June 23, 2014:

 

            I got up and got dressed. I went to the lobby for breakfast. After breakfast, I went back to my room and finished packing. I then went to the lobby and checked out. I caught a route #70 bus to the Frenchgate Mall and walked to the train station.

 

            I had some time to kill. I went to the mall and got something to drink. I then returned to the train station. I waited for a little while until my platform was announced.

 

            While waiting for my train, I photographed some other trains. I also filmed a couple express trains filming through.

 

 

 

 

            A freight train passed. I photographed it when it passed.

 

 

            My train arrived 7 minutes late. When it arrived, I filmed it pulling in.

 

 

            I had a backwards facing seat. We soon departed. The train was similar to what I rode into Doncaster on.

 

            The train made stops at Retford and Newark North Gate. I bought a chocolate bar and a Coke from an attendant selling food as he came by.

 

            The train stopped at Peterborough and Stevenage. We were soon approaching London’s King Cross station. I readied my stuff in preparation to get off.

 

            The train arrived 7 minutes late. I got off and photographed the train as well as another train in the station.

 

 

 

            I used my ticket to exit the station. I took a photo of the entrance to platforms 9 through 11.

 

 

            I saw an exhibit where you could be photographed with a baggage cart with an owl and a truck going into the wall on way to platform 9 ¾. This is from the successful Harry Potter books and movies as Harry Potter and friends boarded the train to Hogwarts from “Platform 9 ¾” at Kings Cross station!

 

 

Anyone feel like going to Hogwarts?

 

            I then bought lunch from a stand outside the station. I had to search for a few minutes to find a garbage can for my garbage! I eventually found one. I then headed to the London Underground and bought a day pass. I boarded a train on the Hammersmith line and filmed it pulling in.

 

 

            I noticed the train looked new and was open the whole length of the train like the Toronto Rocket subway trains back home. I rode to Stepney Green station and got off. I was staying at a hostel at the Queen Mary University. However, the hostel wasn’t near the station. I eventually boarded a bus to get me closer to the dorms. I photographed the bus before I got on.

 

 

            The ride was short and I got off and found where to check in to the hostel. I was in a single person dorm. It took me a couple minutes to get into my room, but I eventually did. I worked on this report for a little before I headed out.

 

            I boarded another bus to Stephney Green station. I went into a Subway and bought a Coke. I went to the station only to discover I had lost my day pass. I bought another and went into the subway. I boarded a train on the District Line.

 

            Prior to this trip, I wasn’t sure what the policy was about taking photos on the Tube. I had heard somewhere that after the July 7, 2005 bombings, a permit was required for photography, but I saw videos of the Tube on YouTube and TTS president Kevin Nicol said that a permit is not required. I looked into getting a permit, but they required an insurance form and a British street address, I decided to forego getting a permit. If I was stopped, I wouldn’t take any more pictures. In this case, begging forgiveness was easier than asking permission. I would not be hassled during my time in London.

 

            I got off the train at Tower Hill station and photographed the train. It seemed to have older equipment.

 

 

            I then walked to Tower Bridge. Along the way, I photographed the Tower of London.

 

 

            I walked across Tower Bridge and photographed a bus driving across it.

 

 

            I photographed the World War 2 vintage cruiser HMS Belfast on display and Tower Bridge once I got to the other side.

 

 

 

            I then walked over to the HMS Belfast. I decided to go for a tour. I took a lot of photos on the ship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then left the ship. I took one more photo.

 

 

            I walked over to Waterloo station. I found a Krispy Kreme donut store and bought a donut. I decided I wanted to go to Buckingham Palace. I wandered around the station before I eventually got pointed in the right direction.

 

            I boarded a train on the Jubilee Line. The station had barriers to keep people from jumping or falling to track level. The TTC is considering installing similar barriers back home.

 

            The equipment I rode was narrower than what I rode earlier and was built in 1996. The train was also jam packed. I rode to Green Park station and got off. Green Park didn’t have barriers and I filmed the train departing.

 

            I then walked through the park to Buckingham Palace and took some photos.

 

 

 

 

 

            I then walked some more. I photographed one of London’s new double decker buses based off the Routemaster design.

 

 

            I then found my way to Victoria station. I then boarded the Tube and rode one station east to get my bearings. I got off and boarded a train going the other way. I rode to Paddington station. I looked around and eventually had dinner at a McDonald’s in the station. I decided to head back to the hostel.

 

            I boarded a train and rode to Edgeware Road after realizing it wasn’t a Hammersmith Line train. I got off and waited for the next train. While I was waiting, I photographed another subway train.

 

 

            When my train came, I rode to Mile End station; the stop after Stepney Green. It turned out to be closer to where I was staying. I bought some milk from a convenience store and walked back to my dorm room. As I got there, I saw a highway coach drive past. I photographed it.

 

 

 

            I went to my dorm room and worked on this report some more. I eventually set the alarm on my phone and called it a night.

 

Click to read about my last day in Britain and my flight to Dublin:       Last day in Britain