In times of empty trains

Drew this guy several times on a train journey, as he was the only other person in my carriage.

First up the sober and serious sketch. Like I was trying.

Shall I draw him again ? No one else around and he isn't taking a blind bit of notice of me... 

So went for his overall pose as he sat.

Very, very pleased with his shoe. Very pleased.

Then went in for a quicker sketch.

And it all got a bit cartoony.

Nothing to really tell you about him. His coat was red, but he wasn't giving anything away.

Fifty shades of ball point pen

Took the train to Birmingham today.

On the way there I sat opposite this woman,

who was reading FIFTY SHADES OF GREY, in her sensible buttoned up winter coat and no nonsense glasses.

Was she on one of the racy passages ? I couldn't help wondering.

And then, on the train home I sat opposite this girl

Who settled down to finish off FIFTY SHADES DARKER.

Where do these books come from ? Springing up out of nowhere, in trilogy editions, exploding off the shelves of Tescos book aisles into every ruck sack, hand bag and briefcase of Britain. There seems to be no run up. They just arrive, fully formed, in unified covers, and must read credentials. And we gulp them down.

I am afraid I might have to read them now.

One's day out.

Sometimes small pockets of a previous world manage to exist alongside our own.

This old lady was dressed to the nines on the tube, heading for a social occasion in town.

With her black gloves, and her fur trim, and her Louis Vuitton hand bag. She was a stable bubble from a different age. Unpoppable.

And check out her ear rings. Bling madam, bling.

The ENORMOUS sandwich

You know the phrase "never eat anything bigger than your own head" ?

I rest my case.

Rail expert

"You know what they will have to do, they will have to move us to a siding if we sit here much longer.

Then they can turn us round and the other train can pass. That's what they do you know. They have these big turntables. I saw it... on.... what's it called.....I saw it once....

...on Thomas the Tank Engine."

Girl (x3) with friends in high places

She was chatting to, and occasionally photographing, an elderly man in a baseball cap emblazoned with "THE WHITE HOUSE" in gold letter.

But I couldn't get a good angle on him to add into the sketch.

They finished their coffee and left arm in arm.

Pink is my favorite crayon

Pink boots and pink handrails...

Did she call ahead to co-ordinate with the train ?