Significant Swanwick & Sheffield Schedule

Huge technical problems with today's blog, still unresolved at 0400. Must get some more sleep.

Provoked (Nicely) By Mrs fbb

It began as a tastefully extended mansion in acres of grounds at Swanwick Derbyshire, expanded to include the three storey "Garden House" (below, upper right) and a quadrangle of rooms attached to he original house as in the old aerial view.

But it has expanded almost beyond recognition.  

Note that the old and much loved "Garden House" famed for its creaky floor and staircases (it was built of wood) has gone and is replaced by something less creaky (still upper right).

Mrs fbb's party did not occupy the whole conference centre (!) but was a small group of 20 women meeting for prayer and buble study.

"I will travel with you," said fbb magnanimously, "and go on to Sheffield to meet soime old chums - mostly VERY old!"

All you have to do is to get off the same train as me, but at Derby on the Tuesday ...

... catch a bus to the bus station ...

... and then a bus to Swanwick." 

Pause for a grim expression from Mrs fbb.

Just do the same sort of thing in reverse when coming back on Thursday.

"I've got a better idea," riposted the good lady ... 

... "we will both travel to Sheffield on the Monday, you can stay there and I will return south to Swanwich on the Tuesday. I will return to Sheffield on the Thursday and we will travel back to Seaton together on Friday.

After giving a nod of subservient agreement, fbb was given the job of putting a plan together.

"And we catch up with Peter and Judith for a meal on Monday evening; and see Caleb (grandson) for a meal on Thursday evening!" said Mrs fbb triumphantly.

So plans were made!

Snag One

No journeys available

from Axminster to

Sheffield via Exeter

ar 1006 in 24/6/24

So said the National Rail journey planner on checking a few days before. Clearly it was electronic hyper-twaddle.

Bur fbb always goes to the reliable source of ticket information and supply and bought them from Axminster station.

So tickets were bbought for a journey which, acording to National Rail.com cannot be supplied.

Good innit?

So to Axminster Station for the 1006 on Monday 24th.

And, gasps of horror, this appeared on line.

Still unable to purchase but cancelled as well!

But no apology on the platform and this on the signs ...

... which looked very much like the fbb's 1006.

And here comes the cancelled 1006, running sedately into platform 1.

So it wasn't cancelled. It was, maybe, a wider problem with their journey, but as yet they didn't realise it!

Snag Two

But their connection from Exeter (1127 to Edinburgh) was cancelled.

Can you understand the "excuse"?

At first glance it appeared that the train was running fron Exeter; but as fbb watched the on-line page with much relief, it changed before his very eyes!

... to being available only from Bristol.

But worse was to come. It transpired that the previous Cross Country train to the 1127 from Exeter had also been cancelled. Whilst there were alternatives to Bristol, the fbbs were stuck with an enjoyable (?) extra hour at St Davids station.

And, of course, when the 1227 arrived, the fbb's reservations had gone and there were three lots of passengers fighting for seats on one five car Voyager.

In theory the train had one "unreserved" coach which served for three train's worth of unreserved passengers! The fbbs stayed in their original coach D and played musical chairs until settling on a couple of "no shows" together (sweet) from Birmingham to Sheffield.

The journey was bearable, just.  The hour's lateness did not affect their plans but did dramatically reduce the time for a cuppa and a snooze in the hotel before setting out again for the evening.

Then Comes Snag Three

On return from yesterday's deliverance of Mrs fbb to Chesterfield, fbb set about preparing today's blog and ...

Google Photos declined to pass the pictures on from phone to laptop. The only way fbb could get at his photos, was to email a select few to himself, wait an aeon for the email to ackle, and then use the pictures in this blog.

By now it was getting near bed time!

The Monday evening plan was to visit Peter and Judith who lived very close to where the fbbs once lived in "Upper" Fulwood about 40 years ago.

The fbb;s former residence is seen through the tree on the right and Peter and Judith live off on the left at the brow of the hill.

It was an emotional journey looking back all those 40 years. But the bus wasn't a route 60 any more it was  a 120k.

"k"?

More about that variant in due course,

Additionally, it was good to see appropriately liveried buses on Sheffield services.

It isn't going anywhere near Doncaster!

If Google Pictures sorts itself out, fbb will be going to Chesterfield, virtially, in tomorrow's blog.

And apologies for the limitations of today's posting! It was a challenging evening, probably more so than with some sporting event that took place yesterday!

 Next Twisted Spire blog : Thursday 27th June