23rd April 1984 - Back on the Train, dep. Irkutsk.

23 April 1984 Easter Monday [The Russian Orthodox Church’s Easter, that is. Western church’s Easter is different, except on rare occasions like this year, 2014] Like a good boy, I woke up at ten to four to answer the wake-up call at four. Suitcases packed and sent down, we waited in el foyer for the word to go on the bus. We got on the bus and waited. We drove over to the station and waited on the bus. The train was soon due so we went down the frigid subway and up to the rather cool platform. [Irkutsk Station] Orange half-moon, like a slice of fruit hanging around the sky for a train to arrive. Have you ever seen a slice of orange waiting for a train? Well, the dish did run away with the spatula.

    The train arrived and we waited for a carriage-load of Germans to make their exit Germanically. As we must get to Moscow somehow, we got on the train and it left at about six o’clock local time.

   We had a long stop in Zima  [arrived about 10.40][see photo of Zima station posted on 18^th ] – window-cleaning detail. However, the dirty window dirt in our compartment is on the inside of the double window. We also did some window opening ceremonies but most of the windows have a blasted screw which is impossible to undo. There are usually ten triangular bolt things for which the key is needed from the guard to undo them. But these windows are so old they replaced some of the bolts with these blasted screws which make it impossible to open the window. But still, some of the windows can be opened which is a relief ‘cos skies is blue, the sun is shinin’ and it gets a mite warm and stuffy in these here carriages.

   Breakfast at nine or eight-thirty or some time. Once again surrounded by Kiwis – Sandy and the Solers. Eggs and absolutely drinkable apple cider stuff which is a relief. Also given a packet of wafer biscuits.

   After breakfast, probably slept a bit, or not. I played backgammon with Dee (she won), chess with Greg (1-2), draughts and chess with Leanne, 500 with Granny and the Harrisons and I haven’t taken any photos today. Scrabble in the evening with Leanne, Greg and Sandy.

  Today I had lunch and dinner with Debbie, Wayne and Leanne. Lunch – macaroni with stroganoff. Dinner – crumbed something (too fatty) with chips. The waiter wears a funny little bow tie and takes his job seriously, which is probably why he has a sweaty face. But he is fastidious and works alone, and doesn’t let anyone into the dining car until everything is ready – by invitation only.

    Every now and then we pass towns where there are whole batteries of old steam locomotives which are apparently in mothballs in case the electric and diesel locos become incapacitated. We have also seen stock rows of more modern type of locomotives. These are usually a shade of green, some are blue and all generally have three or four bands of fluorescent orange paint across the front. And also rows of carriages which are probably in better condition than ours.

  Needless to say, I

 

The TSR in electrified mode.