As a rail buff since before the term existed – we were all locospotters in the 1950s – there was no way I would pass up the chance of a ride on Oxford’s new rail service to London on Monday.

As can be learned elsewhere in The Oxford Times today, the £320m link to Marylebone is the first new capital connection for a city in more than a century.

From Oxford Parkway station – opened later in the day by David Cameron – we were whisked to Marylebone through autumn sunshine in a shade under an hour.

Travelling in the comfort of a Chiltern Railways Business Zone carriage, coffee and pastries in generous supply, I judged the journey superior in most respects to that offered by the Great Western Railway.

When the line is fully operational from Oxford next spring, this might be my preferred route to the capital.

It is already hugely beneficial for travellers living north of Oxford, in terms of their house prices as well.

On the platform on arrival at Marylebone I was joined by an old friend who had been further back in the 7.24am train.

The delighted Andrew Norton, who runs the Jam Factory in Hollybush Row, reckoned to have saved almost two hours on what it usually takes him to reach London.

The journey had gone so well that he was wondering what to do with himself for 90 minutes before his first meeting. One thing instantly occurred as he roped me in – as he has done before – to work as a waiter at his annual pensioners’ Christmas lunch.

Watch this space for news of this bigger than ever event, which takes place at the end of next month.

Fellow travellers in my carriage included the ITV transport correspondent Mike Pearse. During conversation with him, I mentioned memorable train events during my Oxford working life, including the press launch of Eurostar in 1994.

It turned out that Mike had been on the same train and shared my memories of the astonishing seafood buffet we were served in Paris.

Never before or since have I seen so many oysters in one place.

A celebrated gourmand present, cramming the molluscs away as fast as he could, turned to me and said: “Sometimes one wishes one had two stomachs.” I am unsure what was on the menu for guests at Monday’s launch because on this occasion the press were not invited to any of the various ‘dos’ in the marquee beside the new station.

There was plenty of coffee, though. At the second new station along the line, Bicester Village, this was served by Simon Keeley, whose Little Italy has the catering contract at a number of other rail stations, including Bicester North.

His Norwegian wife Catriona Tjore was present too, and I was delighted to be introduced to her mother, on a visit from their homeland.

During the day, I was surrounded by many familiar faces, including local councillors, the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Tim Stevenson, and big cheeses from the railway world.

These included Chris Green, one-time boss of Virgin Trains, whom I last met when he had charge of Network SouthEast in the days before rail privatisation.

Also around were many people who consider my face familiar to them. As ever it was a pleasure to meet members of the broad brotherhood and sisterhood of Gray Matter readers.

That David Cameron was to be gracing the affair was supposed to be a secret. It was a pretty open one, though, with the number of police officers at the scene an indication that someone rather special was on the way.

Relaxed and tanned, the PM seemed in his jolliest mood, clearly conscious, as were we all, of being at an historic occasion.

With memories so recent of the state visit of the Chinese president Xi Jinping, Mr Cameron joked of the importance of his countrymen and women to the ongoing success story that is Bicester Village.

Earlier, I had been told that the average spend there for a Chinese person is slightly north of £2,000.

It is for them, surely, that the lavish new lounge at the station is intended, but anyone is free to use its facilities. I shall in future, if only to meet the remarkable host Kevin Thornbury again.