Had to lug a 72Vdc to 230Vac invertor with us into the cab, which had a metal floor. After a while we noticed sparks between the invertor and the floor. Turns out the 72V train battery is floating and not connected to the train earth! Lucky we got back in one piece!😬

Same here! Trip to Lyon and back to paris was in the back cab of one of those when we were testing the radio for the TMST. Surprising how up and down that line is🏔

Took us by surprise. Popped up from the Metro into this huge crowd. Road was closed all the way down from the Arc de Triomphe

We were on the Champs Elysee when they turned the lights on in November. Magical

Did this trip in April this year on our way to Sorrento, although we had to overnight in milan before taking the frecciarossa to naples.

You can do london to milan in a day already. 9:30am eurostar to paris then hop across to gare de Lyon and take 14:48 TGV direct to milan. Arrives 21:50 CET. Great views of the Alps and the unusual sight of customs officers with dogs going through the train as we crossed into Italy.

I remember once after a radio test run on a TMST, as it was still called then, before going into service that we stopped at Sandling so we could get off. The passengers waiting for their slam-door train were very confused!

We were asked by a film crew to take a lower path near Dartford Rifle Range so we would not be in their shot 🤣. The sound of gunfire was disconcerting!
@riverthamessoc.bsky.social

Lack of a bridge when we needed to negotiate the Darent river where it meets the Thames meant we had to walk 5 miles just to end up 50 yards further down stream! The Crayford Marshes are very bleak as you would expect, but views of a Marsh Harrier were some consolation.
@thamespathnt.bsky.social

We were delighted to spot a couple of seals. They didn't seem to mind the murky water

Today was from Woolwich to Slade Green near Erith which we chose purely to balance the distances with the next two days.
Lovely autumn weather for walking. Met a nice chap who had just bought a carbon bike in Maidstone and was riding it back home to the South Bank.
@riverthamessoc.bsky.social

Hope you had a dram to compensate🥃

Hope you had something with it!

When it first entered service the passport checks for the destination country were down once the train was en route. In case of problem passengers each train included two "lock-ups" complete with shackles to stop you escaping!