Growing Old in Style - The Great Rush Home

Growing Old in Style – The Great Rush Home

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Arriving into Terminal 3 after the delay getting the jetbridge attached was a pain as usual. And of course, with the plane parked in the far satellite of T3, it would be a long hike back to Immigration.

Off the plane.

Heathrow is trying to improve its connections and how to connect guides. Because everything is a journey these days.

Everything is a journey…

For me – the most critical part of the journey was now beginning – getting to Euston station before the late trains go.

Why the rush? I was due back at my desk the next day in the office.

Hurry hurry!

Arriving into T3 immigration, it was packed. Thankfully, having a FastTrack card allowed me to skip a lot of the queues (as the EU/UK lines were moving slowly, and the automated passport gates were moving just as slow).

By the time I got to baggage claim, my bags were making a trip around the belt – this would help in timings thanks to the delays in passport control.

With that done, it was time to get conned… of course, I’m referring to catching the Heathrow Express. With the clock ticking, I had to be at London Euston by 21:45, or else – it would be a long wait for the next train.

And as much as I would had loved to, that wasn’t going to happen.

I winced at the cost of the train ticket, and headed off.

OWWWWW.

Thankfully, my timing was reasonable as a train was due in 5 minutes. Heathrow Connect – whilst cheaper – would had caused me to mis-connect.

With the Express arriving, I boarded the train to Paddington.

Heathrow Express at Paddington.

So, the Heathrow Express. What have I written about it that I can’t repeat (apart from it being the biggest travel con going? )

Even at 9pm at night, it’s a busy affair as people are trying to get home or to hotels, with standing room being an option for some.

Seating in Express Class is 2-2 in a mix of airline seating and tables if you’re lucky.

And it does get you from Heathrow to London in 15 minutes. But it is overpriced for what it is. Sadly, I was not in a position to argue this time, and I sat back – ready for the next race when I hit Paddington.

Arriving in Paddington – there are two options – Tube or Taxi (yes, there’s Uber, but I haven’t got time for that). In the end, I hit the taxi rank for a short wait for a black cab to Euston.

Thankfully, when I told the cabby Euston, and step on it please – he did so, bolting down the Marylebone Road to Euston Main line station. £10 later – I was at Euston.

With the clock ticking like mad (the train was due to go in 10 minutes), I purchased my train tickets and headed for the Virgin Trains service that would take me homeward to Birmingham.

This being 21:45 at night – the train was busy as it serves people who live in Milton Keynes, as well as the long distance passengers heading to Coventry, Birmingham and Wolverhampton.

I managed to grab two seats for myself – and flopped down.

The train pulled out on schedule – and I looked at my bags piled on the seat next to me.

Late night services don’t tend to be “fast” services at all – rather they potter along and take diversionary routes – in our case, the train took the line via Northampton as opposed to the fast line, and adding 30 minutes on to the trip.

However, the train eventually entered the West Midlands conurbation as the train reached the city surrounded by concrete…

Eventually, with the clock passing midnight – my train arrive at New Street where I got off it, and hailed a Uber for the short ride home… and finally my front door.

And with that – a four-day adventure was over. And it would be a hard crash back to earth – I was in the office the next day…

Finally: 40 Up

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