{"id":3608,"date":"2023-12-28T02:30:47","date_gmt":"2023-12-28T02:30:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/post-festive-pot-pourri-12\/"},"modified":"2023-12-28T02:30:47","modified_gmt":"2023-12-28T02:30:47","slug":"post-festive-pot-pourri-12","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/post-festive-pot-pourri-12\/","title":{"rendered":"Post-Festive Pot Pourri (12)"},"content":{"rendered":"
Keeping The Trains Running At Axminster (1)<\/span><\/p>\n There is no sign of the branch platform and\u00a0 huge new footbridge with lifts obscures the view of the station building. That noble edifice is, thankfully, unchanged externally …<\/p>\n The booking hall cum waiting room is open for acceptably long hours …<\/p>\n … and there are no nasty ticket barriers to impede progress through the red door and on to the platform.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/span><\/div>\n … there were tricky problems keeping the trains running!\u00a0<\/p><\/span><\/div>\n It was this train …<\/p>\n … part of the chilly but festive display provided at the station.<\/p><\/span><\/div>\n Firstly there was the official examination of the damage; followed by a full costing and business plan for repairs. After a whole minute of this and the essential health and safety activity, work commenced in earnest.<\/p>\n Stock was recovered and, with stalwart effort, work began on the track repairs.<\/p>\n Soon the track laying team were hard at it and, in no time at all, the track was rejoined, fully inspected and thoroughly tested; then, tada, pronounced fit for trains to run again.<\/p><\/span><\/div>\n <\/p><\/span><\/div>\n Only they aren’t tunning in the town centre.<\/p><\/div>\n His “River Cottage” food emporium is located near Axminster. In the middle of the town was his “Canteen” (called “The Canteen” in an outbreak of stunning originality) caff and deli. The fbbs visited once and once only having decided not to take out an extension om their mortgage for a second visit. An Eccles cake, albeit stuffed full of Eccles, and a cuppa was nearly an unwell gastropod. (Sick squid – GROAN!)<\/p>\n The caff is now closed and the model railwayS are displayed in the window.<\/p><\/div>\n … but lights were on throughout. The two layouts nearest to the window were, even by fbb’s bodge standards somewhat basic.<\/p>\n At the back of the window display was something fbb did recognise. It was a model of the Cannington Viaduct on the Lyme Regis branch.<\/p>\n At a distance and through a monsoon, fbb could not evaluate the model – but it was recognisable.<\/p>\n Upon viewing the sownlas extract, there was a train” But it was very, very static.<\/p>\n Disappointed!<\/p><\/div>\n The first oddity is that the “system” expects you to choose a specific train<\/span> when your ticket is valid by any train<\/span>! There are, of course,\u00a0restrictions\u00a0on outward\u00a0travel<\/span> (after 1000?) but no restrictions\u00a0for the return journey<\/span>.<\/p><\/div>\n
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