With my new Oyster card to hand I set off for the journey home on Thursday content after an excellent break in which I had visited the outside of my former home at Teddington, noting the plethora of places to eat and drink in the High Street, marvelled at the Atrium to the Bentalls’ shopping Centre at Kingston where on the third day I had enjoyed a meal at a Wetherspoons’ before taking a bus through the villages of Ham and Petersham and a walkabout in Richmond until reaching that most wonderful of English Greens. I had seen the psychological thriller Shutter Island, been a little disappointed with a filmed production of La Boheme from Convent Garden and stood in appreciation at the end of the musical Blood Brothers, some 25 years after its opening performance. There had also been a good day with members of the extended family of my late birth and care mothers.
My mind was still on these experiences when I correctly touched in the Oyster card and went onto the first platform taking the first train which came in for Victoria. It was only once the train powered away non stop to Clapham Junction that I remembered. I was not going to Victoria but to St Pancras International on the cross Thames route to Luton and Bedford. As with the train I had boarded, both originated at Brighton. Woe was me and Woe was me again when at Clapham Junction the train pulled onto a platform where the line going in the opposite direction did not go back to Croydon. I therefore had to place the heavy laptop holding bag over one shoulder and lift the case step by step down the two flights of stairs along the passenger tunnel and then up the two flights of stairs to the platform where fortunately a train going back to Croydon was soon arriving. At Croydon instead of pausing and remembering the platform for Bedford I dragged the case up the long steep slope to the transfer passage between the platforms and down to where I thought the Bedford train departed only to find this was the platform for stopping trains to London Bridge and had to drag the case and bag back up the slope and across and down to where I had just been as the trains departed from Platform 2, something which I have done ever since the new link to St Pancras opened three years ago, possibly five or six times!
The right train arrived less than a minute later so in fact I had probably arrived at the station just in time or just missing the previous St Pancras heading train earlier. I was fully recovered on reaching the first destination and headed for the gents before going to Marks and Spencer’s for a carton of grapes, resisting the other goodies as a penance for my lack of due attention. It was a pleasantly warn sunny day so rather than take the underground route into Kings Cross I crossover the road between the two stations entering towards the end of the long distance platforms hearing an announcement that the non stop train to Cambridge was departing from one off the four platforms at this end of the station where the new roof and other works is now well underway. In the thirty five years that I have been using Kings Cross Station, this was the first time I could remember learning that the train to Cambridge was non stop. Cambridge of Cambridge University was to be a significance later in the journey although at the time I did think of planning a days trip on one visit when staying in central London.
I found a seat and enjoyed the sandwiches and the grapes having arrived at noon. Just before the quarter hour when passengers are usually allowed to rush to get on the train I made my way to the platforms and quickly worked out that there were only two options for my train and correctly positioned myself at the end of the platform where the notice soon went up, all stations to Newcastle. I headed immediately for my assigned compartment, hoping there was an unallocated disability seat. This was one of the older carriages with no such seats but there were a couple of tables foursomes available and I grabbed the second one, taking the forward facing window seat. A young man in his late twenties and thirties took the rear facing aisle and without luggage except for his laptop I accurately assumed he was going only as far Peterborough about 50 minutes down the line as were a number of others entering the compartment and I presumed others along the length of the train. I relaxed and went online, checking the mailbox and then started to write notes on the experiences gained by the visit.
At Peterborough a young woman took a twin seat vacated by other passengers and started to phone her friends and I and the other passengers quickly learnt all about her life at Cambridge that she was good at working during the day, but liked to spend the evenings drinking, eating and watching films, had only recently passed the driving Test and planned to get in some practice before setting off over Easter, collecting friends on the way to a get together either before or after a family trip to Ireland. This was very interesting and an enlightening insight into the life of an undergraduate today, but for close on two hours it became irritating. She departed at Durham when the journey to Newcastle only takes ten minutes of peace and quiet and when I went for my case shortly before arriving in the city I noticed she left what transpired to be a high fashion magazine, under which was the cursed mobile phone. Now I will not write the thoughts which came immediately to mind but I did hand in the phone to the information counter saying that I was confident who the phone belonged and they said they could probably contact via information on the phone. Thus my reluctant good deed for the day before continuing homeward where I found my home cold but otherwise all was well.
It is now time to count the cost of my third trip of the year. My travel to Newcastle on Sunday was via the age permit say 50p and breakfast of a bacon roll, hash browns and coffee £3.60 approx (free muffin and coffee on train). Purchase of Time out London £ 2. 99 Train to Kings Cross £23.60 and to Croydon from St Pancras £4.40. I bought a prawn salad £2.20 for the evening with still water £1 and 4 Croissants 98p at Marks and Spencer’s, a total of £4.18. Internet for day £4 Accommodation for the night £9.50.Total for Day 1 £52.77.
On Monday the bus to Teddington and then to Kingston was free. Lunch of a sandwich, fruit juice and Crisps cost £2.00(Tesco). A discount of 53 pence. The Cinema ticket cost £6.30. I took the train to Wimbledon £3 and the evening meal at the Coal Grill with tip cost £12. La Boheme ticket £12.50 and tram to Croydon £2.Accommodation for night £9.50, Internet £4. Total £51.30
On Tuesday I purchased hot chicken wings for the evening meal with Pain au chocolate £1.59. Shaving form £2.19 and Pontefract cakes 1,09 a total of £7.36 at Waitrose, Accommodation was £9.50 and Internet £4, a total of £20.86.
On Wednesday purchase of an Oyster Card £3 deposit and initial top up of £5, Lunch at the Kings Tun Kingston came to £4.54. Theatre Ticket £17. Double chocolate Ice Cream £ 2.50, Programme £3. (£2.70 was deducted from the Oyster card for the train to Wimbledon from Kingston and £1.20 for the Tram back to Croydon a saving of £1.10 on the previous journey without the card). Chicken Wings for evening 2.49. Prawn sandwich 1.10 and Salmon Sandwich 1.60 Hot Cross Buns £1.25 Crisps 47p and Nestle 51p Kitkat chunky and Snickers Bar 44p (£8.66 from Waitrose), Accommodation £9.50. Diet Pepsi Travel Lodge £1, Internet £4 a total of £58.20
On Thursday £5 added to Oyster Card. Packet of 15 biro pens St Pancras Smiths £2.99 Carton of red grapes £2.29 from M and S. Train fare to Newcastle £15 and coffee on train £1.70 Internet morning £4. £30.98 Total expenditure over five days £214.11 with the £250 budget for mini trips of less than one week.
England had won the second Test in Bangladesh which I had listen to on the internet radio on the Monday and Tuesday mornings over breakfast. I also caught up with Prime Ministers Question Time on Wednesday evening on the BBC I player.
I worked hard on Friday washing clothes with two washes. I had missed the meter reader and over the weekend sent readings for the Gas and Electricity accounts by text return and now fear the worst. The latest Income Tax code for the coming year arrived and this prompted me to consider making an annual budget once more. I paid in full the amount outstanding on the credit card and ordered two cinema seats at the Cineworld with my rewards balance. There are rewards left for 4 more ticket at present.
I kept one eye on a Marilyn Monroe musical film called Let’s Make Love, in which Bill Crosby and Gene Kelly play themselves as tutors to Yves Montand a wealthy man who is confused as an out of work actor seeing a brief part sending up the wealthy millionaire. Frankie Vaughan plays Frankie Vaught a singing and dancing actor in the musical revue featuring Marilyn Munroe. Tony Randall plays Montand’s flunkey and Wilfred Hyde Whyte plays his usual character perfected in My Fair Lady. This is not my kind of music and story is naff and the actors clearly thought the film naff as did he critics.
The holiday spirit continued on Saturday when I left early for Newcastle, taking the Metro as I wanted to see the latest Extension to the Eldon Square Shopping Centre. When built in 1977 Eldon square was the flagship town centre Mall in the UK and with an outside structure which includes Brick and Glass. It occupies most of the city centre to the North of Greys Monument with direct access to the Metro system at this end and to a lower level bus station at its centre This level also provided entry for Goods vehicles with lifts and conveyors direct to the stores. A new bus station was first created close to the shopping centre across from the University buildings and close to the Haymarket Metro station This station has been revamped costing a fortune over the past two years but now looks finished and is smart, bright and the best on the system.
Buses from this part of the bus station go to all parts of Northumberland and North Tyneside as well as the administrative area of Newcastle City. The central underground bus station has been moved to the side with access from Street level as well as from the shopping centre and provide services south of the river to Gateshead and Durham. I am not sure where buses to South Tyneside and Sunderland depart. The new bus station development provides direct access to Boots and John Lewis and Argus has moved here from elsewhere in the centre. On this side of the shopping centre there is an eight story circular car park with direct access to the centre.
The existing shopping centre occupies both sides of the main road now restricted to buses from the Monument towards St James Park, the home of Newcastle United. There is also first floor passage way across the one way main road with St James Park, the University and Playhouse theatre on one side, the shopping centre and the bus and Metro stations on the other. This leads to the separately owned Eldon Square Garden shopping centre with its own separate multi story car park as well as an external park to its rear and where there is a short walk to the Football stadium complex.
My visit was to see the large extension which includes a two story high mall where each of the stores has internal lifts and stairways and a new Debenhams store occupies the far end. It is very impressive and there are plans to upgrade the rest of the centre over the next few years without disrupting ongoing functions. The development makes the shopping centre the largest for any city eclipsing those in Manchester and Birmingham. However it is not as large as the Gateshead centre located on the Banks of the Tyne at the edge of both cities. Nor is Eldon Square and Eldon Garden the only precinct in Newcastle because across the road at the Monument is a separate and small development which includes a food court on the top floor. In between this centre and East side of Eldon Square is the great Fenwicks departmental store. There is also direct access from the Eldon Square to a huge Marks and Spencer’s’ and which in turn has direct access to the bus station. The Debenhams Store and new Mall is also directly opposite the new Cinema, Casino and Restaurant complex across the roadway. There is a fitness and indoor leisure centre including basketball and Tennis as part of the Square complex
A former small in door market area has been closed to make way for developments with key outlets moving to the Grainer market, and there is a large market style restaurant cafe in the far corner here where Argos used to be located. Here are plans for further development with a street only access to a new store.
In between the new Mall block and the road leading to the Monument with the older part of Eldon square to one side is the famous indoor Grainger Market, a huge city centre facility with internal shops rather than stalls including everything from hardware to shoe repairs, from books, records and DVD’s to the traditional greengrocers, fish and meat suppliers. One of the lanes of shops has been roved to make areas of tables and seating for full meals and snacks. It remains one the big indoor city market areas in the UK
To the east of the Square centre is the pedestrianised Northumberland Street where on the eastern side there are large stores such as WH Smiths, Curry’s HMV, British Home Stores and Primark. Further east still there are the central Baths, the City Hall, the Laing Art Gallery, the new City Library and some restaurants. To the north west corner there is China Town and the Journal Tyne Theatre and to west there is the great Newcastle gem, one the greatest architecturally designed Streets in all of the United Kingdom, Grey Street, the work of John Dobson and Richard Grainger and where a short way from the Monument down to the Riverside where there are also streets of restaurants and drinking houses, bars and night clubs, there is the awesome Theatre Royal and much beloved Grainger Arcade which I also visited. There was only time to gaze into the windows of ‘Windows’ which occupies the whole of one side of the arcade with a basement level for rock instruments, amplification and audio equipment, the ground level for other instruments which included a dozen pianos at one end, and a first floor for folk and jazz and any forms of music you can think of. It is one of the few places left keeping a stock as well as supplying sheet music. Just around the corner from the Arcade is the New Tyne film Theatre, my destination for a relayed and rare performance from the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, of Hamlet not produce there for over 100 years and with Simon Keenlyside in the title role. There was time for a coffee and toast. The menu stated one round of toast but I was given two and the refreshment only cost £2.70 which I consider most reasonable as I did the double chocolate ice cream in the interval which required a climb to the third floor bar but it cost only £2 compared with the £2.50 at the Richmond Theatre. I will leave the opera until my account for Sunday, The Australian Grand Prix, Sunderland at Liverpool, catching up with all the last five episodes of Babylon 5 and Lark Rise to Candleford. On Friday I fell asleep after 20 minutes of Lost and dragged myself to bed sleeping fully but waking early and making Saturday along day so it as just was well the Opera started at 5 because the USA had already altered their clocks to summer time. I stayed up late on return, not appreciating the change to summer time until then.
My mind was still on these experiences when I correctly touched in the Oyster card and went onto the first platform taking the first train which came in for Victoria. It was only once the train powered away non stop to Clapham Junction that I remembered. I was not going to Victoria but to St Pancras International on the cross Thames route to Luton and Bedford. As with the train I had boarded, both originated at Brighton. Woe was me and Woe was me again when at Clapham Junction the train pulled onto a platform where the line going in the opposite direction did not go back to Croydon. I therefore had to place the heavy laptop holding bag over one shoulder and lift the case step by step down the two flights of stairs along the passenger tunnel and then up the two flights of stairs to the platform where fortunately a train going back to Croydon was soon arriving. At Croydon instead of pausing and remembering the platform for Bedford I dragged the case up the long steep slope to the transfer passage between the platforms and down to where I thought the Bedford train departed only to find this was the platform for stopping trains to London Bridge and had to drag the case and bag back up the slope and across and down to where I had just been as the trains departed from Platform 2, something which I have done ever since the new link to St Pancras opened three years ago, possibly five or six times!
The right train arrived less than a minute later so in fact I had probably arrived at the station just in time or just missing the previous St Pancras heading train earlier. I was fully recovered on reaching the first destination and headed for the gents before going to Marks and Spencer’s for a carton of grapes, resisting the other goodies as a penance for my lack of due attention. It was a pleasantly warn sunny day so rather than take the underground route into Kings Cross I crossover the road between the two stations entering towards the end of the long distance platforms hearing an announcement that the non stop train to Cambridge was departing from one off the four platforms at this end of the station where the new roof and other works is now well underway. In the thirty five years that I have been using Kings Cross Station, this was the first time I could remember learning that the train to Cambridge was non stop. Cambridge of Cambridge University was to be a significance later in the journey although at the time I did think of planning a days trip on one visit when staying in central London.
I found a seat and enjoyed the sandwiches and the grapes having arrived at noon. Just before the quarter hour when passengers are usually allowed to rush to get on the train I made my way to the platforms and quickly worked out that there were only two options for my train and correctly positioned myself at the end of the platform where the notice soon went up, all stations to Newcastle. I headed immediately for my assigned compartment, hoping there was an unallocated disability seat. This was one of the older carriages with no such seats but there were a couple of tables foursomes available and I grabbed the second one, taking the forward facing window seat. A young man in his late twenties and thirties took the rear facing aisle and without luggage except for his laptop I accurately assumed he was going only as far Peterborough about 50 minutes down the line as were a number of others entering the compartment and I presumed others along the length of the train. I relaxed and went online, checking the mailbox and then started to write notes on the experiences gained by the visit.
At Peterborough a young woman took a twin seat vacated by other passengers and started to phone her friends and I and the other passengers quickly learnt all about her life at Cambridge that she was good at working during the day, but liked to spend the evenings drinking, eating and watching films, had only recently passed the driving Test and planned to get in some practice before setting off over Easter, collecting friends on the way to a get together either before or after a family trip to Ireland. This was very interesting and an enlightening insight into the life of an undergraduate today, but for close on two hours it became irritating. She departed at Durham when the journey to Newcastle only takes ten minutes of peace and quiet and when I went for my case shortly before arriving in the city I noticed she left what transpired to be a high fashion magazine, under which was the cursed mobile phone. Now I will not write the thoughts which came immediately to mind but I did hand in the phone to the information counter saying that I was confident who the phone belonged and they said they could probably contact via information on the phone. Thus my reluctant good deed for the day before continuing homeward where I found my home cold but otherwise all was well.
It is now time to count the cost of my third trip of the year. My travel to Newcastle on Sunday was via the age permit say 50p and breakfast of a bacon roll, hash browns and coffee £3.60 approx (free muffin and coffee on train). Purchase of Time out London £ 2. 99 Train to Kings Cross £23.60 and to Croydon from St Pancras £4.40. I bought a prawn salad £2.20 for the evening with still water £1 and 4 Croissants 98p at Marks and Spencer’s, a total of £4.18. Internet for day £4 Accommodation for the night £9.50.Total for Day 1 £52.77.
On Monday the bus to Teddington and then to Kingston was free. Lunch of a sandwich, fruit juice and Crisps cost £2.00(Tesco). A discount of 53 pence. The Cinema ticket cost £6.30. I took the train to Wimbledon £3 and the evening meal at the Coal Grill with tip cost £12. La Boheme ticket £12.50 and tram to Croydon £2.Accommodation for night £9.50, Internet £4. Total £51.30
On Tuesday I purchased hot chicken wings for the evening meal with Pain au chocolate £1.59. Shaving form £2.19 and Pontefract cakes 1,09 a total of £7.36 at Waitrose, Accommodation was £9.50 and Internet £4, a total of £20.86.
On Wednesday purchase of an Oyster Card £3 deposit and initial top up of £5, Lunch at the Kings Tun Kingston came to £4.54. Theatre Ticket £17. Double chocolate Ice Cream £ 2.50, Programme £3. (£2.70 was deducted from the Oyster card for the train to Wimbledon from Kingston and £1.20 for the Tram back to Croydon a saving of £1.10 on the previous journey without the card). Chicken Wings for evening 2.49. Prawn sandwich 1.10 and Salmon Sandwich 1.60 Hot Cross Buns £1.25 Crisps 47p and Nestle 51p Kitkat chunky and Snickers Bar 44p (£8.66 from Waitrose), Accommodation £9.50. Diet Pepsi Travel Lodge £1, Internet £4 a total of £58.20
On Thursday £5 added to Oyster Card. Packet of 15 biro pens St Pancras Smiths £2.99 Carton of red grapes £2.29 from M and S. Train fare to Newcastle £15 and coffee on train £1.70 Internet morning £4. £30.98 Total expenditure over five days £214.11 with the £250 budget for mini trips of less than one week.
England had won the second Test in Bangladesh which I had listen to on the internet radio on the Monday and Tuesday mornings over breakfast. I also caught up with Prime Ministers Question Time on Wednesday evening on the BBC I player.
I worked hard on Friday washing clothes with two washes. I had missed the meter reader and over the weekend sent readings for the Gas and Electricity accounts by text return and now fear the worst. The latest Income Tax code for the coming year arrived and this prompted me to consider making an annual budget once more. I paid in full the amount outstanding on the credit card and ordered two cinema seats at the Cineworld with my rewards balance. There are rewards left for 4 more ticket at present.
I kept one eye on a Marilyn Monroe musical film called Let’s Make Love, in which Bill Crosby and Gene Kelly play themselves as tutors to Yves Montand a wealthy man who is confused as an out of work actor seeing a brief part sending up the wealthy millionaire. Frankie Vaughan plays Frankie Vaught a singing and dancing actor in the musical revue featuring Marilyn Munroe. Tony Randall plays Montand’s flunkey and Wilfred Hyde Whyte plays his usual character perfected in My Fair Lady. This is not my kind of music and story is naff and the actors clearly thought the film naff as did he critics.
The holiday spirit continued on Saturday when I left early for Newcastle, taking the Metro as I wanted to see the latest Extension to the Eldon Square Shopping Centre. When built in 1977 Eldon square was the flagship town centre Mall in the UK and with an outside structure which includes Brick and Glass. It occupies most of the city centre to the North of Greys Monument with direct access to the Metro system at this end and to a lower level bus station at its centre This level also provided entry for Goods vehicles with lifts and conveyors direct to the stores. A new bus station was first created close to the shopping centre across from the University buildings and close to the Haymarket Metro station This station has been revamped costing a fortune over the past two years but now looks finished and is smart, bright and the best on the system.
Buses from this part of the bus station go to all parts of Northumberland and North Tyneside as well as the administrative area of Newcastle City. The central underground bus station has been moved to the side with access from Street level as well as from the shopping centre and provide services south of the river to Gateshead and Durham. I am not sure where buses to South Tyneside and Sunderland depart. The new bus station development provides direct access to Boots and John Lewis and Argus has moved here from elsewhere in the centre. On this side of the shopping centre there is an eight story circular car park with direct access to the centre.
The existing shopping centre occupies both sides of the main road now restricted to buses from the Monument towards St James Park, the home of Newcastle United. There is also first floor passage way across the one way main road with St James Park, the University and Playhouse theatre on one side, the shopping centre and the bus and Metro stations on the other. This leads to the separately owned Eldon Square Garden shopping centre with its own separate multi story car park as well as an external park to its rear and where there is a short walk to the Football stadium complex.
My visit was to see the large extension which includes a two story high mall where each of the stores has internal lifts and stairways and a new Debenhams store occupies the far end. It is very impressive and there are plans to upgrade the rest of the centre over the next few years without disrupting ongoing functions. The development makes the shopping centre the largest for any city eclipsing those in Manchester and Birmingham. However it is not as large as the Gateshead centre located on the Banks of the Tyne at the edge of both cities. Nor is Eldon Square and Eldon Garden the only precinct in Newcastle because across the road at the Monument is a separate and small development which includes a food court on the top floor. In between this centre and East side of Eldon Square is the great Fenwicks departmental store. There is also direct access from the Eldon Square to a huge Marks and Spencer’s’ and which in turn has direct access to the bus station. The Debenhams Store and new Mall is also directly opposite the new Cinema, Casino and Restaurant complex across the roadway. There is a fitness and indoor leisure centre including basketball and Tennis as part of the Square complex
A former small in door market area has been closed to make way for developments with key outlets moving to the Grainer market, and there is a large market style restaurant cafe in the far corner here where Argos used to be located. Here are plans for further development with a street only access to a new store.
In between the new Mall block and the road leading to the Monument with the older part of Eldon square to one side is the famous indoor Grainger Market, a huge city centre facility with internal shops rather than stalls including everything from hardware to shoe repairs, from books, records and DVD’s to the traditional greengrocers, fish and meat suppliers. One of the lanes of shops has been roved to make areas of tables and seating for full meals and snacks. It remains one the big indoor city market areas in the UK
To the east of the Square centre is the pedestrianised Northumberland Street where on the eastern side there are large stores such as WH Smiths, Curry’s HMV, British Home Stores and Primark. Further east still there are the central Baths, the City Hall, the Laing Art Gallery, the new City Library and some restaurants. To the north west corner there is China Town and the Journal Tyne Theatre and to west there is the great Newcastle gem, one the greatest architecturally designed Streets in all of the United Kingdom, Grey Street, the work of John Dobson and Richard Grainger and where a short way from the Monument down to the Riverside where there are also streets of restaurants and drinking houses, bars and night clubs, there is the awesome Theatre Royal and much beloved Grainger Arcade which I also visited. There was only time to gaze into the windows of ‘Windows’ which occupies the whole of one side of the arcade with a basement level for rock instruments, amplification and audio equipment, the ground level for other instruments which included a dozen pianos at one end, and a first floor for folk and jazz and any forms of music you can think of. It is one of the few places left keeping a stock as well as supplying sheet music. Just around the corner from the Arcade is the New Tyne film Theatre, my destination for a relayed and rare performance from the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, of Hamlet not produce there for over 100 years and with Simon Keenlyside in the title role. There was time for a coffee and toast. The menu stated one round of toast but I was given two and the refreshment only cost £2.70 which I consider most reasonable as I did the double chocolate ice cream in the interval which required a climb to the third floor bar but it cost only £2 compared with the £2.50 at the Richmond Theatre. I will leave the opera until my account for Sunday, The Australian Grand Prix, Sunderland at Liverpool, catching up with all the last five episodes of Babylon 5 and Lark Rise to Candleford. On Friday I fell asleep after 20 minutes of Lost and dragged myself to bed sleeping fully but waking early and making Saturday along day so it as just was well the Opera started at 5 because the USA had already altered their clocks to summer time. I stayed up late on return, not appreciating the change to summer time until then.
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