A hiding to nothing
I got the 08:01 from Newark to Kings Cross, arriving in the capital at 09:25. From there I went to Baker St and visited the Metropolitan Weatherspoon’s for a cuppa a comfort stop. From there I went to
Stonebridge Park, got off, took a picture and departed the station at 10:42 on a southbound train to
Queens Park. I was lucky here as the train was held on the platform allowing me to get a picture and get back on the same train! Off to
Kilburn Park and then Paddington to change on to the H&C heading to
Westbourne Park. I got off here and got straight onto a 31 bus at 11:26 heading to
Holland Park.
The lift took an eternity to arrive and I had to wait for a West Ruislip train take me to Hanger Lane, and the walk back to
Park Royal, from which I departed at 12:08. I already realized that this wasn’t going as quickly as I had hoped and as I had to be back at for the 20:30 home it was going to be a struggle. I changed at Acton Town for the District and knocked off
Chiswick and
Ravenscourt Park arriving into an Earls Court packed with Chelski supporters. Two Wimbledon bound trains arrived with 30 seconds of each other. I got on the first thinking it would leave first … but no. The second train departed before allowing us to move. Oh great.
Down to
Wimbledon Park departing there at 13:22 and back up to EC changing to the Piccadilly for a packed train to a chaotic
Hyde Park Corner. I had intended to go back in and ride to
Green Park but they wouldn’t let me back down
As it was raining I caught a bus to Green Park but I wish I’d just got wet. The bus was sooo slow. I departed GP (14:05) heading south on the Victoria and changed to the District to do
St James’s Park (14:12) and then continued to Embankment where I swapped to the Bakerloo north to
Regents Park which I left at 14:34.
Onto a Metropolitan for the ride up to
Wembley Park (14:55),
Northwick Park (15:03). I made a c*ck up leaving Northwick Park though as I was in a rush after the picture and jumped onto the first Met train north, not checking the destination. As I thought I had a long ride to Moor Park I was on my phone until it dawned on me that I was on a Uxbridge Train at Rayners Lane. I felt sick. Back to HOTH and then a long wait for a Watford train to do
Moor Park (15:40). Back to Wembley and had to wait for a terminator to move off the platform to let a Stanmore train on. I got off at
Cannons Park in the cold, dark & rain and caught the 79 bus at 16:24 for Edgeware, departing there at 16:36.
Belsize Park (16:59), Camden Town (17:05),
Tuffnell Park (17:14) and up to
Woodside Park, departing at 17:33.
3 hours to knock off the 4 stations and get back to KXSP for 20:30? No chance.
I changed at Euston at 17:58 and did
Finsbury Park at 18:11, doing the double back to Highbury and Islington – surrounded by pretentious Gooners who think they have a god given right to win everything
I went to the OG platform to get the train to Stratford and it arrived – but it was 7-8 deep waiting to get on. The doors opened, people struggled to get off as those on the platform tried to force their way on. I looked at 3 doors and decided it wasn’t worth the struggle; they were having trouble shutting the doors so it could depart. This was at 18:20 and I conceded defeat. There was no way I would’ve made it to Stratford, Newbury, Upton, Elm and back to KXSP for the train home so I sent a text to Kev that I was pulling out
I trudged up the stairs heading back to the Vic when I saw Richard, said hello and informed him I was pulling out. I went back to Euston and had a (much needed!) loo break and went for something to eat in the upstairs Leon café; I reall like their veggie and juice options after a day in London – and watching all the people waiting and leaving trains. If you’ve ever watched the Kevin Smith film ‘Dogma' (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce9IvqfnYg4) 2 mins in – stations are just like airports!
I’m not going to tell you what happened next but I did something so monumentally stupid, so brain-numbingly idiotic and a genuine “What The F**K were you thinking you moron!?” that I’m embarrassed and ashamed. I was at Euston with 70 minutes to my train home from KXSP but I only caught it with
seconds to spare – and I had to run half way up the platform to the only unlocked/open door for the train manager. I genuinely thought I was gonna have a heart attack from the excursion – but if I’d missed the train, my Mrs would have gone ballistic if I’d had to pay for a new ticket home. I will only divulge what happened in person, over a beer. I am not writing it!
Lesson learned. Never again.
Absolutely gutted that I didn’t manage to finish this year. If I’m going to do this I need to book an overnight stay as it’s too much for me to do in one day, especially when trying to book it around cheap train fares. Oh well, you live & learn.