Tag Archives: railway

Amol Rajan: rubbish railway worker

Posted on December 31, 2024 by Dreamaticus

Amol Rajan had given up in journalism for a job selling train tickets at London King’s Cross. When he failed to find me a split ticket for the route London-Newcastle-Edinburgh, I recommended that he return to his old role. He … Continue reading →

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Tea making, trains, a trip to Thorpe Park, and torrential rain (Rousse)

Posted on December 3, 2024 by Dreamaticus

The kitchen was so crammed with people that my Granny H struggled to reach the hob to make herself a cup of tea. In the chaos, our guest TF was trying to show us his collection of antique maps. Their … Continue reading →

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Homeless photographer takes a trip to Japan (Rousse)

Posted on January 4, 2024 by Dreamaticus

I packed away the white bed sheet that I slept in each night at the doorway of the Bethany shop on Leith Walk, Edinburgh. Then I set off to join the family reunion in Japan. As a reunion venue, a … Continue reading →

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Students, school skirts, and Swindon (Rousse)

Posted on October 17, 2023 by Dreamaticus

It might appear cruel, but I insisted that the students sit their exams at desks lined up outside on the main road in the pouring rain. If they got soaked, I had a supply of grey school skirts in a … Continue reading →

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Misplaced Midlands towns (Rousse)

Posted on September 3, 2023 by Dreamaticus

After delivering my lecture on the management of book groups, I met my old school mates for another of our ad hoc reunions. The location of the venue was meant to be a surprise. When I opened my eyes I … Continue reading →

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New miniature railway attraction in formal French garden at Uig Sands (Rousse)

Posted on August 6, 2023 by Dreamaticus

The proprietor of the bed and breakfast was just as surprised as we were to find a formal French garden, complete with a miniature railway, laid out between his guest house and the vast beach of Uig Sands.

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Lost Middle Earth maps (Rousse)

Posted on May 28, 2023 by Dreamaticus

I let the precious loose-leaf atlas of Middle Earth drop from my hands at just the wrong moment. The fragile leather binder that held Tolkein’s hand-drawn maps fell to the floor of the railway carriage. It slid along the parquet … Continue reading →

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Watch Lola! (Rousse)

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Dreamaticus

I screamed at everyone in the railway carriage that they must watch the just-released cinematic masterpiece Lola.

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A boat trip to Greenock (Rousse)

Posted on September 25, 2022 by Dreamaticus

I couldn’t reach SD’s house in Stirling in time for our book group meeting so made a separate arrangement to meet LM in Greenock. While I streamed the gathering in SD’s garden to my phone, I negotiated the ticket barrier … Continue reading →

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Stirling to Edinburgh train services slashed (Rousse)

Posted on August 23, 2022 by Dreamaticus

I met ECM at Waverley station. From there we caught the train to a destination that ECM had been desperate to visit for decades. Unfortunately Stirling was a great disappointment, so after a quick look at the dowdy main street, … Continue reading →

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