TIME TO SAY GOODBYE

My last day with Sue and what a lovely time we’ve had together. She went out for her usual power walk this morning, but was only gone for about half an hour so when she got back we had coffee together and watched some of the London Marathon on television. Two friends from Church we’re running but I didn’t see them!

Sue knew of a lovely little pub, so I treated her to a roast beef lunch, which we both enjoyed, before she drove me into Darlington to catch my train, which was due to leave at 15.10. However I was told that the 14.10 was late because of signalling issues and would leave at 14.45 so I’m on that one now.

I took a shot approaching the station with the impressive clock tower, which is a Grade II Listed Building, opened in 1887. On the platform are several pictures of the world famous engine Locomotion No. 1 that hauled the first train on the opening day of the Stockton and Darlington Railway on September 27 1825.

Locomotion No. 1 (originally named Active) was an early steam locomotive built by the pioneering railway engineers George (pictured) and Robert Stephenson at their manufacturing firm, Robert Stephenson and Company.

Edward Pease, also pictured, next to George Stephenson, was a woollen manufacturer from Darlington, England, and was the main promoter of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, which opened in 1825. He is sometimes referred to as the "Father of the Railways".

Couldn’t believe it when the man opposite me on the train got out shoe polish, brushes and dusters and began to clean his shoes. I wonder if he was once in the army as I watched him spit on the shoes too - hence the expression, I guess, “spit and polish”. I remember being told by my grandfather many years ago that there was nothing better to give a high shine to shoes!

All the other photographs are self-explanatory except perhaps the large blue rubbish bin, which I’ve taken especially for my older son, Martyn, who swears I take photographs of them - which actually isn’t normally true - but it is today!

Trying to post this on the train, which is now very noisy as lots of Aston Villa football supporters got on at Leeds. However, the British Transport Police are much in evidence so hopefully there won’t be any trouble - in any event, I will just keep my head down and carry on knitting!

Back to normality now - whatever that may be - and whilst it was hard to say “Goodbye” to Sue, it will be good to get home. Whilst we were chatting, Sue was spurring me on to restart my decluttering - so I can see I’m going to be busy for a while but I hope it won’t be too long before Sue and I meet again.

“There are friendships
imprinted in our hearts
that will never be diminished
by time or distance.”
Dodinsky