One two buckle my shoe. Actually I’m wearing flipflops but that phrase just rolled off the tongue, rolled off the tongue. I’m sat in seat E5 on the 09:20 express awaiting departure. I’m v early. Half an hour early. The Enterprise car hire branch manager dropped me off, fair play. Cost me seven quid to fill the petrol tank to the brim before returning the car.
The car had been provided to me by the AA as part of my breakdown package when they collected campervan Betty. The 72 hour hire from Monday morning was perfect as this morning I am off to Laaandaan for the CCUK Annual Awards Ceremony. Fingers crossed eh?
Two LNER drivers sat in the coach discussing signalling . One of them is clearly the learner. The “old hand” is speaking with a mouthful of the bacon bap I spotted before him as I walked by his seat. I can’t actually see the old hand now from E5.
The branch manager btw commutes from Loughborough and was transferred from Nottingham as part of a job promotion. It’s a job innit.
The learner has departed to the staff bit at the front. All is now quiet on the Coach E front.
I skipped breakfast this morning on the basis that LNER would shove a bacon roll in my direction. I had pondered stopping off at the burger van outside Wickes for what would have been a more substantial bacon roll than the one on offer on the train but figured that small diversion carried an element of inbuilt time uncertainty so I played safe. Not particularly hungry anyway after last night’s sausage baguette.
The news this morning is all about how the England football team did not win yet another World Cup. THG and the others gathered to watch in the shed last night were all gutted. I did want England to win because I am married to a huge fan even though had they gone on to win the final itself we would never have heard the end of it. We are still hearing about 1966, albeit somewhat wistfully, nay frustratedly. It’s the same every time. The fans all get excited only to have their hopes dashed on the rocks of some distant shore.
The train is now pulling away at precisely 09:20. By 09:39 I’ve finished my bacon roll. It isn’t too bad although not in the same league as the full English at seat service of old. The Lincoln trains never have full English on offer but if the station of origin is Edinburgh or some simlar distant and exotic urban area then it is on the menu. It isn’t the full English of old though. Small plate, small portions. I remember once catching the train from Newark and had planned to have breakfast on the train. The steward said all they had left was a piece of toast which I was forced to order on the basis that otherwise I’d have had no brekkie. In my annoyance. He returned 5 mins later to say that even that toast had gone. I lived.
So today and tomorrow are pleasant days out in Town. The things you have to do eh? Someone’s got to. I’ll be missing this afternoon’s golf but these are sacrifices we have to make.