LEOTLE Part 2, aka EOTL 20: August 18 2011: Somewhere Old Somewhere New

[David Wright]

Our taxi driver certainly enjoys a chat.  Iqual made the life-changing move from Pakistan to Chesham 17 years ago and has no regrets.  Like ourselves, he enjoys the occasional drink.  Sensing a high degree of local knowledge, we ask our friend what time the last train into central London is likely to depart from Amersham.  'Oooh, after midnight.  One o'clock, maybe.'  Even if we do suffer an EOTL first and miss the last train, fear not.  For a mere £50, Iqbal will take us all the way back to Zone 1.

 

We soon arrive in Amersham.  The Kings Arms on the High Street was used in the 1960s film, Murder at the Gallop, starring Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple.  Its Tudor facade looks promising.

 

We enter expectantly.  Our high hopes are soon dashed.  The renovators have meticulously stripped the pub of character.  Bland furniture and blander artworks give us both a sinking feeling.  Our moods take a further dip when we learn that the kitchen has just closed.  We decide one pint is quite enough and ask the barmaid if there's anywhere between here and the tube station that serves food and drink.

 

It's at this point that we learn that Amersham is a town of two very distinct parts – Old and New.  We are currently in Old Amersham.  The tube station is in New Amersham.  The barmaid confidently asserts that there are no pubs in New Amersham.  Dave and I reckon she doesn’t have a clue and embark on the 20 minute walk to New Amersham.

 

On the way, I enthusiastically inform Dave that I had spotted a rare emerald green K8 phone box on the platform at Chalfont and Latimer - a 1968 design classic.  He's strangely unimpressed.

 

Still no sign of New Amersham.  We seek reassurance from a couple of local types that we are on the right road and enquire about pub options.  We are indeed heading in the right direction but there are apparently no pubs in New Amersham.  We carry on regardless.  

 

Eventually, we spot the tube station.  Still no pub sightings – it appears the locals know better than us.  We chance upon Ken’s Beijing, a cheery eatery with a 1970’s feel about it.

 

The only other diners are a sizeable group of 30-something women, who are intrigued by out EOTL flag which we intend to plant at Amersham station.  ‘What’s it all about?’  Our explanation is met with general bewilderment.  One of the party asks who is paying us to carry out such an arduous task.  EOTL’s strict not-for-profit ethos is lost on our fellow diners.

 

When the party gets up to leave, my friendly ‘goodnight!’ is not reciprocated.  We are left alone with Ken who turns out to be a charming gentleman.  Unfortunately, Ken declines our request to photograph him holding our flag.  ‘I no good with photo’.  However, he kindly agrees to photograph Dave and I posing amid his fine Chinoisery.

 

After our excellent meal, Ken provides us with a plastic bag and two polysterene cups – we still have a good half bottle of Merlot to enjoy on our journey home.

 

It is with a great sense of achievement and a little sadness that we perform our final EOTL ritual.  Our flag is firm(ish)ly planted in the foliage surrounding the Amersham platform roundel.

 

On the tube home, we fill our polysterene cups and toast the end of an historic adventure.  As we pass through Chalfont and Latimer, the platform guard spots our wine bottle and cups.

 

‘Off to a party, lads?  Have one on me!’

 

Good to know that Boris’ Underground prohibition law doesn’t extend to Zone 9.

[Eleanor Dowling]

You do sound a wee bit pedantic.  Even obsessive...

[David Wright]

Without wishing to be pedantic, the K8 on Rousay (one of only 2 in the whole of Scotland!) is red rather than emerald green.  I've just checked this on the 20th Century Society website - I was pretty certain it was red but I didn't want to risk embarrassing myself on a public platform.

[Eleanor Dowling]

PS I think the ad for the EOTL t-shirts should be more prominent, at the top of the page perhaps?  That's a fine picture of Biggs modelling the t-shirt while smoking his pipe...

[Eleanor Dowling]

This is a very moving account, and I feel sadness on behalf of Biggs and Dave at the end of this adventure.  (By the way, Biggs has made me and Chris Cole travel to the ends of the earth to spot these "rare emerald green K8 phone boxes" - including a trip to the remote island of Rousay in Orkney.)

[David Wright]

I'm glad someone's excited by the K8 sighting.

Framboise liqueur and toast!  What a decadent life you lead.

[Tilly Wright]

Ahh Bruce Martin's K8 telephone box! What a treat for your final trip.

 

As a small nod to your completed adventure I've just had a tot of framboise liqueur with my toast - a surprisingly good combination.