iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

I’m home! Now it’s time to examine the contraband I smuggled out of the country 😋

Bottles of Mezzo Mix orange cola drink stuffed in my small travel bag

Platform alteration announced at Manchester Airport with only minutes to spare, despite the train sitting in the platform for at least ten minutes beforehand. Feeling smug for beating the stampede because I checked Realtime Trains 😊

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 7h

I FOUND A VENDING MACHINE 🥳

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 7h

I tell a lie, there are two places (the other place is also closed)

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 7h

There is precisely one place at BER T2 to get a drink or snack once you have passed through passport control. …and it’s closed 🤪

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 10h

Just did the interesting “Isherwood’s Neighbourhood” walking tour. Tour guide Brendan walked us around the area Christopher Isherwood called home in the late 1920s, putting it into the wider historical context of the time. Learned loads of new stuff.

Plaque outside Christopher Isherwood’s former apartment building
HIER WOHNTE VON MARZ 1929 BIS JAN/FEB. 1933
DER ENGLISCHE SCHRIFTSTELLER
CHRISTOPHER ISHERWOOD
* 26. 8.1904
+ 5. 1.1986
SEINE ROMANE "LEBWOHL BERLIN" UND
"MISTER NORRIS STEIGT UM" BASTEREN AUF SEINEN ERLEBNISSEN AUS DIESER ZEIT.
NACH MOTIVEN BEIDER ROMANE ENTSTAND
SPÄTER DAS MUSICAL CABARET"

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 23h

There was just time for a whirlwind tour of the Berlin Festival of Lights, which sees some of the city’s most famous landmarks lit up with light projections. Dashed from Brandenburg Gate to Alexanderplatz to try and see as many as possible before they were switched off at 11pm.

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

That was incredibly good fun. Hurtling through dark tunnels with wind rushing around you, rolling through stations waving at bemused commuters, and a ton of interesting facts and history from our tour guide. If you have even the smallest interest in Berlin, or trains, you MUST do it.

bvg.de

U-Bahn Convertible

With the BVG subway convertible, you can discover Berlin from a whole new perspective. Here you will find all the relevant information at a glance.

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

And now, the whole reason I’m here in Berlin. It’s time for the U-Bahn Cabrio Tour! Two hours or more gallivanting around Berlin’s U-Bahn tunnels in an open-top carriage. 🤩

Locomotive at the head of the U-Bahn Cabrio train

Open wagons of the U-Bahn Cabrio Train in the platform at Deutsche Oper station

Robert looking thrilled and not at all like a plonker in a hard hat

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Visited the Tränenpalast (Palace of Tears), the former border control building at Friedrichstraße station, where passengers transferring between East and West rail networks had to go through labyrinthine passport controls. It’s now a museum.

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

And it really was a quick ride, because we’re already at the terminus! Yes, yet again Berlin has opened a short stub line while trying to get the rest built. It’s the new U55! (Although unlike the U55, people actually seem to be using this line)

S Bahn train displaying “Bitte nicht einsteigen” on its destination display

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Time to squeeze in a quick ride on Berlin’s newest railway, the S15 from Hauptbahnhof to Gesundbrunnen.

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Encountered a climate protest on my way back to Friedrichstraße station

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

I jest of course, this was an exhibit at the Allied Museum, all about the post war occupation of Berlin. Lots of interesting stuff to see.

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Spent the morning at the Museum of Internet Memes

A photo of American propaganda poster featuring Norman Rockwell’s “Freedom of Speech” painting with the text “Save Freedom of Speech. Buy War Bonds”

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

First Mezzo Mix of the trip has been acquired 😋

Mezzo Mix and a baguette on a cafe table

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

The next station is: somewhere quite wonderful.

Cavernous ornate interior of Heidelberger Platz U-Bahn station

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

What better way to follow up a round of drinks with @jameseast.online? Some Currywurst, natürlich!

Currywurst and chips with a dollop of mayo and a Coke Zero

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Only four booths open and half the new fingerprint machines out of action. But I got the impression this is Just The Way Things Are Now, sadly.

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

First time on the new FEX Airport Express service, which should get me into central Berlin in 30 mins (DB permitting)

DB electric loco at the head of a train in BER Airport station

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Three years later, i got through passport control 😮‍💨

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

In the passport queue at BER, with plenty of time to think about the benefits of Brexit

Long queue for passport control at BER airport

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Off on a plane to see some trains

Ryanair plane on the tarmac at Manchester Airport with passengers boarding

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Dad's house is up for sale, so every visit to my old bedroom could be the last. No more watching the leaves change with the seasons through the skylight.

Empty bedroom with no furnishings except a single desk. A tree is visible through a skylight window

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Reposted by Robert Hampton

mode7.club @mode7club.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Some #teletext for Yle Text's big four-five (th birthday). MY PAGE 🔥🤩৻( •̀ ᗜ •́ ৻)💥 : yle.fi/aihe/tekstit... Index: yle.fi/aihe/tekstit...

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Reposted by Robert Hampton

www.slowtravelberlin.com @slowberlin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Good morning to Bahnhof Zoo in 1983 ☕️ 🙌 #berlin

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Surreal to bump into someone I went to school with, and learn that she is now living literally down the road from me! 🤯

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Dan Farrimond @illarterate.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Happy #NationalTeletextDay 2026! How about a new artwork based on that classic Pages From #Ceefax car? 52 years of #teletext x 52 weeks = 2704 weeks of teletext Art viewable on @soyuzteletext500.bsky.social's HBN Teksti-TV: bollenstreekmedianetwerk.nl/hbn/teletext... #pixelart #pastiche

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Naming ceremony for the new Mersey Ferry (the champagne bottle didn’t break 😬)

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Want to see me looking awkward while standing in front of a train? Watch this! 👇

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

…and tomorrow marks two years since Wirral residents reported a sudden and mysterious epidemic of tinnitus.

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Finally updated my phone to iOS 26

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

“Your installation has been booked.” “Here is what will happen on your installation day.” “Just a reminder you have an installation booked.” “Your engineer will arrive between 1pm and 5pm.” “Your engineer is brushing his teeth.” “Your engineer is at a red traffic light listening to Hits Radio.”

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I have signed up to switch to full-fibre broadband, which was apparently an invitation to get hourly text messages from Openreach.

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Reposted by Robert Hampton

Scott Bryan @scottygb.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

An extract of my new book Out Now in The Guardian. It is the most astonishing story of how a same sex kiss was broadcast on the BBC back in 1990, without BBC executives knowing at the time. www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

theguardian.com

‘That was all secret’: the ‘gay mole’ who fought the BBC to show the first queer kiss on kids’ TV

Everyone thinks Byker Grove broke the taboo in 1994, but another teen drama got there first. Here’s the astonishing story of Two of Us, which put a gay relationship on UK screens – and was the origina...

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Reposted by Robert Hampton

Dr Seán Ketchem @cskwriter.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

European Sleeper's new overnight route connecting Brussels with Milan begins service tonight. The route travels over Cologne, departing at Köln Hbf at 10:07pm and arriving in Milan at 11:40am the next day. This will be a boon to UK travelers, who will now have an overnight sleeper option to Italy.

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Yeah absolutely. There’s so many unwritten rules that you’re expected to “just know”.

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Spent my Sunday catching up with an old friend.

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Reposted by Robert Hampton

Scott @merseytart.com · 04/09/2026

New blog: I'll Gather Lilacs - www.merseytart.com/2026/09/ill-... - a long journey down Milan's M5 metro line, covering corporate nonsense, emergency lube, the water tower as art, baffling Sidney Poitier conspiracies, and not nearly enough tilework.

merseytart.com

I'll Gather Lilacs

Well this is different, I thought as I got off the train. Full, extensive, platform decoration! Unfortunately when I got closer I saw tha...

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

NickText was instrumental in cementing my fascination with teletext as a medium. The brash colourful pages and loads of interesting content showed what could be done on a 20 year old technology with a bit of imagination (Probably helped that I was right in the channel’s target age group at the time)

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Reposted by Robert Hampton

Mr Roger Quimbly @rogerquimbly.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Dislocation, Dislocation, Dislocation.

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Yeah not much happening. Just the railway preservation group I helped set up making ACTUAL HISTORY.

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Robert Hampton @hampo.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Some suitable reaction emojis for today’s announcement: 😮🤯🥳😍👏

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Reposted by Robert Hampton

Dave Bulmer @demontomatodave.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Hi. I didn't know there was a single release of the DS9 theme. Further, I didn't know it's brilliant, and that while you listen to it you should picture the opening titles from a 1980s version of DS9 where each actor gets a brief action shot and a freeze-frame. www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1Ux...

youtube.com

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Theme - (Single Version)

YouTube video by Dennis McCarthy - Topic

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