[SWLUG] Regular Carmarthen meetings

[Neil Jones]

On Tuesday 26 October 2004 00:47, Telsa Gwynne wrote:
> On Thu, Oct 21, 2004 at 02:08:36PM +0100 or thereabouts, Dafydd Walters 
wrote:
> > nat and I have exchanged a couple of emails, and we both think it would
> > be a nice idea to start regular meetings in Carmarthen for interested
> > SWLUGers. Here's the provisional plan:
> >
> > Place: Yr Hen Dderwen (Weatherspoon's) on King Street
> > Date: Every first Thursday of the month, starting in November
> > Time: 7PM onwards
> >
> > Being on Thursday, these should never clash with Swansea or Cardiff
> > meetings.
> >
> > Perhaps we could try this and see how it goes. Any objections?
>
> None at all. But to save people further east from getting all excited,
> here's what the train and coach timetables say:
>
> http://www.gobycoach.com/
> Wait for redirect.
> Tell it you want a return from Swansea to Carmarthen, both to be "pm".
> Wait for response.
> Boggle at response:
>
>   Select an outward journey [...]
>   Displaying afternoon journeys only.   There are no morning journeys.
>
>   Select a return journey [...]
>   Displaying morning journeys only.   There are no afternoon journeys.
>
> Clearly the coaches are taking the piss. Opt for train.
>
> http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/planmyjourney/
>
> Tell it you want a return from Swansea to Carmarthen, departing around
> 17:00 and returning around 23:00. Wait for "make a cup of tea" logo.
> (What _is_ that thing?) Observe results.
>
> Two plausible trains to get there in good time. Whee. Return journey:
> Friday 5th November. Depart: 02:41. Arrive: 03:21. Oh.
>
> I have the nasty feeling this is the 0330 to Paddington, so falling
> asleep until the end of the line is not a good plan. (If it's not
> the Paddington train, what is it? The milk run?)
>
> Oh yes. The prior train for return? The 21:34 from Carmarthen.
>
> Ga i lifft gyda rhywun, os gwelwch chi'n dda? :)
>
> Telsa

Hoffwn i roi lifft i ti Telsa ond does dim car 'da fi!

(I'd like to give you a lift Telsa, but I have not got a car!)

I rather suspected the trains would be like that. However, I have just 
rechecked the buses and it does seem that the journey might be possible by 
bus from Swansea. Not from Neath unfortunately.

There seems to be a deliberate policy of not running trains west to east after 
the pubs close. The last train from Swansea to Neath on Lug nights is at 
10:30. The last train out of Cardiff is at aroun 12:20 although I always aim 
for the one at around 11. Those attending meetings will have seen me dashing 
away early. I find the Swansea situation  pretty bad. Why should I be made to 
suffer. I never even drink alcohol.

Last friday night I was catching a late night train from a  Munich suburb to 
the centre.  I was coming back from a concert on tour with Co^r Ty Tawe. 
( That's a choir for non Welsh speakers.) I saw three red capped security 
cards walking the train together. If the Germans can do that why can't we?



--
Neil Jones- Neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk http://www.butterflyguy.com/
"At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the
butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn Bog
National Nature Reserve.