Today was a proud day for a couple of grandparents as our grandson, Alfie, graduated from university.
With hundreds, if not thousands, of students being celebrated, tickets were limited but the university was live-streaming the event, so with immediate family taking precedence, we had to make do with seeing him on the television.
For the last few years, Alfie has been attending Liverpool’s John Moores University and it was in this
city’s cathedral that the grand ceremony was to take place.
That branch of the family had rented accommodation in Liverpool so we would be watching the feed there before meeting up afterwards for a meal.
Months age, when we had the date, we booked train tickets from our nearest station up to Liverpool for the day.
This morning, we were up, possibly before the larks, to be sure of arriving at the station for our 07:00 departure.
Waiting on the platform at Coleshill Parkway, the train pulled into view. Being the first service of the day, it was a little crowded but, and this is where using a walking stick comes in handy, someone took pity on me and offered me a seat. Sue ended up standing but as the journey to New Street was only around twelve minutes, this was no real hardship.
At Birmingham New Street, a change to platform 6 and we were ready for the 07:34 service to Liverpool Lime Street. A little before time, an empty train pulled in and we climbed on board, securing a table. As the train progressed north, it remained less than fifty percent full and we had the table all to ourselves.
We pulled into Liverpool Lime Street bang on time and after passing through he barriers, had time for a couple of AdLabs including one at a statue of Ken Dodd.
From Doddy, we made our way to the digs to watch the live stream from the graduation, picking up a couple more AdLabs en route.
In the accommodation, which is something to do with the uni, we were able to watch the feed over a coffee (or two).
After what seemed like a million students had been briefly introduced, had their hands shaken and made way for the next, up strolls Alfie.
After Alfie’s appearance, the remainder of the family that are not up at the cathedral, get ready to depart and once everybody is happy, we depart to go and meet the rest of the gang.
At the reunion, photos are taken before we split up, some to get changed and the rest of us to have a look around the city. We agree to meet down by the docks a little later – we have dinner booked for two o’clock).
Grabbing a few more AdLabs on the way, most of us show up near Albert dock enough ahead of dinner to grab a swift drink in the Pump House before moving almost next door to Gusto’s for lunch.
This Italian restaurant overlooks Albert Dock and we were seating in a private area overlook the dock. The food was excellent and all the plate were cleared. The staff were great and could even be persuaded to take a group photo.
With stomachs full, we bid farewell to the rest of the family and made our slow way back to the railway station. We were a little ahead of schedule and were booked onto a specific train (17:10) but thought that we could, perhaps, grab a few more AdLabs and a coffee.
Arriving at the station, we noticed that the 15:10 train was still at the station, being delayed by nearly an hour. Half-expecting a roll-on effect, I asked staff about getting on this train instead of waiting for our train that could well be delayed.
“Yeh, Jump On,” we were told, “It SHOULD be leaving soon).
The train was a lot busier than our morning train but we managed to find a couple of seat at a table with a woman sat opposite.
We got talking and it appears that she had been sat there for an hour and had a connection at Crewe which she could be in danger of missing. It also transpired that she was head home to Atherstone – less than ten miles from our home.
Eventually, the 15:10 pulled out about 16:15 and all locked good. Our table companion should make her connection (just) and we would me home about an hour before we would have been according to Plan A.
We pulled into Crewe to be told that the service was terminating here. Bugger!
Off we got to form a bit of an ugly crown milling around on Platform five. Following many, differing, announcements, an Avanti train pulled in and we were told that we could use this (along with a load of others).
Again the sympathy walking stick worked its magic and I was offered a seat. A short while later, after some further seat shuffling, Sue called to say that she’s secured a couple of seats at a table.
The train was busy but we had seats so it wasn’t all bad.
With stops at Stafford, hopefully our newly found Atherstonian got her connection from here, Wolverhampton and Sandwell & Dudley, we pulling into New Street around half six.
From platform 10A we caught a train to Coleshill Parkway to be reunited with the car. On the plus side we were still there thirty minutes ahead of our original e.t.a.