Daily catch-up: railway romances, election reading and more word play

Your essential guide to life, the universe, the election and some other interesting things

1. The Top 10 on Sunday was Railway Romances, compiled by Malcolm Pryce, author of The Case of the “Hail Mary” Celeste, a railway detective story. Above, The Railway Children, 1970 (Rex Features).

Worthy nominations that didn’t make the Top 10:

Possession, A S Byatt. “A story in two time frames, with layers of mystery, romance, poetry, hermeneutics, Victorian letters and morals, feminism and much else. With two Victorian poets exploring their relationship as they set off for Whitby/Scarborough on a train – the description of that journey (chapter 15) is understated but moving – it is daring for its time and the role of the woman.” Rosalind Selby.

“In Edward Marston’s crime novels, Victorian railway detective Robert Colbeck falls in love with Madeleine Andrews, daughter of an engine driver injured in a train robbery that Colbeck investigates.” David Crawford.

From “The Metropolitan Railway Baker Street Station Buffet”, by John Betjeman:

“Early Electric! Maybe even here

They met that evening at six-fifteen

Beneath the hearts of this electrolier...”

From “Great Central Railway Sheffield Victoria to Barnsley”:

“She waved to us from Hucknall South

As we hooted round a bend,

From a curtained front-room window did

The diesel driver’s friend.”

“Each the kernel of an entire love story,” said David Crawford.

The Lady Vanishes, Alfred Hitchcock. A comedy thriller with a strong railway romance subplot, nominated by Roger White.

2. This is very good by Steve Van Riel on five things we know about the election.

3. I agree with May2015.com that the Scottish National Party really is going to win about 50 of Scotland’s 59 seats.

4. And of course the full text of Tony Blair’s speech yesterday about the European referendum is well worth reading.

5. Continuing my series of Genuine Shop Names, James Undy offers The Iron Lady:

________

6. And finally, thanks to Haggard Hawks for this:

No matter how high you count, in English no number will ever come before eight alphabetically.