Single handed.

Today was the day I was to be left to my own devices. It started out as a very warm day but there was a lovely mist when I got up to make the tea. Helen was all packed and ready so rather than just sit and wait we decided to amble down to the town and over to the station. Despite an amble in the heat we were still half an hour early.

Waiting in the shade at the top of the ramp up from the ticket hall to the north bound platform No.1.

Helen had three changes and the worst for her was nine minutes but fortunately all went well and she managed to get home on time.

The Train approaching Platform 1 is going to Leicester, Helen's first change.

There are many trains heading south to London Paddington so making Market Harborough a commuter town. The first railway line came from the London and North Western Railway in 1850 and the the original station was built then. In 1857 the Midland Railway came in 1857 and shared the station with LNWR. The Midland later built a high level line and in 1879 the tracks were quadrupled and a new station, the current one, was opened in 1885. By the 1960's the old LNWR line was reduced to very little traffic and closed all together in 1966. At this time the platform canopies etc. were removed but the station building was spared. In 1981 the building was renovated to what it is today.

The Midland Railway Station building.

The line is supposed to be straightened and the platforms lengthened and the Midland main line electrified and this will speed up travel times to London to 60 minutes or under.

A Jubilee class locomotive leaving Market Harborough for the south in 1960.

On the way back I did a little shopping and queuing at the post office before getting back to the boat and resting in the heat. In the end I roused my self and put on a load of washing and then went down the engine hole to complete de-rusting the port side of the engine hole. By the time that had been down the washing needed hanging up and then back down the hole to paint it with anti rust paint ready for painting green tomorrow.