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T-11 – Training by train
Oct. 5th, 2007 11:59 pmThe organisation behind the voluntary work that I do – The Ormiston Children & Families Trust, to give the full title – is currently organising diversity training for all it’s employees and volunteers across the east, at different dates and locations. Most of the people that I work with are having theirs at a facility in Cambridge, but that would clash with when I get out of hospital in around two and a bit weeks. So, today, I travelled to Newmarket (Suffolk) by train (not bus because the morning gap in 26's meant I'd need to leave two hours earlier!) – via a slightly late-running First Capital Connect service to Cambridge Platform 2, then walk across Cambridge station to pick up a Cambridge-Ipswich service from Platform 5. This service is now ran by One Railway, but until last year, this would have been part of Anglia Railways, and the shelter frames were still in their corporate green.
So, from the station, walked through the outskirts of central Newmarket, and made up in plenty of time for the 1030 start. It wasn’t a long day, but the trainer (Paul) did well at making it much more bearable than it might have been. Most of the staff who had been there were either based at the Newmarket centre, or in Peterborough, and had been working with the company for anything from two to eighteen years – they were surprised when I pointed out I’d only been there five weeks!
I had the opportunity to talk to most of them – all bar one I’d not met before – and discussed various things, from my accent to how I was finding the change in work. A few of them spoke positively about the range of work the company does, and said things about how they’d enjoyed it. I must admit, it’s a career path that I’d not previously thought about, but one that could well be worth looking into. Let’s face it – it’s not transport or computing, and I am already at work at it – so that’s good. Right? It gives me even more to look into… after everything is done…
… It was an enjoyable day, and if you are still to go (as a few of you reading this will be!) I don’t want to spoil the surprise. It’s a worthwhile day out – go enjoy!
On the way home… made it to the station… then… oh dear. A fire on a train somewhere has caused delay and disruption, and the train (still in Anglia Railways livery, and with fleetnames!) was going towards Ipswich instead of Cambridge around the same time… and it’s single track! It got in fifteen minutes late, and this lead to a cross-station lunge (platform 5 to 2) to make it in time for the 1655 train south, in less than two minutes. Several wheeled trolley cases were jumped over and banged into as I tried to get there in time, and the second pair of tights were totalled for the day! I did make it for the train, which duly left 90 seconds late… grr!... but, nevertheless, made it back in time for Caroline coming home!
We were going to go shopping in Tesco Extra Royston last night, but I was tired and had sore teeth, so we put it off till tonight (yes, until the milk ran out, that’s right!) We went out late evening, and I spotted the same person on the tills from last week, who forgot to remove the security tag on Caroline’s skirt (but guess what – the alarm didn’t go off when we walked out – waste of time?) Anyway, we bought a few more things – Caroline wanted a DVD Recorder to go with the Set-top box we bought last week – and Caroline saw an advert board in clothing for a good-looking waistcoat and trousers, but still couldn’t find them. After getting a member of staff across, who brought someone else across, no, none of the waistcoats could be found by the staff & Caroline – a large pile of jackets were now in their place. The staff member said that there were only THREE left earlier in the week, and suggested trying nearby branches in Bar Hill and Baldock. They then walked off, but as I brushed past, I could see something behind the pile of jackets. Yes, it was a waistcoat, and it was in Caroline’s size. What were the chances of that? Well, she looked at me, and gave me a kiss right there and then! “Thank you hunney”… that was very special!
Home with our purchases, severed by the same person (who promised to take off all the clothing tags this week – and she did!), and crashed out soon after!
So, from the station, walked through the outskirts of central Newmarket, and made up in plenty of time for the 1030 start. It wasn’t a long day, but the trainer (Paul) did well at making it much more bearable than it might have been. Most of the staff who had been there were either based at the Newmarket centre, or in Peterborough, and had been working with the company for anything from two to eighteen years – they were surprised when I pointed out I’d only been there five weeks!
I had the opportunity to talk to most of them – all bar one I’d not met before – and discussed various things, from my accent to how I was finding the change in work. A few of them spoke positively about the range of work the company does, and said things about how they’d enjoyed it. I must admit, it’s a career path that I’d not previously thought about, but one that could well be worth looking into. Let’s face it – it’s not transport or computing, and I am already at work at it – so that’s good. Right? It gives me even more to look into… after everything is done…
… It was an enjoyable day, and if you are still to go (as a few of you reading this will be!) I don’t want to spoil the surprise. It’s a worthwhile day out – go enjoy!
On the way home… made it to the station… then… oh dear. A fire on a train somewhere has caused delay and disruption, and the train (still in Anglia Railways livery, and with fleetnames!) was going towards Ipswich instead of Cambridge around the same time… and it’s single track! It got in fifteen minutes late, and this lead to a cross-station lunge (platform 5 to 2) to make it in time for the 1655 train south, in less than two minutes. Several wheeled trolley cases were jumped over and banged into as I tried to get there in time, and the second pair of tights were totalled for the day! I did make it for the train, which duly left 90 seconds late… grr!... but, nevertheless, made it back in time for Caroline coming home!
We were going to go shopping in Tesco Extra Royston last night, but I was tired and had sore teeth, so we put it off till tonight (yes, until the milk ran out, that’s right!) We went out late evening, and I spotted the same person on the tills from last week, who forgot to remove the security tag on Caroline’s skirt (but guess what – the alarm didn’t go off when we walked out – waste of time?) Anyway, we bought a few more things – Caroline wanted a DVD Recorder to go with the Set-top box we bought last week – and Caroline saw an advert board in clothing for a good-looking waistcoat and trousers, but still couldn’t find them. After getting a member of staff across, who brought someone else across, no, none of the waistcoats could be found by the staff & Caroline – a large pile of jackets were now in their place. The staff member said that there were only THREE left earlier in the week, and suggested trying nearby branches in Bar Hill and Baldock. They then walked off, but as I brushed past, I could see something behind the pile of jackets. Yes, it was a waistcoat, and it was in Caroline’s size. What were the chances of that? Well, she looked at me, and gave me a kiss right there and then! “Thank you hunney”… that was very special!
Home with our purchases, severed by the same person (who promised to take off all the clothing tags this week – and she did!), and crashed out soon after!
