I guess a lot of visitors first impressions of London’s South Bank start with their arrival at Waterloo Station. It’s a place of both my present and my past. Many trains come and go from this station of course, one of them travels up and down to Dorset, my home county, several times a day. After about 135 miles, the end the line is Weymouth, my home town. My first visit to London was the last thing I remember from junior school! A day trip by coach. It was perhaps the “hook” that not only excited me as an 11 year old about London, but also travel.
By the time I was 13 years old I occasionally took the train myself to London for the day to explore. I always told my parents I was having a day out, but never mentioned London. I suspect they thought I was going to Dorchester or Bournemouth, within our county! Other trains fascinated me, not so much the actual train, but where it might be going? What was at the end of their line? I wondered where the planes that flew overhead were going? What was at their destination? One of the early things I remember from senior school was a weekend trip to Normandy. My faithful 126 camera accompanied me on both school trips. The pattern was set, I knew I liked both travel and photography. Here approximately 40 years later I’m stood in Waterloo again!
Look at all those happy faces marching off to work! My hotel was a stones throw away from Waterloo and a great base to explore. Most mornings I started the day by picking up a take out breakfast and sitting by the Thames – below was my morning view.
My first full day in London, I decided I would walk along the south bank, east, walk over Tower Bridge, and then back west along the north bank. Below are a couple of images of Blackfriars Railway Bridge.
Above and below are a few images from the area around Tate Modern.
Just around the corner from here is Southwark Cathedral, and that means XP2!!
S.H.O.U.T. 