10:00.

We’re just packing up here in Surrey before heading back North once more in a game of motorway ping-pong that we’ve been playing quite a bit recently. The kids have gone to school, Dawn’s brother’s waiting for his flight back from Spain, I’ve stuffed the car with our luggage, so all that’s left is to take ‘Tilly’, the family’s Cairn Terrier for a walk then we can head off.

The weather’s dry but dull so the journey shouldn’t be too onerous and we’re in no rush. The plan is to have a minor diversion in Northamptonshire to have a look at some of the High-Speed 2 construction sites, so expect some pictures later…

11:25.

We’re on the way! Driving through the centre of Farnham was interesting. The town was dead and the roads quiet. You could see from the numbers of cars parked up in people’s driveways at many folks are back working from home. Mind you, in an affluent area like this they have both the space and the type of jobs that allow that to happen.

12:00.

We’re currently bowling along the M4 which is busier than we thought it might be but nothing like normal.

15:30.

We’re now making steady progress up the M1 in Nottinghamshire after a stop at Brackley to have a look at the HS2 work. I’ll add more details and pictures later but our visit confirmed that work on this section is in its early stages compared to other parts of the route. This gave me chance to get some shots which will be an interesting contrast to what it will look like in six months time when earthmoving is in earnest. Here’s where the bridge is being built to allow HS2 to pass under a realigned A43.

We covered a loop from Brackley which took us past the old Great Central station where the street level booking office has been converted to a chip shop and poodle parlour!