Prime Ministers train cancelled?

[Efini92]

We recently had Rishi and his team travel on an early morning service out of Liverpool St. Catering was provided (the particular train didn’t have any booked) and the unit was specially cleaned & prepared. It was also held over and swapped back into service for his return journey.

I’ve only been told once we were getting a VIP boarding the train. When we got to Crewe it turned out that I had misunderstood VIP. It was a visually impaired person.

 

[weastebusdepot]

Getting someone to a wedding, a family funeral or a much-needed holiday is equally important to a "VIP" going to an event.

What about the "I need to get back. I've got children at home" that's frequently invented by people almost too drunk to stand up at around 2300 when they realise their service might be delayed?

Not that I'm suggesting any Prime Minister would use that tactic!

 

[dk1]

I’ve only been told once we were getting a VIP boarding the train. When we got to crew it turned out that I had misunderstood VIP. It was a visually impaired person.

Haha very true. I usually make it my business to find out as I’m inquisitive. Also nothing is kept a secret long at my place

 

[Deafdoggie]

I remember very many years ago when I working as an area manager for a well known theme park in the Alton area of Staffordshire, we were told there were going to be VIPs on the park one morning. Turned out to be Princess Diana and very small Princes William & Harry.

 

[dangie]

I’m not a driver or never have been one, but I don’t understand why as a driver, apart from interest, why you‘d need to know an ‘important’ person is on your train? Do or would you drive any different?

Note: I can probably understand if it had of been the Queen or if it was now King Charles, but for anyone else?

 

[mpthomson]

I'm not sure that he can use RAF helicopters for non-governmental purposes. Though he has paid for his own for personal journeys before.

He can for operational reasons, crisis somewhere, death of RF member/UK service personnel etc, but not for campaigning.

 

[GusB]

He can for operational reasons, crisis somewhere, death of RF member/UK service personnel etc, but not for campaigning.

Are Rail Forums members considered that important?

 

[6Gman]

Not so - the issue of the climate (as well as related environmental things) was a matter of concern to many people more than 50 year ago. I remember, for example, demonstrations (including direct action) about car use in urban areas, and tree-planting campaigns, in the early '70s.

"Plant a tree in '73, plant some more in '74"

 

[norbitonflyer]

"Plant a tree in '73, plant some more in '74"

As was sometimes added, "Barely alive in 75, just matchsticks in 76"

 

[RT4038]

Climate change is taken seriously?! Could have fooled me.

Prime Ministers (of whichever party) will take Climate change about as seriously as much as the majority of voters wish to pay for its mitigation - which is not much.

 

[urbophile]

I’ve only been told once we were getting a VIP boarding the train. When we got to Crewe it turned out that I had misunderstood VIP. It was a visually impaired person.

Therfore Very Important Person. Right the first time.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Jun 2024 ==

What about the "I need to get back. I've got children at home" that's frequently invented by people almost too drunk to stand up at around 2300 when they realise their service might be delayed?

Not that I'm suggesting any Prime Minister would use that tactic!

Not at all. They will be OK just watching Sky TV, unlike himself at their age.

 

[Taunton]

"Plant a tree in '73, plant some more in '74"

"Plant a tree in '73, use that saw in '74".

I think we are showing our age ...

 

[ThreeIfByAir]

He can for operational reasons, crisis somewhere, death of RF member/UK service personnel etc, but not for campaigning.

Whereas on the other side of the Atlantic, the Secret Service would have a conniption if the President tried to use 'regular' public transport. So for campaigning they use Air Force One and then reimburse the government for the price of a first-class plane ticket.

Joe Biden famously loves trains, and his local station has actually been renamed after him -- and when he suggested he wanted to take a train from Delaware to DC (think Stafford to Euston) to officially take office, they literally lined the route with snipers and kept everyone far far away.

(For context, I'm a Brit who lives in New York...)

 

[dgl]

Not so - the issue of the climate (as well as related environmental things) was a matter of concern to many people more than 50 year ago. I remember, for example, demonstrations (including direct action) about car use in urban areas, and tree-planting campaigns, in the early '70s.

Supernature by Cerrone in the 70's and Roses by Nik Kershaw in the 80's were about the environment.