Richard Fairhurst
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« on: August 24, 2021, 13:54:24 » |
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On Friday/Saturday I took my first trip on the Night Riviera, returning from Penzance after a week away. (I'd cycled there, from Gloucester, but that was enough for one holiday!) A few disconnected jottings...
There were three of us: me, Mrs F, and Junior (aged five). I was in a solo room, while Mrs F and Junior were sharing a room. Their initial room had a small issue where the bin unit had come away from the wall, leaving the sharp edges exposed. In theory it just needed locking back up with a T-key, but that didn't work for some reason - possibly due to the T-key lock being glued on, and the glue having expired. I suggested it could be duck-taped on, but instead the TM‡ offered to move Mrs F and Junior to the larger, disabled-friendly room in the next carriage - definitely not going to refuse!
That aside, the train was really well presented; a cut above my '90s memories of Caley Sleeper Bargain Berths (although, of course, that's been significantly poshified since).
It didn't seem very busy, which surprised me, because Cornwall certainly was. We'd cycled along the Camel Trail to Padstow one day... mein gott; the town was beyond rammed. It showed on the roads - I'd encountered a lot of really clueless shiny Chelsea tractor drivers on the narrow lanes - but sadly not on the sleeper. A handful of passengers appeared to get on at the stations after Penzance, but even so, I was expecting it to be busier. The seated carriages, in particular, appeared to be pretty much empty.
The aircon was set too high, and my room was a bit too chilly, even for someone who regularly sleeps in a narrowboat. I was slightly surprised there wasn't a temperature control in the room, or at least, not one I could find. Mrs F+Junior's room in the other carriage was a pleasant temperature.
There were four bike spaces - I think I was the only person to use one. They're hang-up spaces like on an IET▸ , but mercifully, much less cramped.
I slept well - I've always found the gentle rocking motion of a sleeper train soothing. In fact, the train's long stop at Reading clearly made something in my subconscious think "oh, we must be there now", which meant I was awake from 04.20ish onwards. Junior slept beautifully - he didn't even need a bedtime story, though to be fair he doesn't usually go to bed at 21.45!
The staff were superb - friendly, efficient, and just right at cajoling weary travellers out of their bunks early in the morning.
For breakfast, the bacon baguette was unexpectedly good (Junior thought so too). The coffee really wasn't. It was a weird concoction where you get a cup of hot water and some granules, and you pour the granules into the water. I am very far from being a coffee snob (I drink instant 95% of the time), but that was easily the worst coffee I've ever tasted - I honestly don't think I'd have identified it as coffee if I hadn't known.
We spent the morning in London, because Junior wanted to see the dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum, before returning to Charlbury in the afternoon. I hadn't booked a bike space for the onward journey to Charlbury, so attempted to do so from my phone while sitting in St James' Park. Bad idea. Both the new GWR▸ booking interface and the old MixingDeck failed in new and exciting ways every time I tried. Eventually I gave up and cycled back to Paddington, where the booking office sorted it out in no time. (London's newish segregated cycleways made the short journey a pleasant, safe experience.)
Lunch at the Mad Bishop and Bear at Paddington. I've just about recovered from the exorbitant cost of three drinks, two sandwiches and a kids' burger. But that's London for you.
Overall, we were all impressed; we'd very happily take the Night Riviera again. But next time I'll bring my own coffee.
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