How Sherlock Holmes anticipated Lord Bonkers

A couple of years ago Lord Bonkers reminisced about an incident from the 1920s:

One bright April morning the 11:15 for Northampton Castle left Nottingham London Road Lower Level as usual, but it never reached its destination. It was seen to call at Melton Mowbray North, and there were unconfirmed reports of it reaching Clipston and Oxendon, but one thing is sure: it never arrived in Northampton. 

Extensive searches were undertaken and reports of sightings from as far afield as Bodmin Road and Leeming Bar were followed up, but not a trace of the train or its passengers was ever found.

What I didn't know then was that this is strangely reminiscent of a short story by Arthur Conan Doyle called The Lost Special.

It is not a Sherlock Holmes story, but he surely makes an appearance as the writer of a letter about the affair to The Times.

You can listen to a reading of it by David Schofield on the BBC iPlayer for the next four weeks.

A final thought... Can I be sure that Lord Bonkers was not pulling my leg?

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The Pogues: A Rainy Night In Soho

"This is Shane MacGowan before the shambling drunk routine took over completely," says Tom Conoboy.

In the comments below there is a debate about whether the song is about whisky, as Conoboy argues, or about romantic love as its surface suggests.

The truth, surely, is that it is both at once. Poems and songs can do that. It's why people write them rather than essays.

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Leicester Oral History Trail 1: Town Hall

The first in a series of videos about the city from the East Midland Oral History Archive.

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Lord Bonkers' Diary: What the Liberal Democrats should do is...

Lord Bonkers concludes his visit to the United States.

As for we Liberal Democrats...

Then there is the Labour Party, as the New Party is calling itself these days. They need to dump Jeremy Corbyn, Christopher Robin Milne, Chairman Mao and all that crew and find themselves someone who can connect with the workers, as they flatter themselves they used to do. Frank Byers’ granddaughter is Terribly Keen, some military fellow called Jarvis has the skills you need in a closely fought by-election, but I am not holding my breath.

As for we Liberal Democrats, we need an ingenious new plan that will see us returned to the front rank of politics. What we should do is… Dash it all! My flight has just been called.

Lord Bonkers was Liberal MP for Rutland South West, 1906-10

Earlier this week in Lord Bonkers' Diary...

Do you know New Rutland?

My old Friend Rising Star

The New Rutland Primaries

Liam Fox? My dear, I screamed!

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