I probably shouldn't have ventured out today. With my injured knee still causing pain and feeling sick and dizzy with some sort of cold I must have presented a sorry sight on the platform at Highbridge this morning. Fate decided to play another cruel trick in the shape of 142029. These units rarely make it this far up the line, tending to remain in Exeter and on the surrounding branches, but perhaps they needed to get one to St Phillip's Marsh and decided a lightly-loaded early train on a Saturday would be the ideal way to do it? Despite the low-backed bus seats (adorned with velcroed on First Great Western covers) had a surprisingly comfortable ride to Weston. Suspect any further could have been less fun, and recalled three hours around the Cumbrian coast a few years back which reduced a fellow passenger to tears in fact!

As planned, an easy run up to Manchester and a chance to try out the new Dell notebook which I'd not ventured out of the house with yet. Fine weather all the way, and a nice quiet run. Never an eventful journey heading up this way, but given my sluggishness this morning that was no bad thing. Found myself arriving at Piccadilly a few minutes early, and eager to get started on the day's main goal - finishing off the Metrolink network. Straight off the train and down to the tram platforms. Had tried to come up with the best order for the two remaining branches, but once I'd bought a MetroMax ticket I decided to board the first suitable service that arrived - an Eccles tram. Once through the familiar environs of Piccadilly gardens, headed west soon reaching an area of new offices and media centres, with the line taking frequent sharp turns to negotiate the canalside blocks. Suddenly, the smart new blocks petered out as we entered suburban Salford. Noted the strangely named and potentially confusing "My Street" near Langworthy tram stop. Imagined how awkward that could prove in conversation. Eventually reached Eccles, but in order to get all of my planned moves done simply changed ends and headed back towards Manchester.

Back at Cornbrook, disembarked and dodged under the canopy for cover. The tram stop was high in the air, between the canal and the heavy rail lines, in the middle of a somewhat desolate landscape and very exposed to the elements. Shivered and cursed a bit until an Altrincham tram arrived. Found a seat and settled in for the ride, part of which would be beside Network Rail track I'd covered previously. This formerly electrified heavy rail line betrayed it's origins in long platforms and familiar looking station structures. Passed under the Partington Branch near Timperley, at almost exactly the point the BLS's "Ribble Restitutor" railtour reached last March. The heavy rail line curving in from Skelton Junction shares space at Navigation Road, making for a strange alignment of two single lines through the platforms and over the crossing, before fanning out into the surprisingly extensive station at Altrincham. Much faded grandeur here, and not nearly enough time to wander around the station before turning around on a much busier service back into Manchester.

Time to find coffee and test the laptop's wireless functions out. The virus and the knee injury were really beginning to take their toll now, and I was glad of the prospect of a nice simple trip back to Bristol. Settled in for the ride which was blessed with sunshine almost all of the way. Good to finally cover this light rail network, and now thinking about plans for the other networks which I've sampled but not completed...Keeps me off the streets, as they say!

I couldn't resist it - woke up much later than planned after the first decent sleep in days, and the first time I couldn't see rails zipping past when I closed my eyes. Bustled around. Had good intentions to clean up, prepare for the week ahead, and try to write some addition bits of movebook code...

However, I became curious just what had changed at Filton Abbey Wood, and instead resolved to wander up and check. Caught 1015 from Weston, and had a very pleasant journey in remarkably summery weather. Not much had changed from Friday at Filton, but work continues. Some junction signals appear to be up, and covered out of use. Little in the way of trackwork, which it was my (perhaps mistaken) assumption that the posession was all about.

Paused at Parkway, enjoying the sun and chatting to some fellow passengers on their way to Weston. Back by 12:30. Shopped and cleaned up a bit. Decided to laze around for awhile.

Later, went to the Brit for combined birthday/leaving parties. Marginalised and distracted, I'm amazed I lasted as long as I did. Chatted with a variety of people I'd not seen for some time, and enjoyed greatly one or two conversations, which made for a more pleasant evening. Remain convinced however that Gissing probably had it right all along as regards these socials - some of us just aren't very good at them. Wish I'd come to the same conclusions some years back - which would have perhaps saved me from years of desperately wondering why I wasn't having fun! Taking things on my terms, as I did tonight, made for a far happier experience.

Some statistics: 950 miles in a very confined area, costing around 3 pence per mile - remarkable weekend...

A rare venture into nighttime Weston in celebration of a birthday. Generally it was actually fun to be out and about, and even (uncharacteristically) to socialise with almost-new people. I surprise myself sometimes. Later, things were perhaps not so harmonious, but this too is almost a Friday night tradition I suppose. Very drunk, slightly maudlin, but generally OK. Over the past couple of days I've done quite a bit of housekeeping - resigned from the GNOME Foundation Membership & Elections Committee, not necessarily the negative step it sounds. Nice mail from Gman and dmueth in recognition of my (honestly quite limited) work for the committee.