As I had a prior engagement in Nuneaton, and had to be in work later in the evening too, I decided to drive to work, park my car up (free parking anyway ;)) and then catch the train at Bermuda Park Station, which opened in 2016, for the relatively short journey into Nuneaton, plus for £1.70 return it was better than parking in the town centre and paying the car parking prices, plus the engagement was only stone throw away at The Ginger Tree All-You-Can-Eat buffet. 

Parking up, it was a brisk 15 minute walk to Bermuda Park Station, which has been made easier since new traffic control flows were installed on the Griff Roundabout a few years earlier, walking down St. Georges Way, I had a brief remembrance looking at the big piece of wasteland where Lynx Express use to be, I worked there for 2 years from 2001 until 2003, when I left and went to pastures new. Lynx later got took over by UPS (United Parcel Service), who then moved all their operations to a huge, new site at Birch Coppice, near Tamworth. Funnily enough, UPS also had their hub on Bermuda Park, just down from Lynx on Gresham Road, and like Lynx, I also worked there from 1999 until 2001 when I actually went to Lynx.

Arriving at Bermuda Park Station, I purchased my ticket from the self-service ticket machine, personally I think it's a little exposed to the elements and maybe a bigger shelter could have been provided, although I expect the machine is weather sealed anyway.

Walking up the stairs to the platform, I was the lone passenger at first until 3 other passengers joined me, and we waited for the train to arrive.

On time, at 12:59, 153365 arrived and we boarded, there was a few other passengers on board so it was nice to see the service is used in off-peak periods - I understand the peak periods is like a sardine express for the single coach service. 4 minutes after leaving Bermuda Park, we arrived at Nuneaton Station, where I made my way across to The Ginger Tree, for a couple of hours.

After a nice hearty dinner, I made my way back to Nuneaton Station, where I decided to stay for an hour or so, and get some numbers in for 2018 :), at one point, it really chucked down with rain, the remnants of Storm Eleanor - which  had wreaked havoc across the country in the previous 24 hours. 

I met a couple of old faces when I was at Nuneaton, some I hadn't seen for a couple of years and had a nice catch up, but soon enough, it was time to head to work.

Making my way back to Platform 1 for the Dogbox of Doom for the short trip back to Bermuda Park, luckily the rain had stopped and the sky was clearing slightly, it was an on time departure of 16:14 and 4 minutes later we was back in Bermuda Park, again, there was a couple of people getting off and on, so it's nice to see the station is being used, hopefully it'll see more use if and when the half-hourly service is implemented between Coventry and Nuneaton. Retracing my steps back to work, I had to be extra careful as the volume of traffic on the A444 around Griff Island was building up with the rush hour fast approaching.

-------------------------------------------------

12:59 153365 Bermuda Park - Nuneaton.

16:14 153365 Nuneaton - Bermuda Park.

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• 14:41 66761 6M26 Eastleigh - Mountsorrel.
• 15:05 66763 4L22 Hams Hall - Felixstowe.
• 15:16 66514 4M88 Felixstowe - Ditton.
• 15:48 66515 4M58 Southampton - Garston.
• 16:07 66206 4L56 Trafford Park - London Gateway.

UNITS: (STOPPING SERVICES ONLY).

153365.

170109, 170110, 170397, 170521, 170636.

350105, 350126, 350130.

Cheers,

James