Public Transport Experience: Funebrial Fun? A Fond Farewell (1)

Funerals always offer the "congregation" a bit of a challenge. Northampton correspondent Alan's involved sadness, memories and "saying goodbye". He and fbb had been chums for almost 70 years!

But would it really be goodbye - God be with you - would it be "a dieu", "a l'enfer" or even "au revoir" - in either location?

But your usually respectful attendee at such events couldn't avoid a wry smile at the unusually named Clarabut and Plumbe; and he did wonder why Bedford undertakers should be undertaking for Northampton Alan.

More on the events of Monday 28th Oct will manifest itself in a later posting.

But first the old bloke had to get there on Sunday 27th. As his helicopter was away for its MOT, a quick nip on Monday morn was not practicable.

Church finished at approx 1015 on Sunday, so South Western Railway ...

... London Underground ...

... and London Northwestern Railway ...

... offered a suitable journey plan.

And that is exactly what fbb did.

The train to Waterloo was well loaded as fbb observed yet another example of the delighs of modern technology.

It is SO easy to pay by phone!

Only it wasn't. A combination of the passenger's phone and the guards TWO phones failed to deliver a satisfactory transaction.

Heyho. Back to sheets of crushed wood pulp and a Bic pen ...

... and the deal was reliably done.

The Underground was scary. It must be a good few years since you blogger crossed London thus and without thebhelp and encouragement of Mrs fbb!

A lengthy stagger, two escalators down and a staircase ditto at Waterloo ...

... then a staircase up, a lengthy corridor stagger ..

... and two escalators up at Euston.

But fbb was expecting to appear here on the main concourse ...

... but instead he found himself rising to ground level in some sort of shed and appearing outside in the driving rain. Well it wasn't driving but it might have been.

Confused.com!

By the time the old codger got to Euston, he was beginning to cope with scary escalators!

Then there was fbb's over-full four coach train.

The timetable ...

... and the live on-line "journey progress" diagram ...

... Showed stops at

Leighton Buzzard

Bletchley

Milton Keynes

Wolveron

Northampton

and on to Birmingham.

But the indicators and announcements at Euston showed the first stop as Milton Keynes. The on-train non-human announcer and indicator ...

... both revealed that the first stop would be Milton Keynes.

Whatever happened to Leighton Buzzard and Bletchley?

The train stopped at both but the exchange of any passengers was far from obvious.

Weird!

The timetable, you will note, said it was an eight coach train, very much needed, but it was but four!

After leaving Wolverton, a real voice blasted from the speakers. Apparently, there would be a "unit swap" at Northampton.

Upon arrival at platform 2, all onward passengers towards Birmingham were told to transfer to the train on platform 3 which was indeed an eight coach formation.

It would have been nicer if someone had opened the doors!

Meanwhile, the indicators on platform 2 showed the terminated, locked and barred train as ...

... the 1609 to Birmingham. Whilst on platform 3 where stood the actual 1609 for Birmingham ...

... the clever system showed the next Brum departure at 1640!

Presumably the only person working for Notwork Rail's Euston lines on a Sunday was not trained in the skills of changing the pre-ordained route setting.

Isn't technology wonderful?

An fbb suggestion ...

... plus, of course, some of this.

It is a tried and tested reliable technology - as long as you don't run out of chalk.

But the big disappointment of the day was with fbb's chosen early evening meal plans ...

... c/o Colonel Harlan Sanders as shown above, extracted from web information. But, despite it's being all on line, no such gustatory emporium exists.

The alternative, a German kebab shop, was not to the old man's taste.

It was a descent to the big "M" for a very thin double cheeseburger 'n' fries ....

... a very poor alternative.

And yet more technological nonsense. Apparently fbb couldn't have "tea" with his "meal" (don't snigger too much!). So to satisfy his liquidity needs, the till receipt shows "1 Med Coke"...

... but tea was supplied. £1.27 is not a bad price for a much-needed cuppa.