There and Back Again

Robbie had promised me a nice relaxing trip to York on Saturday, but it almost didn’t happen because my asthma decided to play up on Friday afternoon. I was feeling much better by Saturday morning so I agreed to go out as long as Robbie didn’t rush me. Usually he has me trotting backwards and forwards along the platform like a demented hen as he tries to predict exactly where he needs to stand in order to get his favourite seat. I hate running up and down stairs between platforms at the best of times, but if he had tried that today I think I would have collapsed in a heap.

Baldric Burgess had a cunning plan to make up time, we travelled from Northampton to Tamworth, then we caught a Cross Country service to Derby and we were just in time to catch the 9.46 Southampton Central to Newcastle service which took us to York. We wouldn’t have made that train if we had gone via Birmingham. My new netbook is so small and portable that I was able to tuck it into my rucksack and I sat on the voyager catching up on my mail and editing photos, that really is my idea of heaven.

We waited for several minutes at Doncaster and as I glanced out of the window I had an uncomfortable feeling that we may have been invaded by a foreign power. There was no need to worry it was just a group of East Coast staff in their rather unfortunate uniform. I wonder if the company were striving for the Russian border guard look or if they just stumbled upon it by accident.

When we got to York Robbie was bouncing around like Tigger, he was really excited about going to the National Railway Museum again. He loves the shop at the NRM and he kept calling me over to look at all the interesting goodies he had spotted. We spent ages looking at everything, there were some lovely books and DVDs. Robbie bought himself a couple of mounted prints and I bought him a poster and a 1907 Bradshaws railway map (because I wanted it too) it’s amazing.

We had a nice journey back to Birmingham on a Voyager, but sadly there was no catering until Derby. I like travelling on Cross Country services, the staff are usually friendly and helpful, the biscuits are lovely, but the tea is absolutely dire. There is so much that they do right, so surely it shouldn’t be beyond them to produce something that bears a passing resemblance to a cup of tea!

On and Off the Rails

Yesterday was such a fantastic day. Robbie had caught me at a weak moment and apparently I had agreed to go to Newquay on the train with him. I like Newquay and I like Voyagers and (most of the time) I like Robbie, but I don't like getting up before the birds on a Saturday morning and all that effort for 20 minutes in Newquay didn't seem like my idea of fun. I mentioned the National Railway Museum to Robbie and before I knew it he'd had the idea to go to York instead of Newquay - it works like magic!

The nice thing about York is that we didn't have to get up quite so early, but it was still a struggle to leave my nice warm bed for a chilly early morning at Northampton Station. The journey to York was nice despite the non existent catering on the CrossCountry service to York. I fell in love with the voice of our train manager, he was a really good train manager too, I could have listened to his voice all day. I enjoyed the journey and before long we arrived at York, the station proved disappointing, very poor customer service and grim toilets. Northampton station may be nothing to boast about but at least we get hot water, soap and working hand dryers in the ladies toilets!

I loved the NRM when I eventually got the chance to see it - it took a huge effort to drag Robbie out of the shop! I headed straight for the Royal trains and I could have stayed there all day because there was so much to see. Robbie enjoyed it too but he wanted to see as much as possible so reluctantly I followed him to one of the other exhibition halls. As we walked in I noticed that the person on duty at the information point was fast asleep, not a good sign! I found it a bit noisy but I really enjoyed looking at everything. It was ideal for me because you were allowed to touch all the exhibits and there was so much beautiful polished wood and lovely shiny metal that I couldn't resist stroking it.

All too soon we were back in the shop on our way out. Robbie was just like a big kid, I bought him a railway book that he simply couldn't live without, as well as a few postcards and a NRM canvas bag. He got so excited about it all and he went out proudly carrying his new bag - I didn't like to point out the likeness to Roy Cropper! We walked into the city to get a late lunch before heading home. I wasn't too keen on York as a place, I don't think I have ever come across a place with so many weird and peculiar people in my life, it was a bit disconcerting.

Our journey home was good in parts, the bit from York to Birmingham was tolerable, the train manager was OK (but not as nice as the one in the morning) but the trolley dolly was totally useless. She was certainly not any one's idea of 'dolly' and she wasn't much good at the trolley bit either. If CrossCountry are paying her to do that job they are being ripped off, maybe she is on some sort of work therapy for the bewildered! I was excited about going on a Virgin Voyager from Birmingham to Rugby, but it wasn't wonderful, I almost got frostbite from the air conditioning and the quiet coach sounded more like the Tower of Babel. For me the last train of the day was also the best, a London Midland green train, Robbie hates them, but it was warm, quiet and comfortable.

We have decided to go back to the NRM very soon!