26th January 26. Grimsby Again.

I'm sure Grimsby is a nice place. I actually must visit for longer and find out. That's the problem sometimes with this work. Well it is for me. My non-stop nature, doesn't allow me to spend time and relax and take in the places I go to.

My issue with it is simple, time. It takes me too long to get here. The train from Aylesbury leaves at 5.37am I don't get to Grimsby station until 12.00 noon.

By then I want to collect the car and get back. And from Grimsby I always get back too late to be able to deliver the car to Oxford. So I have to take it home for delivery another day.

The first train is my usual favourite to Princess Risborough. There I have to wait 40 minutes for the train to Birmingham Snow Hill. Getting off at Banbury. Then a short wait for the 7.28 to Newcastle. Then a longer stretch to Doncaster.

From there, I pick up the train to Cleethorpes. Arriving in Grimsby town station at 11.40.

A quick train, to Cleethorpes again. But getting off next stop at Grimsby Docks station.. instead of getting a taxi at Grimsby Town station. It's a 15 minutes walk to the dealers premises to collect the car. From the other station

Today was an Uber special. A 2018 Toyota Auris estate. . But blue. Not black or silver like most others.

The 15 minutes walk took me across an elevated section of road and a very confusing and dodgy looking section of stairways and ramps under the road. Before coming up between the carriageways. Very odd.

Crossing a Road Grimsby style

Eventually I got to the site. I had been here a few times before. And it's an industrial unit on an industrial road. A few cars and a motorbike and various bits of stuff like a jet ski inside. With an elevated office.

As usual with this customer. I have to call once I've seen the car and happy. For them to make payment.

Then wait. Sometimes minutes. Once a few hours. And once it didn't happen.

Not the management I deal withs fault. It's accountants. The scourge of most businesses.

Any excuse not to pay. To pay late, or just to be difficult. It's a common practice.

About 35 minutes later the money arrived and then I started the long and not very exciting drive back to Aylesbury.

A 2018 Toyota Auris is not exactly high tech. It's comfortable enough. And drives ok. But don't ever ask it to do something dynamic. The engine sounds like it's either doing a thousand revs per minute, or eight thousand. Nothing in between.

2018 Toyota Auris

Even when it sounds like it's coming apart at top revs, the engine doesn't propel the car forward with any velocity.

It just does what it needs. Goes forward, backwards and carries people and stuff. Reliably. Hence the reason taxi driver's love them, I suppose. No Android Auto in this car and the Toyota Sat-nav. Was too old to be 100% correct.

So I know the way once on the A180 so radio on, then relax into the drive back

Grimsby to Aylesbury

It was a good 4 hours drive to Oxford, given a stop or two. My estimated time of arrival at The dealer was after closing. So I decided, with the dealers authority after a quick call. To take the car home. I would deliver it tomorrow afternoon as I had a car to collect from them for the following day.

Grimsby has become a regular collection point.. I coincidentally also delivered a new van from a different company to a business believe it or not. Next door to the place I have now collected three cars for my Oxford customer.