08:25.

We’ve been up since 07:00, not a time we’d normally expect to be supping coffee on a Sunday, but today we’re heading to Swansea for tomorrow’s Community Rail Awards. This could be an interesting trip. First we head to Manchester to meet up with other members of the CRA team, then we catch a Transport for Wales service all the way to Cardiff, which takes 5 hours. That could be the first ‘fun’ bit as (having checked) I can see that it’s worked by a two-car class 197, so it could get cosy! It being Sunday, the line from Cardiff to Swansea is closed for engineering work to take place, so it’s the dreaded ‘bustitution’ for the rest of the way. Just what you need when you’re carrying all the kit you need for an awards ceremony and a couple of nights away!

Feel free to pop back later and see how the journey unfolds….

10:00.

We’re on our way on our first train of the day – Northern’s 09:50 from Halifax to Manchester Victoria. As it’s early on a Sunday and it’s a four-car there’s no problem in finding a seat.

10:30.

We’ve left the wet weather behind by crossing the Pennines into Gtr Manchester. Whilst our train filled up after calling at Rochdale the journey’s still relaxed. Next stop is Victoria…

10:45.

Ha! I should’ve known better. We’re in Manchester, so of course it’s raining! Not that it natters as we’ve just joined a packed TPE service bound for the airport which will deliver us to Piccadilly.

11:40.

Half A dozen of the team have met at Piccadilly and joined TfW’s 11:29 to Cardiff. Thankfully, it’s one of the new CAF built Class 197s and we’ve managed to secure a couple of tables behind the cab despite the usual scramble for seats. Now the tables are awash with laptops and mobile phones as folk make final preparations for the awards and a few days away.

13:40.

We’ve had a surprisingly good journey so far. At one point we were losing time to Shrewsbury but now we’ve mad that up on the approach to Hereford. The biggest surprise has been the amount of flooded fields around Moreton-On-Lugg. It’s horrendous. Fields have become vast lakes and some roads look like they’re impassible unless you have a 4X4. I really feel for the farmers as the rivers draining the area clearly can’t cope, so planting anything is impossible.

17:00

Made it! All in all, that’s been a very good journey. We were into Cardiff on time and the dreaded ‘bustitution’ worked like a dream. We were off the train and after a toilet stop we were straight onto a coach for the rest of the trip to Swansea. The group’s now checked in at our hotel on the Tawe Basin, right by the Swansea seafront. A short walk away is the National Waterfront Museum (which I’m hoping to have time to check out in the morning) and the venue for tomorrow’s awards (Swansea Arenea) is 5 minutes walk away.

19:01.

Time for the team to dine – at…

22:30.

Well, that was a great (if different) night, but one that had to end early as some of us have to be on duty tomorrow. After the meal where we were joined by old friends such as Richard Salkeld – ex LNER and now ‘Lumo’ – when the wit and laughter was flowing, a few of us met up with other community rail colleagues and ‘newbies’ such as train driver Bessie Matthews, who’s written the Arlo adventures books at a Gin bar called Hogarth’s. Now, you wouldn’t normally find me dead in a karaoke joint, but as I was with friends it turned into an interesting exercise in people watching and insight into Swansea on a Sunday. After all, the Welsh have a reputation for singing, don’t they? True enough. The place was mostly men, and some actually knew how to sing – as did one of our own group – Karen Bennett – who bashed out a great rendition of a Bonny Tyler number whilst getting support from the audience!

Now it’s time to call it a day. I’m looking to seeing more of Swansea in the morning…

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