Bonkers Train Fares

You really couldn't make this up.

If I was to catch the 13.01 train from Oxford to London Paddington on Tuesday, I could take advantage of the special fare of £4 single. However, if I caught the next train to Didcot at 13.07, going around 50 miles less will cost me 90 pence more.

That's right. Oxford to Didcot is £4.90.

It has also come to my notice that it is around 13 miles between Oxford and Didcot. However, the cost of a single train ride to London from either station during peak hours is £24.00.

Is that a fair fare? Of course it isn't. If I had a case, I would rest it.

It's a stick up!

I can't help wondering what possesses people to have one of those hangers or stickers attached to the rear screen of their car. They say something like "Tiny Person on Board" or "Baby in the Back".

If it's a safety issue warning drivers to back off, then I think it's hugely misguided.

I doubt that I am alone in driving closer to the car in question so that I can read what the sticker says.

That's got to be more dangerous hasn't it?

Surprise Surprise!

Genuine surprises are few and far between these days.

So it was an absolute pleasure to be out walking on The South Downs at the weekend to chance across an alternative to the planned pub lunch ahead.

In the village of Southease, (no pub, delightful chuch and a population of just 37) there was a small village green. On it for this Saturday only was a real ale tent, music and a chili festival.

There were bales of hay to sit on, food ranging from the wimpishly mild to the bonkers hot and a cracking relaxing atmosphere.

Naturally we stayed far too long and ended the walk much later than expected.

But it was one of those surprising marvellous moments you wouldn't miss for anything.

The Train Now Standing...

I'm old enough to remember steam train travel quite clearly. I unashamedly admit to collecting the numbers back in the fifties.

Then the engines had marvellous evocative names. Abbeys, Cathedrals, famous people, royalty, wars and battles, mountains, hills and glens.

Captions in magazines and books would always name the engine in a photograph. "The Earl of Mount Edgecumbe hauls a 10 coach passenger service up the incline from Sprodsbury Bottom." "Pendennis Castle eases out of Paddington with the 12.45 Bristolian Express."

And today? Give me strength. Trains no longer generate the same kind of excitement. Very sad. But from a names of engines point of view, it's just as well.

These days, locomotives have names like "Sir Peter Parker 1924 - 2002 Cotswold line 150", "Spalding Town", "Dartington International Summer School", "Oxfordshire 2007" and wait for it, I'm not making it up, "Helston Furry Dance".

Unbloodybelievable!

Thank you so very much...

And another thing...

I'm fed up with stopping for people at pedestrian crossings who walk across but don't have the courtesy to nod a thank you.

I'm equally hacked off with giving way to drivers who don't have the decency to acknowledge my politeness.

It seems to be happening more and more. And it makes me very cross indeed.

Phone Sex

I refer in my headline of course to the differences in phone usage by men and women.

I favour the quick call mostly to make arrangements. Say what you have to say and that's it.

Others like to talk, talk and talk more.

Whilst this is only an opinion, I believe that men tend to prefer the first route and more women the second.

I don't have a problem with this. Each to his or her own.

But one thing I have noticed and I believe it to be a "women thing" is this. Having a long conversation with someone you are about to meet. I cite Mrs. Crimper here.

She is perfectly capable of a 40 minute conversation with a friend she will see the following day. Occasionally she has been known to call someone whilst I am driving to say "we are on our way". And chatting for ages.

I just don't understand it.

I read with interest...

It's a small thing but it brings out the "old grump" in me.

The number of times you look at the letters page in a local newspaper and see the following opening to a letter:

"I read with interest that....

Talk about a statement of the obvious. If they weren't interested, they wouldn't have bothered to write in.

Quite.