Got a belated response from John via Hitchin Folk Club. The words above are correct, and here the chords are below.

Pete


D                A/C#
It was in the rain - y season
Bm             F#
Waiting for the train
Bm             E
Leaving in the afternoon
    C#(sus4)       F#(sus4) F#
All on your own a - gain
E                     Bm7
Do you really under - stand it?
       E                      Bm7
Can you tell me why it is this way?
    A    D   A   G         D
Sad lady and her portman - teau
    Bm               Em
With no words left to say
Gmaj7                D
Saving that it's only something
A/C#    Bm         E
That can happen any day


Chorus

D    A             G
Would I could hear a song so clear
    Dmaj7             A/C#
The words could touch the air
    F#m                   Bm7
And catch the moon's re - flection
       E               G
In the colour of her hair
   A                G
To ease this ache of loneliness
    Dmaj7            A/C# Bm    E
And blind the fish - es'   stare