10th February 25 Swindon - Bolton - Aylesbury 👍🏼

After three, I would like to say well deserved days off. Today was a longer day up to Bolton via Swindon.

Starting with the now regular train from Aylesbury timed to arrive at 9.00am to maximise the time I had to drive. The train from Aylesbury to Swindon is one that starts from platform 1 so over the bridge. With a quick trip to Princess Risborough. Then dodging the London committing community to cross the bridge to the opposite quiet'ish platform heading towards Oxford . Where I join a much busier train trying to avoid the over chatty family with care dog. Remember them?

The 7.30 to Oxford is usually a little quieter than the later one and usually avoids these Oxford commuter and school types.

Quick jump off one train and wait for the next to Didcot Parkway leaving from the same platform. Oxford station from platform 1 when your next train is due quickly. Can be a challenge toilet wise. If I forgot or don't need at Princess Risborough, where the toilet is a joint male, female and disabled affair. Then your only option at Oxford is either rush over the bridge to the opposite platform and use it. Have to be quick with this particular connection. Or, try and get out of the barriers and back in and use the platform 1 toilet. Which is not actually on the platform. Sometimes you get a friendly guard who lets you through. Sometimes you get the ex Gastapo or Russian NKVD officer who . Who wants to check your papers please? So not worth trying. Learn to plan better and forecast your bladder and use Princess Risborough.

So arrived at Didcot Parkway (busting for a wee) use the toilet and wait for the Swindon train.

Quick taxi. (No Uber in Swindon, use the station taxi) To Sytner Select used cars. A huge used car site, obviously designed in the days when they thought they would be a lot busier. Collect the trade Mercedes Benz CLA 200 to go to the used car site in St Helens Lancashire. Who bought it from Dealer Auction. An online trade auction site. I have known this disposal method since 2008/9 when I started my first used car sales manager role at Land Rover. We were one of the first to sign up and start selling trade cars on this platform. It has since been taken over by Manheim or rather the parent company Cox Automotive, another US conglomerate.

The car drove as well as a 67 plate Mercedes should along the A419 to the M5 then merging at Birmingham on the horrendously busy M6 junction. Heading north in the pouring rain to Lancashire.

Having dropped off the car at the used car site. Where again, nobody even looked at it and signed my appraisal. That gets immediately sent to the movement company and I get paid a few days after. Easy.

A quick Uber to St Helens station and a short journey to Bolton . Even though you change at Wigan and have to walk the short distance between Wigan stations. Wigan North Western and Wigan Wallgate. Arriving at Bolton and again Ubering to to the dealership to collect the car for delivery back to Aylesbury. This was going to my regular customer just outside Aylesbury and arriving shortly after 19.00 it was dark but they opened the gates remotely from the comfort of home and allowed me to leave the car. .

I waited for the X5 bus for what seemed an age. But finally arrived home around 20.10

Another successful day financially 😁