On To Chester
After a good night’s sleep and some nice coffee in the Crewe Arms hotel, I took a short walk to the station and bought a return ticket to Chester, which would get me back in time for my 15:57 train back to London.
I actually could have boarded my return train at Chester, as it had come from Holyhead, but I wan’t too sure of my plans in Chester. And I was a bit wary of missing the train home!
Crewe Heritage Centre
One of the few places that are worth seeing in Crewe is the Crewe Heritage Centre, which is a railway museum.
Unfortunately it was closed, despite it being the school holidays. But as it is within walking distance of the station and the football ground, it would be an ideal place to waste a few hours before an away match with Crewe Alexandra.
An Interloper on the Railway
When I got to Chester, I had a big surprise.
A steam special was on its way from the town to Blaenau Ffestiniog.
Steam Special at Chester
I did try to take some video footage, but the small camera I had with me wasn’t really suitable. But then a workman with a gammy left hand always blames his tools.
I was able to cobble this together, but the important leaving of the train is totally missing.
D & G Buses in Crewe
I noticed that some of the buservices in Crewe are run by a company call D & G Bus.
Obviously as Crewe is in Cheshire, these buses must be the first choice of the many footballers wives who live in the area.
Crewe
After reading the Wikipedia entry for Crewe, I was apprehensive, as it is not complimentary and quotes Bill Bryson as saying it isw the armpit of Cheshire.
But I also have had the other view from the late MP for Crewe; Gwyneth Dunwoody, who used to be my next door neighbour. She was the sort, that if you went to borrow some sugar, you didn’t return until after several stiff drinks.
Even last week at Crystal Palace, a fellow Ipswich fan had said that he’d enjoyed a couple of trips to the town to see Ipswich.
The Crewe Arms Hotel, Crewe
I stayed in the Crewe Arms by the station, which is typical of many station hotels all over the UK. It has mahogany panelling, deep red carpets and brown leather sofas. One unexpected thing it has is free and high-speed wi-fi. It definitely didn’t have that in 1880 when it opened.
I slept reasonably well too, as the bed was comfortable. The room was very clean with a bathroom that looks like it had been refurbished in the last year or so.
In the morning, I skipped breakfast because I ate well the previous night, but the coffee I had in a proper china pot was of a high standard.
I would certainly stay there again, if I went back to the football at Crewe.
The town centre was fairly clean with a lot of flowers and had most of the usual names.
Shopping Centre, Crewe
But the highglight last night was an excellent Indian meal in the Passage to India.
Passage To India, Crewe
The building was best desribed as clean, smart and comfortable, the staff were polite and professional and I give the food at least five bricks in honour of Brick Lane, where C and I had one of our most memorable Indian meals together. How about this for a seious shami kebab.
A Serious Shami Kebab
Non Disabled-Friendly Sugar Packets
Now I’m not disabled, but I do have a left hand that is less than perfect after the stroke.
On the train today, when I had my coffee, I found that it was virtually impossible to open the small square sugar packet without spilling half of it on the table.
Surely, in this day and age we can come up with something better! At least where you get little tubes I have less of a problem
Nothing Gluten-Free on Virgin Trains
There were complimentary sandwiches, but nothing that was gluten-free, except for an apple, coffee and diet-Pepsi.
Sandwiches are always a problem, as you can’t expect gluten-free ones. I would have liked a banana, as I find apples a bit difficult with my mouth from the stroke.
Virgin’s First Class Toilets
Some coeliacs can be paranoid about toilets as many like me, have had so much diarrhoea, that it becomes a way of life. Now that I’m strictly gluten-free I rarely suffer that way, but I still sort out the best toilets. Certainly, one of the pleasures of travelling on Virgin is the quality of the First Class Lounge at Euston The free toilets were definitely up to the best standard expected.
On the subject of toliets,those at Portman Road are pretty good. It will be interesting to see how Gresty Road stacks up tonight.
Off to Crewe Today
I’m off to Crewe today to see Ipswich play, tonight. Tomorrow, I shall visit Chester, which is just a short train ride away.
There would appear to be little to do in Crewe, as the Crewe Heritage Centre, a railway museum, is closed on weekdays. But I shall check, as this hasn’t stopped me in the past.
The Anonymous Widower 