Watton’s Wanderings

My interest in transport dates back to my early years, when I was given a bus conductor’s outfit by my parents as a birthday present. Rides on local buses and trains in Hertfordshire & London and the surrounding area with my family to visit other relatives or places of interest followed.

From my teenage years onwards, I have taken bus and train rides in and around London, all over the U.K. and in many other parts of the world, covering also trams and trolleybuses in various locations. In addition, I have amassed a collection of transport books, magazines, timetables, maps, leaflets and models to support my interest.

TfL and its forerunner London Transport have been always been my central focus and I have covered the entire network several times on different generations of vehicle and through all the many route changes down the years. However, my rides have also encompassed substantial parts of other bus networks around the U.K. and Ireland. I have also travelled the entire National Rail network in England, Wales & Scotland.

Vintage Bus Running Days and associated route recreations have helped me relive some of the experiences of younger days in recent years. Meanwhile, visits to Heritage Railways have enabled a similar retrospective view behind preserved steam engines or diesels.

In Watton’s Wanderings, I share my transport rides with a wider audience, with articles providing a narrative on my journey experiences, some history of the routes and vehicles travelled on, combined with my personal views and reflections on aspects of the transport operations covered.