Send in the Bomb Squad

The day trip to France was the highlight of the European Studies course. The plan was to travel by train to the coast, crossing the Channel from Dover. The night before the trip a twelve hour strike was called which meant that no trains would be running between Oxford and London. Undaunted, our intrepid young teacher bundled the group of students into the school’s ancient minibus and headed for Victoria Station. Arriving with minutes to spare, a helpful railway worker found a space for the minibus on the concourse only yards from the platform. The group grabbed their bags and leapt onto the train. Eight hours later a tired but happy group returned to find a cordon of blue and white tape  and several        very serious looking policemen surrounding the minibus.

This happened in the 1970’s, a time when the IRA were active in London. When the teacher had rushed from the minibus he had pulled out the ignition keys, but in his haste had failed to remember to press the “off” switch that would finally prompt the ancient diesel engine into silence. The discovery of the unattended vehicle, with engine running in a public place, led to the closure of the station for several hours and a search by the bomb squad. With the teacher’s story finally accepted, the minibus was released and the party returned to Oxford with tales to tell.