Clickbait, of course. There IS no possibility of leaving Tier 3. Sorry, BeerMat, Wickingman, Old Mudgie et al.
But I had to return home to Waterbeach to collect some more of Mrs RM’s shoes and power tools this week, which I guess means I was in Tier 2.5 for a day.
I took the train, so I could drive back. Four different train companies, four legs totalling just over 2 hours.
With a 30 minute walk into central Sheffield to start.
Note the Beer & Gin Festival at the Bingo hall, they’re beer mad here.
I guess I should be thankful the pubs aren’t open. If they were I’d have been tempted to have a pint at every stop and kip over at my parents (they’re making a bed up for my weekly visits for when the pandemic is over).
The trains are nearly as sad as the pubs. Sheff to Donny was 20% full at best, so I had the sunrise over Rotherham all to myself.
Once South Yorks makes Tier 1 I’ll nip out here and visit all the cask gems in Swinton and Mexborough.
At Doncaster I had my 3rd coffee of the morning, an Americano from Costa. Why are there now FOUR sizes at Costa, each without description. The nice lady tried to upsell me a mince pie but I don’t celebrate Christmas.
As I walked to the end of the platform so I could drop my mask to take a sip, another lovely Donny belle (sorry) from LNER came up to me.
“Are y’allright ?” Hope she didn’t think I was going to jump.
We talked masks, and train use, and the superiority of Greggs mince pies, and I wished the Draughtsman had been open for a train beer even though beer isn’t allowed on LNER trains.
The stop at Newark Northgate gives me the opportunity to silently remember one of the great moments in pub blogging. I’m considering a “Spot the piss” competition; X marks the spot.
Peterborough Station is desolate. I’ve 25 minutes to wait, enough time to have nipped over the road to the Oakham Brewery Tap in Tier 1, vastly insufficient in Tier 2. Sadly, they’re in Tier 3 on Saturday.
So all I can share with you is this, on which I pass no comment but no doubt Russ will.
The slow train towards Ipswich crawls over the Hundred Foot Washes just past unpronounceable Manea. This is the ACTUAL view from the window.
And I suddenly realise how relieved I am to get out of the Fens, before they flood completely in 2131.
I’m living in the hills now, you know.
retiredmartin 
The toilet door at Newark was open – progress ! Although if it is like the one at Broadstairs ,it will be locked just after lunch ! (whenever I am feeling sad,I think of the Newark tale & it cheers me up )
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Surely the mince pie was a birthday gift (when is it again?)
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Is there a blue plaque (plague?) at Newark Northgate yet?
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Crowd funding has hit a brick wall, possibly the same brick wall Simon used.
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Follow the, follow the, follow the, follow the yellow brick wall….
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Was there a sneaky Simon visit to Cornwall?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-55376195
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Simon would NEVER breach the Tier restrictions, Colin is too recognisable.
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Mentioning brick walls, few are more impressive than that one of the steel worker, a permanent reminder of when Sheffield had industry.
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The land of yellow snow.
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Some quite eminent and esteemed people were once bingo callers.
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Was Jeremy Beadle a bingo caller ?
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Not sure, but Ed Miliband was, as were Russell Crowe, Shane Ritchie and the late Viv Stanshall.
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Russell, Shane and Viv I’m not surprised at, but Ed ?!
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Well, Betty Boothroyd was a Tiller Girl.
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“Clickbait, of course.”
And re-emphasised with the photo above that advertises D Cups. 😉
“to collect some more of Mrs RM’s shoes and power tools this week, ”
So… Mrs RM is a cross between Imelda Marcos and Bob the Builder?
(actually, so is my darling better half) 🙂
“Note the Beer & Gin Festival at the Bingo hall, they’re beer mad here.”
By the looks of that photo they have no idea that Bingo only goes up to 75. Heck, even Keno only goes up to 80!
“(they’re making a bed up for my weekly visits for when the pandemic is over).”
Funnily enough our eldest and his wife (and grandson!) are hoping to move into their brand new home at the end of January. And they changed the plans for the basement to combine two bedrooms into one large one… which is where my wife and I will stay whenever we’re able to visit. 🙂
“Why are there now FOUR sizes at Costa, each without description. ”
They’re trying to outdo Starbucks?
“and the superiority of Greggs mince pies”
You just said you don’t do mince pies!
“I’m considering a “Spot the piss” competition; X marks the spot.”
Even without cheating I know that’s Si. 😉
“on which I pass no comment but no doubt Russ will.”
My initial guess was Two Girls, One Cup but… 😉
“This is the ACTUAL view from the window.”
Blimey. I’m surprised they just didn’t cancel the train altogether! Or do they only do that for wet leaves and the wrong sort of snow? 😉
“I’m living in the hills now, you know.”
In the hills? You’re a Hobbit?
Cheers
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You really do see things in these posts that I don’t, Russ!
And no, I don’t like mince pies but that doesn’t stop me having an informed conversation on them!
I’m missing my BRAPA fix. Are you?
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“I’m missing my BRAPA fix. Are you?”
Quite!
I was thinking of digging out one of my childhood stuffed animals and taking him to the local brewpub and just sit him on the table and see what happens… but it wouldn’t be the same.
Cheers
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You have pubs you can go to ? That’d discrimination !
Have you seen the pics of young folk drinking beer in bars in Wuhan on Reuters this week ? Jealous.
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“Have you seen the pics of young folk drinking beer in bars in Wuhan on Reuters this week ? Jealous.”
All I saw was a link to thousands of them going to an indoor pool. 😉
Cheers
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We’ll get there.
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