A Good Trip to Crewe and Chester
It was a good trip, not only because Ipswich won and I was able to renew old memories in Chester, but also because of the little things that happened and that I discovered.
- Virgin’s First Class lounges made travel in my condition a bit easier.
- The Crewe Arms offered a comfortable bed and good coffee in the morning close to the station and the football.
- I had a very good curry in Passage to India in Crewe.
- The staff and stewards at Crewe Alexandra were pleasant and welcoming.
- Real pubs still exist in the most unlikely places.
- I got a nice complimentary gluten-free salad on the way back. So Virgin can do gluten-free, despite what I said earlier.
I shall definitely go to Crewe again, if Ipswich play there!
The Albion, Chester
I was walking the Chester city walls with the intention of going back to a nice restaurant in Bridge Street, when I saw this pub called the Albion.
The Albion, Chester
What had caught my eye was the various chalked boards on the outside of the building. This one which was readable from the walls, said that this could be pub that was to my taste.
Perfect Advertising for a Pub
So did the Albion live up to what it said on the outside. I just had a half of cider to drink. This could have been better, but then I come from Suffolk, where they make the best;Aspalls. As they do sometimes have Adnams on draught, it shows how much the county of my conception is influencing the taste of discerning drinkers, all over these Isles.
As I said, I was ready for lunch, so I chose a cottage pie from the menu.
Cottage Pie at the Albion
I suspect it was wrongly named as it is more of an individual house pie. It was of course gluten-free. It was certified by the pleasant barmaid, who said that her mother was a coeliac like me!
I should say that the Albion also does bed and breakfast, which if their beds are as well-proprtioned as the pies, might well be something.
Chester Racecourse
Chester is one of the British Isles oldest racecourses and it is unique in that it is only a short circular track, just outside of the city walls.
Chester Racecourse from the Walls
C and myself had one of our biggest successes in racing at Chester when our horse, Debach Delight was second in the Cheshire Oaks. But that was over thirty years ago.
In those days to get to the racecourse was a long slog across to and then up the M6. There was no A14 and it was stop-start all the way through Birmingham.
After this trip though on Virgin Trains, I wouldn’t drive, but would go to Milton Keynes and pick up a train direct to Chester. There is plenty of parking at Milton Keynes, trains are every hour and they take about ninety minutes.
Chester’s Hydro-Electric Power Station
Ever since I first went to Chester and saw it on the Dee, I’ve always wondered about the hydro-electric power station by the bridge.
As you can see from these pictures it is not in use to gnerate power anymore,m but there is still the weir to funnel water through the sluices and turbines.
The weir which was built in the eleventh century isa Grade 1 Listed building and it might appear according to Wikipedia that they may be using the river to generate power again. The site certainly needs some restoration as the photos show.
Rhino Mania in Chester
We’ve had cows everywhere, lambananas in Liverpool and now we have rhinos in Chester.
Painted Rhino in Chester
There was also quite a lot of other street art. I particularly liked this baby elephant.
Baby Elephant in Chester
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!
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.
The Anonymous Widower 