I’ve had in mind for a while a project in which I create a grid of square images, each one being of a departing tube train with long exposure smoothing the whole image into a quasi-Rothko set of coloured bands. Since each line has distinctive trains, each image should be fairly distinct though clearly related - and for bonus points it makes a pub quiz item.
So today I emailed TfL’s press office because that’s what you do, and wonderfully they replied straight away. After a six email conversation, for which I am very grateful, permission was secured so long as I hand-held. Cool. So I jumped online and bought a train ticket and parking. Quickly planned the most efficient four stations to catch all of the lines, then a bit of a rush to get to the station but managed it - except the car park was closed to accommodate a bus replacement service. So I found a street and ran back to the station. Made it.
Except I was on the wrong platform. Or, the right platform but the train was over there. And the bridge is still out, so I had to run out of the station and around to grab the train at the last second.
Plan was - take an image per line, disregarding the Elizabeth Line due to its natty shrouding on the platforms, leaving twelve lines to form a 3x4 grid. And so we begin… King’s Cross, Hammersmith and City line. Nice. While I’m here, Metropolitan and Circle lines too.
It’s around this time that I began to think all the images (and all the trains) looked exactly the same. I was sure they were all different and charming in their way. Never mind, onwards and upwards. Baker Street… Green Park (extra one)… Bank/Monument…
Bank’s little surprise was the Waterloo and City Line being closed at the weekends. That’s been the case since it was built, but I’d forgotten. So let’s try the Elizabeth Line, after all - I’ve never seen it. So…
…Liverpool Street. Nope. I was right. Can’t see the trains. But it was academic at this point since all of the trains were indeed identical except the DLR and I’d just toured the underground purely out of obsessionality. At least there’ll be a grid with which to illustrate this tale of taking it on the chin. A tale of how it’s always worth trying even if life decides it isn’t going to happen.
Except of course it all adds up to eleven thanks to the Waterloo and City line.
So I returned to King’s Cross to catch the return train to Royston.
Which changed to East Croydon at the last second.
EDIT: I saved it!