Leicester

The day dawned crisp and clear in Leicester (but no sign of any salt and Lineker!) Day two of the conference went well and my presentation seemed to be appreciated. I walked from the conference centre to the station as the rain began again in the afternoon. Groups of police stood at street corners to marshall visiting Arsenal fans to their 1730 ko. The late running trains due to the flooding were not helping anyone. My train was cancelled. I got on the next one but that had been misannounced. It was going to Nottingham. I needed to get to Chesterfield. I changed at East Midlands Parkway where bus connections were also all awry. I was expecting a two hour wait at Chesterfield but I was in luck as a late running Glasgow service rolled in as I got to the adjacent platform. After Leeds, the train emptied out, although half a carriage of Durham hens shattered the decibels but luckily only as far as Newcastle. As I write this we are hurtling through East Lothian and I have three minutes at Waverley to sprint from platform 8 to 3 for the Brunstane flyer home. (I missed it and reverted to a taxi!) My photo shows the Leicester Memorial Arch designed by Sir Edward Lutyens all set for tomorrow’s national commemorations.