Set out with every intention of finally travelling along the Heart of Wales line, with the help of the new Circular Day Ranger ticket which would cover my journey from Newport to Craven Arms, down to Swansea and back to Newport for a reasonable £20.
First challenge was getting Weston-super-Mare station staff to sell me the ticket. I was gently persistent, and finally they turned up the goods. They were actually very patient with me, and I can't fault them.
First inkling that things might be wrong came at Bristol Temple Meads, with a prior service from Platform 5 terminating at Leominster! Pressed on, catching 11:20 to Newport. Here I realised that there were in fact major engineering works on the Marches Line, which were going to hamper my progress. Set off on the 11:59 to Leominster, and changed for a bus to Craven Arms.
Arriving at Ludlow at 13:30 I realised that I just wasn't going to make the 13:39 to Swansea. I gave up, found a toilet at Tesco and turned for home.
Since its been a while since I've used the Marches Line it was not an entirely wasted journey. Strangely, on reflection I found the whole thing incredibly frustrating. Feeling weirdly deflated now.
Lost::MikeGTN
I've had a home on the web for more years than I care to remember, and a few kind souls persuade me it's worth persisting with keeping it updated. This current incarnation of the site is centred around the blog posts which began back in 1999 as 'the daylog' and continued through my travels and tribulations during the following years.
I don't get out and about nearly as much these days, but I do try to record significant events and trips for posterity. You may also have arrived here by following the trail to my former music blog Songs Heard On Fast Trains. That content is preserved here too.
