Week 4
Brother John Green’s Journey – Week FOUR –
StarTing from GLASGOW TO MANCHESTER…..
BANK HOLIDAY 26th May – OLd Wellingtonia & WARMTH & SHELTER
“Being a Bank Holiday…………………………………………………………perfect, in being too short’.”
GLASGOW CENTRAL: Setting out from my hotel, the rain had temporarily stopped, so I was able to walk to the Bus Station, with some difficulty. The wheel on my special suitcase, had given way. Of the three wheels on the bag, the centre one remained functioning, but the support for the ones on either side had given way; with the bag swaying from side to side, the case and I dragged along the pavement surfaces – a real bore…….!
At the Buchanan Street Bus Station, I boarded a Stagecoach X74 to Dumfries and, as we set out, the rain started in earnest…
The day’s journey ended in Penrith, where I stayed with a former Housemaster & his wife of Wellington College – (where I, my Brother, my nephew, my son (Head of School), and his three children all went) – kindly provided food, shelter & most enjoyable conversation. In his retirement, he has taken up running a Pub with an Old Wellingtonia, The Queens, at Warwick-on-Eden, Carlisle CA4 8PA. As his wife is the sister of a Michelin starred chef and has another chef brother, the meals, with which I was provided, were delicious and similar stands apply at the pub.
TUESDAY 27 May – FOGGING UP & HERWICKS – PENRITH to LANCASTER
Tuesday morning I set out, from Penrith, on a Stagecoach X4, to Kendal, where I took a 555 to Lancaster. The weather was pleasant and Kendal was full of holidaymakers, but, shortly after, down came the rain again. It rained so much that the rain was falling onto passengers through the ventilator windows, so we had to shut them, resulting in the windows ‘fogging up’ – not the sort of conditions one would choose for passing through the Lake District. Through sections of windows wiped clear, one caught glimpses of the dramatic mountainous landscape, Herdwick sheep, wonderful expanses of water; not the mention especially wet and bedraggled holidaymakers with streams of cars in both directions. In short, I did not see overmuch, but, by the time I reached Lancaster, the rain had stopped!
Proceeding my journey, I then took a bus to Heysham/Morcombe, where I stayed with the daughter, son-in-law and family of an old friend from the Deanery Bookstall at Winchester Cathedral, where I have volunteered for some 22/3 years and where we raise some £70,000 a year for the Cathedral’s Music. At last another day done, and time for relaxing…
Wednesday 28th May – BROKEN DOWN BUSES! – LANCASTER to CHESTER
Launching from Lancaster, I boarded the Stagecoach 40, to Preston Bus Station, a most impressive Grade 2 listed Brutalist structure, built in 1968/1969. Built by Keith Ingham and Charles Wilson of Building Design Partnership with E. H Stazicker. The vast space Includes the Bus Station concourse filling ground Floor, interlocked with shops, cafes, & well spaced areas for each departure/arrival areas, Above, there is a multistorey car park. I was unable to photograph the exterior – but part of the concourse I could. See uploads
From Preston, a Stagecoach X2 to Liverpool and then a Stagecoach 1 to Chester. Unfortunately, the bus developed a fault with the doors, so we had to STOP and decamp.
Broken Down Buses! – A mechanic arrived to work on the problem. Fortunately, the crisis was averted and …….but along came the next Bus No.1, so I took that to Chester Railway Station:
BOB JOURNEY BREAK IN THE TOUR – For Grandaughters 21st. I am breaking my journey, at this point, and returning to Winchester, for, on Saturday it is my youngest Granddaughter’s 21st. Birthday Party, which I do not wish to miss. I will return to Chester on Sunday to set out from the journey around Wales and rest of the route.
