It was always going to be a busy week. Trying to get appeal responses written at work, alongside various other pressing tasks, during a week of endlessly needing to be in other places! Flagged an Online Admissions Consortium meeting in Trowbridge yesterday, because things in the office needed more attention - e-mailed in apologies and our position on things, which I was pleased to see was sort of adopted as the position of the consortium. Wouldn't usually have passed by a midweek rail trip, but had today to look forward to - certainly the longest continuous trip since my return to the rails, and a visit to areas I'd not seen for maybe six or seven years! Official reason also was to visit Gissing's birthplace and wander around Wakefield a little.

Set out on the as-ever jammed 0829 from Weston, which goes all the way to Wakefield. Found my reserved seat easily, and marvelled at how the crowds thinned out after Bristol. Practically had a carriage to myself after Derby in fact. Smooth and quick journey - the 221 is a more comfortable DMU than I'd been led to believe, and it picked up time nicely where we were held back here and there.

North of Birmingham route was lined with photographers, especially on strategic bridges - out for the 'Twilight of the Grids' farewell tour hauled by Class 56's. Got confused around Sheffield, and misremembered the route. Was expecting the rather dull bit of eastward crawling via Mexborough, but didn't see it pass by. Only later discovered that we gone via Bolton-on-Dearne (since we weren't calling at Doncaster) and I'd scored a little bit of track I'd otherwise have found hard to ever get!

Hot and sunny by the time I arrived in Wakefield. Vague memories of being here chasing D9000 a few years back when it did a Leeds-York-Derby run following a footex. Wandered into town and took some pictures of the Gissing Centre and the house. Will try to get them posted hereabouts soon. Wandered around the town, which was pleasant enough - found only one bookshop, stocking no Gissing whatsoever! Very nice pint of John Smiths' from the the keg at the Black Horse on Westgate.

Annoying start to trip back. Much confusion about seat reservations left me standing to Sheffield, with rebellious thoughts and mentally composing a letter to Virgin as we travelled. Finally sat down, and got some reading time after Sheffield. Pleasant journey as far as Birmingham, when some legal types sat down and discussed things too loudly for my liking! I'm just never happy it seems... Pleased to see a couple of Wessex staff working together to corner a pair of young fare-dodgers at Yatton - perhaps sprinting into a seat and shouting "quick, pretend to be asleep!" with the guard a few feet away isn't the smartest way of avoiding payment. Equally funny was their attempt to exit the station by a back route, walking directly into a wall and being cornered! Smart work, girls!

All-in-all a very pleasant day off and a trip which mixed discoveries with memories - always nice.

Dithered a great deal about what to do this weekend. Funds are pretty tight, and since I have a busy week coming up, I thought about flagging the weekend - but that would have been the second one in a row. Can't say my heart was in today. Checked mail before heading out and noticed that the Oxted-Uckfield branch was being worked by a pair of Class 205 DEMUs today. I'd always been intrigued by this little diesel-operated backwater on the otherwise completely electrified South Central network, and I thought I'd missed my chance to get one of these units when South Central got hold of 170s to replace them recently.

For the sake of economy I travelled on multiple CDRs - much to the confusion of a guard at East Grinstead later. Still spent a little more than I could afford however. Arrived at Oxted to find 205028 growling away merrily in the bay. Delightful, unrefurbished wooden interior and no corridor connections between the strangely small carriages. Opened the window wide to get the full effect of the racket going on up front and enjoyed a wander down an attractive and rather quiet branch into Kent and Sussex. I can only speculate that it gets busier on weekday mornings.

Lots of evidence that since Connex lost the franchise, South Central are getting their act together - albeit slowly. Posters proclaiming 'We know we need to clean up our act' and 'Don't be gentle with our slam doors' everywhere. Some of the stations seem to have been recently refurbished (again, to a minimum but acceptable standard). Brief pause in Uckfield - a rather unremarkable looking place.

Couldn't leave the East Grinstead branch undone, so returned to Oxted to find services in some disarray due to earlier failures. This actually worked in my favour, and after a short wander around Oxted - a really attractive and busy little place which I'd like to revisit sometime - I was on a delayed service, which got me to East Grinstead and back to East Croydon much earlier than I'd expected!

Down to Gatwick via the Quarry Lines to get the Thames service to Reading. Noted on arrival that I had a long wait, so when a pair of sparkly new 377s arrived going to Redhill, I hopped on them. Nice, clean and bright interior - smooth ride. Time for the first coffee of the day (!) at Redhill, before heading off to Reading.

Again, a late running service gave me a good connection - British Transport Police were in attendance to remove a couple of non-payers, so I waited with the officers for the slightly delayed service, which got me back to Weston much earlier than I'd expected.

A strange unexpected day of seat-of-your-pants bashing.

Yes, the pun has been done before, but it's been one of those days. I should be in Edinburgh right now, but I'm not. Got up early, feeling groggy, and set of to Bristol to collect an Authority to Travel which Virgin Trains had faxed to the station in lieu of the undelivered tickets. Queued among throngs of Cheltenham Festival bound racegoers. Finally got letter - details were for the wrong train - a problem I thought I'd sorted out with Customer Services yesterday.

Called them and queued again - no fax arrived. 0928 service came and went. Customer Services advised checking with the Train Manager and the travelling on the 0958. Staff at the ticket gate detained me querying the authority for the 0652 train. Missed another one.

Tried one last train, Virgin's operations team having ensured I would be able to get through the gate this time. It was solidly wedged, reserved passengers only due to demand for services to Cheltenham races. Likely there would be no services which weren't almost dangerously overloaded until after lunch. I'd be arriving in Edinburgh at about 2000 if I travelled via a change at Birmingham. At this point the Operations Manager from Virgin called. Told him I quit and agreed to write to him about the experience. Travelled back to Weston feeling pretty exhausted and demoralised by a very frustrating morning.

Wandered into the office to fax letter to Virgin. Chatted for a bit. Shopped and came home. Did nothing for the rest of the day. An utter waste of holiday.

Puzzled to distraction by recent revalations and future possibilities. Woke late after an excellent sleep, but couldn't settle to usual Sunday chores. Tended to cat as planned, and then hurried to the station, having decided to bring forward the trip to Exeter via the diversionary route, taking in Westbury, Castle Cary and Cogload Junction.

Some amazing weather (between showers) made the journey outwards across the Somerset levels quite picturesque. First decent length journey on a Class 220 too, and despite the usual problems of seats not lining up with windows and so on, I was much impressed. Decent legroom too! Will be spending much longer on a Voyager or Super Voyager if Virgin ever deliver tickets for Wednesday!

Misdirected by a Virgin employee at Exeter St. Davids who disagreed with the information display and its view of the train formation. Rather busier on the return, but equally pleasant journey. Read a great deal to prevent difficult thinking - finishing 'The Mayor of Casterbridge' on the journey.

Later, invited for home made pizza and given a rather good bottle of wine in return for my cat feeding assistance. Its been an odd weekend of disquietening thinking and pleasant events. I need to do ironing. Back to earth with a bump...