| Last Week |
Monday, 3rd June |
Tuesday, 4th June |
Wednesday, 5th June |
E-mail from the Vintage Trains people, with timings for the Cosford Flyer on Sunday. There were apologies for the late despatch, which was because Network Rail didn't finalise the path until now. Paper tickets will be posted, first class. I suspect because this will be because of the enclosed Cosford admission ticket.
First class post should be here tomorrow, or maybe Friday, since VT are posting in the afternoon.
Thursday, 6th June |
Friday, 7th June |
Saturday, 8th June |
Tickets finally arrived, just before I left to travel to Birmingham.
So, Tube from Ealing Broadway to Euston, via Central Line to Oxford Circus, and onward via the Victoria Line to Euston, where I made a very good connection to a Virgin Trains Pendolino to Bormingham New Street (good as in 1 minute to spare) My ticket for this part of the trip was an open 30-day return - any train outbound on a fixed day, return by any train up to 30 days later. More expensive, but worth it for the flexibility.
Then I took taxi to my pre-booked B&B hotel, although I didn't book (and couldn't have eaten, anyway, because times) breakfast. I did excurse for a pub meal, though.
And so to bed.
Sunday, 9th June |
RAF Cosford Airshow 2019 |
Time paranoia kept me awake half the night. I hadn't realised how used I've become to all the clocks striking the hours. Of course, my phone had alarms set, but even so...
Another taxi got me back to New Street in beaucoup time for the steam train, which wasn't listed on the destination boards. Judicious enquiry suggested Platform 10, so I adjourned there. And waited... And waited... Eventually someone announced a platform change - platform 9. And, sure enough, Clun Castle steamed in a few minutes later. This was an en route pickup, so I had no time for photos.
Less than an hour (and my pre-booked bacon roll) later, we arrived at Cosford station, which is right next to the airfield, although the people entrance is a half-mile walk. This was in plenty of time for the actual displays, so I found myself a place on the audience line, set up my chair and waited.
It was a good display, and the weather remained good enough, so there were some sights to be seen (and sounds to be heard...) I managed to find the Planes TV tent, and ordered the show Blu-Ray, discovering in the process that they aren't doing Dunsfold this year, which means I don't need to search there next weekend.
The scheduled train departure was before the end of the show, so I missed the last few items, but they were of less interest.
Crowd and train management at the station was shambolic - but at least they kept the steam buffs in a separate queue. Eventually, we embarked, and steamed off. At New Street, I decided to have a sandwich and coffee before catching the train back to London, which again was a success, albeit there was a delay due to a (minor) train fault.
Getting home was the inverse of the outbound trip, including persuading Jane to collect me from the station, rather than me getting a bus.
A good outing, all-in-all, albeit expensive. And so to bed.
| Last Week |