…a slight variation from 1,000 overheard conversations.

Yes I should now be winging, or at least trundling, my way to Sheffield, but for a small salutory experience I shall share for general edification.

You can on thetrainline.com book two single tickets together, on the same email, to and from the same place, on the same date, and somehow it will manage to give you two Quickticket reference numbers, without in any way alerting you to that fact.

So when I came tearing into St Pancras station with a whole two minutes to spare (ok, that’s my fault, but it is what I always do and I am unlikely to change now) scoop your tickets from the machine, jog up to the man on the gate and then find yourself with only the tickets marked Sheffield to London, which prove ineffective in the circumstances.

The story does, however, have a fairly happy ending, thanks to a very pleasant and helpful Midland Mainline clerk. So I am now waiting for the 10,25 with a handwritten ticket in my wallet, without having parted with any more cash.

And wondering when British rail companies will introduce the ‘print them yourself’ tickets that would save all this hassle.