10:00.

I’m still in London and the South-East today but the tempo is rather different. I’ve another event to attend today but this one doesn’t involve a funeral. It’s a press lunch hosted by Siemens, but first I’m off doing some more research (and hopefully getting a few pictures) with my community rail hat on and heading back to the Darent valley line first. Right now I’m sat on a SouthEastern service heading for Sevenoaks to start my explorations. Sadly, the weather isn’t playing ball and the sunshine that was promised earlier in the week has yet to materialise. As usual, I’ll be blogging on and off throughout the day so feel free to pop back and see what I’ve been up to.

11:10.

Having arrived at Sevenoaks I had time to grab a few quick shots before catching a Thameslink service up the Darent valley to extend yesterday’s explorations. First stop was Eynesford. The station still boasts an attractive and rather substantial station building which contains a refurbished ticket office and waiting room with an original fireplace as well as a lovely wooden waiting shelter on the opposite (Swanley bound) platform. I’ll be popping back when the weather’s right to get more shots in the area as there’s a very attractive viaduct nearby. Next stop was one step – or I should say stop – back at Shoreham.

14:15.

There will now be a short interlude..

20:00.

OK, that was anything *but* a short interlude! The press lunch started at 13:00 and was officially meant to finish at 15:00 but ran on for so long some journo’s nearly missed their trains home! To add to the fun the dull weather we’d had earlier in the day had evaporated and those of us sat on the window side of the table began to develop a rather nice tan! Joking aside, it was great to catch up with so many of Siemens senior management team and talk about the various projects the company is involved with here in the UK. The event was held in Shoreditch which is one of my old stomping grounds from the 1980s-90s – and how it’s changed!

Afterwards I retraced my steps across London via the Overground to Clapham in order to make the most of the weather and get a few more library shots. Sadly, the vegetation that’s sprung up around the station throat has made some shots almost impossible nowadays so I cut my losses and headed back across the city to begin my journey home. A phone call earlier today has completely altered my plans for the rest of the week as I now have a commission up in Lancashire/Yorkshire on Friday when I’d planned to be down in Surrey. Still, it should make for more grist to the blogging mill.

Right now I’m typing this from LNERs 18:33 from Kings Cross to Leeds. The fantastic weather we’ve enjoyed lasted as far as Lincolnshire, when clouds rolled in from the North to re-establish the gloom which is a bit of a bugger as I’m wearing the wrong clothes again!

Sadly, I can’t upload any more pictures from the day at the moment, but I will later. Right now I’m going to spend the rest of the journey preparing them.

22:30.

I’m now home and tucked up in the warm back at Bigland Towers. We might be having gloriously sunny days but there’s still a nip in the air mornings and evenings so I can’t wait for those balmy summer nights to arrive. I’ve a busy few days ahead of me so I’m going to call it a day by leaving you with a couple of pictures I edited on the train.

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