In which I continue my studies at Reading University, explore the Southern line into Reading and ride the Westerham branch on its last day of operation.

Sunday 1 October
Dad was seeing to the guttering this morning. I helped out first but later on Uncle Jack came around to help. I then went up to see Auntie Edie and Uncle Jim. This afternoon I went next door to see Dave who had come down to see Jean. Clive and Peter Gregory came down to see Dave this evening so I went in to see them - we played cards. Auntie Win and Uncle Alf came down this evening.

Monday 2 October
I came up to Reading for the winter term today. I spent most of the morning packing. I haven't had to carry so much because of the case I sent on Saturday which had arrived by the time I got there. I left home after dinner and reached Connaught Road at about 4:30. Everyone is back except Dave Cameron who is coming up tomorrow. We have a fresher with us. His name is Dick. I think he will fit in with us fairly well.

Tuesday 3 October
I went in to Davids on Tom's scooter. Have found my bike. It is in fair condition but of course it will have to be well oiled. It is very stiff at the moment. Dave arrived at about 2.00. I went into Davids this evening. There was a reception for the freshers. I think that we will be well overrun this year.

Wednesday 4 October
I had a bit of a shock this morning. I went up to the Letters Faculty to have a look around and found out there is an exam this Saturday. Haven't done much today I was tired and went to bed early.

Thursday 5 October
I have been working most of the day today - before the term has even started! I went down to the river this afternoon to do some work then to registration this afternoon. I get about eight lectures a week, I also get my tutorials with one of the new lecturers.

Friday 6 October
I had to go to Whiteknights this morning to see Ms. Cahill about the lectures in law. I came back to Davids with Tony and then went round town. I went up for a 3.15 lecture this afternoon but the lecturer didn't turn up. I have stayed in this evening revising for tomorrow's exam.

Saturday 7 October
Exam this morning at Whiteknights. It could have been worse but on the other hand I had a fair amount of difficulty in answering the three questions. I have been typing this afternoon and doing some work this evening.

Sunday 8 October
I carried on with the article this morning (For the Railway Magazine?) and have finished it early this evening. All that has to be done now is to check for spelling and grammar. I went into Davids this evening, but didn't do much other than play table tennis and go down the bar. We came back at 10:30 and played, Dave, Alan and myself, monopoly. I haven't played Monopoly for some time. By about 12:00 we had managed to bankrupt Dave and we then picked packed up, I conceded the game to Alan.

Monday 9 October
Unfortunately I didn't get any sleep at all last night - I am very tired at the moment but Mum has sent me some tranquilizers so I should be able to get some better sleep this evening. I have some good news this morning through a letter from Pat. It was very noncommittal, as was mine to her, but I am afraid she doesn't like me half as much as I like her. I hope to go down to Shoeburyness in the near future to see her.

Tuesday 10 October
I had a much better night last night, thanks to the tablets. I had to get up for a 9.00 lecture this morning. It was very interesting but I think it will be a bit of a bind having to get up to Whitekights at 9:00 every week. I had my first tutorial afterwards - it was quite different from last term's. He didn't pick my essay to pieces as does Professor Campbell and it is much more friendly. He didn't want my essay in afterwards either. At least my grant has come. I went to a film show this evening - it was given by the Art society, the two films shown, in color, were on Picasso and Rembrandt.

Wednesday 11 OctoberI had to go for another 9.00 lecture. This was the first of our law course. It was only an introduction but was very interesting, it will become even more interesting later on. After an hour's break we had an economic theory lecture. From there I went down to Silvers to get a blazer - it cost a great deal but will be worth it. I decided to go to Henley this afternoon.  I went from Reading West to Reading General and then caught the diesel to Twyford.  I was talking to a driver on General station who actually fired to Granddad Foster.  I shall go up tomorrow to talk to him.  I changed at Twyford and caught the one coach diesel to Henley.  I came back the same way except that I stopped at Shiplake.I went to a meeting of Carouse, I have got my name down for various things.

Thursday 12 October
I had a 10.00 lecture and the meeting at 11:00. 00 to work out when we are going to have our seminars. I have to write an essay for next Tuesday. At least I have been for another lecture in the Geography Department- economic geography. I had another lecture at 2:15. I didn't get time to see the driver today but I should definitely go tomorrow. I went to Kinema this evening, it was the Marx Brothers “A Day at the Races”. I have seen it before but it was a very good. Tommy seems very depressed and says that he intends to leave.

Friday 13 October
Had an early dinner and went up to General station.  The engine for the 13.32 (this would be the Birkenhead to Margate train) was waiting for about half an hour before it came on the train for me to talk to the driver who was the same as on Wednesday.  He told me some tales about Granddad - once he threatened to throw this driver (who was then a fireman) over Hungerford Bridge.I went to a lecture this afternoon, and had tea at Whiteknights Parkhouse, this evening I went to the ballroom dancing class.

Saturday 14 October
Went down to the General station this morning.  The time table has been altered quite considerably since I last went up there which must have been early last term.  I had a very interesting talk with a driver of a Castle 4-6-0.  He said that they didn't have doors because this caused a bigger draught.  I used my ticket from Twyford, which I had only used to General, to get to Reading West.  2261 (0-6-0) was in Reading West hauling a diesel multiple unit which presumably had failed. I have had another bash at my bike this afternoon - I have had to buy a new inner tube for the rear wheel. I stopped in this evening to do some work

Sunday 15 October
I've done very little today, in fact I have only been out of the garden once, and that was to go to the Off License. I have been working most of the day and also helping Raymond with his homework. He has been trying to appear stupid both in his spelling and his arithmetic. When he tries this on we have started to give him lines - he will soon stop doing this - I hope.

Monday 16 October
I didn't get any sleep at all last night - I don't know at all why. I had some bad news from home this morning - Uncle Fred has died - it seems that he must have given up wanting to live after Auntie Min passed away. I haven't had any lectures today but I have written an essay and also done a fair amount of reading. I stayed in this evening.

Tuesday 17 October
It was raining quite hard this morning and has been raining on and off for most of the day. I have been to two lectures and also one tutorial. I went into Davids this evening to watch television.

Wednesday 18 October
I didn't sleep at all well again last night so I decided to go to the doctor's. She gave me some sleeping pills and also some tonic tablets. I reckon that when I take them all I shall rattle. I've been working all of today for a seminar tomorrow. Went to a script writing meeting at Davids for Carouse.

Thursday 19 October
I have slept much better last night and feel very much refreshed. I've had two lectures and a seminar - I missed another economic geography lecture because of the seminar. I went to Kinema this evening. The film was “Wild Strawberries” - a Swedish film with subtitles. It was an extremely good film - I think the best part was the dream.

Friday 20 October
I did some shopping this morning - I went to the bank, library and the station, to get a Southern region time table. It has been raining on and off and hasn't been very pleasant at all. I went to a lecture this afternoon but it wasn't too interesting. I have been working this evening.

Saturday 21 October
I went down to Reading General this morning via EAMES, the model train shop.  I talked to the driver of a Standard 2-6-0 (76069).  The cab layout is similar to some of the engines I was firing.  He said he didn't like the way the injectors were both on the fireman's side because he couldn't fiddle with his without leaving his side.  I went on the footplate of  Hall 4-6-0 No. 4998, the crew were very friendly and I had a long chat.  They seemed quite interested when I told them that I had worked on the railway. I made up the wagon this afternoon and went to the pictures this evening with Alan. We saw “East of Eden” by John Steinbeck it was a very good film set in the west of the USA.

Sunday 22 October
I have been working most of the day. Tommy and Dick brought their girls around for tea, it was quite a laugh, I went to a party in Andrews this evening. It wasn't too good

Monday 23 October
I decided to go for a short train ride this afternoon, looking for railway tickets for my collection.  I caught the 13.58 train to Winnersh and the 14.37 to Wokingham.  I bought a first class ticket at Winersh but Wokingham only had a first class return for 2/3, too expensive.  I caught the 15.01 steam train to Crowthorne and from there the 15.53 to Sandhurst.  At both of these I managed to get Southern Railway Forces Leave tickets.  Came back to Reading on the 16.26 steam train.  I notice that, from the Pre-Grouping Atlas, Winnersh was Sindlesham and Crowthorne was Wellington College.

Tuesday 24 October

It has been raining most of the day and has been very miserable. I went to the library having missed a 900 lecture, I didn't get up early enough.

Wednesday 25 October
I had 9.00 and 11.00 lectures this morning. After that I came back to Davids and had an early dinner. We saw the football match this afternoon between England and Portugal this was the last in the World Cup series. England won 2 - 0 but it wasn't a very good game.

Thursday 26 October
I have had a pretty full day of lectures and have also been doing an essay for tomorrow's tutorial.

Friday 27 October
I went to Kinema this evening. The film was an Italian comedy with subtitles “The Unusual Stranger”. It was by far the most amusing film that I have seen for some time. It was about a small time gang of crooks who went intending to blow a safe. Everything goes wrong and eventually they finish up raiding a larder.

Saturday 28 October
Came home this morning.  I caught the 09.03 train from Reading South to North Camp.  I had a look around and hitched a ride to Ash where I caught the 10.26 to Guildford.  I walked out of the town and managed to get a short lift which put me on the Dorking Road.  After about 10 minutes I stopped a car which took me to Westerham.  What luck.  Today was the last day of operation of the Westerham branch.  I caught the train back home.  There were many enthusiasts around and the train was full.  I caught the 13.05 to Dunton Green which was running late.  The engine was a South Eastern and Chatham class H 0-4-4T No. 31518 (which was surpisingly rather dirty)  The word "FLYER" was chalked on the tank side and the union jack tied to the smokebox.  The coaches were set No. 610 (green).  The engine changes over this afternoon - presumably to be replaced by a cleaner engine.  The last train was the 20.30 from Westerham.