On Friday evening in the rain, I stepped from the platform at NVR Peterborough onto a double-carriage train for a private event which I wasn’t sure I was going to like, but really surprised me.
After advertising two previous events for Joy at Analog Hours this past couple of months, I was actually free for the event on the 27th of February so booked my tickets.
The description of the event enticed me to want to attend because I, like some of you, scroll and scroll on my mobiles and time just passes you by, quite speedily. If I go out with friends my mobile is never in my face, but is always nearby with the tempataion of picking it up every time something beeps or dings. However, this event was different. You had to hand your phone in! OOOOOh!
Going back to talking, doing activities, mingling with people you don’t know, and actually conversing with new people really does make a difference, did I miss my phone? – Read and find out.
The train was expected to leave Peterborough NVR at 6:35pm. We wanted to make sure that we would be all parked up and on the platform for 6:30pm, but in the deluge of rain that happened on Friday evening we were a earlier because we didn’t want to get drenched if the doors weren’t open on the train. Thankfully, on arrival at 6.20pm it was all open and set up and ready. Out of the dark platform were the shining lights of the train, so on we got.
We chose random seats and waited for all the other guests to arrive. The Analog Hours team welcomed us all and told us about the schedule for this slow, phone free evening.
First up was ditching the devices! We all put our phones into a little box and were given a numbered disk. We then started off with some free time as the train started and we travelled out to Peterborough station.
First stop was the drinks trolley for a choice of hot cold drinks by NVR staff. Secton stop was a reading area on the front seats of the train. A place to find a selection of different things to read for a bit. Post-it notes and a pen were to hand too so you could leave your thoughts on it for the book owner. I had a quiet 20 minutes to myself working with a puzzle mystery murder book. (quite good).
Next up, it was announced that there was food at the front and the rear of the train for everyone to tuck into. This consisted of an abundant buffet made up of sandwich triangles, sausage rolls, pork pie, crisps, hummus, chocolate brownies and other cakes.
After this we were encouraged to try out different areas on the train for an activity. There was poetry with notebooks, painting on a square pre-printed or blank canvas, or bracelet making. I chose to do a little painting while I left my husband making a man’s bracelet with Riverside Beads (this particular activity was quite popular – who doesn’t like to make a bracelet). I hope you like my painted avocado, and if you are wondering…. no, it’s not easy painting on a moving train!
After we started our journey back from Wansford and Yarwell, everyone came back to the front carriage and was told to sit next to someone they didn’t know. We were put into teams of 5/6 ready for a couple of games. We started off with a crazy game of Dingbats (we did well all chipping in on what we thought the answers were) and a general knowledge quiz. (which was not good – where’s that phone)!
The journey ended when we got back to Peterborough station. Some sat and chatted for a bit, and others got hats and coats ready to leave. Wait a minute, did we forget something??? Our phones!
They weren’t something that we needed (well, to be fair, it would’ve helped to score more points in the general knowledge quiz) and it was enjoyable to have an evening where you met some new people and didn’t have your phone interrupting you. It was fun, we chatted, we did something new, and we weren’t sitting on the settee in front of the box sifting through Netflix.
The previous two events were at The Willow in Central Park and at the Chalkboard on the Embankment. February was something unique – it was on a train. Will I be going again? Definitely!
Joy and the team have created something really interesting to do – it forces you to get your eyes off the screen. It’s not about couples or groups, whether you come with a friend or come on your own, you are going to be welcomed to do whatever activities are on for that particular event.
Coming up at the end of March it’s at the Odeon cinema which will incorporate a short film. If you want some more information, you’ll find Analog Hours on both Facebook Instagram and on their own website at www.theanaloghours.com
