Trains and boats but no planes.

I have been home for a meeting and I am now back on the boat. It was a very busy time at home so apologise for not posting anything. The longest bit of the trip really was the bus trip from Barton to Lichfield as I had to get a much earlier one as they were few and far between. I got the train from Lichfield Trent Valley and then realised that the next stop was Lichfield City. When I lived in the area the two stations weren't linked.

Trent Valley Station has the main line below the line that runs above. The train running from the high level goes through Birmingham to Redditch and is electrified and very frequent with smart trains. I relived the journey I used to take from Sutton Coldfield to Birmingham.

Birmingham New Street was a new station from the 1960's and always reminds me of a communist station of old as it is all under ground and has now redeeming features. It is in the middle of a major face lift above and below ground. For me it can only be an improvement what ever they do.

I had about 30 mins to wait for my train to Doncaster. I had a seat reservation for this leg and it was busy on the X Counrty service to Newcastle.

I quite like Docaster Station as it has few pretensions but is a workman like place with plenty happening as well as the fast no stopping through train line. Again I had about 30 mins wait which is ideal as it gives you a little leeway for a late train and time for any dash to another platform

Doncaster Station is close by the visitor moorings on the canal and from there we went past our old moorings at Thorne and at Goole before passing under the Humber Bridge and arriving at Paragon Station, Hull. I would always recommend sitting on the right hand side of the train (st'bd would perhaps be a better description) as you then get a good view across the river and the Humber Bridge. Every train was on time, every train was clean and tidy and there were seats for all too.

I wonder what they will do to Hull Station for the year of culture.

Whilst at home I managed to spend some good time with my Mum and do the little jobs she had for me. I spent time with No.1 daughter too. My meeting went well and of course I went to vote too. Helen did have a proxy vote for me for when I was at sea but if you are home you can vote in person. We went at about 1030 and there was a queue. I normally vote in the evening and I can never remember ever having to queue up before. I wonder what the turn out will be, or maybe it was just the time when everybody goes.

Today I traveled form Hull to Sheffield and we mad up the five minutes delay we had by the time we arrived at Sheffield. I can recommend the bar on the platform at Sheffield. When we were here on the boat we saw that the exterior of the station has been modernised and looks very nice too.

Sheffield is also a busy station with trains arriving and departing regularly to help pass the few minutes I had to wait.

Again I had a X Country train that had started in Edinburgh and was ending in Penzance. That is a hell of a trip. It seemed to turn into a stopping train from Bristol onwards. I wonder how many times they change the driver and crew on that trip? This time I changed trains again at Tamworth

 

Tamworth is another station that has a high and low level and like Lichfield Trent Valley has no historical buildings etc to make it look very attractive. I had only a few minutes trip to Lichfield Trent Valley station where once again we arrived on time.

I had been hoping that we would be early so that I can just dash and get the bus to Barton but unfortunately just by the time I got to the top of the road the bus went passed. That meant that I had an hour and three quarters to wait for a bus. I walked the mile and a half into the town centre and wandered round the shops and then found a pub selling Joules beer so that solved the problem of how to spend the time. I was soon back at the boat and tucking into a spaghetti bolognaise and rice pudding. Helen has booked for us to go to the cinema here at the marina to see Far from the Madding Crowd.