24th February 26 Back to it.

Being self employed and having jobs for important customers booked, means time off sick can't happen. I was able to move stuff around and thankfully that gave me yesterday to get well. Which I didn't, fully.

However I was able to get moving and get on the early train to Epsom. Where I was collecting an MG HS from the MG dealer there for Motability which was going to A car supermarket site in Peterborough.

MG HS collection

The train was the usual Aylesbury to Marylebone then underground to London Bridge and then west to Epsom.

There had been an issue with the dealer, as when I called the day before. They said the car wasn't on site. This was a stroke of luck as it enabled me to cancel the job from yesterday and do it today. It turned out that the car was still on a personal number plate. So when I had asked for the car it didn't show on the dealership system. But it helped my cause.

Epsom to Peterborough was longer than I thought. But it was a sunny day so all good.

The car supermarket has a prep centre for these cars, so it's a simple drop off.

Delivery done ✅

The strange thing about these MG's is the seats look ok. They even look like leather but it is a cheaper plastic substitute than most manufacturers. So sitting on the plastic in the sun isn't comfortable. I guess you get what you pay for. When I worked for a dealer that brought an MG franchise onto their site, I did think they provided a cheap alternative when they made their arrival in the UK. But now they have been surpassed by other Chinese manufacturers especially in the quality of the materials used and technology.

So that job finished I just needed an Uber, always quite inexpensive in Peterborough.

I was collecting a car purchased by my customer in Aylesbury. From a place I hadn't been before which was actually further out of Peterborough than I thought. Still the Uber was only £12.00 due to having a business account with them. This week offered 25% off all Ubers used. I would recommend this account as these savings are quite common. Thank you Uber one!

Arriving at the gated compound in the middle of nowhere there was a reception office and having made a booking for the collection they had the car fairly close by. It was a white 2023 Vauxhall Corsa.

Which was my ride back to Aylesbury.

Two ways to get back and quite similar distances but I chose the route I knew. Down the A1 to the now completely different but still gridlocked, Black Cat Roundabout and then past Bedford and Milton Keynes to Aylesbury

Peterborough to Aylesbury

It funny looking at the major works going on at the Cambridge, St Neots to Bedford and MK road now. That it was around 2007 that we first heard that the A421 was going to stop going past the house we used to live on the road a few miles before St Neots. And re-route. My late father in law was a civil engineer and he had seen the plans nearly 20 years ago. The work is still nowhere near finished and will give a fast connection between Cambridge and the M1 at Milton Keynes. You were right Grieg!! Rest in peace.

One further small issue today..

I had subcontracted a job to collect a car for my Aylesbury customer. The car needed to be collected from Worksop NR Nottingham. From the same dealer group. When they arrived to collect. It turned out the car was actually in Blackburn!!

So job aborted and I had to use someone else to collect it tomorrow. Don't ask.

In my 25 plus as a sales manager issues like this were common. Attention to detail and checking everything you are told. Is not something that most people in this business. And I imagine many other businesses actually bother with.

I know I've mentioned this before but I can't say it enough.

I remember my manager when I first started in the business as a business manager, telling me his favourite saying.

"Believe half of what you see. And none of what you hear"

It's done me well over the years.