I haven't posted for many yonks, but I felt I had to go through CAPTCHA hell just to comment on the good work of First's frontline staff yesterday during the power outage at Westerton and consequent chaos.
The west highland sleeper conductor was at Crianlarich at 8 pm (not sure why, something to do with the failure of the sleeper at Fort William?). He did a grand job of supplying us (pax waiting for the loooooong delayed train/s to Ft William and Oban) with tea and sympathy and trying to keep us informed. I say 'trying' because he wasn't getting much info himself at first. It turned out we were waiting for the return of the previous southbound train that was waiting to pick up passengers who'd been bussed to Arrochar.
The best bit was that the toilet was open (normally shuts at 6) !!!
The train arrived after dark - about 10:10 (I calculate I strolled 2 miles up and down this platform in two hours). There was free coffee and the guard (call me old fashioned) was brilliant at cheering people up and making sure everyone was OK for onward travel. He was particularly careful about the young, the old, and the infirm.
A young mother on the train said that the staff at Glasgow had offered her and her baby a taxi all the way to Oban. Well done whoever that was, but she thought that was too generous and turned it down!
We got to Oban at half eleven or so. I missed my sunset ride through the glens and my wild evening in Oban, but the attitude of the staff so restored my faith in human nature that I didn't care.
The west highland sleeper conductor was at Crianlarich at 8 pm (not sure why, something to do with the failure of the sleeper at Fort William?). He did a grand job of supplying us (pax waiting for the loooooong delayed train/s to Ft William and Oban) with tea and sympathy and trying to keep us informed. I say 'trying' because he wasn't getting much info himself at first. It turned out we were waiting for the return of the previous southbound train that was waiting to pick up passengers who'd been bussed to Arrochar.
The best bit was that the toilet was open (normally shuts at 6) !!!
The train arrived after dark - about 10:10 (I calculate I strolled 2 miles up and down this platform in two hours). There was free coffee and the guard (call me old fashioned) was brilliant at cheering people up and making sure everyone was OK for onward travel. He was particularly careful about the young, the old, and the infirm.
A young mother on the train said that the staff at Glasgow had offered her and her baby a taxi all the way to Oban. Well done whoever that was, but she thought that was too generous and turned it down!
We got to Oban at half eleven or so. I missed my sunset ride through the glens and my wild evening in Oban, but the attitude of the staff so restored my faith in human nature that I didn't care.
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