Year of the Bus Family Fun Weekend

TFL brought back Year of the Bus event to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Saturday 24th to Sunday 25th January 2015. (Update: Due to popular demand, the event has been extended to Tuesday 24th February 2015).

The event brings back all 60 bus sculptures with another trail created specifically for this event. It was a great opportunity to see all bus sculptures for people who may have missed the bus trails the first time round and for others, a chance to relive all the bus designs that they may have encountered on their previous runs. There was an additional plant-based and drawn bus which was added to the trail which were not part of the previous series of trails.

Only on the Sunday, the 1914 restored “Battle Bus" was on show for people to hop on and admire the works which were developed by the London General Omnibus Company (LGOC). The restoration was supported by the Heritage Lottery Fun, London Transport Museum Friends and donations from the public. The New Routemaster bus was there as well, which was a new bus that were first introduced in 2010 and started to circulate in 2012 on the streets of London. The London Transport Museum exhibibtion bus gave information and background behind buses as well as an accompanying video.

A heated marquee was set up where families could come and enjoy art workshops which included colouring-in activities and caricature drawings. There was the Icon Bus designed by The Routemasters live and the final bus in the series.

You can catch the previous bus sculpture trails below:

• Around Westminster
• Around the River
• Around Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
• Around Croydon 

#LTMBattleBus #YearoftheBus

Back to the Future with Vodafone

Covent Garden East Piazza went back to the future with Vodafone as they celebrated the 30th anniversary of the first mobile phone call, which was made on Tuesday 1st January 1985 on the Vodafone network. The event ran on the weekend from Friday 16th to Sunday 18th January 2015. The 1984G Street housed the recreated first Vodafone store, NOW Rental Video Rental, Vodafone 4G Arcade and Spotify Records.

The Vodafone store had old mobile phones with some bigger than others and bricks layered with an additional bricks. You can slowly see the evolution of the phone model. There were tablets on the side for opportunities for winning prizes for completion of their quiz. Just on the side of the store, you can find a photo booth with wigs and hats on standby as people get transported back to the 80’s.
Spotify Records had 80’s music on vinyl with an opportunity to listen and create playlists which were sent to Spotify app on smartphones. Similarly, NOW Rental Video Rental had a similar retro feel as they had old VHS tapes on display.

Vodafone 4G Arcade had arcade games with… comic books! Really surprised to find comic books here and they had quite a nice collections at that too. They also had a humongous old Nokia phone which you were able to play Snake. I had a go and got a lousy 20 points (1 capture = 10 points).

#30YearsVodafone

Southbank Centre's Winter Festival with NatWest 2014

Southbank Centre with NatWest have created a Winter Festival surrounding the Centre, along the Riverside Terrace and Queen’s Walk with chalets, giant rabbits and fun festivities. The festival started on 6th December 2014 and is to end on 11th January 2015.

Here’s some of the things that were on at the festival:

• Southbank Centre Express – Train before and under the Hungerford Bridge that heads to Festival Pier along Queen’s Walk and back.
• Christmas Market – Banks of chalets lined up near the Christmas Tree Maze and La Soiree selling food, drinks and gifts.
• Rekorderlig Cider Lodge – Cosy down to warm drinks and Scandinavian street food at the lodge in this Scandinavian-styled house.
• Viewing Deck Bar – Raised bar where you can settle down with a drink and enjoy the views of London, the Thames and the Southbank Centre Express.
• Christmas Tree Maze – A maze made up of 300 Black Forest trees.
• Christmas Tree Café – Get hot drinks from the café while enjoying the Christmas tree designed by BOO and Lyn Atelier on top of the café.
• Intrude: Giant Rabbits – Giant glowing rabbits created by Australian artist Amanda Parer.

To find out what else is upcoming and happening on at the Southbank check out their website.

#SCWinterfest