My First Boris Sighting (and That Old Steam Train)

Last Sunday morning I went to Earl's Court station to see the steam train go by. Yes, really. They are running a steam train to commemorate the Tube's 150th birthday so I decided I needed to see it. The first run was about 9:50am on Sunday, the train left from Kensington Olympia and travelled to Moorgate along the Circle Line/Hammersmith and City Line. The very first tube journey ran from Paddington to Farringdon so the commemorative journey is quite similar, just extended.

There were a fair number of people at Earl's Court, most more prepared than I was, with DSLR's and tripods whereas I had my trusty iPhone. No shutter speed or aperture priority for me on a Sunday morning. Which is why my pictures of the steam train are absolutely abysmal. Terrible. They show nothing but blur, but I did see it go by. I also saw Boris! Boris Johnson, the mayor of London in case you don't call him by one name like I do, you know like "Cher" and "Beyonce." Boris was in the front of the train as it rode through the station and both his hair and hand were waving excitedly. I was standing on the steps and so was just about eye level with him as he rolled by. And thus my first Boris sighting. I perhaps would have preferred Kate or Harry but hey, I'll take what I can get while I live in London.

The train will be making more journeys this upcoming Sunday (tomorrow) assuming it doesn't get snowed in (in this city it wouldn't take much for the train to get snowed in). In order to ride it you need to buy tickets, which are now sold out I just saw. Otherwise you can pick a station and watch it go by, or maybe get lucky and see it while you ride the Circle Line.

To see tomorrow's travel times visit the transport museum website.