A Grumpy pensioner from East Sussex. Retired railwayman, healthcare worker and vigneron. Chief financial supporter to a 1965 MGB.
Joined November 2013
- Tweets 7,272
- Following 352
- Followers 1,304
- Likes 2,755
142 Photos and videos
Pinned Tweet
9 Aug 2022
The mess that Avanti have got themselves into over Rest Day working and rostered Sundays makes me smile. The whole thing is about Management (and the DfT) not heeding the lessons of history. /1
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Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains. I’ve done my 10,000 steps for today. I’m now allowed to sit down and drink beer.
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Jun 15
Train Warsaw to Zakopane today. 6 hrs by Inter City Express. Two pensioner tickets £28 single First Class.
However, no WiFi, no power points.
Moderately comfortable soft seats. No drinks trolley as yet.
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Jun 13
Week in Poland.
Weekend in Warsaw with Danka tracing some of her family history.
Her family never knew what happened to her Uncle Wojtek, killed in the Uprising.
They continue to recover remains from building works and, where they can, identify from national DNA bank. 1/3
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Jun 13
Visited his grave this am. Found on-line by a Cousin who lives in the USA and visited earlier in the year.
Hope Wojtek knows he hasn’t been forgotten. 2/3
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Jun 13
Tomorrow the Katyn massacre museum.
Her father was one of the very few Polish Officers to survive the Russian war crime early in WW2. He spent years in a Gulag. Eventually released, made his way to Palestine and re-joined the army. 3/3
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The central heating has just come on! In Sussex! It’s June ffs!
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May 26
Hi @SouthernRailUKi see the 1037 from Buxted has been cancelled.
Is the 1137 going to run or do I need to drive to Three Bridges?
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Graham Eccles FCIRO retweeted
'Sylvia's mother says, "Sylvia's hurrying, she's catching the 9 o'clock train"'
- 'Sylvia's Mother' by Dr Hook whose lead singer, Dennis Locorriere, died on Saturday. A fine man & good friend of @trainsongsbook who'll be sorely missed by many. #RIPDennis
📷 Trevor Ermel
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May 13
In hospital at 0730 this am for the removal of a minor skin cancer. They say I’ll be out by mid-day.
I’m not used to getting up until 0800, this is going to be a long morning.
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May 13
All done and discharged. Ridiculous sized dressing on my right ear, pictures not available.
Pretty good service from a lot of very pleasant people. @qvh
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Apr 29
My wife has just reminded me it is 20 years ago today that I retired as a full time railwayman after 44 years.
I came back after 3 years as a non-executive for a further 13 years.
Time flies when you’re having fun!
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Apr 15
1127 Wloo to Wloo via Strawberry Hill.
Auto PA at Teddington saying “change here for Strawberry Hill”. I don’t think so.
Lovely train, smooth ride, Guard working from compartment door controls, not the rear cab.
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Apr 15
Great journey. A couple of small delays rescued by the performance allowances.
Get the new timetable right and this train has the potential to revolutionise the SW Suburban for passengers.
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Apr 15
0932 UCK to LBG. A nine car! Spotlessly clean.
Two lady RPIs on the train, presumably checking tickets. But the didn’t come in First Class on the centre set.
By the way @SouthernRailUK all the seat cushions in First Class 50805 have collapsed. Probably just old age.
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Apr 12
Excellent news coming out of Hungary! Makes a nice change from the usual bad news.
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Graham Eccles FCIRO retweeted
Apr 5
@waitrose @nigelmp
For the attention of Tom Denyard - CEO of Waitrose.
I am a lifelong Waitrose customer.
I reject your policy of sacking an exceptionally brave employee for tackling shoplifting.
You need more employees like Walker Smith, not fewer.
I am boycotting Waitrose until you re-instate him, change policy and issue a heartfelt apology.
Please retweet if you agree.
Apr 5
Walker Smith was sacked for trying to prevent a repeat shoplifter from stealing Easter eggs from a Waitrose Store. Smith had worked there for 17 years. Apparently stopping thieves is against company policy. As a former shopkeeper can I say that policy is insane. No wonder there were more than 500,000 recorded shoplifting offences last year but we all know it’s running into millions of thefts each year.
Waitrose should take this have a go hero back pronto- but if not another retailer should snap him up. The CEO of Waitrose needs to review this bonkers stupid policy too- shoplifting is theft and must be stopped otherwise it will further spiral and it’s the ordinary customer who will pay with higher prices. Wake up Waitrose and smell the coffee- before someone nicks it!
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Mar 31
We’ve decided we no longer want Sky TV. We’re out of contract so it shouldn’t be an issue.
Spent the last hour looking for a phone number to call. No such luck.
Auto help system seems designed to avoid answering the question.
Does anyone have a phone number or suggestions?
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Mar 27
1608 LB to Buxted. Left in time, plenty of seats and nice and warm.
Good to see old friends.
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Mar 27
On 1037 Buxted to LB this am. Lunch with some ex TXM Group colleagues.
Just 25 cars in the station car park. Would have been full pre Covid (about 75 spaces) by 0730.
Change in travel patterns or a reflection of the service deterioration on the branch?
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