24 metres from Tulse Hill

Manchester Piccadilly

Last one from Manchester, at the train station.

on the train

falling asleep on the train

Lot 48

The decorated bus I painted at the end of last year is now up for auction, along with all the rest of the designs, hoping to raise money for three charities - Kids Company, Transaid and the London Transport Museum.

More details here http://www.i-bidder.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/year-of-the-bus/catalogue-id-bus-sc10000/lot-7c9632e0-221e-44d5-9ca8-a3f800b387a1

Battle Bus

More sketching today at the Olympic Park, this time the 'Battle Bus', one of only 5 surviving buses used during the First World War.

You can read more about it's history here - http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/projects-partnerships/battle-bus

                                 

                                    

Bus stop

I was sketching today at the Olympic Park during the special bus weekend.  It was lovely and bright although a bit nippy!  There were lots of families and the children seemed particularly enthusiastic going round marking off when they spotted a particular bus design.

The event continues on Sunday, more details here http://queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/whats-on/events/2014/10/year-of-the-bus-weekend-on-the-park

                                

It's all about the bus...

A look at my finished decorated bus which forms part of the Croydon Bus Trail celebrating 'The Year of the Bus'.  Full details of the trail can be found here on the Tfl website https://www.tfl.gov.uk/campaign/around-croydon?intcmp=24193

homeward bound

Gimme shelter

Having a sort out, so be prepared for lots of old pieces - this one is ancient but I've always liked it.  Mainly ink with bleach to add the light effects - not always to be recommended, especially if you treasure your brushes. 

Bus stop shadows

Something from the archive for 'The Year of the Bus'.

man on the train

people on the train

train seats

East Croydon panorama

I added some more to the drawing I started on Saturday of the area near to the new entrance at East Croydon station.  Building work is still going on around the pathway but it certainly opens up lots of great views of the town.  I stuck another page onto my sketchbook to continue this and can't decide whether to stop here or add some more. 

the new entrance to East Croydon station

To be continued...

getting some shuteye

Che Guevara's buses

I’d heard this tale several times on the Robert Elms show on BBC Radio London, not knowing if it is true or just an urban myth but when I saw that the theme for the Serco Illustration Competition this year was ‘London Stories’, it seemed a great opportunity to use it as the basis for an illustration. 

It goes something like this…

It was the 1960s and the Cuban government needed some new buses, red preferably. The political situation meant they had to look far afield for supplies. Their Minister of Transport, who at the time was Che Guevara, looked to socialist governed Britain and it’s state-owned motor company to supply them.  The load was to be transported on an East German ship but the ship mysteriously sank on the voyage and never reached it’s destination.

Whether there is any truth in it or not, I think it’s a fascinating story and I chose to illustrate the buses being loaded at the dockside.

train faces

falling asleep