Dear Alan, I am so very sorry I won’t be able to say goodbye to you on the 28th January in person but I am not very mobile these days and cannot do long journeys.  However, I will be thinking of you.  The Monday after the sad news I had one Christmas card and I instantly recognised your writing which set me off again.  I have always told anyone who wants to know about transport that you’re the person to speak to.

I will never forget waiting on Cricklewood railway station platform with you, longer ago than I care to recall, for the Flying Scotsman.  It was very cold and after 2 hours the cry went up that people could see the white smoke.  As the train came into sight it was going so fast that I think I blinked at the wrong time and missed seeing anything except for a blur of green.

You wrote to me when it would have been our 50th anniversary that you had mainly good memories of our time together, which I thought was a very lovely thing to say.  I’ve recently missed being able to ring you if I have a problem with my ancient car or just to see how things are.  I hope everything goes well on your day.  God bless, love Barbara (“B”) xx