“WHEN I pay for a view, I expect something more interesting than that,” exclaims hearing aid refusenik Mrs Richards, one of Fawlty Towers’s most difficult customers. “That is Torquay, madam,” Basil Fawlty replies.

My impressions of the Devon seaside town have largely been directed by the classic comedy series along with a vague association with Agatha Christie — until my arrival there for the first time on Thursday.

At the RMT LGBT+ conference, which I was in town for, I heard a fascinating presentation of “Gay Torquay” from Kevin Dixon of the Torbay Trades Council. A bit of research turned up other famous residents include Emperor Haile Selassie and Aleister Crowley.

As we went to press last night, I was preparing to head to Ed’s Occult Corner at the Devon Arms. If my reports are absent from Monday’s paper, you’ll know why.

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EN ROUTE, I was thrilled to travel on one of the last Intercity 125 — or High Speed Train (HST) sets operating on the Great Western route. Alas, the restaurant car was full by the time I got there, but this aspect of the service will continue with the new fleet on a limited number of trains — as at present.
But look back at an old British Rail Intercity timetable and you’ll see that silver-service dining — available to first and standard class passengers — was once a regular fixture. When we abolish standard class, and first class fares, can we claw that back?

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I CHANGED at Newton Abbott, where Poirot and Captain Hastings change from the sleeper to a local train to Churston in Agatha Christie’s The ABC Murders. Many aspects of the 1930s travelling experience, such as compartments, are long gone. But one has survived — until today, when the HSTs finally clock off. That’s the familiar and rather satisfying thud of the doors: sliders are compulsory from the end of this year. Even these same trains, in their new home working between Scotland’s seven cities, are being retrofitted.
Get yourself onto a “classic” ScotRail set while you can, and get slamming.

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CONGRATULATIONS are in order for another contributor to the Star in Scotland. Eliza Gearty, the Glasgow-based critic who writes for our arts pages, has become theatre editor of the Skinny — Scotland’s prestigious culture and listings magazine. And in September, Speculative Books is set to publish her debut Novella, On the Doors.
We can only expect it will be shaded with her personal experiences as a door-to-door charity fundraiser. If the first draft is anything to go by, we’re in for a treat. Give her a follow on Twitter @lizeislize to stay in the loop.