Matthew's Journal

I live on a main line. There is a city c. 40 miles away, also on said mainline, which I regularly visit, where the last train back is about 5.30pm, and you can't even go a longer way round. (Well, except if you a. go 80 miles one way and 30 miles back the other, which I would, except they want about 3 times the normal fare to do so, or b. or wait for about 3 hours at a station in between, which isn't really practical (and then you'd be too late for a bus home from the station)). This is too early to go home from most of the things I do in said city.

I feel your pain. Our family does use public transport sometimes - 2 get the bus regularly and we do use trains when they are more practical and reasonable in cost, but I'm afraid our car is well used and nigh-on essential, and that is the way it will stay until things seriously improve.