The archive

Getting home was never going to be easy after the dramatic events of this weekend. Woke to fairly decent weather in York, but it was still raining down south. Amazingly, noted that departures to the south west appeared to be back on the National Rail website.

After a very comfortable night at the Alexandra, I felt fully prepared for the day's journey. However things almost got off to a bad start when the hotel staff refused to let me check out! The Night Porter had explained that their computers weren't…

One of the pleasures of doing a First Class rover is that the long moves to the opposite end of the country become much more comfortable. Having resisted the urge to head directly for Scotland earlier in the week, it was necessary today to…

There have been times during the planning of this trip that I’ve wondered how sustainable these week-long forays into the wild are. After all, following a good few years effort and a great deal of cash, I’ve covered massive amounts of the British railway network.

Once again I've spent the weekend at home. Whilst the dust settles on work troubles of career-shattering proportions, it's been good to have some security and stability - not to mention being within walking distance of a couple of fine public houses.

Frustratingly, given that this is the first update for a long time where I've managed to get out and about, there are no pictures - due to some technical problems and very little spare time to sort things out.

Spring has come to Highbridge. As I walked to my parents home last evening, it was possible to detect the curious smell of drying pavements, which reminds me of past springtimes here in Somerset. Highbridge on a warm Monday evening is a confusion…

With a heavy heart checked out of my hotel and prepared for my train home. Time for breakfast and a chance to watch the city go by first though, in my old haunt on Renfield Street and via a walk around George Square.

Caught the train up to Redditch after work yesterday in order to be here for the Redditch & Bromsgrove CAMRA Beer Festival, at an old family stomping ground - the Bridley Moor and Batchley Social Club.