12th February 26 Eastleigh and More

A complicated day today. Firstly, to deliver a 2023 white Ford Fiesta ST to a retail customer in Eastleigh from a dealer in Aylesbury, should be simple. A short walk to collect the car, which was ready to go. The car had an immobilising device which to deactivate was a sequence of button pushes on the steering wheel. Again, simple enough.

This was someone's new pride and joy so a very careful drive. To get to Eastleigh it's a journey down the now pothole riddled A41. Which is going to cause me damage at some point in the future as it's just getting so bad . This is due to the constant stream of heavy trucks from and to the HS2 works.

From the A41 to Bicester you then head to Oxford and continue on the A34 down to the M3 which goes directly to Eastleigh

Aylesbury to Eastleigh

Arrived at customer and was told the son was taking delivery as the father was at work.

The man answered the door and looked in his 60s so I thought this was the father. No.

He called into the house and the father was there. A man in his 80s came out and took delivery. He was 86 he later told me.

An 86 year old man with a Fiesta ST. Good for him.

I had parked in front of an open garage. Inside was a car under cover. Turned out the family was from South Africa. Under the cover was a mark one Cortina. South African built and he had driven it to the UK. I showed him the fiesta and how the immobiliser worked and left him instructions. Then to find Eastleigh station!

I had bought a train ticket already from Eastleigh to Aylesbury. Looking at the map it was 25 minutes walk. As I came out of the customers road I saw a sign for Southampton Airport station?? In the other direction. So I casually ignored it. And marched on to Eastleigh station. It started raining, heavy.

I got to Eastleigh station, wet. Pissed off and wishing I had just got an Uber.

I had just missed the train I wanted so waited for the next one. Due to the rain and being pissed off. I hadn't looked at my ticket details. From Eastleigh the first change was ..yes, Southampton Airport station. Which was, now I checked only 5 minutes walk from the customer's address 😡

Planning is everything. Attention to detail please.

I eventually got back to Aylesbury. Walked home and decided to take the Vauxhall Mokka I had collected yesterday to Leighton Buzzard. Where I could collect a Ford EcoSport for delivery next week then go home leave that and get a taxi to Land Rover Aylesbury (sorry "Buckinghamshire")

To collect a Mercedes CLA I was taking to Canterbury tomorrow .

Mercedes CLA collection

So my "complicated" day, needn't have been that complicated at all. Better planning and attention to detail would have saved me a long walk, getting wet and lots of time today.

But I got there in the end.