Terry Thomas is alive and well and doing Bargain Hunt everyday on the BBC..in the shape of upper crusty Tim Wannacot, even down to the hereditary gap in the teeeth.
You made some good points there Buddy about travelling back and forth to London. I tried a bit of that commuting malarkey from here on those old trains you mention and it was pretty awful. No sign of any cool chardonnay just that oul clattery tea trolley, where all the drinks are warm even the cool ones!!lol.. Its true the trains have improved but it left me tarred with a negative brush re training it to London.
I dont as a consequence take local politicans word for it, especially from guys who have never commuted, that once the high speeder arrives all our slump days will be over.