Blog A Day - Day 7: A Woeful Weekend

Good Morning.

As the old saying always goes "when it rains, it pours" and Saturday 7th December truly proved sod's law (Murphy's law). Also - for future reference, as kindly as possible:

Don't. Book. Trains. On. The. Day. Of. A. Storm. (Or moderately windy weather).

Should be common sense, but I've learnt that now.

Friday 6th December, 2024

Dawn.

I slowly awoke and realise it's Friday - Payday.

After assigning different amounts of money to the essentials (food, rent electric etc.) - I look at the left over amount and realise that I had planned to go on a "Central Connect Road Trip" the following day.

After carefully arranging my house of cards, I went about my day, going to bed that night at 00:45

Saturday 7th Decemeber, 2024

The Original Plan The original plan was to take 2 trains up to Newark-Upon-Trent, Central Connect's most Northernly Service and then use Central Connect bus routes to get back home/back to Essex/Harlow. (Train 1: Stansted Airport - Peterborough Train 2: Peterborough - Newark-Upon-Trent)

Along the way I wanted:

1. How "Connect'ed" the Service was (in towns, and to my next service)

2. How many services I could spot.

   
   

Where there weren't Connect-ions (I know. Terrible.), I'd hop on a train to the next town where there was

The Execution

I woke up at 2:50am after exactly 2 hours of sleep.

It was an early start as I had to prepare myself to catch a local bus at 4am.

I instantly realised I made a grave error - I had booked a return trip - I only needed a single.

I then booked a train for 7:30am (previously booked a trip for 5:30am wanting to make the most of the day). Okay, fine, I had a few more hours sleep. Fine.

I then woke up at 4:30am, to catch the local bus at 6:30am. Fine.

It was "moderately" blustery, but nothing more than I had experienced at the Race Of Remembrance in Wales on several occasions. I got to Stansted Airport, went to the trains aaaand everything was cancelled.

and just like that

An ant burped and my tower of cards came crashing down

A member of staff informed me no trains were going to Cambridge and my best bet would be to go to Bishop's Stortford and then change over at Cambridge/Ely.

I had booked my train tickets (on Friday) so there was leeway for my train to be late - but not cancelled.

Originally, the plan was to arrive in Newark Northgate at 07:41am

After everything, I'd eventually arrive at Newark Northgate at 10:47am From there, everything just snowballed - after catching the 11:06am "24" bus to the bus station.

No, it wasn't Central - but I like how Newark had a "#24" service servicing the bus and train station - also completely empty - reminded me of home!

I only JUST missed the 11:30am #90 Central Connect bus to Nottingham - but it allowed me time to explore Newark (-On-Trent). It seemed quiet.

Annoyingly, I didn't quite have enough time to see the supposedly impressive "St. Mary Magdalene Church" - but did manage to get a picture of a smaller one.

I jumped onboard the 12:15 #90 to Nottingham and had an absolutely lovely chat with the driver who was incredibly friendly.

At an hour and 10 minutes (one way) - I truly believe this is one of Central Connect's longest routes.

Due to the "North/South divide" there was a little bit of a gap in services, so I nipped on a train down to Leicester where my journey continued. No problems.

And that's where everything came a little...unstuck.

I'd arrive at Nottingham for 1:10pm, hop on the 1:45pm service from Nottingham to Leicester arriving at 2:02pm

On a map, I saw the "NovusDirect" buses floating around - from media online, I saw these were green - so was incredibly interested if they ACTUALLY ran a green livery (paint-job) or if it was outdated...

After finally realising I was at the wrong bus-stop (the right one being across the road) I eventually waited for the 3:07pm bus (after missing the 2pm & 2:37pm)

To my utter delight - it was indeed green - and not only that, the interior was absolutely luxurious (well, compared to what we have in Essex & Hertfordshire) offering tables, backwards seating and overhead electronic "STOP" buttons - the steering wheel itself was also a variation from what I've seen down south.

After a thrilling (it wasn't bad, I'm not going to lie) ride down the New Lubbesthorpe and back to the Station, it was time to continue the journey...

Except it wasn't.

So. I arrive back in the station at 4:20pm.

Next train is at 5:12pm. Fine, I'll have a bite to eat, warm up in WHSmith.

5:12pm comes and passes. My train has been delayed by an hour.

These things happen.

6:12pm.

There's an alternative service at 7:19pm if this one doesn't go through.

I lose a glove in a train station that I bought literally an hour before.

Yeah, I'm stuck here. I give up on the Road-Trip, my new priority is to get home.

Central's trips are ending and I can't get any pictures in the dark.

Eventually there's an alternative. A train from Peterborough to Bedford.

• From Bedford, swap over onto the rail replacement coach to Hitchin.

• Once at Hitchin, catch a train to Welwyn Garden City.

• The 724 Bus from WGC to Harlow, and then one more bus back home

I got home at about 10pm and went straight to sleep.

After this ordeal, Sunday was trying to get over the guilt of trying to get this done on the same day as a storm - but it was my last Saturday available for at least 3 months.

I threw a lot of money at trains on Saturday - but got £41.10 back in refunds, so all in all, I had a fun day out (before Leicester), rode on Central's most Nothernly and longest (I THINK) route, got to ride on the very fancy NovusDirect, rode a nice coach (rail-replacement) and got gloves and 2 pairs of gloves (1 and a half now)

Sunday was also very difficult emotionally - processing the previous day and a rather difficult morning at work - but I suppose it ended alright.

So that brings us on to today, Monday. A new week and a new start with Week 13 just 14 hours away.

Today? I'm on 21's, so could be worse.

Tomorrow's blog: Since this one was meant to be out on Saturday, Sunday's blog is my iRacing 2025 Preview, followed by the Week 13 Preview on Monday.

Then it's Week 13!

Thank you for reading.

Who knows, maybe in 2025 I'll give this another shot?