13th June

On this day in 1842, Queen Victoria became the first royal to travel by train, between Slough and Paddington. There were leaves on the line so part of the journey was undertaken by bus (horse-drawn, of course, in those days) especially after a signal failure on the Stockton-Darlington (three hundred miles away). A spokesman for Railtrack said the problem was regrettable but it should be fixed in time for the queen's Silver Jubilee in 1862 (unless, of course, Prince Albert dies, in which case she won't hold one).

In other news ...
Dear old Bazza (Basil Rathbone to you) was born today in 1892. He was actually South African (which wasn't his fault) and he was the best Sherlock Holmes ever, playing the Junkie of Baker Street no less than fourteen times (and beating him every time). He was a suave, deadly film villain too and a brilliant swordsman. Next time you watch the classic duel at the end of Errol Flynn's Robin Hood (and you will!) keep a careful eye on Bazza. He's having to slow down and compensate for Flynn, who was no slouch with a sword himself. It would have been too downbeat in 1938 for Guy of Gisborne to have killed Robin, but that's how it should have been.

27th March

Today in 1964 a gang of old lags who had robbed a train were sentenced to 307 years imprisonment. known as the Great Train Robbers, although neither they nor the train were particularly great, they'll be out, with good behaviour in 2264. And the £2.6 million they stole will be worth £47.16.

As my good lady wife constantly reminds me, crime doesn't pay.

In other news ...

A great tragedy took place today in 1968 and a great irony too. Yuri Gagarin was the first astronaut to orbit the earth in a brilliant achievement that won the admiration of the world. But he died in a car crash near Moscow. It's probably safer in Space.

Or Slough, as it turns out - figures out today quote Slough as the safest place to drive. The town has recently decommissioned its speed cameras. Hmmmm ....

As White Surrey's top speed has never bothered a speed camera I am not really qualified to comment on things motoring, but I think 'I told you so' fits the bill!