Funebrial Fun? A Fond Farewell (2)

Sunday 27th Oct - a P.S.

On arrival at Northampton station, fbb was confident that he would soon and easily be able to catch a bus to The Drapery and there to enjoy his (ultimately failed) KFC three pieces,  fries and a drink "meal".

On inspection, the old boy discovered that Route 8 would whizz past all the shops and dump him in the bus station, not far away but extra to creak after a long train journey. 

So service 9/9A it was. The timetable stated Drapery Bay 22 ...

... which would involve a lesser walk.

Oh foolish one! Oh ignorant one! If only Alan were there to advise!

Evenings and Sundays the service is a 9B, innit, and it doesn't stop in The Drapery. Like the 8 it carries you into the bus station. ...

... where it forms a limited service to the Hospital.

So fbb travelled only one stop from the station and alighted in Gold Street near where Wilco isn't any more ...

... and toddled the short distance to where KFC isn't any more!

After a Mac-sumpuous "meal" (NOT!), it was not too far to the Premier Inn Swan Street.

Gold Street, upper left

The Drapery, top left

Swan Street, bottom right

Readers will, perhaps, forgive fbb a little nostalgia fest in memory of his late friend of 70 years.

To get to the gaffe he needed to walk via Mercers Row ...

... where town buses used to collect their passengers.

Then past the end of Abington Street ...

... where town buses used to collect their passengers.

He walked on via Wood Hill ...

... where town buses used to collect their passengers.

On the way, he noted that the town centre's underground toilets (on Wood Hill; entrance with ironwork arch just visible in front of the phone boxes) ...

... have gone, leaving the phone boxes ..,

... with a wide pavement and no subterranean entrance! 

fbb wonders where you go, now, to go!

Of course the buses went long ago and moved into Greyfriars bus station, now demolished ...

... but they returned to The Drapery when the council planners realised that the new bus station (the old fish market) would be too small.

To what extent has the progressive removal of buses from the town centre contributed to the decline of traditional shopping areas and their replacement by fast food shops and estate agents?

fbb passed The Guildhall (Northampton's Civic HQ of old) ...

... down Guildhall Road past the Museum ...

... and at the next junction, he noted ...

... Angel Street, where, in the basement of the Museum ...

... Alan began his lifelong career as a librarian. The County Library then moved from the cellars to the former CWS cheese warehouse ...

... behind which was the fbb Premier Inn.

The County and the Borough library services merged so Alan moved to the latter in the aforementioned but now bus-less Abington Street.

 

Bus-less you note, but not taxi-less. Seems a bit unfair on bus passengers?

Unfortunately, fbb had forgotten his Premier Inn official head dress as per the latest advert ...

... but he still had a good night's sleep on a "comfy bed" before the funeral on Monday 28th.

But the gaffe was very close to Northampton's other "main" railway station, St Johns Street ...

... the long-closed Midland Railway terminus of the line to Bedford.

Is there anything left?

There may be a chance to have a look on the way to the funeral itself.  Friday  will reveal all!

And soon there will be a truly joyous tribute to Northampton Alan.

 Next Inspection blog : Thursday 14th Nov