- Vis rejse
- Tilføj til træskolisteFjern fra træskoliste
- Del
- Dag 1
- torsdag den 9. oktober 2025 kl. 15.29
- ☁️ 15 °C
- Højde: 138 m
EnglandBirmingham52°28’49” N 1°54’14” W
Day 1 - Slumming It In Brum
9. oktober, England ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
With my motorcycle packed with a few New Model Army T-shirts and just the bare essentials I headed off just after 11.30am. Jackie gleefully waved me off which I thought was a bit strange because I thought that she would be sad that I was going away for a few days.
I left Cuckfield in glorious sunshine, but by Heathrow the clouds had closed in. My route took me up the M40 and I stopped for a tactical comfort break at Cherwell Services, where I was fleeced of £4.60 for just a flat white and a sausage roll at Greggs.
The traffic approaching Birmingham was pretty horrendous and I didn’t actually get to park my bike in a town centre car park until around 3pm. It didn’t help that I had ridden around and around trying to find some free on street parking without success. I therefore reluctantly had to download an app and pay £1.55 (which on the sign said it was just £1 for motorcycles) for 9 hours parking. Frustratingly I found free motorcycle parking literally the minute I walked out of the car park.
My first and only scheduled stop was Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery which on their website recommended allowing 3 hours to get the most out of it. By the time I arrived, I had just 90 minutes before it closed. The museum is free, but everywhere you look they are demanding a £5 donation. I managed to resist the temptation to donate, particularly as I would only get to see half the exhibits and I was punishing Birmingham City Council for overcharging me for parking.
The museum was a very well presented introduction to the history of Birmingham, however the highlight for me was the museum’s wonderful architecture. The 2nd highlight was a big exhibition dedicated Birmingham’s favourite son, Ozzy Osbourne. The museum featured all the things for which Birmingham is famous for, but surprisingly nothing relating to Cadburys. I completed my visit in under an hour.
I then had a wander around the immediate vicinity taking in the Hall of Memory, Birmingham Town Hall and an array of statues including Sir Thomas Attwood, Queen Victoria, Iron Man and the Victoria Square Fountain.
After returning to my bike, I set the SatNav for the Birmingham Central Backpackers which was about half a mile away as the crow flies. Unfortunately there were road closures on the fastest route my SatNav wanted to take me. I ended up making 3 laps of the same route before I finally sussed that I had to ride way out of my way then head back in from a completely different direction. This would have been ok if hadn’t been for the gridlocked traffic and my bike now running on fumes. I thought I would never arrive.
When I finally arrived at my destination, I checked in and was allocated a bottom bunk in a triple decker bunk bed in a room of 15 bunks. My fellow roomies are of a diverse range of ethnicities, but I can’t complain for just £18 a night including breakfast.
I had a much needed hot shower and resorted to using my T-shirt as a towel having made the schoolboy error of forgetting to pack one. I had a Sainsbury’s meal deal sandwich and a couple of cans of beer in the communal lounge then headed out to the first of 9 gigs in 11 days.
It was just a 3 minute walk to the O2 Institute and upon arrival I discovered a lot of the regular NMA faces were already in the venue to see the support band - The Autumn Saints. It transpires that a girl called Louise who was on the NMA Magic Bus Tour around Europe last year is married to the lead singer.
The Autumn Saints were a good professional band that I would describe as quite bluesy, but below is their description from Spotify.
The Autumn Saints are an Anglo-American quartet based in Oxford, UK. The band's music has its roots planted firmly in the American South, with lead singer Britt Strickland bringing the soulful, weighty music history of his home state of North Carolina to the City of Dreaming Spires. The southern storytelling tradition made famous by the likes of Dylan and Johnny Cash is very much alive in the Saints' music, with tales of hurricanes sweeping through the Appalachian Mountains and encounters with the devil at the crossroads unravelling in each song.
At the end of their performance, I caught up with some of my fellow Magic Bus colleagues including Jack Cheung, Steve Clarke, Paul Rizos and Simon Foley. Needless to say there were numerous other regular faces to say hello to.
At 9.13pm, Justin Sullivan took to the stage and performed a solo rendition of Over The Wire, which was then followed by Stranger performed by Justin and Dean White. They were then joined by the rest of the band for the remainder of their set. It goes without saying that it was a fantastic gig with an original arrangement on several songs. The set list is in the photos which included Brother - a song that they had never performed live before and possibly a reflection of our country today.
The mosh pit was a bit boisterous and I tactically loitered on the fringes for fear of injuring myself on night one.
The encore was Bittersweet, No Rest and lastly Green and Grey, giving Jack Cheung the chance to finally do his thing. The gig finished at 10.57pm.
After the traditional ‘family’ photo (I was stood at the back), I hurried back to start my blog in the communal room of my backpackers hostel before crawling into my bunk bed around midnight.
NMA Song of the Day - First Summer After by New Model Army.
Non NMA Song of the Day - Iron Man by Black Sabbath.Læs mere
- Vis rejse
- Tilføj til træskolisteFjern fra træskoliste
- Del
- Dag 2
- fredag den 10. oktober 2025 kl. 18.20
- ☁️ 13 °C
- Højde: 87 m
- EnglandSheffield53°22’43” N 1°28’55” W
Day 2 - When In Bakewell……
10. oktober, England ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
It was an awful night’s sleep and I have no explanation for it. I was still awake at 3am when my bladder demanded attention. I had to crawl out of my pit, get partially dressed and weave my way through the dorm trying not to wake anyone in the process.
I still woke up at 8am and after a shower, I headed to the kitchen to get breakfast for which I had very low expectations. I was very pleasantly surprised. I had 3 cups of coffee, 3 slices of toast and a banana, whilst I finished my blog. I could and should have had more, but it was just too early.
At 10.05am, I checked out of the hostel and conservatively rode my bike to the nearest petrol station. It was a relief to make it and I filled her to the gunnels.
I then set my SatNav to take me to Lichfield on the fastest route without encountering the M6 Toll Road. I arrived around 11am and headed straight to Lichfield Cathedral. It looked stunning.
Lichfield Cathedral is a Gothic masterpiece in Staffordshire, notable for being the only medieval cathedral in the UK with three spires, earning it the nickname "the Ladies of the Vale". It is one of the oldest sites of Christian worship in the country, with a history dating back to the 7th century and the burial place of St Chad. The cathedral features a 14th-century design, extensive medieval stained glass, and important artifacts like the Lichfield Gospels and the Lichfield Angel.
My first job was to find somewhere free to park. This wasn’t easy. I headed for the car parks where signs stated parking motorcycles was free but motorcycles were only allowed in the designated motorcycle bays. I drove around 2 car parks, but neither had a designated motorcycle bays. No wonder they were free!
I eventually found a space on the road some distance away, then I walked back to the very impressive cathedral for a few photos. I had the option to go inside, but I chose not to. The donations requested sign put me off.
I walked through the attractive town centre and then back to my bike, where I was starting to discover that hiking whilst wearing motorcycle trousers was not a good idea. My jeans were dripping.
My next stop was up the A38 to Cromford Mills and Canal. Cromford Mills and the Derwent Valley Mills lie on the Derwent River and are a designated World Heritage Site.
Built in 1771 by Sir Richard Arkwright, it is the world’s first successful water-powered cotton spinning mill and a cornerstone of the Industrial Revolution.
Sir Richard Arkwright’s invention of the cotton-spinning machine, the waterframe, revolutionised the cotton industry, transforming it from a small cottage industry to one of large-scale factory production. Arkwright became known as the ‘Father of the Factory System’ for launching the world’s first production line. These ideas led to the growth of hundreds of Arkwright style cotton mills across the country and by the early 1800s cotton was Britain’s major import and export.
I strolled around the interesting picturesque industrial site and made a note to re-visit when I had more time.
It was then a very pleasant winding ride north following the Derwent River to Matlock, where I picked up the A6 to Bakewell. At Bakewell, I stopped for a Bakewell Pudding for my lunch. In ‘The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop’ my eyes were bigger than my belly and instead of buying just a very small pudding, I also bought a 6” Bakewell Tart. The very small pudding was surprisingly filling, so the tart will go home with me.
I then rode on to Buxted to admire the architecture of Buxton Baths, Buxton Crescent, Devonshire Dome and particularly Buxton Opera House. The town was weirdly chockablock with taxi ranks and yet again I struggled to find somewhere to park up, so I snapped the Opera House and continued on.
Next stop was Speedwell Cavern in the heart of the Peak District National Park in Hope Valley at Winnats Pass, which is down through a steep gorge.
Speedwell Cavern is an old 18th century lead mine, which can be explored on a boat tour, which seems to worth a visit.
I obviously didn’t stop, but drove on via Edale intending to visit Derwent Dam. My route took me alongside Ladybower Reservoir until the road came to a dead end and a car park. Apparently you had to park up and walk some 600 metres distance to the Derwent Dam.
Derwent Dam is famous for being the home of the Dam Busters and it had a private museum in a tower of the Dam, but it closed in 2017 when the owner, Vic Hallam died.
I chose not to walk to the Dam because time was getting on and I had a gig to get to.
I arrived in Sheffield at about 5.30pm and checked into the Wilson Carlisle Centre, where I had the luxury of my own bedroom and bathroom. I popped out to the shops for digestive biscuits, Cathedral City, a small bar of Bournville dark chocolate and a bottle of red wine for my tea.
By 7pm, I met up with Lee Battrum, my drinking buddy on the NMA European Magic Bus Tour. After a quick pint, we went on to The Leadmill, the venue for tonight’s gig.
Lee has mild MS, so I stood further back than normal with him until he needed to prop himself up against the bar, which gave me the opportunity to get down in the slightly more subdued mosh pit for the last half dozen songs. I got roped in to holding Jack’s left leg for Green and Grey. Obviously it was another great set, with just a couple of changes to the previous night. Out went Idumea and Bittersweet and in came Devil’s Bargain and Language.
At the end of the gig and after the photo, I walked with Lee to the kebab shop, where after he had ordered I couldn’t resist and annoyingly ordered myself a mixed doner with chips and a nan bread. I left Lee waiting for his Uber and I returned to my bedroom to eat my kebab in my pants with a mug of red wine.
NMA Song of the Day - Stormclouds by New Model Army.
Non NMA Song of the Day - Sheffield: Sex City by Pulp.Læs mere
Andy and Teresa Mays
Are you not allowed near the front, or the middle or the towards the back . . . Just right at the back? 😂
- Vis rejse
- Tilføj til træskolisteFjern fra træskoliste
- Del
- Dag 4
- søndag den 12. oktober 2025 kl. 07.47
- ☁️ 6 °C
- Højde: 16 m
- EnglandLincoln53°12’26” N 0°36’59” W
Day 3 - Unexpected Day of Orienteering
12. oktober, England ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
Woke up at 8am in my bedroom that now had the odour of a kebab shop. After marinating in my bed for nearly an hour, I had a cold shower (not by choice) then rushed down to get my continental breakfast. I was still stuffed from last night’s late night kebab, but the breakfast was free so I had no choice.
I forced down two coffees, two yoghurts, half a bowl of bran flakes and a couple of slices of toast with real butter. At 10am sharp, I checked out of my room and hit the road.
The plan for today was to visit the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, somewhere I had been promising myself to visit for many years now. I love a good sculpture!
The fastest route was straight up the M1, which I wanted to try and avoid so I set my SatNav to go via Penistone.
Penistone is located at the foot of the Pennines and is surrounded by beautiful and historic landscape
Penistone can be dated back to 1066 and is listed in the Domesday Book. Several pre-19th Century buildings still survive, the oldest being the Grade I listed medieval parish church, Saint John the Baptist Church; the White Hart pub in the town dates from 1377 and the secondary school, established in 1342 is said to be one of the oldest in the country.
The above text is taken from the Visit Penistone website. Goggling Penistone is a tricky business!!
The reason I was in Penistone was because Penistone Fell is referred to in one of my favourite New Model Army songs, Summer Moors. Penistone Fell doesn’t actually exist.
After a quick ride around the town, I continued on to Yorkshire Sculpture Park and parked my bike at The Weston entrance.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park Overview
Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP), nestled in the expansive 500-acre Bretton Hall estate in West Yorkshire, stands as a premier international center for modern and contemporary sculpture.
Celebrated as the UK’s first sculpture park, it harmoniously blends the works of icons like Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore with its open-air landscape, offering a unique and immersive experience in viewing contemporary sculpture.
After paying the £9.50 entrance fee, I entered the enormous park in glorious sunshine, where I was initially confronted by two massive Damien Hirst sculptures - Charity and The Virgin Mother. I walked around the southern shore of the Lower Lake, then marched over half a mile up a hill to get to round wood and the Seated Figure. I walked back down again and continued around the wooded path around Upper Lake. Up to now the sculptures were few and far between, but when I reached the Lower Park I was inundated with random sculptures all over the place.
The signage in the park was fairly non-existent and I had to rely on the free map to try and ensure I didn’t miss a single sculpture. It was an exercise in orienteering.
My visit lasted 4 hours and 20 minutes during which I had walked a knackering 9.38 miles and burnt 1,224 active calories (whatever that means!). I felt confident that I had burnt off last night’s kebab and this morning’s breakfast. It had been a thoroughly enjoyable visit made all the better thanks to the gorgeous weather.
It was a 75 minute ride to Damon’s Motel about 5 miles outside of Lincoln town centre. I checked into my supersized room around 5pm and just lay on my bed too tired to write my blog or do anything useful.
At 7.45pm, feeling fully refreshed, I rode into Lincoln, parked my bike in a free spot outside St Swithin’s Church. After a quick 10 minute hike, I arrived at The Engine Shed whilst The Autumn Saints were half way through their set. I managed to get myself into a spot right at the front with just one row of people in front of me. I was amongst the elderly, women and disabled!!
At 9.15pm, Justin and Dean took to the stage and to my delight played my all time favourite NMA song, Snelsmore Wood. It was again a great set with 4 changes. Out went Justin’s solo of Better Than Them, All Of This, Language and Green and Grey. The replacement songs were Snelsmore Wood, Better Than Them performed by all the band except the drummer, Michael, If I Am Still Me and Get Me Out.
I was able to get some fairly decent video footage of more favourite songs. (I recorded 2 minute segments, because FindPenguin used to only allow up to 2 minute length videos to be uploaded. I have since discovered that has now been extended to 5 minute videos).
I stopped for the usual photograph, then hurried back to bike and rode back to motel. I should have gone straight to bed, but instead I stayed up a couple of hours writing my blogs.
NMA Song of the Day - Summer Moors by New Model Army.
Non NMA Song of the Day - (My Baby Does) Good Sculptures by The Rezillos.Læs mere
- Vis rejse
- Tilføj til træskolisteFjern fra træskoliste
- Del
- Dag 4
- søndag den 12. oktober 2025 kl. 09.39
- ☁️ 7 °C
- Højde: 15 m
- EnglandLincoln53°12’28” N 0°36’59” W
Day 4 - Green and Grey Wales
12. oktober, England ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C
I woke up early and at 9.30am went next door to Damon’s Restaurant for breakfast. I was persuaded because the breakfasts got good reviews and I was entitled to a 15% discount.
It was like an American Diner with booths. I ordered the Deluxe Edition breakfast which included 3 sausages and 3 rashers of bacon. It was a decent huge breakfast, but I’m not sure it warranted the rave reviews.
At 11am, I checked out of the motel and in thick fog I rode to Sleaford 22 miles. Visibility was a nightmare and it took me over 40 minutes to get there. I had no reason to go there, other than I had always been curious to see what it was like after it became famous to me through the band - Sleaford Mods.
Sleaford is described on the Visit Lincoln website as an attractive and bustling market town surrounded by flat fenland countryside, whose skyline is dominated by the 144-foot stone spire of St. Denys' Church.
I parked outside St. Denys’ Church and took the customary photo, which seemed to be the Sleaford’s only landmark of interest. I shouldn’t be surprised, but the average Sleaford citizen appeared to be inbred, the Sleaford Mods duo are testament to that.
Literally 5 minutes later, I was back on my bike and heading to Cardiff. Still in thick fog, my route took me via Newark, then down the A46 around Leicester, M1, M69 to Coventry, M6, picking up the M42 around Birmingham, then south down the M5.
As soon as I reached Gloucestershire, the fog cleared and the sun came out allowing me to get my foot down and make up for some lost time. North of Bristol, I joined the M4 and headed west over the now toll-free Severn Bridge.
I finally arrived at 3.50pm at my destination, Wisestay, a very cheap and cheerful guesthouse over looking the Principality Stadium. I dumped my bags and headed straight out to the Cardiff National Museum, passing and sticking my nose in Cardiff Castle on the way.
Tripadvisor describes the Cardiff National Museum asone of Europe's finest art collections. Five hundred years of magnificent paintings, drawings, sculpture, silver and ceramics from Wales and across the world, including one of Europe's best collections of Impressionist art. The building also has galleries showing the diverse natural history of Wales, as well as a journey taking you through the Evolution of Wales (with dinosaur displays) from the very beginnings of time to the present day.
I had just 30 minutes to run around the museum to look at the exhibits on display. The highlights for me were the natural history exhibits including a 3D printed replica of an adult male mammoth.
At 4.45pm the museum closed and I walked back via the town centre only to discover that all supermarkets closed at 5pm and were refusing entry to customers. I had no choice but to return to the guesthouse empty handed and eat the still unopened 6” Bakewell tart for my dinner.
At 7.50pm, I arrived at tonight’s venue, The Tramshed. I managed to squeeze myself into a position right at the front against the barrier (it seems my lengthy Saturday walk is still paying dividends!)
I didn’t move all night and used my advantageous position to practice my evidence gathering skills. I was really interested to watch the support crew setting up with every piece of equipment in its exact pre-marked position.
I took numerous videos (I will be adding a video to each day of my blog) and photos throughout yet another glorious set which saw several changes to the running order. They again started with my favourite Snelsmore Wood, which this time I videoed in it’s entirety.
Justin thought Green and Grey was a fitting song to finish the Welsh show. I can’t imagine why!
After the show was the usual photo and I bumped into numerous people I knew including JP who had been on NMA European Tour Magic Bus. We walked back to our respective accommodation together and arranged to meet for a pre-gig drink in Northampton.
NMA Song of the Day - Green and Grey by New Model Army.
Non NMA Song of the Day - Tweet, Tweet, Tweet by Sleaford Mods.Læs mere
- Vis rejse
- Tilføj til træskolisteFjern fra træskoliste
- Del
- Dag 5
- mandag den 13. oktober 2025 kl. 18.20
- ☁️ 15 °C
- Højde: 95 m
- EnglandMid Sussex51°0’27” N 0°8’8” W
Day 5 - Day Off
13. oktober, England ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
I woke up at 6.20am, showered, made a coffee, packed my bags and left my guesthouse half an hour later. My SatNav informed me that it was a 3.5 hour drive back to Cuckfield.
It was still dark and the weather was miserable as I followed the tail lights out of the city moving in a river of red.
I cruised along the M4, M25 and M23, not stopping other than for fuel and I arrived home at 10.25am.
It felt good to be back home. For the last 4 days I had felt like a vagabond - wandering from place to place without a home or a job!
NMA Song of the Day - Vagabonds by New Model Army.
Non NMA Song of the Day - Motorcycle Emptiness by Manic Street Preachers.Læs mere
- Vis rejse
- Tilføj til træskolisteFjern fra træskoliste
- Del
- Dag 7
- onsdag den 15. oktober 2025 kl. 06.26
- ☁️ 10 °C
- Højde: 94 m
- EnglandMid Sussex51°0’27” N 0°8’7” W
Day 6 - A Sort Of Homecoming
15. oktober, England ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C
After 30 hours of sitting on my backside and being thoroughly spoilt by Jackie, I set off on foot to Haywards Heath Railway Station. I stopped in Sainsbury and purchased a couple of cans of red wine for the journey.
The train ride to Brighton took 20 minutes and then it was a short walk to the Eagle PH, the designated pre-gig drinks venue, where a lot of the usual faces had congregated.
I chatted mainly with the German contingent including Marco Schroeder, Alex Bielan and Monika Bielan. I could have impressed them with my expertise of the German language, but they all spoke perfect English.
They are doing all of the NMA UK tour, except Edinburgh, the same as me and they had been at the same gigs last year as the Magic Bus on the European Tour. I also discovered that Alex and Monika used to live in England for many years prior to Brexit and she used to work in Haywards Heath as a Social Worker. Small World!!
I was joined by my brother, Marc and sister-in-law, Jackie for a quick pint, then we walked down to tonight’s venue, Chalk. We watched The Autumn Saints together, during which the lead singer’s wife, Louise Strickland came over and said hello. I did know her, because she was also on the Magic Bus last year.
Tonight I braved the mosh pit, whilst Marc and Jackie secured a spot right at the front. It was another great set, but no new songs that they hadn’t already played on this tour.
After the photo, we rushed back to the railway station and I managed to be home by 11.30pm.
NMA Song of the Day - Brother by New Model Army.
Non NMA Song of the Day - A sort of homecoming by U2.Læs mere
- Vis rejse
- Tilføj til træskolisteFjern fra træskoliste
- Del
- Dag 7
- onsdag den 15. oktober 2025 kl. 13.52
- ☁️ 15 °C
- Højde: 17 m
- EnglandThurrock51°29’34” N 0°16’18” E
Day 7 - Yet Another Breakdown
15. oktober, England ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
At midday, I loaded up my bike and pressed the starter button. Instead of bursting into life, it made a funny clicking noise. I diagnosed it as having a flattish battery, although I couldn't understand why. After several more attempts, my bike finally and reluctantly fired up.
Luckily I had over half a tank of fuel, so l could give my bike a good run before I needed to fill her up. I hit the motorways of the M23 and M25. The right tunnel of the Dartford Crossing was shut and I smugly rode around and through the gridlocked traffic and through the tunnel free of charge.
After coming out the other side of the tunnel, l decided it was an opportune time to stop for a wee break, then fuel up IF my bike started. I pulled into Thurrock Services, parked up, turned the engine off and headed in to use the facilities.
I returned to my bike and confidently turned the ignition on and pressed the starter button. To my horror it made the same clicking noise without it firing into action. Oh for f**k sake.
After numerous attempts, I accepted my fate that I was not going to be able to start my bike and I would not be going to Norwich tonight.
Luckily my bike was covered for free vehicle recover. I activated my Call Assist Vehicle Recovery App, which required me to enter my details and location. A few minutes later, the App informed me that a recovery truck would be within an hour.
Less than 30 minutes later, Martin from Fairlight Recovery arrived in his truck. We loaded my bike on the back of the truck, tied it down with cargo straps, then set off back to Haywards Heath.
Martin was a nice bloke who used to be a London Bus driver for 14 years before getting the sack apparently for wearing earphones whilst driving because he was bored with driving the same route day in and out. Martin was on his second marriage and had 5 children with 3 different women. When I questioned why he had so many, he replied “That’s what us black men do”. He went on to say that his friends had up to 11 kids!
I bored Martin with details of my travels, a history of New Model Army and my other favourite bands until luckily for him, we arrived in Haywards Heath. We dropped my bike off at Panmoto, a motorcycle repair shop which I have previously used, then Martin dropped me home arriving at 3.50pm.
Instead of watching New Model Army in Norwich, I had to make do with a nice home cooked meal in front of the log burner that evening. It wasn’t such a bad alternative.
My Call Assist experience was excellent. There was no fuss, they were efficient and they even rang me twice to confirm that the recovery truck was with me and there were no problems.
My only real annoyance of the day’s events was that it had only a few hours earlier that I had booked my hotel in Norwich and I now couldn’t get a refund, although Jackie is now on the case!
I await to hear the diagnosis and cost to repair my bike.
NMA Song of the Day - Never Arriving by New Model Army.
Non NMA Song of the Day - Breakdown by The Buzzcocks.Læs mere
- Vis rejse
- Tilføj til træskolisteFjern fra træskoliste
- Del
- Dag 8
- torsdag den 16. oktober 2025 kl. 21.15
- ☁️ 11 °C
- Højde: 88 m
- EnglandNorthampton52°14’25” N 0°53’57” W
Day 8 - Here We Go Again
16. oktober, England ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
Instead of taking my planned self-guided walking tour around Cambridge, I treated myself to a lie-in.
Panmoto rang me and told me that they had identified the problem with my bike and it was the rectifier and another related part that needed replacing. These are the things that keep the battery charged when the engine is running.
This was exactly the same problem that I suffered in Germany when my bike broke down there. I informed him of this, but he was adamant that this was the problem. My knowledge of motorcycle mechanics is not sufficient to disagree and I do trust them. The bad news is that is that the cost to replace the parts would be £514. Brilliant!
Before agreeing for them to commence the repairs, I asked them to examine my bike and make an assessment of any potential mechanical issues they could foresee occurring in the near future so I could assess whether it was worth getting it fixed. An hour later, Panmoto rang me back and the only thing they could see was that an exhaust manifold costing £10 was missing.
Reluctantly, I agreed for them to complete the work for £525. Thank goodness Jackie is still working!
At 1.30pm, I set off for Northampton in relative luxury in our car. I was in no rush, so I made the conscious effort to keep the revs within the Eco zone. I needed to do my bit to try and save some money to pay for my bike repairs.
I arrived at my cheap and cheerful accommodation, The Langham Hotel. I thought I had made a mistake when I parked on the road and walked up the path to be met by an old bloke in a wheelchair smoking a cigarette in front of the entrance door.
Luckily that initial bad impression wasn’t a sign of things to come. The receptionist directed me to park my car in a free secure car park behind the hotel. I checked in and was allocated a large double room. I was also reminded that breakfast was included all for the very reasonable cost of £38.
At 6pm, I headed out to The Bear, the designated pub for pre-gig drinks. A large gathering had already congregated when I arrived. When I mentioned to people that I had broken down on the way to Norwich several people independently told me that it had been a strange night at the Norwich gig. Apparently the NMA set was excellent, but the venue felt only about a third full and everyone just stood around and watched. There was no dancing! It made me feel slightly better that I hadn’t missed an outstanding night.
I met up with JP as pre-arranged and we shared a few beers reminiscing on our European trip last year. JP also introduced me to several other regular fans who I hadn’t previously spoken to.
At 8pm, we all headed to The Roadmender, the venue for tonight’s gig. The Roadmender was heaving and I saw a lot of people I knew who I hadn’t previously seen on this tour. These included Michael and Tracy Stanners as well as a little bald man who I always bump into at the London Roundhouse shows.
At the merchandise desk, I spoke with Louise Strickland, the wife of The Autumn Saints lead singer who was selling t-shirts and I told her I was disappointed that their set list was not updated on setlist.fm. She said that she would rectify that.
Still at the merch desk, I bumped into Jack Cheung, who knowing my history introduced me to a punky looking girl, I’ve already forgotten her name, who was a serving police officer. It transpires that she was a full time comedienne, before joining the Met Police five years ago. She now combines the two.
Apparently she had performed in Sheffield on Friday night and then rushed to the NMA gig in time to catch the encore. She was also at the Brighton gig, because she had previously lived there.
The NMA gig was excellent starting with my favourite again and the third song in was another favourite, Die Trying, played for the first time on this tour.
I ventured into the mosh pit for the entirety of the show and got roped into helping Jack climb and stay up on someone’s shoulder for ‘If I Am Still Me’ and I helped a hefty German girl climb up and sit on Marco Schroder’s shoulders for ‘Green and Grey’.
After the photo, I bought myself a tour t-shirt, then a kebab and then walked in completely the wrong direction to my hotel. The half mile stroll became a 2 mile hike.
NMA Song of the Day - Die Trying by New Model Army.
Non NMA Song of the Day - Drive by REM.Læs mere
- Vis rejse
- Tilføj til træskolisteFjern fra træskoliste
- Del
- Dag 9
- fredag den 17. oktober 2025 kl. 23.59
- ☁️ 11 °C
- Højde: 94 m
- EnglandMid Sussex51°0’27” N 0°8’7” W
Day 9 - A Case of Food Poisoning
17. oktober, England ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
At 8am, I went down to breakfast and had the freshly cooked huge Full English with scrambled egg followed by cereal and toast. It was delicious and washed down with orange juice and a large pot of coffee.
There were only 2 other people in breakfast and I entertained myself by earwigging in on their conversation. The elderly woman claimed to have been a retired engineer, who is now the biggest distributor of sewing machine parts in the world. She and the Irishman she was talking to, were slagging off Brexit and Trump’s tariffs and how it had affected her business. I did wonder why if she was that successful she staying at such a cheap and cheerful hotel!
At 10am, I checked out and drove to Sainsbury’s to buy some energy drinks and sweets for the long day ahead. I ended up buying 3 dinner plates to add to our collection and at Jackie’s request an Egyptian Cotton duvet set reduced from £55 to £43. I went to pay and the duvet set came up wrongly at just £13.70. I was elated. This went someway to recouping the money I lost on my Norwich hotel. I returned to the store for sweets and drinks that I had originally gone in for.
My elation soon turned to concern, when my stomach started to rumble, then turned to real pains. It had me running back to the store for a third time to now use the loo. I’m not going to dwell on it, but my stomach was permanently in knots for the remainder of the day. I returned to the loo a further ten times utilising mainly supermarket loos, but also a remarkable clean public toilet in Glastonbury and the disabled toilet at the gig venue. It was a clear case of food poisoning, either last night’s kebab or from this morning’s delicious Full English.
Before leaving I had to stop at Sixfields Stadium, Northampton football ground, because I was amazed how easy it was to see most of the pitch from a huge grass bank outside one end of the ground. I can only imagine the bank is covered with supporters watching the game for free on match day.
It was then a 3 hour drive to Wells, England’s smallest city, passing by Oxford, Swindon, along the M4, then down the A4 passing Bath and on to Wells. I parked in their Waitrose car park, which was free for the first hour.
I walked to Wells Cathedral and was shocked to discover that there was now a £15 entrance fee. My now aging Lonely Planet Guide book stated entry was free as did a lot of current websites. I was not impressed, places of worship should be free, with the option to make a donation. I obviously didn’t go in, but instead took a walk around the outside and the grounds which were very pretty.
Wells Cathedral is famous for its early Gothic architecture, which includes the unique scissor arches that support the central tower, the elaborate West Front with hundreds of original medieval statues and the Wells Clock. It is also celebrated as the first English cathedral built in the Gothic style and is considered by some to be the "most poetic" of the English cathedrals
The famous Wells clock is considered to be the second oldest clock mechanism in Britain, and probably in the world, to survive in original condition and still in use. The original works were made about 1390 and the clock face is the oldest surviving original of its kind anywhere.
An hour later, after buying a sandwich in Waitrose, I headed further south to Glastonbury. I parked up on a street in sight of Glastonbury Tor.
Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset, England, known for its spiritual and eccentric character and the famous annual Glastonbury Festival. The town is considered a spiritual mecca, attracting seekers and mystics due to its rich history and many legends. It is also rich in myths and steeped in Arthurian legend, and features attractions like Glastonbury Tor and Glastonbury Abbey.
I walked into town, which was quite frankly full of shops selling spiritual tat, general weirdos, people who have taken way too many drugs in their lifetime and elderly people ill-advisedly trying to dress like hippies.
The Abbey had a £14 entrance fee, however I discovered that I could look over the wall next to the ticket office and take a photo of the Abbey for free.
I decided that to climb up to the Tor was not an option with my dodgy stomach, so instead I drove on to Frome. On the outskirts of Frome I found another Sainsbury’s Superstore, where I bought two more plates and watched the latest episode of Brassic.
When the door opening time approached, I drove to the Cheese and Grain and parked up in the huge free car park next to the venue.
The Cheese and Grain is described as an iconic independent venue located in the heart of Frome, Somerset. The venue is a dynamic hub for live music, community events, and the cultural heartbeat of the area.
On the way in there were posters of upcoming events. I got involved in a conversation with 2 women as to whether Craig Charles was a convicted rapist. We discovered he was acquitted at his trial, but still a rapist in my eyes.
Apart from saying hello to Louise, Paul & JP, I stayed out of the way, halfway back and off to the side to protect my sensitive stomach. I always enjoy watching the show from different perspectives.
During the final song, Green and Grey, I slid away without waiting to the end for the obligatory photo. I was keen to avoid a massive queue trying to get out of the car park.
It was a 2 hour 20 drive home, passing Longleat, Stonehenge on the A303, then onto the M3, where I stopped at Fleet Services for yet another‘comfort break’. I arrived home at 1.30am and rushed straight to the loo. Thankfully for the final time.
NMA Song of the Day - Better Than Them by New Model Army.
Non NMA Song of the Day - Battle of the Beanfield by Levellers.Læs mere
- Vis rejse
- Tilføj til træskolisteFjern fra træskoliste
- Del
- Dag 11
- søndag den 19. oktober 2025 kl. 23.59
- ⛅ 13 °C
- Højde: 94 m
- EnglandMid Sussex51°0’27” N 0°8’7” W
Day 11 - This Could Be The Last Time
19. oktober, England ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Day 10 was a day off spent at home in front of the log burner with a takeaway curry.
So just after 11.30am on Day 11, I set off in the car destined for Manchester for the last date of New Model Army’s UK Tour. The weather was atrocious causing major delays and I didn’t arrive at my town centre Holiday Inn Express hotel until 4.50pm.
I was more than a little frustrated, because I anticipated that I would have been there in plenty of time to watch the Liverpool v Man United match that had kicked off at 4.30pm. The only slight consolation was that United were already one nil up. At halftime time I popped next door to grab a sandwich and a couple of cans of beer then returned to my room to enjoy the 2nd half. It was a fantastic start to the evening with Man Utd winning 2-1.
At 7.50pm, I hurried around the corner in the rain to the O2 Ritz venue for the final UK gig of the tour. By the time I got in, The Autumn Saints were just taking to the stage for another good set of songs that I was by now quite familiar with.
In the interval, I caught up with a lot of the usual faces I have previously mentioned, but also including Stuart and Jo Newton from the Magic Bus and a married couple, Dave and his wife, who’s name I embarrassingly keep forgetting, despite chatting to them probably more than anyone else.
The final gig was another belter. I was stood a couple of rows back from the mosh pit, particularly because some half-wit had spilt a whole pint on the wooden floor turning it effectively into a slippery ice rink.
When the band returned for the encore, they started with a cover of The Rolling Stones song - The Last Time acknowledging the circulating rumours that the band were splitting up next year. Justin didn’t quash the rumours and in fact earlier in the set at the beginning of ‘Before I Get Old’ he said, “Who knows what any of us will be doing this time next year”.
Having said all this, I have a ticket to see them in December at Rock City in Nottingham and they have already been booked for several music festivals in Europe next year.
At the end of the gig the usual ‘Family’ photo was taken and then we all headed to the Grand Central pub for an aftershow party. The pub was too busy, too hot and although the music was a lot of my favourite songs, it was way too loud. Maybe I’m getting too old for all of this!
I spent the next hour supping a couple of beers, having a shouted conversation with my new found German friends, Marco, Alex and Monika, before I called it a night at midnight.
As I left, I saw Ceri Monger having a crafty smoke outside and chatting to a girl, presumably his girlfriend, who had been in the thick of it at several shows.
NMA Song of the Day - Family by New Model Army.
Non NMA Song of the Day - The Last Time by The Rolling Stones.Læs mere
- Vis rejse
- Tilføj til træskolisteFjern fra træskoliste
- Del
- Dag 12
- mandag den 20. oktober 2025 kl. 20.39
- ☁️ 13 °C
- Højde: 94 m
- EnglandMid Sussex51°0’27” N 0°8’7” W
Day 12 - A Time For Reflection
20. oktober, England ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
I awoke looking forward to my free Holiday Inn Express breakfast, having hardly eaten the day before. Sadly, it was a big disappointment. It was too busy, there was a lack of crockery, the croissants were cold and the scrambled egg was still made with powdered eggs.
I checked out of the hotel at 10am and headed to a Sainsbury’s Superstore near Stockport to buy a bin, yes, a bin. They didn’t have one, but I used the opportunity to fill up with petrol using my nectar card.
I then booked a parking spot online for £5 at The National Memorial Arboretum which was a 90 minute drive south to Alrewas in Staffordshire. I arrived at 12.20pm, parked up and commenced my visit which is completely free, although donations are welcome.
The National Memorial Arboretum is described on their website as a space where everyone can celebrate lives lived and remember lives lost.
A beautiful and inspiring place, the 150-acres of the Arboretum form a living landscape, a home for more than 400 memorials waiting to be discovered.
Tales of bravery shown in the most extraordinary of times, selfless service and sacrifice, camaraderie and care are represented by the memorials. From the Armed Forces and Emergency Services to civilian organisations that supported our Nation in times of need, people from all walks of life are represented by the memorials, with designs that are rich in symbolism reflecting those they remember.
Luckily for me the weather had cheered up and I was able to stroll around in mainly sunshine. I followed the suggested route to take in the following:-
1. Armed Forces Memorial
2. Polish Forces War Memorial
3. Shot at Dawn Memorial
4. Christmas Truce Memorial; Football Remembers The Allied
5. Special Forces Memorial Grove
6. UK Police Memorial
7. Tree of Cherished Memories
8. Gulf War (1990-1991) Memorial
9. South Atlantic Medal Association Memorial
But annoyingly I accidentally missed
10. Burma Railway Memorial
It was a very enjoyable long walk and a perfect time for quiet reflection. It helped that I do love a sculpture. The arboretum was quiet. There were as many gardeners as I saw visitors and of those visitors half of them were whizzing around on mobility scooters.
Over two hours later, I returned to my car and set the SatNav for home. It was 6pm, when I finally arrived home having battled along a flooded M25 in rush hour and relieved that I won’t be having to make any more long journeys like this for a while.
On the subject of reflections, below is a very eloquent Facebook entry from a New Model Army fan describing last night’s gig in Manchester. Hopefully it goes someway in explaining why I and so many others, see them night after night of the same tour and follow them on their tours abroad.
New Model Army – The Ritz, Manchester – 19/10/25
So, after being introduced to New Model Army sometime around 1987-ish and falling in love with that trio of early albums, this band has sat firmly on my “must see live before I die” list for decades. Years of jumping around at various club nights to the likes of No Rest and 51st State have only cemented them as one of those bucket-list bands I just had to tick off.
Tonight’s gig was courtesy of my good mate Les Spiers — and let’s be honest, free tickets are always the best kind, especially those glorious last-minute surprises. This one had been postponed about a year ago due to band health issues, so anticipation was running high. Sometimes that kind of wait makes the payoff even sweeter, and tonight, it really did. I was properly hyped.
The band opened in a surprisingly intimate fashion — just Justin and Dean taking the stage for a short acoustic set. A bold move to begin the evening in stripped-back style, but it worked beautifully, easing everyone — and their creaky forty- and fifty-something bones — gently into the night. Not that it was an entirely older crowd; there was a healthy number of younger fans too, many of whom probably hadn’t even been born when New Model Army first stormed onto the scene. It’s a testament to their enduring relevance and power that they continue to pull in new generations.
Then came the gear shift. The moment Christian Militia kicked in, the room erupted. A New Model Army pit isn’t like any other — it’s not measured or polite, it’s a swirling, sweaty storm of arms, legs, and pure, cathartic chaos. I threw myself in briefly, though only in short bursts — my knees are still paying the price from colliding with a bollard outside the Academy last week (see Panic Shack review for full tale of woe).
With such an extensive back catalogue to draw from, guessing the setlist was near impossible. Justin commented at one point that many of their older songs are still painfully relevant today, even if the context has shifted slightly. He’s not wrong. The band has never lost its political edge or sense of righteous defiance — urging the crowd to reject division and instead embrace compassion, unity, and peace. In an age where so much feels fractured, those words hit home.
Every track landed like an old friend returning from a long absence — greeted with cheers, dancing, and that collective joy that only a proper gig can bring. Strangers hugged, spun, and sang together, lost in the beautiful chaos of it all. When No Rest and 51st State arrived, the room absolutely exploded — the biggest pits of the night and pure, unfiltered euphoria.
What really struck me was how seamlessly the new material blended in among the classics. There was no sense of “just playing the hits”; this was a band still evolving, still pushing forward, but fully aware of where they came from. The pacing of the set was spot-on, carrying the crowd through waves of energy and emotion.
The encore was the perfect capstone. A rare and unexpected treat came in the form of a cover of The Last Time by The Rolling Stones — a brilliant surprise — followed by Bittersweet, 1984, and the ever-stirring Green and Grey. As those final chords rang out, the crowd, young and old alike, were left grinning, exhausted, and utterly satisfied.
This wasn’t just a gig — it was a celebration of endurance, passion, and community. New Model Army proved once again why they’ve endured for four decades: they’re not just a band, they’re a movement. A masterclass in politically charged, emotionally driven punk-rock spirit.
Setlist:
Snelsmore Wood
Die Trying
Better Than Them
Christian Militia
Echo November
First Summer After
Winter
Notice Me
Brother
Lust for Power
If I Am Still Me
Legend
No Rest
Before I Get Old
Angry Planet
See You in Hell
Stormclouds
51st State
225
Encore:
The Last Time (Rolling Stones cover)
Bittersweet
1984
Green and Grey
John A Gilman (20/10/25)
NMA Song of the Day - Before I Get Old by New Model Army.
Non NMA Song of the Day - A Reflection by The Cure.Læs mere
Andy and Teresa MaysIf it wasn’t for tales about your bike and parking you’d having nothing to write about 😂. Glad to see you’ve made it through day 1. Safe day 2 buddy.
Andy and Teresa Mays
Remember to get levels - or you’ll set people sea sick 😂
Andy and Teresa Mays
Any further back you’d be outside 😂