‘What do you do when your train is cancelled? Buy a car’
Bargain Alfa saves James Walshe from being stranded
My Alfa virginity was taken in somewhat surprising style last month. It followed a trip to Edinburgh, where I enjoyed a weekend mooch with my friend and her dog. Sunday evening arrived and we ambled into Waverley station and settled into Carriage B for the five-hour rail journey home to Cambridgeshire.
Suddenly, our car-free jaunt went horribly wrong. Near Durham came the announcement that all trains were terminating at York, with advice that passengers travelling south of the city should book a hotel for the night and continue next day. With just an hour to go before our train’s untimely termination, the carriage became a frenzy of planning as total strangers discussed journey strategies. Emma and I sat listening and wondering. The queues for rail replacement buses would be epic, car rental agencies would be shut and a 170-mile cab ride home was out of the question.
I prodded at my mobile phone: ‘Cheap cars for sale in York.’ Emma rolled her eyes: ‘Here we go again.’ Scrolling through the list, I considered a city centre based Ford Puma for £300 and made the call. No MOT. Moving on, a Suzuki Ignis could have done the job, but dismally. And I wasn’t going to pay £600 for it.
Then salvation arrived courtesy of my scrolling finger and a proficiently written listing for an Alfa Romeo 156 T-spark with new cambelt and a cracked windscreen. What could possibly go wrong with a £200 Alfa? I called and explained my plight. The bemused owner gave me his address, which was a stone’s throw from the railway station.
We rolled into York to a jaw-dropping scene. Every train south had halted there, and thousands of angry passengers were spilling onto the platforms. With all hotels booked up by more diligent travellers, there was nowhere for the crowd to go. Like a scene from War of the Worlds, screams were heard followed by a sudden futile rush to the exit as a rail replacement bus arrived. We sidestepped them all, anxious dog in tow, and bundled ourselves into a cab. Minutes later, we turned into a leafy street, shiny Alfa sitting under a streetlight. Andy Mcauley assured me his 156 would get us home and I believed him. Within ten minutes we were thundering south on the A1 in warmth and comfort, laughing our heads off.
Next morning, I saw the 156 in daylight for the first time. Not bad at all. However, with my fleet already too large, I announced to the PC office it must go. Minutes later, PC markets editor (and Alfa nut) Russ Smith appeared with £200. And so it was. I owned my first Alfa Romeo for 13 hours. And it was great!