Over-trained by the BBC

Today my BBC email has been switched off, a week after I took voluntary redundancy from my staff job as a Senior Broadcast Journalist at the BBC Academy. It's the cutting of my last official link with the Corporation.

Leaving wasn't a difficult decision. Having worked in London, mostly for the BBC, for more than 30 years, my department was moved to Birmingham three years ago. We were all offered the choice between taking redundancy, having help to relocate or claiming subsidised travel for 18 months. I chose the latter, but to reduce the commuting, I was also allowed to go part-time, spending initially two and later one day a week writing and making videos for a startup in London.

Now my department is being reorganised again, with another redundancy programme, and this time I accepted. The only other option would be turning up in the Birmingham office much more often, perhaps every day.

In the past three years, I've spent more time than I ever expected to on trains between London and Birmingham. These are tickets from just some of the journeys (for most I used a phone app instead of a printed ticket):

If you need to take the train from London to Birmingham, I'd recommend using Marylebone instead of Euston. It's slower than the Virgin service from Euston but Marylebone and the trains are both much more peaceful than the Euston alternatives - as I discovered after a year or so. Sitting in an almost empty carriage in the morning with good free wifi and a view of the passing countryside was one of the pleasures of my Birmingham life.

I haven't decided what to do next, but it's only been a week. I've printed some business cards, made a website, applied for some jobs and to study for a masters - probably too many ideas. I have a strong desire to find something locally, preferably no more than a bike ride from home. That worked when I looked for a startup to escape too many Birmingham trips, so maybe it will again. If anyone in South West London has any ideas, please let me know.

My exciting new website: bit.ly/charlesblairmiller