Saturday 11 April 2009

Six modes of transport

Today was the day for going back to Warwickshire to get the car. I got up at 07:00 and I was soon on the internet again, looking up train times. Again. I'd remembered too late last night that splitting the train journey and getting separate tickets often results in a cheaper overall fare. I quickly discovered that if I got a ticket from Nantwich to Crewe it would cost £2.10; and from Crewe to Rugby £10.90. Total £13.00, compared with the Nantwich to Rugby fare (one ticket) of £33! And my tickets weren't bought in advance but on the train. Isn't our train system ludicrous?

The only way this would all work would be to get the 08:17 from Nantwich, rather earlier than I'd been intending. So I hurriedly put a few things in my rucksack and cycled to the station. One thing I remembered was my GPS device: I could see how fast the train was going! (We touched 102 mph at one point.)

One stipulation with the £10.90 ticket was that it had to be on a London Midland train, which went "the scenic route" according to the guard. And very scenic it was, criss-crossing most of the canals we'd been on this cruise - and a few more. The trains connected at Crewe exceptionally well (straight off the Nantwich train onto the Rugby one); and I had to wait only fifteen minutes for the bus to Stockton. The bus dropped me off right by the marina, so I got straight in the car and headed back to Nantwich to pick up my bike which I'd left at the station. With the bike in the boot I headed down the Shroppie (by road, obviously), meetng up with Shadow at The Shady Oak just north of Beeston.

There I was greeted by Ally and Ben, who'd made a surprise visit (well, a surprise for Jan, anyway). For lunch we ate as much as we coud of the left-overs of yeaterday's mega-Indian. This time it fed another two people - and there was still some remaining! (See yesterday's post for more on this.)

After lunch, and after driving Ben and Ally to their car, we set off in Shadow towards Chester. We got as far as Christleton before caling it a day and tying up.

Tomorrow we plan on an early start so as to get to Chester Cathedral (by boat, of course) for the 10:00 Easter Sunday service.

My six modes of transport today:

walk
cycle
train
bus
car
boat

3 comments:

Vallypee said...

Well, apart from air, you've more or less done them all there ;-)

I also find the trains a mystery these days. I tried to book a ticket from Newcastle to Ludlow and back, and ended up hiring a car because I couldn't figure out the train timetable.

John and Fiona on nb Epiphany said...

Shadow! I have been following Halfie's blog for ages - but hadn't put two and two together ... until now!
Shadow ... Chester Cathedral .... modes of transport - it all drops into place!

It was good to meet you today. Keep up the good work. Hope to see you again soon.

WPBW

John & Fiona from
nb Epiphany - Our blog

Halfie said...

VallyP, I was going to hire a car until I found it would be possible only if I had a credit card. I'm glad I went by train in the end, especially when I "beat the system".

John and Fiona, sorry, I should have mentioned my blog - and my nom-de-plume - when talking to you. Yes, good to meet you. Now to check out your blog...