Who are my books for?
London is an eclectic, diverse and vibrant city that screams out its beauty all around. Often, it’s not realised, appreciated or applauded as people move around singularly focused on where they want to get to.
My books are for the casual or seasoned London commuter who wants to rekindle a love for their home. For those whose journey starts or ends at an end of a line and who may never give a second thought to their surroundings. And for those who may have forgotten the joys of commuting, for example, during the pandemic travelling restrictions.
It’s for those who enjoy London-based travel stories and those who simply want to dip into London life. Or the curious traveller who loves to roam and rummage for the unusual or out of the ordinary.
And it’s for those who like to browse through photography books or even learn a little about London’s travel network and their destinations.
They are a simple concept with a unique approach where the reader has an opportunity to indulge in the experience and learn to appreciate the diversity and beauty surrounding them. The books will inspire you to explore your communities with an open and inquiring mind.
They will appeal to anyone with an interest in travel, photography or local history. An ideal present to gift to family and friends as a birthday or Christmas present.
They are ideal coffee table books rich enough to adorn any waiting area where there are transient visitors or even on a bookshelf to enjoy knowing you have them to show to family and friends.
I remind myself that the end of the line isn’t the end of the journey but the start of a new one. And my books will help you discover new things, meet new people and make new memories.
Book 1: Memories from The End Of The Line – Transforming a picture into a story. Published July 2021. Out of stock
Memories from The End Of The Line is a 276-page, full-colour A4 landscape travel adventure photo-journal hardback book in which I explore the end of every Transport for London (TfL) line. 79 stations in total along the eleven Underground Lines, the Overground, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), TfL Rail (now the Elizabeth Line), Tramway and the Emirates Airline (now the IFS Cloud Cable Car).
My travels also included a visit to three under-construction stations, which have, since I published my book, opened. But it was interesting seeing them at different stages of development.
‘Memories from the end of the line’ takes you on a journey from Abbey Wood to Woolwich Arsenal, where you’ll discover the things I find, the people I meet and learn about their surroundings. You’ll also discover something about each of the 79 stations I visited and a little of the history of each of the sixteen lines I travelled across.
Book 2: Return to The End Of The Line – London by National Rail. Published November 2023. Available exclusively through this website.
Return to The End Of The Line is a 220-page, full-colour A4 landscape travel adventure photo-journal book in which I continue my travels around London. This time, it’s courtesy of the eleven Train Operating Companies (TOCs) that provide commuter services for the millions who rely on the mainline rail network into and out of London.
London’s mainline rail network extends beyond the geographical description that is London. But in keeping with the ‘end of the line’ theme, I’ve defined my journeys in one of two ways: either travelling to a literal end of the line within the London fare zone or travelling as far as I can using my Freedom Pass within London’s fare zones.
As you open the book, you’ll be taken on a journey through London, alphabetically by TOC, a chapter for each. The book’s design echoes that of Memories, where the chapters start with a ‘colour splash’ representing the TOC with a brief history followed by a simple description of each station beginning with the TOC’s London hub(s). The remaining stations are listed alphabetically, followed by the associated photograph and caption, ending with information about the community around the station. I hope this helps you visualise what I saw. If it inspires you to go and look for yourselves, that will be great.
For photographers, you’ll find a fair mix of colour and black & white photographs. The number of black & white photos was a homage to my youthful roots when I began my photography journey in the 1970s. This collection represents over two and a half years of travelling and over six months of research in compiling information about London’s railway networks.
I’ve included the camera settings and the date I took the photographs at the end of the book to help you judge what’s changed if you want to replicate the image for yourselves. That’s quite likely as change is inevitable and it’s part of the beauty of travelling around London. The exciting thing is you’ll then be able to create your own set of pictures.
The End Of The Line 