APEX Expo and Lufthansa Flying Lab - Train? Thataway.

Train? Thataway. – APEX Expo and The Lufthansa Flying Lab

In this adventure

Exiting the plane I exited straight into the immigration hall. Well – that’s more than a bonus shall we say.

Into Britannia.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Swiss Airbus.

There’s lots of options – and most arrivals were being

To the border!

Queues everywhere.

I went to the ePassport machines… and broke them again. I was then manually cleared into the UK.

Unlike T5 where immigration and baggage claim are on separate floors, it is a single floor design, allowing passengers to speed through. I couldn’t – as I was waiting for luggage to arrive.

Sadly, whilst Heathrow T2 may be a new terminal, Heathrow luggage delivery was it is wonderfully slow self – with a good 15-minute wait for the belt to come to life, and another 5 for my luggage to appear. Which for a short haul flight isn’t too hot.

With that – I exited the secure section of the airport.

To the exit.

Arrivals

Now – I had a choice again to get into Central London – TfL Rail or Piccadilly Line/Bakerloo line to Marylebone. Sadly, by the time I had reached the underground walkways – the decision had been made for me – the TfL Rail service had long gone.

Even though I’d have to shake more than a leg to get my journey complete.

Oh. It’s not a swirl. It’s a Slipstream.

Rather than wait another 30 minutes for a service, I headed towards the Piccadilly Line ticket barriers

Back to the Piccadilly Line.

Ticket holders, Smartphone, wallet holders.. the list goes on.

I blipped my iPhone and headed downstairs to the platform. Thankfully, there was only a two-minute wait for the train coming in from T5.

I know, I know…

Follow the signs.

With me in a corner of a carriage, this seemed like a place I could stay awake-ish for the ride to Piccadilly Circus.

Others had better ideas of staying awake, by cracking open some duty-free vodka. Which whilst the Mayor of London wouldn’t have liked (nor TfL) I could only look in wonder and amazement.

Instead, I tried to fall asleep on my luggage.

This being 8:40 in the morning, it’s still commuting time into London (the one reason I wanted to avoid the tube). Nonetheless, I kept awake for the trip to Piccadilly Circus.

Nope – not my choice to change here during the morning rush – but this was the simplest choice to get to Marylebone.

Heading to the Bakerloo line – we were going northbound – so it was a much quieter affair. Wonderful.

And traverse seating too.

Eventually, the tube arrived at Marylebone – and by a stroke of luck – I had positioned myself so I was near the stairs.

A spritely walk to the escalators, and ride up – and another phone beep – I was in Marylebone station.

Marylebone. The quieter London terminus. To think they thought of knocking it down and turning into a coach station.

My next challenge was to get a train ticket home. Now, I was hoping I would arrive after 9:30 into Marleybone – least of all, it could mean I would qualify for a super off-peak ticket to Birmingham.

And as it was 9:40 when I popped out… what’s the term… Winner Winner Chicken dinner.

And the best part was I didn’t need to fish into my wallet to pay for it – the contact pad readers could handle a transaction at £30.50.

That done, I headed to boots to get some cold caffeine – yes a coke zero.

With that in hand – I passed through the barrier as my train was waiting for me – and my luck continues – with the train being a locomotive hauled set as opposed to the multiple units I normally encountered.

A proper train!

Up, up the platform.

The country end (and closer to the exit at Birmingham Moor Street)

I boarded the Chiltern Trains Silver Train (what the train watching/spotting community would call a Class 68 with Mark III carriages and a DVT at the London end).

I went for the first open table with seats I could see – and promptly collapsed into it.

The classic Mark III Carriage with the IC70 seats.

The IC70 seats.

From what I could tell, the train left on-time and raced its way out of London. With a mixed stopping pattern, we should reach Birmingham by 11:40. I wasn’t moaning. (and 1h 40 to Birmingham is very receptacle).

There’s no catering service on these trains anymore – mainly as people were buying off the train. I’m still not sure if that’s true, or an Arriva excuse to cut services back. The truth is somewhere in the middle, I suspect.

The stop at Banbury was fruitful – if for once thing

A Shiny! Shame it’s awful got crappy IV’s…

With the train approaching Leamington Spa, my thoughts turned to the real world – and I made a check-in in the office. Finding things were actually pretty settled down… I didn’t have to get off the train and into the office

That was a welcome thing.

Eventually, the train pulled into Birmingham Moor Street. As I was in the lead carriage, I managed to get out before the masses.

Exit here for Birmingham City Centre.

Thank you Class 68!

Passing through the ticket barrier – my thoughts turned to how I was going to get home.

That way please.

And with Birmingham City Council continuing to dig up the city, there were a bunch of diversions in progress. Rather than deal with that, I just walked for the first available cab.

Taxi! (singular).

Passing the Selfridges store at the Bullring.

With the cab driver going around the houses, eventually, he dropped me at my flats entrance.

With a last flourish, I headed to my front door.

After setting publish on a couple of posts I lined up, I fell face first into my bed and called it quits until 7 pm that evening.

Because I was exhausted.

Finally: The Outlook for the next six months

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APEX Expo and Lufthansa Flying Lab – Train? Thataway.

Train? Thataway. – APEX Expo and The Lufthansa Flying Lab

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