The platform for our train was announced well in advance, allowing us to board our train without the unseemly haste necessary because of short notice in some London stations.

We are travelling by Virgin Trains and have seats in Coach A. This is the Quiet Carriage in which telephone calls and other noisy manifestations of unsocial human behaviour are supposedly banned, a rule which, in my experience, is all too often ignored.

We stop at Crewe (does anyone ever go to Crewe except to change trains?). It is the last stop before Euston but that’s still an hour and a half away.

In-train entertainment

I managed to doze for a while and when I came to, we were passing through Harrow and shortly afterwards we heard the “shortly arriving” announcement.

Soon the train stopped and we stepped out onto the platform at Euston. (Photo by Tigger.) Just a short bus ride lay between us and home.