Issue 7
Lets face it , most of us at sometime in our lives
have made that fatal error of getting on the wrong train, bus or even tram. This
week I am going to take you on a journey , one the BBC thankfully never featured
in its Great Train journey series , but for the benefit of LRU members and
guests can enjoy and be amused at my adversity.
Firstly however I open with one of my recent
paintings . In issue 5, I mentioned a trip to New Plymouth transport
company , well here is one of those lorries or trucks as they call them
here with a Russian built helicopter on its trailer.The helicopters were used
for hauling logs in and out of the forests but are now heading for South Africa.
The scene shows one of the squadron heading out of New Plymouth. Hooker Pacific
are one of New Zealand's largest operators with over 800 units.
The other
painting to feature this week is more familiar to many of us, an old Liverpool
tram or Green Goddess as they nicknamed near the Pier Head. This scene will be
available from the LRU shop as a print soon. The original painting was a present
to my father in law who was born and bred in the city and travelled on the trams
and overhead railway in his youth.
Back to the train journey. As I said in
issue 1 I left for a career at sea in my early 20's. During the next five years
I would spend much of it away but there was always the return home to enjoy. One
occasion is as follows.
November 2nd 1977. We arrived off Barry in South
Wales and went to anchor, then on the midnight high tide the ship(mv Townsville
Star) was brought in . I was 4th engineer and now officially knocked off after a
seven month trip around the world. We all had a few bevies(drinks) before
turning in around 5am (going to sleep) leaving just the night aboard junior
engineer to maintain a plant watch. At 9am our relief's arrived and after
showing them around most of us ordered taxis to the station. So far so good.
However a few of us decided another can or so would be a good idea whilst we
waited. Taxis arrived about lunchtime and off we went . From Barry to Cardiff.
Change at Cardiff for Birmingham New Street. Arrive Birmingham around 5pm
to connect with north bound Lancaster train. Most of us had all split by now,
some going to Yorkshire others south . I asked the porter which was the north
bound train , he duly carried my heavy suitcases to a platform , was tipped and
a few moments later a express arrived hauled by a class 87 electric. I knew they
worked the North west line so was right but I never heard the tannoy
announcement as it came in.
Found a seat , placed my gear away and sat back
.
Off we go, time for a snooze now. A long night
before mixed with plenty of liquid refreshment was catching up. I awoke at
Preston a few hours later, all seemed good and plenty of time before the Barrow
train would leave Lancaster. About 20 minutes later into the journey I
stood up in a packed carriage and got my suitcases ready at the door ,
however we did not slow down and instead rushed right through Lancaster on the
down fast , next stop Carlisle!! Now ladies and gentlemen, if you
ever feel the whole world is watching you when you rather it wasn't , that's the
feeling walking back to your seat -the only empty one in the whole carriage at
100m.p.h.and everyone, yes everyone knows you goofed up!!
It was only to get worse. Remember 1977, no cell
phones or bank cards like today. Apart from having to explain to the
ticket collector around Shap why I had a Barry to Barrow ticket and was now
heading towards the Scottish border but he saw the funny side to it.
Arrival at Carlisle, I saw a train in the sidings that went South, without any
hesitation I jumped on it and off we went, but any ideas it would end up in
Barrow were soon dashed as I was told Whitehaven was as far as it went. Once
again another ticket collector thought I was trying to notch up a Guinness
record on how many stations one can achieve visiting in a 24 hour period. At
Whitehaven I decided to ring my parents at Barrow and tell them where I was. You
can surmise my fathers reaction and possibly thought I was loosing it and best
go back to sea.
The phone box was on the station platform and I
had taken my wallet out for the home number. I then decided sooner than try and
find a room for the night gone 11pm by now, I would get a taxi. Seven months
away and I had saved a fair amount so a cab ride was not crippling . The station
was now locked up , the cab arrives and I then realised I had left my wallet in
the phone booth, now inaccessible as the station was locked. A cold sweat
really broke out, but then I realised I had my cheque book in one of my
suitcases. We left Whitehaven and duly struck up a conversation with the driver
and the first thing was to ask if he would except a cheque, so finally around
1am on November 4th I arrived outside the frontdoor of my parents home in West
View Road .Then came the opening of all the suitcases to find the cheque
book.
If nobody in the street was expecting me home they
certainly knew I had by 1.10am.
Whilst I had a key to enter the house the chain
was on and my father who had work the same day greeted me at the door
happy to see me but rather puzzled and tired as to my timing. He went
back to bed and I had another beer to get over it .
Lesson - check train you are about to board and
listen for announcements.Try and stay sober. At Birmingham I did not hear
the announcer mention trains were running late and Barrow /Cumbria passengers to
alight at Preston for connection north on the service coming in. The following
day I walked to the Barrow Railway station and told them about my wallet. It was
handed in that morning and came down on the next service .
Finally this week ,a humorous story from our local
paper. A 51 year old man driving an American V8 muscle car decides to offer a
challenge to the high performance car which drew alongside him at the traffic
lights in Waikanae 10 miles south of Otaki. The only problem was the car he
challenged was a police car. He was stopped and booked but don't know who
won initial drag!!!
Until next week , take care and kind
regards.
Wallace
