Friends and colleagues used to laugh at me for always seeming to encounter trouble or observe incidents on my rail journeys. For a time I wondered why that was myself but came to the conclusion that I keep my eyes and ears open when I travel...not attached to any gadgetry...and am therefore aware of what is going on - many journeys can be an example of "all human life is there"!
Yesterday I took a Transport for Wales service from Welshpool to Wolverhampton...out on the 10.56 and back on the 18.44.
Welshpool station is depressingly basic. Situated next to a dump on one side and separated from the town and the original station building by a by-pass on the other it offers waiting passengers a shelter probably adequate for passenger levels when this station was rebuilt in the early 1990's but hopelessly inadequate now. The original station building stands sentinel within sight of those in the shelter, looking rather like an elongated version of Bates Motel from Hitchock's "Psycho".
The train arrives on time to pick up a good complement of intending passengers, thirty to forty (eight of whom arrive at very much the last minute, not to be recommended at a time when the train frequency is every two hours). The four car train is busy but I have no trouble finding a window seat despite the worrying sight of some people standing in the vestibules when I boarded. Great to see this line being well-used again after all the months of various lockdowns and the six week line closure over May-June this year.
We are still in Wales and mask wearing is 50-50, quite a high number of "exempt" people by the looks of things
. Speed restriction at Buttington Level Crossing which seems to have become a permanent thing since the line closure. Then on to Shrewsbury. At this town the train reverses to make its onward journey to the West Midlands and we are scheduled to wait for fourteen minutes. As I have a priv ticket entitlement there was no means to purchase a ticket at Welshpool and no ticket check had been made thus far so I took a chance on losing my seat (unlikely) and got out here to nip down to the excess-fare booth at the foot of the stairs leading to the barriers. As I am aware of this I was at the front of the queue and got my ticket and returned to the train. When boarding and looking for a suitable seat I noticed that two toddlers were being allowed (by phone-tapping parents) to wander up and down the aisles obstructing passengers boarding with and without luggage. I got a seat near this group and later heard the father remonstrate with one of his children who wanted information on something they had seen outside the window. The father muttered "be quiet can't you? Can't you see I'm on the phone?" At Telford a man boarded accompanied by a girl aged about six or seven. He stunk to high heaven of cannabis but seemed sufficiently interested in ensuring that his little charge was adequately provided with a window seat and colouring book and crayons (before he started a few phone conversations arranging "meetings" - me...nosey? Never!) 
Mask wearing by now was about 30% and, of course, here it is not compulsory because by now we were in England.
Mayhem broke out upon arrival at Wolverhampton. The platform here, furthest away from the ticket barriers, is a narrow affair and a stag party group had just alighted from the middle of the train. They were merry already and marshalling them was a man with an electronic megaphone. "Platform Two! Everyone change for platform two!" His announcements had the authority of sounding like a proper station announcement causing some confusion amongst passengers and frustration to the platform staff. I wonder what kind of hangovers that group will be nursing this morning? One of their party was wearing a face mask but it wasn't the type you'd wear to protect yourself against COVID (I SAY...Matron!!!).
All ticket barriers open....I can't remember the last time I saw them in operation for their proper purpose. In fact at no time during the outward or return journey was my ticket checked. Unusual though, because on the whole on-board checks seem to have resumed.
Upon my return the 18.44 was showing "On Time" from Platform One and prior to this an Edinburgh train was shown as being at 18.37 from the same point. This arrived and to my surprise I noticed that the carriage indicators were showing "Blackpool North" even though the platform indicators still showed "Edinburgh". There was a bit of pandemonium because no announcements were made to advise passengers of this contradiction. The dispatcher was shaking his head and gesticulating but the train got away within a minute or two of its scheduled time - bound for who knows where? Then the announcements for my train...."front two coaches for Aberystwyth...rear two coaches will detach and terminate at Shrewsbury." I am not convinced by this and get in the rearmost carriage of the four car train. On board comes the announcement "Passenger please note that the train will divide at Shrewsbury....front two coaches for Chester, rear two coaches for Aberystwyth." So I am in the right part after all. I heard no further announcements but it seems that we were uncoupled from the Chester bit and another two cars were attached to the back of our train. I have lived up here two years and still find that working out the right formation for trains to the Cambrian coast can be more luck than judgement especially with misleading information!
Generally a good journey, trains clean outside and in, good level of passenger usage. Within five minutes of scheduled time both ways but the misleading announcements on the return leg seem to be an ongoing issue about which a comedy sketch could be made.
Yesterday I took a Transport for Wales service from Welshpool to Wolverhampton...out on the 10.56 and back on the 18.44.
Welshpool station is depressingly basic. Situated next to a dump on one side and separated from the town and the original station building by a by-pass on the other it offers waiting passengers a shelter probably adequate for passenger levels when this station was rebuilt in the early 1990's but hopelessly inadequate now. The original station building stands sentinel within sight of those in the shelter, looking rather like an elongated version of Bates Motel from Hitchock's "Psycho".
The train arrives on time to pick up a good complement of intending passengers, thirty to forty (eight of whom arrive at very much the last minute, not to be recommended at a time when the train frequency is every two hours). The four car train is busy but I have no trouble finding a window seat despite the worrying sight of some people standing in the vestibules when I boarded. Great to see this line being well-used again after all the months of various lockdowns and the six week line closure over May-June this year.
We are still in Wales and mask wearing is 50-50, quite a high number of "exempt" people by the looks of things
. Speed restriction at Buttington Level Crossing which seems to have become a permanent thing since the line closure. Then on to Shrewsbury. At this town the train reverses to make its onward journey to the West Midlands and we are scheduled to wait for fourteen minutes. As I have a priv ticket entitlement there was no means to purchase a ticket at Welshpool and no ticket check had been made thus far so I took a chance on losing my seat (unlikely) and got out here to nip down to the excess-fare booth at the foot of the stairs leading to the barriers. As I am aware of this I was at the front of the queue and got my ticket and returned to the train. When boarding and looking for a suitable seat I noticed that two toddlers were being allowed (by phone-tapping parents) to wander up and down the aisles obstructing passengers boarding with and without luggage. I got a seat near this group and later heard the father remonstrate with one of his children who wanted information on something they had seen outside the window. The father muttered "be quiet can't you? Can't you see I'm on the phone?" At Telford a man boarded accompanied by a girl aged about six or seven. He stunk to high heaven of cannabis but seemed sufficiently interested in ensuring that his little charge was adequately provided with a window seat and colouring book and crayons (before he started a few phone conversations arranging "meetings" - me...nosey? Never!) Mask wearing by now was about 30% and, of course, here it is not compulsory because by now we were in England.Mayhem broke out upon arrival at Wolverhampton. The platform here, furthest away from the ticket barriers, is a narrow affair and a stag party group had just alighted from the middle of the train. They were merry already and marshalling them was a man with an electronic megaphone. "Platform Two! Everyone change for platform two!" His announcements had the authority of sounding like a proper station announcement causing some confusion amongst passengers and frustration to the platform staff. I wonder what kind of hangovers that group will be nursing this morning? One of their party was wearing a face mask but it wasn't the type you'd wear to protect yourself against COVID (I SAY...Matron!!!).
All ticket barriers open....I can't remember the last time I saw them in operation for their proper purpose. In fact at no time during the outward or return journey was my ticket checked. Unusual though, because on the whole on-board checks seem to have resumed.
Upon my return the 18.44 was showing "On Time" from Platform One and prior to this an Edinburgh train was shown as being at 18.37 from the same point. This arrived and to my surprise I noticed that the carriage indicators were showing "Blackpool North" even though the platform indicators still showed "Edinburgh". There was a bit of pandemonium because no announcements were made to advise passengers of this contradiction. The dispatcher was shaking his head and gesticulating but the train got away within a minute or two of its scheduled time - bound for who knows where? Then the announcements for my train...."front two coaches for Aberystwyth...rear two coaches will detach and terminate at Shrewsbury." I am not convinced by this and get in the rearmost carriage of the four car train. On board comes the announcement "Passenger please note that the train will divide at Shrewsbury....front two coaches for Chester, rear two coaches for Aberystwyth." So I am in the right part after all. I heard no further announcements but it seems that we were uncoupled from the Chester bit and another two cars were attached to the back of our train. I have lived up here two years and still find that working out the right formation for trains to the Cambrian coast can be more luck than judgement especially with misleading information!
Generally a good journey, trains clean outside and in, good level of passenger usage. Within five minutes of scheduled time both ways but the misleading announcements on the return leg seem to be an ongoing issue about which a comedy sketch could be made.
