Change around time.. now its the midnight watch

Hi There Spot the dog here with the low down on Rookards activities.   Well it's been all change time... All started when DER MANAGEMENT burst though the studio doors to yell (as they do) "we've come up with a new idea for your Sunday Afternoon with Rookard programme"  Oh yes, replied Rookard - "and what would that be."

From now on they said, "its going to be Late Night Sunday with Rookard."  But that will mean saud the little ladd, 10 pm to midnight, and having to swtch off the lights and make sure the milk bottles our put out along with the studio cat "

And don't forget the walk home though the mean streets of Brentwood after the midnight hour - you'll like that they told him..

Which is why dear hearts - Rookard in now on at 10 pm Sunday nights with an even latter afternoon show..   Boo Hoo

And now another rant from the master..  

Rookards Rant   number 18.

 

Ever since coming out of the closet as an anorak wearing train-spotter, it’s been amazing how many otherwise normal appearing people, Yes Ladies as well, have sidled up to me to mutter, “its all right Dennis, your not the only one.” But the other Saturday, I came into contact with a new sub-species of our breed - The Bus-Spotter.

 

Not that they are into standing around on street corners, taking bus numbers you understand. No many of these good folk are into buying up old buses to restore and make them road-worthy again.  Now one bus is very much like another to me, but not to them - and none more so then an Open -Top type, which is what brought these bus spotters and me a couple of weeks back to an early Saturday morning visit to Southend Bus Station where local bus company- Stephenson’s coaches had come up with the brilliant idea of getting together with the bus enthusiasts of Castle Point’s Bus museum who lovingly look after 31 veteran buses, to create a summer service along Southend sea front of open top buses complete with drivers in white driving coats and conductors with their ticket machines.

 

It’s been a successful venture now for a couple of years, but unless, you have travelled atop one of these road monsters, you’ll never understand the pure delight of open top bus travel. For apart from the wind in your hair, there’s the unrestricted view, all the better for the game of grabbing leaves from overhanging trees in Chalkwell or spying the secret garden swimming pools of Thorpe Bay. This Southend open top service, even used to have it’s own tradition, whereby the bus used to halt just before diving under the pier bridge, to give the conductor time to climb the steps ask all on top to remember to sit down as we pass under the pier bridge. Unfortunately ever since they rebuilt the bridge, this is just a memory of a by gone Southend.

 

You can even book one of these open top buses for that special event. like (assuming you follow football) take your own silver trophy with you, and pretending your the triumphant skipper of Southend United, your heroic team behind you, parading a winning F.A. cup through fan packed Southend Streets.    Well not much chance of that ever happening, but at least the forty minute trip can still be yours when during its summer season, they have an hourly service (Number 67 if you’re standing at a bus stop) between Leigh and Shoeburyness via the sea front every weekend.

 

 

Now my companion on this trip on an open top bus was my mate Ian. I think I’ve told you he’s a train spotter. I tell you this because after half a lifetime spent secretly in his back bedroom reading his train magazines, which for some odd reason always seem to be planted on the top shelf down at W.H. Smiths next to the soft porn magazines, and countless hours sort of hanging around at the end of platforms the length of the country seeking out the legendary Blue class thirty, Ian came out and also started to wear his anorak with pride.

 

Like many of the brotherhood, Ian’s coming out resulted from his buying an otherwise childish computer game, whereby you take control of a signal box and send computerised trains here there and everywhere. Soon however surfing the net, he discovered that fellow Anorak clad train spotters had developed this signal box game by recreating on computer the entire track layout and timetable of some of our great interchange stations.   Ian was in seventh heaven, and obtained as his first real signal box simulation that for Birmingham New Street Station.

 

But soon this nocturnal activity took a dangerous turn, for after fruitless hours spent trying to get the 15.45 from Nuneaton into platform 2 by a crafty shunt from the up main line. (Look I don’t understand it either, so bare with me on this one, and no letters offering advice either - ta) Anyway whilst most of us would have said the hell with it, Not Ian, who the following Saturday took passage as it were to Birmingham New Street to check out the layout.   “Was he successful” we asked him down the pub that evening, “Oh yes, they have a set of points not mentioned on the simulation.” And you we said went to Birmingham just for that.” At this a sheepish Ian said yes, and even worse it had not his first such mission. 

 

Take last Saturday for example, a day for a lay-in, shopping or feet up in front of the tele. Not for our anorak clad Ian. For after buying a one day travel card on his one third off Networker ticket,(don’t half cut the cost of train-spotting) He decided on a round London rail trip…Which come the next holidays and your at a lose end to know what to do with the kids, I shall pass on..

 

First make for Stratford, (five motive power systems in use here - get the kids to discover them), now take the DLR line down under the new Thames tunnel to Lewisham, maybe stopping off at Greenwich on the way. From Lewisham travel by surface train to Croydon where fun can be had by travel on their unique local tram network. Then, how about a side trip up to Crystal Palace for a trip into the park to try and find the stone prehistoric animals. 

 

Now just time for an ice cream or three, before a train ride back to London Bridge where alongside the station is the London Torture Chambers which is always good to keep the little darlings Quiet. Before either walking over London Bridge and through the city to Liverpool Street or better yet the new Jubilee tube line back to Stratford.

 

So for the cost of a travel card, London and its railway system is yours. You know I don’t think Ian’s that crazy after all. For it seems he’s discovered the ideal day out. Now if you’ll excuse me I have this signal box simulation for Shenfield up on my computer, it’s not habit forming you know, but I wonder how they get that EWS class 66 onto platform 5 the wrong way round. How did it get there from the Norwich down… Oh Dear, I suppose I’m in for a session at the end of the platform again.

 

 

 

 

Rookards Rant   number 18.

 

Ever since coming out of the closet as an anorak wearing train-spotter, it’s been amazing how many otherwise normal appearing people, Yes Ladies as well, have sidled up to me to mutter, “its all right Dennis, your not the only one.” But the other Saturday, I came into contact with a new sub-species of our breed - The Bus-Spotter.

 

Not that they are into standing around on street corners, taking bus numbers you understand. No many of these good folk are into buying up old buses to restore and make them road-worthy again.  Now one bus is very much like another to me, but not to them - and none more so then an Open -Top type, which is what brought these bus spotters and me a couple of weeks back to an early Saturday morning visit to Southend Bus Station where local bus company- Stephenson’s coaches had come up with the brilliant idea of getting together with the bus enthusiasts of Castle Point’s Bus museum who lovingly look after 31 veteran buses, to create a summer service along Southend sea front of open top buses complete with drivers in white driving coats and conductors with their ticket machines.

 

It’s been a successful venture now for a couple of years, but unless, you have travelled atop one of these road monsters, you’ll never understand the pure delight of open top bus travel. For apart from the wind in your hair, there’s the unrestricted view, all the better for the game of grabbing leaves from overhanging trees in Chalkwell or spying the secret garden swimming pools of Thorpe Bay. This Southend open top service, even used to have it’s own tradition, whereby the bus used to halt just before diving under the pier bridge, to give the conductor time to climb the steps ask all on top to remember to sit down as we pass under the pier bridge. Unfortunately ever since they rebuilt the bridge, this is just a memory of a by gone Southend.

 

You can even book one of these open top buses for that special event. like (assuming you follow football) take your own silver trophy with you, and pretending your the triumphant skipper of Southend United, your heroic team behind you, parading a winning F.A. cup through fan packed Southend Streets.    Well not much chance of that ever happening, but at least the forty minute trip can still be yours when during its summer season, they have an hourly service (Number 67 if you’re standing at a bus stop) between Leigh and Shoeburyness via the sea front every weekend.

 

 

Now my companion on this trip on an open top bus was my mate Ian. I think I’ve told you he’s a train spotter. I tell you this because after half a lifetime spent secretly in his back bedroom reading his train magazines, which for some odd reason always seem to be planted on the top shelf down at W.H. Smiths next to the soft porn magazines, and countless hours sort of hanging around at the end of platforms the length of the country seeking out the legendary Blue class thirty, Ian came out and also started to wear his anorak with pride.

 

Like many of the brotherhood, Ian’s coming out resulted from his buying an otherwise childish computer game, whereby you take control of a signal box and send computerised trains here there and everywhere. Soon however surfing the net, he discovered that fellow Anorak clad train spotters had developed this signal box game by recreating on computer the entire track layout and timetable of some of our great interchange stations.   Ian was in seventh heaven, and obtained as his first real signal box simulation that for Birmingham New Street Station.

 

But soon this nocturnal activity took a dangerous turn, for after fruitless hours spent trying to get the 15.45 from Nuneaton into platform 2 by a crafty shunt from the up main line. (Look I don’t understand it either, so bare with me on this one, and no letters offering advice either - ta) Anyway whilst most of us would have said the hell with it, Not Ian, who the following Saturday took passage as it were to Birmingham New Street to check out the layout.   “Was he successful” we asked him down the pub that evening, “Oh yes, they have a set of points not mentioned on the simulation.” And you we said went to Birmingham just for that.” At this a sheepish Ian said yes, and even worse it had not his first such mission. 

 

Take last Saturday for example, a day for a lay-in, shopping or feet up in front of the tele. Not for our anorak clad Ian. For after buying a one day travel card on his one third off Networker ticket,(don’t half cut the cost of train-spotting) He decided on a round London rail trip…Which come the next holidays and your at a lose end to know what to do with the kids, I shall pass on..

 

First make for Stratford, (five motive power systems in use here - get the kids to discover them), now take the DLR line down under the new Thames tunnel to Lewisham, maybe stopping off at Greenwich on the way. From Lewisham travel by surface train to Croydon where fun can be had by travel on their unique local tram network. Then, how about a side trip up to Crystal Palace for a trip into the park to try and find the stone prehistoric animals. 

 

Now just time for an ice cream or three, before a train ride back to London Bridge where alongside the station is the London Torture Chambers which is always good to keep the little darlings Quiet. Before either walking over London Bridge and through the city to Liverpool Street or better yet the new Jubilee tube line back to Stratford.

 

So for the cost of a travel card, London and its railway system is yours. You know I don’t think Ian’s that crazy after all. For it seems he’s discovered the ideal day out. Now if you’ll excuse me I have this signal box simulation for Shenfield up on my computer, it’s not habit forming you know, but I wonder how they get that EWS class 66 onto platform 5 the wrong way round. How did it get there from the Norwich down… Oh Dear, I suppose I’m in for a session at the end of the platform again.

 

 

 

 

Rookards Rant   number 18.

 

Ever since coming out of the closet as an anorak wearing train-spotter, it’s been amazing how many otherwise normal appearing people, Yes Ladies as well, have sidled up to me to mutter, “its all right Dennis, your not the only one.” But the other Saturday, I came into contact with a new sub-species of our breed - The Bus-Spotter.

 

Not that they are into standing around on street corners, taking bus numbers you understand. No many of these good folk are into buying up old buses to restore and make them road-worthy again.  Now one bus is very much like another to me, but not to them - and none more so then an Open -Top type, which is what brought these bus spotters and me a couple of weeks back to an early Saturday morning visit to Southend Bus Station where local bus company- Stephenson’s coaches had come up with the brilliant idea of getting together with the bus enthusiasts of Castle Point’s Bus museum who lovingly look after 31 veteran buses, to create a summer service along Southend sea front of open top buses complete with drivers in white driving coats and conductors with their ticket machines.

 

It’s been a successful venture now for a couple of years, but unless, you have travelled atop one of these road monsters, you’ll never understand the pure delight of open top bus travel. For apart from the wind in your hair, there’s the unrestricted view, all the better for the game of grabbing leaves from overhanging trees in Chalkwell or spying the secret garden swimming pools of Thorpe Bay. This Southend open top service, even used to have it’s own tradition, whereby the bus used to halt just before diving under the pier bridge, to give the conductor time to climb the steps ask all on top to remember to sit down as we pass under the pier bridge. Unfortunately ever since they rebuilt the bridge, this is just a memory of a by gone Southend.

 

You can even book one of these open top buses for that special event. like (assuming you follow football) take your own silver trophy with you, and pretending your the triumphant skipper of Southend United, your heroic team behind you, parading a winning F.A. cup through fan packed Southend Streets.    Well not much chance of that ever happening, but at least the forty minute trip can still be yours when during its summer season, they have an hourly service (Number 67 if you’re standing at a bus stop) between Leigh and Shoeburyness via the sea front every weekend.

 

 

Now my companion on this trip on an open top bus was my mate Ian. I think I’ve told you he’s a train spotter. I tell you this because after half a lifetime spent secretly in his back bedroom reading his train magazines, which for some odd reason always seem to be planted on the top shelf down at W.H. Smiths next to the soft porn magazines, and countless hours sort of hanging around at the end of platforms the length of the country seeking out the legendary Blue class thirty, Ian came out and also started to wear his anorak with pride.

 

Like many of the brotherhood, Ian’s coming out resulted from his buying an otherwise childish computer game, whereby you take control of a signal box and send computerised trains here there and everywhere. Soon however surfing the net, he discovered that fellow Anorak clad train spotters had developed this signal box game by recreating on computer the entire track layout and timetable of some of our great interchange stations.   Ian was in seventh heaven, and obtained as his first real signal box simulation that for Birmingham New Street Station.

 

But soon this nocturnal activity took a dangerous turn, for after fruitless hours spent trying to get the 15.45 from Nuneaton into platform 2 by a crafty shunt from the up main line. (Look I don’t understand it either, so bare with me on this one, and no letters offering advice either - ta) Anyway whilst most of us would have said the hell with it, Not Ian, who the following Saturday took passage as it were to Birmingham New Street to check out the layout.   “Was he successful” we asked him down the pub that evening, “Oh yes, they have a set of points not mentioned on the simulation.” And you we said went to Birmingham just for that.” At this a sheepish Ian said yes, and even worse it had not his first such mission. 

 

Take last Saturday for example, a day for a lay-in, shopping or feet up in front of the tele. Not for our anorak clad Ian. For after buying a one day travel card on his one third off Networker ticket,(don’t half cut the cost of train-spotting) He decided on a round London rail trip…Which come the next holidays and your at a lose end to know what to do with the kids, I shall pass on..

 

First make for Stratford, (five motive power systems in use here - get the kids to discover them), now take the DLR line down under the new Thames tunnel to Lewisham, maybe stopping off at Greenwich on the way. From Lewisham travel by surface train to Croydon where fun can be had by travel on their unique local tram network. Then, how about a side trip up to Crystal Palace for a trip into the park to try and find the stone prehistoric animals. 

 

Now just time for an ice cream or three, before a train ride back to London Bridge where alongside the station is the London Torture Chambers which is always good to keep the little darlings Quiet. Before either walking over London Bridge and through the city to Liverpool Street or better yet the new Jubilee tube line back to Stratford.

 

So for the cost of a travel card, London and its railway system is yours. You know I don’t think Ian’s that crazy after all. For it seems he’s discovered the ideal day out. Now if you’ll excuse me I have this signal box simulation for Shenfield up on my computer, it’s not habit forming you know, but I wonder how they get that EWS class 66 onto platform 5 the wrong way round. How did it get there from the Norwich down… Oh Dear, I suppose I’m in for a session at the end of the platform again.

 

 

 

 

Rookards Rant   number 18.

 

Ever since coming out of the closet as an anorak wearing train-spotter, it’s been amazing how many otherwise normal appearing people, Yes Ladies as well, have sidled up to me to mutter, “its all right Dennis, your not the only one.” But the other Saturday, I came into contact with a new sub-species of our breed - The Bus-Spotter.

 

Not that they are into standing around on street corners, taking bus numbers you understand. No many of these good folk are into buying up old buses to restore and make them road-worthy again.  Now one bus is very much like another to me, but not to them - and none more so then an Open -Top type, which is what brought these bus spotters and me a couple of weeks back to an early Saturday morning visit to Southend Bus Station where local bus company- Stephenson’s coaches had come up with the brilliant idea of getting together with the bus enthusiasts of Castle Point’s Bus museum who lovingly look after 31 veteran buses, to create a summer service along Southend sea front of open top buses complete with drivers in white driving coats and conductors with their ticket machines.

 

It’s been a successful venture now for a couple of years, but unless, you have travelled atop one of these road monsters, you’ll never understand the pure delight of open top bus travel. For apart from the wind in your hair, there’s the unrestricted view, all the better for the game of grabbing leaves from overhanging trees in Chalkwell or spying the secret garden swimming pools of Thorpe Bay. This Southend open top service, even used to have it’s own tradition, whereby the bus used to halt just before diving under the pier bridge, to give the conductor time to climb the steps ask all on top to remember to sit down as we pass under the pier bridge. Unfortunately ever since they rebuilt the bridge, this is just a memory of a by gone Southend.

 

You can even book one of these open top buses for that special event. like (assuming you follow football) take your own silver trophy with you, and pretending your the triumphant skipper of Southend United, your heroic team behind you, parading a winning F.A. cup through fan packed Southend Streets.    Well not much chance of that ever happening, but at least the forty minute trip can still be yours when during its summer season, they have an hourly service (Number 67 if you’re standing at a bus stop) between Leigh and Shoeburyness via the sea front every weekend.

 

 

Now my companion on this trip on an open top bus was my mate Ian. I think I’ve told you he’s a train spotter. I tell you this because after half a lifetime spent secretly in his back bedroom reading his train magazines, which for some odd reason always seem to be planted on the top shelf down at W.H. Smiths next to the soft porn magazines, and countless hours sort of hanging around at the end of platforms the length of the country seeking out the legendary Blue class thirty, Ian came out and also started to wear his anorak with pride.

 

Like many of the brotherhood, Ian’s coming out resulted from his buying an otherwise childish computer game, whereby you take control of a signal box and send computerised trains here there and everywhere. Soon however surfing the net, he discovered that fellow Anorak clad train spotters had developed this signal box game by recreating on computer the entire track layout and timetable of some of our great interchange stations.   Ian was in seventh heaven, and obtained as his first real signal box simulation that for Birmingham New Street Station.

 

But soon this nocturnal activity took a dangerous turn, for after fruitless hours spent trying to get the 15.45 from Nuneaton into platform 2 by a crafty shunt from the up main line. (Look I don’t understand it either, so bare with me on this one, and no letters offering advice either - ta) Anyway whilst most of us would have said the hell with it, Not Ian, who the following Saturday took passage as it were to Birmingham New Street to check out the layout.   “Was he successful” we asked him down the pub that evening, “Oh yes, they have a set of points not mentioned on the simulation.” And you we said went to Birmingham just for that.” At this a sheepish Ian said yes, and even worse it had not his first such mission. 

 

Take last Saturday for example, a day for a lay-in, shopping or feet up in front of the tele. Not for our anorak clad Ian. For after buying a one day travel card on his one third off Networker ticket,(don’t half cut the cost of train-spotting) He decided on a round London rail trip…Which come the next holidays and your at a lose end to know what to do with the kids, I shall pass on..

 

First make for Stratford, (five motive power systems in use here - get the kids to discover them), now take the DLR line down under the new Thames tunnel to Lewisham, maybe stopping off at Greenwich on the way. From Lewisham travel by surface train to Croydon where fun can be had by travel on their unique local tram network. Then, how about a side trip up to Crystal Palace for a trip into the park to try and find the stone prehistoric animals. 

 

Now just time for an ice cream or three, before a train ride back to London Bridge where alongside the station is the London Torture Chambers which is always good to keep the little darlings Quiet. Before either walking over London Bridge and through the city to Liverpool Street or better yet the new Jubilee tube line back to Stratford.

 

So for the cost of a travel card, London and its railway system is yours. You know I don’t think Ian’s that crazy after all. For it seems he’s discovered the ideal day out. Now if you’ll excuse me I have this signal box simulation for Shenfield up on my computer, it’s not habit forming you know, but I wonder how they get that EWS class 66 onto platform 5 the wrong way round. How did it get there from the Norwich down… Oh Dear, I suppose I’m in for a session at the end of the platform again.

 

 

 

Rookards Rant   number 18.

 

Ever since coming out of the closet as an anorak wearing train-spotter, it’s been amazing how many otherwise normal appearing people, Yes Ladies as well, have sidled up to me to mutter, “its all right Dennis, your not the only one.” But the other Saturday, I came into contact with a new sub-species of our breed - The Bus-Spotter.

 

Not that they are into standing around on street corners, taking bus numbers you understand. No many of these good folk are into buying up old buses to restore and make them road-worthy again.  Now one bus is very much like another to me, but not to them - and none more so then an Open -Top type, which is what brought these bus spotters and me a couple of weeks back to an early Saturday morning visit to Southend Bus Station where local bus company- Stephenson’s coaches had come up with the brilliant idea of getting together with the bus enthusiasts of Castle Point’s Bus museum who lovingly look after 31 veteran buses, to create a summer service along Southend sea front of open top buses complete with drivers in white driving coats and conductors with their ticket machines.

 

It’s been a successful venture now for a couple of years, but unless, you have travelled atop one of these road monsters, you’ll never understand the pure delight of open top bus travel. For apart from the wind in your hair, there’s the unrestricted view, all the better for the game of grabbing leaves from overhanging trees in Chalkwell or spying the secret garden swimming pools of Thorpe Bay. This Southend open top service, even used to have it’s own tradition, whereby the bus used to halt just before diving under the pier bridge, to give the conductor time to climb the steps ask all on top to remember to sit down as we pass under the pier bridge. Unfortunately ever since they rebuilt the bridge, this is just a memory of a by gone Southend.

 

You can even book one of these open top buses for that special event. like (assuming you follow football) take your own silver trophy with you, and pretending your the triumphant skipper of Southend United, your heroic team behind you, parading a winning F.A. cup through fan packed Southend Streets.    Well not much chance of that ever happening, but at least the forty minute trip can still be yours when during its summer season, they have an hourly service (Number 67 if you’re standing at a bus stop) between Leigh and Shoeburyness via the sea front every weekend.

 

 

Now my companion on this trip on an open top bus was my mate Ian. I think I’ve told you he’s a train spotter. I tell you this because after half a lifetime spent secretly in his back bedroom reading his train magazines, which for some odd reason always seem to be planted on the top shelf down at W.H. Smiths next to the soft porn magazines, and countless hours sort of hanging around at the end of platforms the length of the country seeking out the legendary Blue class thirty, Ian came out and also started to wear his anorak with pride.

 

Like many of the brotherhood, Ian’s coming out resulted from his buying an otherwise childish computer game, whereby you take control of a signal box and send computerised trains here there and everywhere. Soon however surfing the net, he discovered that fellow Anorak clad train spotters had developed this signal box game by recreating on computer the entire track layout and timetable of some of our great interchange stations.   Ian was in seventh heaven, and obtained as his first real signal box simulation that for Birmingham New Street Station.

 

But soon this nocturnal activity took a dangerous turn, for after fruitless hours spent trying to get the 15.45 from Nuneaton into platform 2 by a crafty shunt from the up main line. (Look I don’t understand it either, so bare with me on this one, and no letters offering advice either - ta) Anyway whilst most of us would have said the hell with it, Not Ian, who the following Saturday took passage as it were to Birmingham New Street to check out the layout.   “Was he successful” we asked him down the pub that evening, “Oh yes, they have a set of points not mentioned on the simulation.” And you we said went to Birmingham just for that.” At this a sheepish Ian said yes, and even worse it had not his first such mission. 

 

Take last Saturday for example, a day for a lay-in, shopping or feet up in front of the tele. Not for our anorak clad Ian. For after buying a one day travel card on his one third off Networker ticket,(don’t half cut the cost of train-spotting) He decided on a round London rail trip…Which come the next holidays and your at a lose end to know what to do with the kids, I shall pass on..

 

First make for Stratford, (five motive power systems in use here - get the kids to discover them), now take the DLR line down under the new Thames tunnel to Lewisham, maybe stopping off at Greenwich on the way. From Lewisham travel by surface train to Croydon where fun can be had by travel on their unique local tram network. Then, how about a side trip up to Crystal Palace for a trip into the park to try and find the stone prehistoric animals. 

 

Now just time for an ice cream or three, before a train ride back to London Bridge where alongside the station is the London Torture Chambers which is always good to keep the little darlings Quiet. Before either walking over London Bridge and through the city to Liverpool Street or better yet the new Jubilee tube line back to Stratford.

 

So for the cost of a travel card, London and its railway system is yours. You know I don’t think Ian’s that crazy after all. For it seems he’s discovered the ideal day out. Now if you’ll excuse me I have this signal box simulation for Shenfield up on my computer, it’s not habit forming you know, but I wonder how they get that EWS class 66 onto platform 5 the wrong way round. How did it get there from the Norwich down… Oh Dear, I suppose I’m in for a session at the end of the platform again.

 

 

 

 

 

Rookards Rant   number 18.

 

Ever since coming out of the closet as an anorak wearing train-spotter, it’s been amazing how many otherwise normal appearing people, Yes Ladies as well, have sidled up to me to mutter, “its all right Dennis, your not the only one.” But the other Saturday, I came into contact with a new sub-species of our breed - The Bus-Spotter.

 

Not that they are into standing around on street corners, taking bus numbers you understand. No many of these good folk are into buying up old buses to restore and make them road-worthy again.  Now one bus is very much like another to me, but not to them - and none more so then an Open -Top type, which is what brought these bus spotters and me a couple of weeks back to an early Saturday morning visit to Southend Bus Station where local bus company- Stephenson’s coaches had come up with the brilliant idea of getting together with the bus enthusiasts of Castle Point’s Bus museum who lovingly look after 31 veteran buses, to create a summer service along Southend sea front of open top buses complete with drivers in white driving coats and conductors with their ticket machines.

 

It’s been a successful venture now for a couple of years, but unless, you have travelled atop one of these road monsters, you’ll never understand the pure delight of open top bus travel. For apart from the wind in your hair, there’s the unrestricted view, all the better for the game of grabbing leaves from overhanging trees in Chalkwell or spying the secret garden swimming pools of Thorpe Bay. This Southend open top service, even used to have it’s own tradition, whereby the bus used to halt just before diving under the pier bridge, to give the conductor time to climb the steps ask all on top to remember to sit down as we pass under the pier bridge. Unfortunately ever since they rebuilt the bridge, this is just a memory of a by gone Southend.

 

You can even book one of these open top buses for that special event. like (assuming you follow football) take your own silver trophy with you, and pretending your the triumphant skipper of Southend United, your heroic team behind you, parading a winning F.A. cup through fan packed Southend Streets.    Well not much chance of that ever happening, but at least the forty minute trip can still be yours when during its summer season, they have an hourly service (Number 67 if you’re standing at a bus stop) between Leigh and Shoeburyness via the sea front every weekend.

 

 

Now my companion on this trip on an open top bus was my mate Ian. I think I’ve told you he’s a train spotter. I tell you this because after half a lifetime spent secretly in his back bedroom reading his train magazines, which for some odd reason always seem to be planted on the top shelf down at W.H. Smiths next to the soft porn magazines, and countless hours sort of hanging around at the end of platforms the length of the country seeking out the legendary Blue class thirty, Ian came out and also started to wear his anorak with pride.

 

Like many of the brotherhood, Ian’s coming out resulted from his buying an otherwise childish computer game, whereby you take control of a signal box and send computerised trains here there and everywhere. Soon however surfing the net, he discovered that fellow Anorak clad train spotters had developed this signal box game by recreating on computer the entire track layout and timetable of some of our great interchange stations.   Ian was in seventh heaven, and obtained as his first real signal box simulation that for Birmingham New Street Station.

 

But soon this nocturnal activity took a dangerous turn, for after fruitless hours spent trying to get the 15.45 from Nuneaton into platform 2 by a crafty shunt from the up main line. (Look I don’t understand it either, so bare with me on this one, and no letters offering advice either - ta) Anyway whilst most of us would have said the hell with it, Not Ian, who the following Saturday took passage as it were to Birmingham New Street to check out the layout.   “Was he successful” we asked him down the pub that evening, “Oh yes, they have a set of points not mentioned on the simulation.” And you we said went to Birmingham just for that.” At this a sheepish Ian said yes, and even worse it had not his first such mission. 

 

Take last Saturday for example, a day for a lay-in, shopping or feet up in front of the tele. Not for our anorak clad Ian. For after buying a one day travel card on his one third off Networker ticket,(don’t half cut the cost of train-spotting) He decided on a round London rail trip…Which come the next holidays and your at a lose end to know what to do with the kids, I shall pass on..

 

First make for Stratford, (five motive power systems in use here - get the kids to discover them), now take the DLR line down under the new Thames tunnel to Lewisham, maybe stopping off at Greenwich on the way. From Lewisham travel by surface train to Croydon where fun can be had by travel on their unique local tram network. Then, how about a side trip up to Crystal Palace for a trip into the park to try and find the stone prehistoric animals. 

 

Now just time for an ice cream or three, before a train ride back to London Bridge where alongside the station is the London Torture Chambers which is always good to keep the little darlings Quiet. Before either walking over London Bridge and through the city to Liverpool Street or better yet the new Jubilee tube line back to Stratford.

 

So for the cost of a travel card, London and its railway system is yours. You know I don’t think Ian’s that crazy after all. For it seems he’s discovered the ideal day out. Now if you’ll excuse me I have this signal box simulation for Shenfield up on my computer, it’s not habit forming you know, but I wonder how they get that EWS class 66 onto platform 5 the wrong way round. How did it get there from the Norwich down… Oh Dear, I suppose I’m in for a session at the end of the platform again.

 

 

 

 

Rookards Rant   number 18.

 

Ever since coming out of the closet as an anorak wearing train-spotter, it’s been amazing how many otherwise normal appearing people, Yes Ladies as well, have sidled up to me to mutter, “its all right Dennis, your not the only one.” But the other Saturday, I came into contact with a new sub-species of our breed - The Bus-Spotter.

 

Not that they are into standing around on street corners, taking bus numbers you understand. No many of these good folk are into buying up old buses to restore and make them road-worthy again.  Now one bus is very much like another to me, but not to them - and none more so then an Open -Top type, which is what brought these bus spotters and me a couple of weeks back to an early Saturday morning visit to Southend Bus Station where local bus company- Stephenson’s coaches had come up with the brilliant idea of getting together with the bus enthusiasts of Castle Point’s Bus museum who lovingly look after 31 veteran buses, to create a summer service along Southend sea front of open top buses complete with drivers in white driving coats and conductors with their ticket machines.

 

It’s been a successful venture now for a couple of years, but unless, you have travelled atop one of these road monsters, you’ll never understand the pure delight of open top bus travel. For apart from the wind in your hair, there’s the unrestricted view, all the better for the game of grabbing leaves from overhanging trees in Chalkwell or spying the secret garden swimming pools of Thorpe Bay. This Southend open top service, even used to have it’s own tradition, whereby the bus used to halt just before diving under the pier bridge, to give the conductor time to climb the steps ask all on top to remember to sit down as we pass under the pier bridge. Unfortunately ever since they rebuilt the bridge, this is just a memory of a by gone Southend.

 

You can even book one of these open top buses for that special event. like (assuming you follow football) take your own silver trophy with you, and pretending your the triumphant skipper of Southend United, your heroic team behind you, parading a winning F.A. cup through fan packed Southend Streets.    Well not much chance of that ever happening, but at least the forty minute trip can still be yours when during its summer season, they have an hourly service (Number 67 if you’re standing at a bus stop) between Leigh and Shoeburyness via the sea front every weekend.

 

 

Now my companion on this trip on an open top bus was my mate Ian. I think I’ve told you he’s a train spotter. I tell you this because after half a lifetime spent secretly in his back bedroom reading his train magazines, which for some odd reason always seem to be planted on the top shelf down at W.H. Smiths next to the soft porn magazines, and countless hours sort of hanging around at the end of platforms the length of the country seeking out the legendary Blue class thirty, Ian came out and also started to wear his anorak with pride.

 

Like many of the brotherhood, Ian’s coming out resulted from his buying an otherwise childish computer game, whereby you take control of a signal box and send computerised trains here there and everywhere. Soon however surfing the net, he discovered that fellow Anorak clad train spotters had developed this signal box game by recreating on computer the entire track layout and timetable of some of our great interchange stations.   Ian was in seventh heaven, and obtained as his first real signal box simulation that for Birmingham New Street Station.

 

But soon this nocturnal activity took a dangerous turn, for after fruitless hours spent trying to get the 15.45 from Nuneaton into platform 2 by a crafty shunt from the up main line. (Look I don’t understand it either, so bare with me on this one, and no letters offering advice either - ta) Anyway whilst most of us would have said the hell with it, Not Ian, who the following Saturday took passage as it were to Birmingham New Street to check out the layout.   “Was he successful” we asked him down the pub that evening, “Oh yes, they have a set of points not mentioned on the simulation.” And you we said went to Birmingham just for that.” At this a sheepish Ian said yes, and even worse it had not his first such mission. 

 

Take last Saturday for example, a day for a lay-in, shopping or feet up in front of the tele. Not for our anorak clad Ian. For after buying a one day travel card on his one third off Networker ticket,(don’t half cut the cost of train-spotting) He decided on a round London rail trip…Which come the next holidays and your at a lose end to know what to do with the kids, I shall pass on..

 

First make for Stratford, (five motive power systems in use here - get the kids to discover them), now take the DLR line down under the new Thames tunnel to Lewisham, maybe stopping off at Greenwich on the way. From Lewisham travel by surface train to Croydon where fun can be had by travel on their unique local tram network. Then, how about a side trip up to Crystal Palace for a trip into the park to try and find the stone prehistoric animals. 

 

Now just time for an ice cream or three, before a train ride back to London Bridge where alongside the station is the London Torture Chambers which is always good to keep the little darlings Quiet. Before either walking over London Bridge and through the city to Liverpool Street or better yet the new Jubilee tube line back to Stratford.

 

So for the cost of a travel card, London and its railway system is yours. You know I don’t think Ian’s that crazy after all. For it seems he’s discovered the ideal day out. Now if you’ll excuse me I have this signal box simulation for Shenfield up on my computer, it’s not habit forming you know, but I wonder how they get that EWS class 66 onto platform 5 the wrong way round. How did it get there from the Norwich down… Oh Dear, I suppose I’m in for a session at the end of the platform again.

 

 

 

 

Rookards Rant   number 18.

 

Ever since coming out of the closet as an anorak wearing train-spotter, it’s been amazing how many otherwise normal appearing people, Yes Ladies as well, have sidled up to me to mutter, “its all right Dennis, your not the only one.” But the other Saturday, I came into contact with a new sub-species of our breed - The Bus-Spotter.

 

Not that they are into standing around on street corners, taking bus numbers you understand. No many of these good folk are into buying up old buses to restore and make them road-worthy again.  Now one bus is very much like another to me, but not to them - and none more so then an Open -Top type, which is what brought these bus spotters and me a couple of weeks back to an early Saturday morning visit to Southend Bus Station where local bus company- Stephenson’s coaches had come up with the brilliant idea of getting together with the bus enthusiasts of Castle Point’s Bus museum who lovingly look after 31 veteran buses, to create a summer service along Southend sea front of open top buses complete with drivers in white driving coats and conductors with their ticket machines.

 

It’s been a successful venture now for a couple of years, but unless, you have travelled atop one of these road monsters, you’ll never understand the pure delight of open top bus travel. For apart from the wind in your hair, there’s the unrestricted view, all the better for the game of grabbing leaves from overhanging trees in Chalkwell or spying the secret garden swimming pools of Thorpe Bay. This Southend open top service, even used to have it’s own tradition, whereby the bus used to halt just before diving under the pier bridge, to give the conductor time to climb the steps ask all on top to remember to sit down as we pass under the pier bridge. Unfortunately ever since they rebuilt the bridge, this is just a memory of a by gone Southend.

 

You can even book one of these open top buses for that special event. like (assuming you follow football) take your own silver trophy with you, and pretending your the triumphant skipper of Southend United, your heroic team behind you, parading a winning F.A. cup through fan packed Southend Streets.    Well not much chance of that ever happening, but at least the forty minute trip can still be yours when during its summer season, they have an hourly service (Number 67 if you’re standing at a bus stop) between Leigh and Shoeburyness via the sea front every weekend.

 

 

Now my companion on this trip on an open top bus was my mate Ian. I think I’ve told you he’s a train spotter. I tell you this because after half a lifetime spent secretly in his back bedroom reading his train magazines, which for some odd reason always seem to be planted on the top shelf down at W.H. Smiths next to the soft porn magazines, and countless hours sort of hanging around at the end of platforms the length of the country seeking out the legendary Blue class thirty, Ian came out and also started to wear his anorak with pride.

 

Like many of the brotherhood, Ian’s coming out resulted from his buying an otherwise childish computer game, whereby you take control of a signal box and send computerised trains here there and everywhere. Soon however surfing the net, he discovered that fellow Anorak clad train spotters had developed this signal box game by recreating on computer the entire track layout and timetable of some of our great interchange stations.   Ian was in seventh heaven, and obtained as his first real signal box simulation that for Birmingham New Street Station.

 

But soon this nocturnal activity took a dangerous turn, for after fruitless hours spent trying to get the 15.45 from Nuneaton into platform 2 by a crafty shunt from the up main line. (Look I don’t understand it either, so bare with me on this one, and no letters offering advice either - ta) Anyway whilst most of us would have said the hell with it, Not Ian, who the following Saturday took passage as it were to Birmingham New Street to check out the layout.   “Was he successful” we asked him down the pub that evening, “Oh yes, they have a set of points not mentioned on the simulation.” And you we said went to Birmingham just for that.” At this a sheepish Ian said yes, and even worse it had not his first such mission. 

 

Take last Saturday for example, a day for a lay-in, shopping or feet up in front of the tele. Not for our anorak clad Ian. For after buying a one day travel card on his one third off Networker ticket,(don’t half cut the cost of train-spotting) He decided on a round London rail trip…Which come the next holidays and your at a lose end to know what to do with the kids, I shall pass on..

 

First make for Stratford, (five motive power systems in use here - get the kids to discover them), now take the DLR line down under the new Thames tunnel to Lewisham, maybe stopping off at Greenwich on the way. From Lewisham travel by surface train to Croydon where fun can be had by travel on their unique local tram network. Then, how about a side trip up to Crystal Palace for a trip into the park to try and find the stone prehistoric animals. 

 

Now just time for an ice cream or three, before a train ride back to London Bridge where alongside the station is the London Torture Chambers which is always good to keep the little darlings Quiet. Before either walking over London Bridge and through the city to Liverpool Street or better yet the new Jubilee tube line back to Stratford.

 

So for the cost of a travel card, London and its railway system is yours. You know I don’t think Ian’s that crazy after all. For it seems he’s discovered the ideal day out. Now if you’ll excuse me I have this signal box simulation for Shenfield up on my computer, it’s not habit forming you know, but I wonder how they get that EWS class 66 onto platform 5 the wrong way round. How did it get there from the Norwich down… Oh Dear, I suppose I’m in for a session at the end of the platform again.

 

 

 

 

Rookards Rant   number 18.

 

Ever since coming out of the closet as an anorak wearing train-spotter, it’s been amazing how many otherwise normal appearing people, Yes Ladies as well, have sidled up to me to mutter, “its all right Dennis, your not the only one.” But the other Saturday, I came into contact with a new sub-species of our breed - The Bus-Spotter.

 

Not that they are into standing around on street corners, taking bus numbers you understand. No many of these good folk are into buying up old buses to restore and make them road-worthy again.  Now one bus is very much like another to me, but not to them - and none more so then an Open -Top type, which is what brought these bus spotters and me a couple of weeks back to an early Saturday morning visit to Southend Bus Station where local bus company- Stephenson’s coaches had come up with the brilliant idea of getting together with the bus enthusiasts of Castle Point’s Bus museum who lovingly look after 31 veteran buses, to create a summer service along Southend sea front of open top buses complete with drivers in white driving coats and conductors with their ticket machines.

 

It’s been a successful venture now for a couple of years, but unless, you have travelled atop one of these road monsters, you’ll never understand the pure delight of open top bus travel. For apart from the wind in your hair, there’s the unrestricted view, all the better for the game of grabbing leaves from overhanging trees in Chalkwell or spying the secret garden swimming pools of Thorpe Bay. This Southend open top service, even used to have it’s own tradition, whereby the bus used to halt just before diving under the pier bridge, to give the conductor time to climb the steps ask all on top to remember to sit down as we pass under the pier bridge. Unfortunately ever since they rebuilt the bridge, this is just a memory of a by gone Southend.

 

You can even book one of these open top buses for that special event. like (assuming you follow football) take your own silver trophy with you, and pretending your the triumphant skipper of Southend United, your heroic team behind you, parading a winning F.A. cup through fan packed Southend Streets.    Well not much chance of that ever happening, but at least the forty minute trip can still be yours when during its summer season, they have an hourly service (Number 67 if you’re standing at a bus stop) between Leigh and Shoeburyness via the sea front every weekend.

 

 

Now my companion on this trip on an open top bus was my mate Ian. I think I’ve told you he’s a train spotter. I tell you this because after half a lifetime spent secretly in his back bedroom reading his train magazines, which for some odd reason always seem to be planted on the top shelf down at W.H. Smiths next to the soft porn magazines, and countless hours sort of hanging around at the end of platforms the length of the country seeking out the legendary Blue class thirty, Ian came out and also started to wear his anorak with pride.

 

Like many of the brotherhood, Ian’s coming out resulted from his buying an otherwise childish computer game, whereby you take control of a signal box and send computerised trains here there and everywhere. Soon however surfing the net, he discovered that fellow Anorak clad train spotters had developed this signal box game by recreating on computer the entire track layout and timetable of some of our great interchange stations.   Ian was in seventh heaven, and obtained as his first real signal box simulation that for Birmingham New Street Station.

 

But soon this nocturnal activity took a dangerous turn, for after fruitless hours spent trying to get the 15.45 from Nuneaton into platform 2 by a crafty shunt from the up main line. (Look I don’t understand it either, so bare with me on this one, and no letters offering advice either - ta) Anyway whilst most of us would have said the hell with it, Not Ian, who the following Saturday took passage as it were to Birmingham New Street to check out the layout.   “Was he successful” we asked him down the pub that evening, “Oh yes, they have a set of points not mentioned on the simulation.” And you we said went to Birmingham just for that.” At this a sheepish Ian said yes, and even worse it had not his first such mission. 

 

Take last Saturday for example, a day for a lay-in, shopping or feet up in front of the tele. Not for our anorak clad Ian. For after buying a one day travel card on his one third off Networker ticket,(don’t half cut the cost of train-spotting) He decided on a round London rail trip…Which come the next holidays and your at a lose end to know what to do with the kids, I shall pass on..

 

First make for Stratford, (five motive power systems in use here - get the kids to discover them), now take the DLR line down under the new Thames tunnel to Lewisham, maybe stopping off at Greenwich on the way. From Lewisham travel by surface train to Croydon where fun can be had by travel on their unique local tram network. Then, how about a side trip up to Crystal Palace for a trip into the park to try and find the stone prehistoric animals. 

 

Now just time for an ice cream or three, before a train ride back to London Bridge where alongside the station is the London Torture Chambers which is always good to keep the little darlings Quiet. Before either walking over London Bridge and through the city to Liverpool Street or better yet the new Jubilee tube line back to Stratford.

 

So for the cost of a travel card, London and its railway system is yours. You know I don’t think Ian’s that crazy after all. For it seems he’s discovered the ideal day out. Now if you’ll excuse me I have this signal box simulation for Shenfield up on my computer, it’s not habit forming you know, but I wonder how they get that EWS class 66 onto platform 5 the wrong way round. How did it get there from the Norwich down… Oh Dear, I suppose I’m in for a session at the end of the platform again.

 

 

 

 

Rookards Rant   number 18.

 

Ever since coming out of the closet as an anorak wearing train-spotter, it’s been amazing how many otherwise normal appearing people, Yes Ladies as well, have sidled up to me to mutter, “its all right Dennis, your not the only one.” But the other Saturday, I came into contact with a new sub-species of our breed - The Bus-Spotter.

 

Not that they are into standing around on street corners, taking bus numbers you understand. No many of these good folk are into buying up old buses to restore and make them road-worthy again.  Now one bus is very much like another to me, but not to them - and none more so then an Open -Top type, which is what brought these bus spotters and me a couple of weeks back to an early Saturday morning visit to Southend Bus Station where local bus company- Stephenson’s coaches had come up with the brilliant idea of getting together with the bus enthusiasts of Castle Point’s Bus museum who lovingly look after 31 veteran buses, to create a summer service along Southend sea front of open top buses complete with drivers in white driving coats and conductors with their ticket machines.

 

It’s been a successful venture now for a couple of years, but unless, you have travelled atop one of these road monsters, you’ll never understand the pure delight of open top bus travel. For apart from the wind in your hair, there’s the unrestricted view, all the better for the game of grabbing leaves from overhanging trees in Chalkwell or spying the secret garden swimming pools of Thorpe Bay. This Southend open top service, even used to have it’s own tradition, whereby the bus used to halt just before diving under the pier bridge, to give the conductor time to climb the steps ask all on top to remember to sit down as we pass under the pier bridge. Unfortunately ever since they rebuilt the bridge, this is just a memory of a by gone Southend.

 

You can even book one of these open top buses for that special event. like (assuming you follow football) take your own silver trophy with you, and pretending your the triumphant skipper of Southend United, your heroic team behind you, parading a winning F.A. cup through fan packed Southend Streets.    Well not much chance of that ever happening, but at least the forty minute trip can still be yours when during its summer season, they have an hourly service (Number 67 if you’re standing at a bus stop) between Leigh and Shoeburyness via the sea front every weekend.

 

 

Now my companion on this trip on an open top bus was my mate Ian. I think I’ve told you he’s a train spotter. I tell you this because after half a lifetime spent secretly in his back bedroom reading his train magazines, which for some odd reason always seem to be planted on the top shelf down at W.H. Smiths next to the soft porn magazines, and countless hours sort of hanging around at the end of platforms the length of the country seeking out the legendary Blue class thirty, Ian came out and also started to wear his anorak with pride.

 

Like many of the brotherhood, Ian’s coming out resulted from his buying an otherwise childish computer game, whereby you take control of a signal box and send computerised trains here there and everywhere. Soon however surfing the net, he discovered that fellow Anorak clad train spotters had developed this signal box game by recreating on computer the entire track layout and timetable of some of our great interchange stations.   Ian was in seventh heaven, and obtained as his first real signal box simulation that for Birmingham New Street Station.

 

But soon this nocturnal activity took a dangerous turn, for after fruitless hours spent trying to get the 15.45 from Nuneaton into platform 2 by a crafty shunt from the up main line. (Look I don’t understand it either, so bare with me on this one, and no letters offering advice either - ta) Anyway whilst most of us would have said the hell with it, Not Ian, who the following Saturday took passage as it were to Birmingham New Street to check out the layout.   “Was he successful” we asked him down the pub that evening, “Oh yes, they have a set of points not mentioned on the simulation.” And you we said went to Birmingham just for that.” At this a sheepish Ian said yes, and even worse it had not his first such mission. 

 

Take last Saturday for example, a day for a lay-in, shopping or feet up in front of the tele. Not for our anorak clad Ian. For after buying a one day travel card on his one third off Networker ticket,(don’t half cut the cost of train-spotting) He decided on a round London rail trip…Which come the next holidays and your at a lose end to know what to do with the kids, I shall pass on..

 

First make for Stratford, (five motive power systems in use here - get the kids to discover them), now take the DLR line down under the new Thames tunnel to Lewisham, maybe stopping off at Greenwich on the way. From Lewisham travel by surface train to Croydon where fun can be had by travel on their unique local tram network. Then, how about a side trip up to Crystal Palace for a trip into the park to try and find the stone prehistoric animals. 

 

Now just time for an ice cream or three, before a train ride back to London Bridge where alongside the station is the London Torture Chambers which is always good to keep the little darlings Quiet. Before either walking over London Bridge and through the city to Liverpool Street or better yet the new Jubilee tube line back to Stratford.

 

So for the cost of a travel card, London and its railway system is yours. You know I don’t think Ian’s that crazy after all. For it seems he’s discovered the ideal day out. Now if you’ll excuse me I have this signal box simulation for Shenfield up on my computer, it’s not habit forming you know, but I wonder how they get that EWS class 66 onto platform 5 the wrong way round. How did it get there from the Norwich down… Oh Dear, I suppose I’m in for a session at the end of the platform again.

 

 

 

 

Rookards Rant   number 18.

 

Ever since coming out of the closet as an anorak wearing train-spotter, it’s been amazing how many otherwise normal appearing people, Yes Ladies as well, have sidled up to me to mutter, “its all right Dennis, your not the only one.” But the other Saturday, I came into contact with a new sub-species of our breed - The Bus-Spotter.

 

Not that they are into standing around on street corners, taking bus numbers you understand. No many of these good folk are into buying up old buses to restore and make them road-worthy again.  Now one bus is very much like another to me, but not to them - and none more so then an Open -Top type, which is what brought these bus spotters and me a couple of weeks back to an early Saturday morning visit to Southend Bus Station where local bus company- Stephenson’s coaches had come up with the brilliant idea of getting together with the bus enthusiasts of Castle Point’s Bus museum who lovingly look after 31 veteran buses, to create a summer service along Southend sea front of open top buses complete with drivers in white driving coats and conductors with their ticket machines.

 

It’s been a successful venture now for a couple of years, but unless, you have travelled atop one of these road monsters, you’ll never understand the pure delight of open top bus travel. For apart from the wind in your hair, there’s the unrestricted view, all the better for the game of grabbing leaves from overhanging trees in Chalkwell or spying the secret garden swimming pools of Thorpe Bay. This Southend open top service, even used to have it’s own tradition, whereby the bus used to halt just before diving under the pier bridge, to give the conductor time to climb the steps ask all on top to remember to sit down as we pass under the pier bridge. Unfortunately ever since they rebuilt the bridge, this is just a memory of a by gone Southend.

 

You can even book one of these open top buses for that special event. like (assuming you follow football) take your own silver trophy with you, and pretending your the triumphant skipper of Southend United, your heroic team behind you, parading a winning F.A. cup through fan packed Southend Streets.    Well not much chance of that ever happening, but at least the forty minute trip can still be yours when during its summer season, they have an hourly service (Number 67 if you’re standing at a bus stop) between Leigh and Shoeburyness via the sea front every weekend.

 

 

Now my companion on this trip on an open top bus was my mate Ian. I think I’ve told you he’s a train spotter. I tell you this because after half a lifetime spent secretly in his back bedroom reading his train magazines, which for some odd reason always seem to be planted on the top shelf down at W.H. Smiths next to the soft porn magazines, and countless hours sort of hanging around at the end of platforms the length of the country seeking out the legendary Blue class thirty, Ian came out and also started to wear his anorak with pride.

 

Like many of the brotherhood, Ian’s coming out resulted from his buying an otherwise childish computer game, whereby you take control of a signal box and send computerised trains here there and everywhere. Soon however surfing the net, he discovered that fellow Anorak clad train spotters had developed this signal box game by recreating on computer the entire track layout and timetable of some of our great interchange stations.   Ian was in seventh heaven, and obtained as his first real signal box simulation that for Birmingham New Street Station.

 

But soon this nocturnal activity took a dangerous turn, for after fruitless hours spent trying to get the 15.45 from Nuneaton into platform 2 by a crafty shunt from the up main line. (Look I don’t understand it either, so bare with me on this one, and no letters offering advice either - ta) Anyway whilst most of us would have said the hell with it, Not Ian, who the following Saturday took passage as it were to Birmingham New Street to check out the layout.   “Was he successful” we asked him down the pub that evening, “Oh yes, they have a set of points not mentioned on the simulation.” And you we said went to Birmingham just for that.” At this a sheepish Ian said yes, and even worse it had not his first such mission. 

 

Take last Saturday for example, a day for a lay-in, shopping or feet up in front of the tele. Not for our anorak clad Ian. For after buying a one day travel card on his one third off Networker ticket,(don’t half cut the cost of train-spotting) He decided on a round London rail trip…Which come the next holidays and your at a lose end to know what to do with the kids, I shall pass on..

 

First make for Stratford, (five motive power systems in use here - get the kids to discover them), now take the DLR line down under the new Thames tunnel to Lewisham, maybe stopping off at Greenwich on the way. From Lewisham travel by surface train to Croydon where fun can be had by travel on their unique local tram network. Then, how about a side trip up to Crystal Palace for a trip into the park to try and find the stone prehistoric animals. 

 

Now just time for an ice cream or three, before a train ride back to London Bridge where alongside the station is the London Torture Chambers which is always good to keep the little darlings Quiet. Before either walking over London Bridge and through the city to Liverpool Street or better yet the new Jubilee tube line back to Stratford.

 

So for the cost of a travel card, London and its railway system is yours. You know I don’t think Ian’s that crazy after all. For it seems he’s discovered the ideal day out. Now if you’ll excuse me I have this signal box simulation for Shenfield up on my computer, it’s not habit forming you know, but I wonder how they get that EWS class 66 onto platform 5 the wrong way round. How did it get there from the Norwich down… Oh Dear, I suppose I’m in for a session at the end of the platform again.

 

 

 

 

Rookards Rant   number 18.

 

Ever since coming out of the closet as an anorak wearing train-spotter, it’s been amazing how many otherwise normal appearing people, Yes Ladies as well, have sidled up to me to mutter, “its all right Dennis, your not the only one.” But the other Saturday, I came into contact with a new sub-species of our breed - The Bus-Spotter.

 

Not that they are into standing around on street corners, taking bus numbers you understand. No many of these good folk are into buying up old buses to restore and make them road-worthy again.  Now one bus is very much like another to me, but not to them - and none more so then an Open -Top type, which is what brought these bus spotters and me a couple of weeks back to an early Saturday morning visit to Southend Bus Station where local bus company- Stephenson’s coaches had come up with the brilliant idea of getting together with the bus enthusiasts of Castle Point’s Bus museum who lovingly look after 31 veteran buses, to create a summer service along Southend sea front of open top buses complete with drivers in white driving coats and conductors with their ticket machines.

 

It’s been a successful venture now for a couple of years, but unless, you have travelled atop one of these road monsters, you’ll never understand the pure delight of open top bus travel. For apart from the wind in your hair, there’s the unrestricted view, all the better for the game of grabbing leaves from overhanging trees in Chalkwell or spying the secret garden swimming pools of Thorpe Bay. This Southend open top service, even used to have it’s own tradition, whereby the bus used to halt just before diving under the pier bridge, to give the conductor time to climb the steps ask all on top to remember to sit down as we pass under the pier bridge. Unfortunately ever since they rebuilt the bridge, this is just a memory of a by gone Southend.

 

You can even book one of these open top buses for that special event. like (assuming you follow football) take your own silver trophy with you, and pretending your the triumphant skipper of Southend United, your heroic team behind you, parading a winning F.A. cup through fan packed Southend Streets.    Well not much chance of that ever happening, but at least the forty minute trip can still be yours when during its summer season, they have an hourly service (Number 67 if you’re standing at a bus stop) between Leigh and Shoeburyness via the sea front every weekend.

 

 

Now my companion on this trip on an open top bus was my mate Ian. I think I’ve told you he’s a train spotter. I tell you this because after half a lifetime spent secretly in his back bedroom reading his train magazines, which for some odd reason always seem to be planted on the top shelf down at W.H. Smiths next to the soft porn magazines, and countless hours sort of hanging around at the end of platforms the length of the country seeking out the legendary Blue class thirty, Ian came out and also started to wear his anorak with pride.

 

Like many of the brotherhood, Ian’s coming out resulted from his buying an otherwise childish computer game, whereby you take control of a signal box and send computerised trains here there and everywhere. Soon however surfing the net, he discovered that fellow Anorak clad train spotters had developed this signal box game by recreating on computer the entire track layout and timetable of some of our great interchange stations.   Ian was in seventh heaven, and obtained as his first real signal box simulation that for Birmingham New Street Station.

 

But soon this nocturnal activity took a dangerous turn, for after fruitless hours spent trying to get the 15.45 from Nuneaton into platform 2 by a crafty shunt from the up main line. (Look I don’t understand it either, so bare with me on this one, and no letters offering advice either - ta) Anyway whilst most of us would have said the hell with it, Not Ian, who the following Saturday took passage as it were to Birmingham New Street to check out the layout.   “Was he successful” we asked him down the pub that evening, “Oh yes, they have a set of points not mentioned on the simulation.” And you we said went to Birmingham just for that.” At this a sheepish Ian said yes, and even worse it had not his first such mission. 

 

Take last Saturday for example, a day for a lay-in, shopping or feet up in front of the tele. Not for our anorak clad Ian. For after buying a one day travel card on his one third off Networker ticket,(don’t half cut the cost of train-spotting) He decided on a round London rail trip…Which come the next holidays and your at a lose end to know what to do with the kids, I shall pass on..

 

First make for Stratford, (five motive power systems in use here - get the kids to discover them), now take the DLR line down under the new Thames tunnel to Lewisham, maybe stopping off at Greenwich on the way. From Lewisham travel by surface train to Croydon where fun can be had by travel on their unique local tram network. Then, how about a side trip up to Crystal Palace for a trip into the park to try and find the stone prehistoric animals. 

 

Now just time for an ice cream or three, before a train ride back to London Bridge where alongside the station is the London Torture Chambers which is always good to keep the little darlings Quiet. Before either walking over London Bridge and through the city to Liverpool Street or better yet the new Jubilee tube line back to Stratford.

 

So for the cost of a travel card, London and its railway system is yours. You know I don’t think Ian’s that crazy after all. For it seems he’s discovered the ideal day out. Now if you’ll excuse me I have this signal box simulation for Shenfield up on my computer, it’s not habit forming you know, but I wonder how they get that EWS class 66 onto platform 5 the wrong way round. How did it get there from the Norwich down… Oh Dear, I suppose I’m in for a session at the end of the platform again.

 

 

 

 

Rookards Rant   number 18.

 

Ever since coming out of the closet as an anorak wearing train-spotter, it’s been amazing how many otherwise normal appearing people, Yes Ladies as well, have sidled up to me to mutter, “its all right Dennis, your not the only one.” But the other Saturday, I came into contact with a new sub-species of our breed - The Bus-Spotter.

 

Not that they are into standing around on street corners, taking bus numbers you understand. No many of these good folk are into buying up old buses to restore and make them road-worthy again.  Now one bus is very much like another to me, but not to them - and none more so then an Open -Top type, which is what brought these bus spotters and me a couple of weeks back to an early Saturday morning visit to Southend Bus Station where local bus company- Stephenson’s coaches had come up with the brilliant idea of getting together with the bus enthusiasts of Castle Point’s Bus museum who lovingly look after 31 veteran buses, to create a summer service along Southend sea front of open top buses complete with drivers in white driving coats and conductors with their ticket machines.

 

It’s been a successful venture now for a couple of years, but unless, you have travelled atop one of these road monsters, you’ll never understand the pure delight of open top bus travel. For apart from the wind in your hair, there’s the unrestricted view, all the better for the game of grabbing leaves from overhanging trees in Chalkwell or spying the secret garden swimming pools of Thorpe Bay. This Southend open top service, even used to have it’s own tradition, whereby the bus used to halt just before diving under the pier bridge, to give the conductor time to climb the steps ask all on top to remember to sit down as we pass under the pier bridge. Unfortunately ever since they rebuilt the bridge, this is just a memory of a by gone Southend.

 

You can even book one of these open top buses for that special event. like (assuming you follow football) take your own silver trophy with you, and pretending your the triumphant skipper of Southend United, your heroic team behind you, parading a winning F.A. cup through fan packed Southend Streets.    Well not much chance of that ever happening, but at least the forty minute trip can still be yours when during its summer season, they have an hourly service (Number 67 if you’re standing at a bus stop) between Leigh and Shoeburyness via the sea front every weekend.

 

 

Now my companion on this trip on an open top bus was my mate Ian. I think I’ve told you he’s a train spotter. I tell you this because after half a lifetime spent secretly in his back bedroom reading his train magazines, which for some odd reason always seem to be planted on the top shelf down at W.H. Smiths next to the soft porn magazines, and countless hours sort of hanging around at the end of platforms the length of the country seeking out the legendary Blue class thirty, Ian came out and also started to wear his anorak with pride.

 

Like many of the brotherhood, Ian’s coming out resulted from his buying an otherwise childish computer game, whereby you take control of a signal box and send computerised trains here there and everywhere. Soon however surfing the net, he discovered that fellow Anorak clad train spotters had developed this signal box game by recreating on computer the entire track layout and timetable of some of our great interchange stations.   Ian was in seventh heaven, and obtained as his first real signal box simulation that for Birmingham New Street Station.

 

But soon this nocturnal activity took a dangerous turn, for after fruitless hours spent trying to get the 15.45 from Nuneaton into platform 2 by a crafty shunt from the up main line. (Look I don’t understand it either, so bare with me on this one, and no letters offering advice either - ta) Anyway whilst most of us would have said the hell with it, Not Ian, who the following Saturday took passage as it were to Birmingham New Street to check out the layout.   “Was he successful” we asked him down the pub that evening, “Oh yes, they have a set of points not mentioned on the simulation.” And you we said went to Birmingham just for that.” At this a sheepish Ian said yes, and even worse it had not his first such mission. 

 

Take last Saturday for example, a day for a lay-in, shopping or feet up in front of the tele. Not for our anorak clad Ian. For after buying a one day travel card on his one third off Networker ticket,(don’t half cut the cost of train-spotting) He decided on a round London rail trip…Which come the next holidays and your at a lose end to know what to do with the kids, I shall pass on..

 

First make for Stratford, (five motive power systems in use here - get the kids to discover them), now take the DLR line down under the new Thames tunnel to Lewisham, maybe stopping off at Greenwich on the way. From Lewisham travel by surface train to Croydon where fun can be had by travel on their unique local tram network. Then, how about a side trip up to Crystal Palace for a trip into the park to try and find the stone prehistoric animals. 

 

Now just time for an ice cream or three, before a train ride back to London Bridge where alongside the station is the London Torture Chambers which is always good to keep the little darlings Quiet. Before either walking over London Bridge and through the city to Liverpool Street or better yet the new Jubilee tube line back to Stratford.

 

So for the cost of a travel card, London and its railway system is yours. You know I don’t think Ian’s that crazy after all. For it seems he’s discovered the ideal day out. Now if you’ll excuse me I have this signal box simulation for Shenfield up on my computer, it’s not habit forming you know, but I wonder how they get that EWS class 66 onto platform 5 the wrong way round. How did it get there from the Norwich down… Oh Dear, I suppose I’m in for a session at the end of the platform again.

 

 

 

 

Rookards Rant   number 18.

 

Ever since coming out of the closet as an anorak wearing train-spotter, it’s been amazing how many otherwise normal appearing people, Yes Ladies as well, have sidled up to me to mutter, “its all right Dennis, your not the only one.” But the other Saturday, I came into contact with a new sub-species of our breed - The Bus-Spotter.

 

Not that they are into standing around on street corners, taking bus numbers you understand. No many of these good folk are into buying up old buses to restore and make them road-worthy again.  Now one bus is very much like another to me, but not to them - and none more so then an Open -Top type, which is what brought these bus spotters and me a couple of weeks back to an early Saturday morning visit to Southend Bus Station where local bus company- Stephenson’s coaches had come up with the brilliant idea of getting together with the bus enthusiasts of Castle Point’s Bus museum who lovingly look after 31 veteran buses, to create a summer service along Southend sea front of open top buses complete with drivers in white driving coats and conductors with their ticket machines.

 

It’s been a successful venture now for a couple of years, but unless, you have travelled atop one of these road monsters, you’ll never understand the pure delight of open top bus travel. For apart from the wind in your hair, there’s the unrestricted view, all the better for the game of grabbing leaves from overhanging trees in Chalkwell or spying the secret garden swimming pools of Thorpe Bay. This Southend open top service, even used to have it’s own tradition, whereby the bus used to halt just before diving under the pier bridge, to give the conductor time to climb the steps ask all on top to remember to sit down as we pass under the pier bridge. Unfortunately ever since they rebuilt the bridge, this is just a memory of a by gone Southend.

 

You can even book one of these open top buses for that special event. like (assuming you follow football) take your own silver trophy with you, and pretending your the triumphant skipper of Southend United, your heroic team behind you, parading a winning F.A. cup through fan packed Southend Streets.    Well not much chance of that ever happening, but at least the forty minute trip can still be yours when during its summer season, they have an hourly service (Number 67 if you’re standing at a bus stop) between Leigh and Shoeburyness via the sea front every weekend.

 

 

Now my companion on this trip on an open top bus was my mate Ian. I think I’ve told you he’s a train spotter. I tell you this because after half a lifetime spent secretly in his back bedroom reading his train magazines, which for some odd reason always seem to be planted on the top shelf down at W.H. Smiths next to the soft porn magazines, and countless hours sort of hanging around at the end of platforms the length of the country seeking out the legendary Blue class thirty, Ian came out and also started to wear his anorak with pride.

 

Like many of the brotherhood, Ian’s coming out resulted from his buying an otherwise childish computer game, whereby you take control of a signal box and send computerised trains here there and everywhere. Soon however surfing the net, he discovered that fellow Anorak clad train spotters had developed this signal box game by recreating on computer the entire track layout and timetable of some of our great interchange stations.   Ian was in seventh heaven, and obtained as his first real signal box simulation that for Birmingham New Street Station.

 

But soon this nocturnal activity took a dangerous turn, for after fruitless hours spent trying to get the 15.45 from Nuneaton into platform 2 by a crafty shunt from the up main line. (Look I don’t understand it either, so bare with me on this one, and no letters offering advice either - ta) Anyway whilst most of us would have said the hell with it, Not Ian, who the following Saturday took passage as it were to Birmingham New Street to check out the layout.   “Was he successful” we asked him down the pub that evening, “Oh yes, they have a set of points not mentioned on the simulation.” And you we said went to Birmingham just for that.” At this a sheepish Ian said yes, and even worse it had not his first such mission. 

 

Take last Saturday for example, a day for a lay-in, shopping or feet up in front of the tele. Not for our anorak clad Ian. For after buying a one day travel card on his one third off Networker ticket,(don’t half cut the cost of train-spotting) He decided on a round London rail trip…Which come the next holidays and your at a lose end to know what to do with the kids, I shall pass on..

 

First make for Stratford, (five motive power systems in use here - get the kids to discover them), now take the DLR line down under the new Thames tunnel to Lewisham, maybe stopping off at Greenwich on the way. From Lewisham travel by surface train to Croydon where fun can be had by travel on their unique local tram network. Then, how about a side trip up to Crystal Palace for a trip into the park to try and find the stone prehistoric animals. 

 

Now just time for an ice cream or three, before a train ride back to London Bridge where alongside the station is the London Torture Chambers which is always good to keep the little darlings Quiet. Before either walking over London Bridge and through the city to Liverpool Street or better yet the new Jubilee tube line back to Stratford.

 

So for the cost of a travel card, London and its railway system is yours. You know I don’t think Ian’s that crazy after all. For it seems he’s discovered the ideal day out. Now if you’ll excuse me I have this signal box simulation for Shenfield up on my computer, it’s not habit forming you know, but I wonder how they get that EWS class 66 onto platform 5 the wrong way round. How did it get there from the Norwich down… Oh Dear, I suppose I’m in for a session at the end of the platform again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Written by Dennis Rookard
Posted in Sunday Evenings with Dennis Rookard
4 Jul 2007

To find out what's coming up and what you've missed join the Phoenix FM mailing list.

Comments

There are no comments for this post. Why not leave the first?

Add a comment

Your name:
Your town:
Your email:
Anti spam question: what is two plus two? Write the number, not the word:
Message:

 
Please keep your comments legal, honest, decent!
IP addresses are recorded and any abuse will be dealt with accordingly!