New Readers
I was given a write-up in the Ipswich Town program today and some people who visit, may have been directed from the program.
Don’t take anything I say too seriously, as underneath it all I try to amuse and inform. Remember too, I have other interests outside Ipswich Town, like art, architecture, engineering and trains. I also feel that one of the ways we’re going to get this country out of the mess it’s in, is by appreciating what we’ve got here in these Isles and enjoying it. Who would have thought that a visit to Middlesbrough or Crewe could be so enjoyable. But they genuinely were and I shall be visiting other places in the next few months, that might be equally unpromising. Hopefully, they’ll be equally enjoyable, even if Town don’t win or the trip has nothing to do with football.
The next trips will be Portsmouth and Scunthorpe.
Feel free to post comments. I reserve the right to remove those that are not constructive!
Confusion Over Train Fares, Barriers and Call Centres
The railways are very much the media’s target and a big storm seems to have been kicked up in the last few days over what constitutes off-peak travel. The only off-peak set of rules that bother me are those out of Kings Cross on First Capital Connect, where the cheaper tickets are not available on trains leaving the capital between 16:30 and 19:00. But even that can always be bypassed by taking a Cambridge train from Tottenham Hale. I also think that if I buy an off-peak return ticket from Newmarket or Dullingham, then I can use the ticket on the forbidden trains, as I bought the ticket on National Express East Anglia. It is not too onerous and I haven’t been delayed yet.
One issue I do have is at Cambridge, where if I’m travelling from Newmarket, I can’t pass through the barriers to do my shopping in the Marks and Spencer in the station. You used to be able to do this and it was a reliable way to get my supper. And whilst on the subject of ticket barriers, if I buy a London Travelcard on the train between Newmarket and Cambridge, then it tends not to work the barriers on the London Underground.
Usually though when I book on-line for a long trip, I don’t have any issues with off-peak or not, as I choose the route and time and this then tells me what trains I can catch and what the prices are. The system works well.
One thing that could be done is to make it more obvious on some web sites, where the train I’m going to catch is going. For instance, if I’d known that my train to Crewe was going on to Chester, I might have changed my plans before I left. As it was, it wouldn’t have made any difference to me, but others might want to perhaps go a little further to see great Aunt Emma.
But one thing the web sites don’t do is allow the purchase of multiple tickets.
On Saturday, I’m getting up early and taking a train from Whittlesford Parkway to Tottenham Hale, as I’m going house-hunting in the morning in Islington. I’m then taking a train out of Liverpool Street to Ipswich for the match against Bristol City. Then after the match it’s back home via the train from Ipswich towards Cambridge. I will have to purchase three single tickets, as I can’t buy these tickets on the web and pick them up at the same time at Whittlesford, where there is a collection machine. It is all the more extraordinary in practice as all trains are the same company; National Express East Anglia.
I did try their call centre and because my voice isn’t that good, the guy on the phone couldn’t understand what I was trying to do. He thought I was trying to get from Whittlesford to Liverpool. The answer to that is probably the old one about not starting from there!
So today, when I go into Cambridge to play tennis, I’ll buy the tickets at the booking office.
Looking at Ipswich Town’s fixtures for this season, I can see several of these multiple trips looming. For instance on the eleventh of September I am going to Portsmouth and on the way, I’ll be breaking my journey to Fratton at Micheldever to have lunch with a friend. So it will be a single from say Cambridge, Whittlesford or Dullingham to Micheldever, another to Fratton and then another from Fratton back to home.
The solution to these multiple trip problems already exist. It’s called a OysterCard. But then I’d need to register my Senior Railcard in some way to get the discount on the trains. Alternatively, we could use scannable tickets like they do on Eurostar or Italian trains.
Let’s hope that a new system replaces the current mess soon. I’d prefer some form of scannable ticket, that I can print before I leave. These tickets could also carry additional information. But please not let’s make it a phone app, as these phones are just not robust enough for someone who drops them like I do.
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.
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.
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.
