BACK on the train this week, and here's a moan just to start with, well an observation really. I left the Faithful City from Shrub Hill Station.

The ticket office was closed, so had to negotiate a ticket machine.

Between about four of us we managed to work it out, paying by card, you could pay by notes as well, but it took a while.

With 10 minutes to spare, dying for a drink, buffet closed, at 1.40 in the afternoon. Not to worry, there'll be a trolley service on the train. Well there was a trolley. One lot of sarnies left, egg mayonnaise... and that was it.

Oh, I lie, a Chelsea bun that looked as if it had been around for some time and a small bottle of diet coke £1.40.

Return journey by car. Motorway services, one of my favourite subjects.

Cherwell Valley - now having walked out of there once before, it was no surprise to see three staff standing around talking, with only one serving (see my moan last week!).

At 11.15pm, with just three customers in the place, it took us five minutes to get served.

To brighter things... played cricket last Sunday for the Martley Cricket Club presidents' team, against the locals.

Splendid day, but what was a bit scary was the age of some of our players.

I played with the grandads of three of the players in our team... told you it was scary.

Nice to see old chums Basil and Naomi D'Olivera.

Did you see the documentary about Basil on the BBC recently?

Sadly, not on BBC1 or BBC2, but on BBC 3, so I guess some people didn't see it, but hopefully it will be repeated.

I'm sure a lot of people in Worcestershire don't realise what a huge figure Basil is.

He's known all over the world, and to prove it, a little tale.

I was in Cairns on the East Coast of Australia some years ago, wearing my Worcestershire shirt and an old boy stopped me and asked the obvious "You from Worcester?". As I replied in the affirmative, he went into a long eulogy of Basil and his contribution to the world of sport. Then said "Cheerio" and walked off.

Talking of the great game.

This Sunday, Worcester Male Voice Choir in action against John Banners All-Stars, at Droitwich, should be fun, but I won't go on the train!