The railway south of Cambridge splits just south of the city, with one line heading to Liverpool Street and one, the faster shorter route, to Kings Cross or St Pancras. Ever since I learned the point where they split is called “Shepreth Branch Junction” I’ve taken delight in saying “we’re taking the Shepreth branch” as if this is some forgotten branch line bywater of the network rather than the main route to London. Conjuring the romantic from the mundane just from a bit of railway geekery. Adlestrop, or the slow train.

Shepreth itself is a bit of a bywater. Express trains, like this one, skip it and its neighbours Foxton and Meldreth, so if you want to partake of their delights — a safari park! A path through a field! Tech startups that couldn’t afford Cambridge! — you’ll need to take the actual slow train.