post, Transport

The Aberdeen train arrives at Carlisle

Saturday 21st November 2015, 9.10am (day 1,549)

The run ends, as I finally get out somewhere, after 29 days spent only at home or in Manchester. One reason this happened was that the weather through November has been very poor and prevented me from getting up to the Lakes for a walk, but finally we had a decent day today and I managed to bag my last two Wainwrights — the story of which will be up later tonight on my other blog. This involved a long journey round to the other side of Cumbria, hence my presence at Carlisle station early this morning (well, it’s early if you have to get to Carlisle from Yorkshire, anyway).

Tagged 46, gallery, morning light, photography, rail travel, railway station, train

Nov 17 2015

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Daily Post, Transport

The 16.16 train home at Victoria

Tuesday 17th November 2015, 4.15pm (day 1,545)

Depressing and slightly weird day for various reasons so I lacked both inspiration and inclination to get the camera out much. Even when I did I had the ISO setting too low for such a grey, dull day so everything turned out blurred. Even this one is slightly defiled by the presence of the Leeds United shirt. But thus went my day. At least the trains were punctual.

Tagged 46, gallery, Leeds United, photography, rail travel, train, Victoria station

Sep 26 2015

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Daily Post, Transport

I know what you’re looking at

Friday 25th September 2015, 3.50pm (day 1,492)

From King Street, Manchester yesterday to the King’s Road, London. A street in which the glamorous come to shop and be seen, but their thunder was stolen temporarily this afternoon by this bubble car which got a lot of attention. Very few cars have been the subject of photos on this blog but I’ll make an exception here. The pic doesn’t really show the dog sitting in the back seat (a great additional touch), but I like it because of the sign in the background above the rather bemused guy on the pavement.

Tagged 46, bubble car, car, gallery, King's Road, London, photography

Sep 22 2015

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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Transport

Rain shower, Hebden Bridge station

Tuesday 22nd September 2015, 8.35am (day 1,489)

A familiar scene, given added interest by the drizzle caught in the sun. Worth getting a little wet for. The 8:34 to York departs and my train to Manchester will be along in a few minutes.

Tagged 46, gallery, photography, rail travel, railway station, rain, train, weather

Sep 17 2015

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Daily Post, Transport

Seascale station

Wednesday 16th September 2015, 9.00am (day 1,483)

Having stayed over on the Cumbrian coast last night there was plenty of opportunity to get the Irish Sea into the shot for the second day in a row. Seascale station is an idyllic place on a glorious morning like this, though I bet when the westerly gales are blowing, it is quite different. My spell-checker keeps wanting to change ‘Seascale’ to ‘seascape’, which I guess is appropriate in this case.