Where was I today, exactly? Mind the bleddy huge gap!

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

This may say more about how my mind works than the reality of the situation, but on reading the above my mind immediately conjured up a Beryl Cook style image....

Sad to say, bnm, you are uncomfortably close to the truth. I am glad there was nobody with a camera on the scene.

The poor lady had caught one of the trains that doesn't stop at Lawrence Hill, and had been advised to change at Stapleton Road. The conductor had apparently got her off the train then. It was the first time I had caught a train to BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) from there, and I was taken aback by the height. Having to give a bunk up to someone who reminded me of my gran put the tin hat on the day.

[bobm]

After countless years travelling on the trains, I had a "bignosemac moment" getting on an HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) at Didcot Parkway bound for Oxford.  Luckily a gentleman behind me grabbed me before I completely disappeared between train and platform.  This proved to be a huge source of amusement to my companion who proceeded to have a fit of the giggles all the way to Oxford - made all the worse by the fact we were in the quiet coach.  Then, just as we arrived at Oxford and she regained her composure, the Train Manager did the usual announcement about "mind the gap between the train and the platform edge" and she was off again.

Did I feel a fool.....