The Major, ever thoughtful, considerate and always planning ahead, circulated the Alies about the feasibility of another pre season outing. In a break with tradition it was to be a mid week jaunt, on the rattlers, to Staveley.
With some Alies still gainfully employed and helping to ease the National Debt, numbers were down, but Enty managed to juggle his books and Shagpile was out with the dawn chorus and his Gripperods. Morse, who was on some undercover operation in the smoke, joined the party at lunch time in Staveley.
Slowly the party assembled in the booking hall at Lancaster station. Titanium Jim tried to book a pensioner’s rate but to no avail as the lovely Jane had obviously become immune to this sort of smooth talk. Shagpile was again conspicuous by his absence, Gilly left messages all over the area and scouts were deployed on the forecourt.
Eventually Shagpile appeared in a crisp David Cameron style linen suit and a neatly pressed blue gingham shirt, eating his bacon butty. He explained he had managed to rearrange his carpet laying at a Morecambe hotel, but whether the couple in the room below appreciated the pulsating thud of a Stanley hammer at such an early hour is only to be imagined.
The Platelayer, on his first Alies trip, was already pacing the platform and reminded everyone that Staveley was a request stop. This was confirmed by a station official who then went onto extol the delights of a trip on the Cumbrian West Coast line, information that had the Major beaming and storing away for future reference.
Titanium Jim negotiated the gap between train and platform at Staveley, and Gilly leapt from the carriage clutching a lightweight cycle. The flights of steps down to ground level were taken gingerly and amble down Station Road brought everyone eventually to the Eagle and Child. After a brief wait, long enough to smoke a cheroot, the doors were flung open.
The Platelayer needed little persuading to take on the role of kitty master, and what a magnificent job he made of it. While he was ordering the round, Gilly was busy with his camera organising a guerning competition. Meanwhile the Major was in deep conversation with a former colleague from the world of high finance.
The throaty roar of a blacked out, high powered Mini, announced the arrival of Morse, mission completed. Despite the ever changing, mouth watering menu board in the Eagle and Child, it was decided to forgo the delights to visit the Hawkshead Beer Hall.
Somehow the party clambered up the stairs to the Hall, and once ensconced, with the breathing back to normal, everyone agreed it had been worth the effort, in particular when the first pints appeared. The Hawkshead Bitter was pure nectar; session ale, “full of Slovenian Hops,” pleading to be supped in stunning surroundings, needless to say it went down well.
Wilf’s engaging menu proved to be a little too adventurous for some but the gourmet pork pies, made from “pigs fattened on the spent grain from the brewery” on Savin Hill Farm, proved an instant hit, so much so that all the stock was consumed.
Lunch was eventually taken, followed by a gentle amble back to the Eagle and Child. With gentle Lakeland rain still falling a final climb was made to Staveley station to await the train back to Lancaster where as it happened, the sun was shining.
A tasteful curry completed a thoroughly enjoyable day out and completed the Alies pre season training programme in style.
