Woke up to bright sunshine - had doubts about braving the replacement bus service, but decided it was too nice a day to waste. Had planned a low key trip down to Southampton, and thence to Lymington Pier. Another little branch I'd not seen before, and a bit of track through the New Forest which I'd not visited for a long time!
All ran incredibly smoothly. Noted the services running to Taunton via Westbury. Might be an interesting diversion to get a 220 or 158 along that way before the diversions are over? Brief rainstorms at Southamtpon, waiting for the chaos surrounding an earlier fatality at Redbridge to subside. Did so soon after my arrival, and it was off to Brockenhurst, and then to Lymington on a 4CEP which according to fleet lists should have been a 3CEP! Strange. I didn't hang around at Lymington Pier - not much to do for an hour there really, so headed straight back - braving the awkward "didn't I just see you?" moment with the Guard during his ticket check.
Very smooth journey back, despite getting the very same 150 I had on the way down. Almost ran out of reading material however, which would have been a disaster. Coach driver back from Temple Meads was rather boisterous, much to the concern of one or two passengers. He would bark "STAY THERE!" at them as they waited to get on whilst others alighted, then when they finally got on board would be disarmingly nice to them.
Booked hotel for an evening in Edinburgh, despite my nagging concern that Virgin have yet to deliver the free tickets promised.
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.
