Happy New Year mate. Hopefully the Driver Only Operation nonsense has been beaten even if the strikes go on. You'd have loved Mick Lynch mate. "Irish Blood, English Heart"

Im sat here with tears in my eyes while writing this, for a man who i started out hating with a passion only 12 year old gamer geeks will understand. We had a fierce rivalry at school that spilled out into many verbal altercations. Our main and ONLY disagreement was who owned the best computer of the 90s.. ATARI ST.. or AMIGA!!! As i came to realise later in life.. James usually came down on the side of being right.. After school we started a proper friendship , one born from realising what an absolutely wonderful human being James really was. I remember phoning him about 10 years after we left school, neither of us could believe how long it had been.. we both felt the same silly kids as we were back then. We lost contact for a while.. but i always knew i could pick up the phone ( like me, he had the same number for many many years) and we would just end up as we left off a few years before.. unfortunately, the last time i was going to phoned James was to laugh about how its now been a good 10 years more.. i never received a reply, i found out a week later why.. I dont know where James is now.. but i know one thing.. that place is BETTER for having my friend James there. Love from an old school rival who turned into an incredibly appreciative friend! RIP brother.. Hope to have a game of sensible when we meet again!

So tomorrow is the start of the rail strikes. We must all stand firm in memory of you good sir. Sometimes I am relieved that you have not had to experience the stress of it all. But I know if you were here you'd be holding the line with the heart of a lion. Sleep well Guard Giltrap.