I often find myself haunting the same places at the end of the year. As the official trips dry up, I seem to seek solace in a round of familiar journeys which take me back to places - sometimes significant, sometimes just familiar and interesting enough to divert my attention for the day. Today though, despite starting out as just such a solitary ramble, ended up having a couple of purposeful intentions.

Set out a little later than normal on the direct train to Weston - though knowing I'd need to find breakfast and given an oddity of the ticketing system I decided to grab a ride on the 06:55 unit from here, catching the following London train from Weston. We left a couple of minutes down, but soon made up time on a speedy run west with the sun rising in cold but surprisingly bright sky. Expected that perhaps this train would be a little busier than usual, but in fact all was quiet until Reading, when a family got on and decided to sit directly across from me with the father occupying the seat in front of me in a sort of side-saddle fashion with his wheeled case blocking the aisle. Eventually he took the hint that it was in the way of the procession to the buffet, but the rest of them squawked and hollered all the way to London - mostly the adults in fact. Decided that a bus would be the best way to arrive roughly around when I wished to at Spitalfields, so took a 205 and enjoyed a survey of the Euston Road as we arced across to Liverpool Street. Confused by some Crossrail related diversions, which meant a little walk to the station where I had coffee at a disorganised Starbucks. My arguments with the Bristol Temple Meads branch about opening times were becoming the stuff of legend, but I'm still hooked on the coffee, so good intentions and protests are at best patchy at present. Then, over to Old Spitalfields Market where the Independent Record Label Market was just beginning to get started. The idea was that lots of the labels affected by the fire during the summer would sell direct to the public, throwing in some special deals and exclusive stuff, and therefore making a bit of much needed cash. Browsed for some time, noting a growing crowd of hipsters developing. Swooped in for a good look at Domino's vinyl and the Chemikal Underground stall, where I made a few purchases and handed over cash to Aidan Moffat himself.

After a further wander and more coffee I made my way to Whitechapel Station to meet a friend who now lives south of the river. I arrived a little early, and with the coffee taking it's toll, I decided that there must be a toilet in the Royal London Hospital and so I ventured into the forbidding building. Following the signs for the toilet took me deep into the building, down stairs and into low tunnels with hanging wires and exposed pipework. Doors leading off to therapeutic facilities were everywhere, and there was little separation of public and 'private' space. Made one wrong turn at the bottom of a staircase and found myself in a corridor with a number of old people waiting silently in chairs and trolleys. Very odd, very troubling and incredibly creepy. Not sorry to escape back into the turmoil of Whitechapel and to meet my friend.

After an interesting walk up Brick Lane and around Spitalfields, we retired for food and drink and chatted. It struck me I rarely enjoy London as a customer or a consumer these days and it felt good to be catching up, sharing stories and generally just relaxing for a very welcome change. All too soon, time to head back to Liverpool Street where we took tubes in opposing directions, with me heading back to Paddington for my ride home. It had been a day of rare purposefulness, but a very happy and relaxing one. I should do this more often.

This morning, as the new railway timetable wreaked havoc on my working day, the mournful sounds of the cattle market drifted across Highbridge for the last time. From next week, the farmer's carts will no longer clog the roads on their way to the market near the Highbridge Hotel. Instead, they'll trek down to the new facility at Huntworth, provided by our local regeneration specialist, Mead Realisations. The Rural Business Centre is a bold and exciting move which will provide state-of-the art facilities - but the loss of the markets in Taunton and Highbridge will be grievous - particularly for our little town.

When locals talk about the corner of land between Clyce Road and the hotel, stretching back as far as the former wharf, they mutter about 'more flats' and shuffle off in dismay. It's probably exactly what will happen - the one positive being an undertaking to restore and improve the Grade 2 listed hotel to it's former glory. Once again, the character and balance of the town has changed - not necessarily for the better. It's been a little harder to get here since the bridge was narrowed, but the lack of farm traffic slowly heading into town each Monday will be yet another blow to local businesses. If the promises are kept, and regeneration turns from an admirable paper scheme into a reality, then maybe all this won't be for nothing?

As another huge truck rattled by a few moments back, I instinctively turned to the window and found myself gazing directly into the face of a cow likely facing it's final journey. Strange to think these will be some of the final journeys in another sense.

Finally, we're coming to the end of the three week long closure of the mainline here. There is still a weekend to go, but at least getting to work each day will be a little easier. Granted the new timetable makes getting home a little harder, but you can't I suppose, have everything! The replacement buses have been timely and reliable, so I can't complain much. Being unwell for a week or so, and exhausted by longer than usual days at work, I've not really spent as much time watching the works at the station as I might, but I managed to wander out over the past couple of days to watch the clean-up in progress.

I've heard one or two bus passengers moaning that 'nothing much has changed' at the station when we've arrived of an evening. Not entirely true, as the renewed track is plain to see. The replacement crossover and work on the Up Loop (no longer just a goods loop I understand) are also fairly obvious. With this weekends big stock cascade to Arriva and the new timetable (which has a fair amount of cuts for the South West) First Great Western starts to make it's mark on our local services. We'll soon start to see familiar units in fresh paint again too. It's going to be an interesting Winter.

After a turbulent and worrying week on the home front, I hoped for a relaxing trip today on Past Time's 'Chester Flyer' tour. However, the original plan had been for me to bring my parents up to see the city and for Christmas Shopping. Events conspired against this, and I couldn't help but feel disappointed leaving for Weston this morning on the 07:03.

Only a short wait at Weston for, as predicted some time ago, royal locomotive 67005 to arrive hauling a rake of newly maroon painted ex-Anglia Mk2 coaches. Settled into my seat for the run up to Bristol, where I hoped a couple of last minute substitute travellers would arrive. They soon appeared on platform 3 with supplies of decent coffee, and we set off on time in dry but frosty weather for South Wales. In particular, the stretch along the Marches north of Abergavenny was misty and quite beautiful to behold this morning. Found myself wishing my parents could be here to see it. On departure from Shrewsbury, we headed north to Gobowen and Wrexham, track which I haven't visited for a decade or so.

We arrived a few minutes early into Chester, and plunged into crowds of shoppers. My plans having been scuppered I let the others lead me, since one of them had once lived here some years ago. Had a pleasant walk by the catherdral then along the walls, seeing parts of the city which I'd likely never have got to on my own. After rejecting a few extremely busy pubs for lunch, settled on The Cross Keys in the south of the town and enjoyed an excellent meal in a very comfortable spot.

To walk off the food, headed for the river noting extrememly tame squirrels and some landmarks from the TV show Hollyoaks along the way - much to the evident delight of one of our party. Turned back towards the shopping areas, and again onto the walls which took us right into the center of the city, and beneath the famous clock above Eastgate. Also noted from the heights of the city wall that the pub I'd visited back in April, and had hoped to head for today with the folks, was misspelled as 'Marlbororough Arms' according to its sign.

It was near impossible to move around the town without being squashed, trampled or buffetted around by the crowds. Noted one brave litter collector stooping to pick up rubbish and being stepped on by mindless shoppers bent on retail fulfillment! Met up with the rest of our party who had bravely ventured into the busy department stores in The Rows and headed back to the station for an uneventful journey back to Bristol, reversing the outward route. Off Bristol nearly 20 minutes early, which didn't help due to a couple of 'strategic cancellations' from Wessex, which meant a taxi back to Highbridge.

I can't help feeling disappointed that today didn't turn out as planned, but I think I managed to make the best of it, and to enjoy the journey and the unusual walk around a city I now know a little better.