It Wasn’t A Good Trip!
The objective was simple, which was to get to Felixstowe from Liverpool Street in time for a dental appointment at 14:10. I worked out I’d leave on the 11:30 from London and then I had fifteen minutes at Ipswich to change onto the 12:58 to Felixstowe. I would arrive at 13:24, which gave me plenty of time. Coming back, I had plenty of time to catch the 15:28 after my appointment and after a change at Ipswich I’d be back in London for 17:19
But things didn’t work out as expected! The train crawled out of London and we were thirteen minutes late at Colchester, so I felt I’d miss my connection. But that was late too, so I caught it easily!
But I don’t like being late.
After my appointment, I walked back to the station and as the train appeared to be on time and it was only15:00, I walked back to the bar in Felixstowe station to see if they had a nice glass of cider.
But they didn’t so after fiddling about, I walked back to the platform and sat and read my paper for a bit.
There was then a bit of commotion and on checking the display I found that my train to Ipswich had been cancelled just a few minutes before it was due to arrive.
I thought about taking the bus into Ipswich, but then I realised I’d have to get from wherever the bus dropped me to the station.
I did think about waiting for the 16:28, but who was there any guarantee that wouldn’t be cancelled as well. After all, as I went to Felixstowe, a driver had told me one train had already been cancelled in the morning.
So I walked back to the taxi rank opposite Tesco and took one to Ipswich station for £25.
I eventually got back into London at about 17:30 and was dropped right in the middle of the rush hour.
Not one of those inconvenienced by this cancellation heard any advice from Greater Anglia.
Discussing it all with the taxi driver, who took me to Ipswich, he said it happens all the time, because they give the freight trains priority. Let’s hope that when the Bacon Factory Curve is completed, things get a bit better. However, it would help if more of the line from Ipswich to Felixstowe was double-tracked, as the Docks said they would be.
This line sets a bad precedent for the row that will happen between London Overground and the freight operators, who want to use the North London and Gospel Oak to Barking Lines to and from London Gateway. I think we’ll see one hell of a row over that conflict, especially when Class 66s thunder through all night keeping the residents awake.
Progress On The Bacon Factory Curve
I went to Felixstowe today, to see my dentist. After changing at Ipswich, I was able to get some pictures of work on the new chord allowing freight trains leaving the Felixstowe branch to go straight towards Stowmarket, Ely and Cambridge. More details are given here.
I must say the pictures were better than last time I tried as the Class 153; Benjamin Britten, seemed to have had its windows cleaned.
The Largest Case C Ever Did!
I went to the retirement party in Ipswich, for a judge who was one of C’s best friends, in Ipswich tonight.
It was good to meet old friends and have a drink and some nibbles.
I was also introduced to someone, who as one of the Court Clerks, played a part in the largest case C ever did.
She would tell this story with gusto and lots of actions. I’m sure many who heard it, didn’t believe all of the tale.
She always called the case, the Thorpeness Affray and although she didn’t do crime in the later part of her career, she was persuaded to defend someone in this case, which took place at Ipswich Crown Court.
The size was enormous, in that there a hundred and eight defendants, which my informant said they split into two separate trials. I think once, she said the clerks were scraping the barrel, which is why she got roped in.
It became obvious that the dock wasn’t big enough, so it was decided that each defendant should have a number and these would be placed above their seat. Each of the barristers would carry a flag identifying their clients.
Concerns were raised, as this numbering might not be conducive to a fair trial.
The judge was the well-respected and mildy-eccentric Bertie Richards. He thought, that if the defendants were to be numbered, so should he as the judge. So a number one was placed above where he sat.
At this point in the story, C would get all agitated and would make an action of holding up her flag and saying something like “Your Honour! I represent number 4!” Once the substitute flag in the telling, was a numbered wooden spoon in the restaurant of the pub, much to the delight of everyone.
Whatever happened to her client, I can’t remember. But tonight, I was told that many of the defendants, were part of a gang called the Bramfield Budgies. Bramfield is a village in Suffolk on the A12.
I think it is true to say that in the 1970s and 1980s, the conduct of justice was sometimes a little out of the ordinary.
Pizza Express’s Professional Approach To Gluten-Free
If they’ve got it right, which I suspect they have as it’s a big pitch, Pizza Express have taken a bold approach to adding gluten-free to their menus. You open their web site and on the right is a large block labelled GLUTEN FREE. Click it and you learn that they talk about 100% taste, risotto, brownies and even gluten-free Pilsner. They even reverse the usual dishes you can have to ones you should avoid.
They also say that their approach has been endorsed by Coeliac-UK.
I shall definitely be trying them out in the next few days.
At least it gives me somewhere to have lunch in Ipswich, when I watch the football!
Signs With Sensible Distances
I don’t think I’ve noticed these signs in Ipswich before.
Signs With Sensible Distances
Even if they’re not new, they have at least got distances that are marked sensibly.
Can Ipswich Fans Go By Train To The Last Match?
If you live in Ipswich, support Town and want to go by train to the last match of the season at Burnley,you’ve got a five hour journey starting at six in the morning.
I’m luckier in that I can catch the 08:03 train to Leeds and change for Burnley there, getting there in just under four hours.
Yet again, East Anglia shows how badly it is connected to the rail network.
I also get back to London about 19:30, whereas those going to Ipswich arrive two hours later.
So to answer my question, the answer is yes! But those of us, who live in London can do it a lot easier, than those that live in Ipswich.
I Missed The Match
I didn’t get to the match at Ipswich on Saturday, as although the Eurostar was on time in London, by the time I got home, it was too late to get a train to the start of the match.
The delays hadn’t been serious, but I wasted ten or fifteen minutes because of a broken Cashpoint, queues at WH Smith for my paper and then no taxis at Kings Cross. I then had to take the Victoria line to Highbury and Islington station and I waited another ten minutes for a bus to get home.
Of course, if they had left luggage lockers, at any of the stations, like St. Pancras, Kings Cross, Liverpool Street or Ipswich, I could have quickly dumped my case and got to the match on time.
But as Ipswich Town lost, I wasn’t too bothered by the evening.
Passing It On
I mentioned in this post, that my Aunt Gladys paid for our marriage licence, as I was totally skint, on condition that I passed it on.
Some years later in Ipswich in about 1980, a young guy wrote to me asking for sponsorship for Operation Raleigh. I passed the loan from my Aunt on, adding a bit more, and I received a series of letters as he traversed the globe. I did say, that if he ever was a success to pass the loan on to another person, who’d make use of it.
then about seven or eight years ago, he found me on the Internet and said that the loan had been passed on again with the same conditions.
I should say, this is not the only chain I’ve started, but none have kept going so long.
A Public Clock In Ipswich
I like public clocks and there’s this good example on the side of the car park at Ipswich station.
A Public Clock In Ipswich
I believe there can’t be too many public clocks.
Bacon Factory Curve Action
As the train to Woodbridge passed onto the East Suffolk Line, north of Ipswich station, it would appear that at last work is starting on creating the Bacon Factory or Ipswich North Curve to allow trains, and especially heavy freight ones, to pass to and from Felixstowe without reversing in Ipswich station.
The Anonymous Widower 