My Worst Train trip

[WatcherZero]

Perhaps their should be a thread to bitch about your poor experiences, for lack of one I tell my tale here.

This Wednesday I caught the Southport-Manchester Airport service about 11am in Wigan Wallgate (presumably the 10:24 service), I didnt manage to see the unit number but first impressions were telling, it was so uniformly caked in mud upto halfway up the windows that the Northern logo wasnt even visible underneath and it appeared to be sporting a Brown-Purple livery. The train itself was very crowded with mothers and small children (travelling to Manchester during the holiday) and people with large bags going to the airport. Now (probably useful for some) it was in an airport configuration with only around 30 seats to a car and in mine that meant me along with approx 30 other mothers and small children were all standing as half the coach seemed to be dedicated to luggage racks and a wide area for several wheelchairs with a long row of inward facing bench seats along one side were hopelessly overwhelmed.

The poor quality of the train continued inside, the toilet was boarded up with what appeared to be chip-board, the interior was filthy and the ride quality. Now im used to a little jolting on sprinters and a bumpy ride from pacers on the rougher Atherton line, but on this was on the smooth Bolton line and yet was probably singly the worst ride quality ive ever experienced, being thrown about like a we were riding a mechanical bull.

 

[Dai.]

I share your pain my friend, I could a train from Manchester on that very same line a couple years back, the train I was on, wasn't crowded but was in a very poor condition and by poor I mean -

• The train door had a hole in.
• The customer service number was scratched off
• The chair I sat in broke as I sat down, (baring in mind I am extremely light for my age)

Not as bad as your ride, but I still complained and I think you should do the same!

 

[LE Greys]

Once in Scotland, the stock for the Granite City failed at Aberdeen, and every passenger for a 2+9 HST had to shoehorn into a 3-car Turbostar on the 15:22 to Edinburgh. It only got really bad at Dundee. I found myself jammed up against the door with a splendid view of the Tay estuary through the window. Good thing I'm not afraid of heights.

When we reached Waverley, everyone had to wedge onto the 18:00 to King's Cross. I found myself jammed into a luggage rack desperately trying to keep the gangway clear, not that anyone could get through. It was pitch black outside, horrible weather, zero chance of any tea and the kasi ran out of water somewhere near York. Stevenage was a very long way from Aberdeen that night. Still, the loco must have been in good nick to keep time with 700 tons on her buffers.

Not bad in the end then.

 

[Bedpan]

My worst (or at least most disappointing) long distance trip was about 30 to 35 years ago when I went on a railtour from Waterloo to Meeth via Torrington, it was one of the last trains if not the last passenger train over the line before it closed, and then the train went on to visit Meldon Quarry. So a great itinerary, and the train was full. The problem was that there was a party from the Thompson B1 Locomotive Society (I remember who they were to this day) in the next compartment towards the front of the train who started drinking practically from the word go, became thoroughly inebriated and were then sick out of the window so that our window was covered in sick also. It was impossible for us to look out of our window without being made to feel sick ourselves, and no room in the corridor on the other side which had become clogged with people from other compartments who had also had their windows obscured, so two thirds of the trip was a complete waste of time and a great disappointment which couldn't be repeated.

 

[Aictos]

No one's fault but using a 142 from Paighton to Exeter St Davids via Exmouth and Barnstaple, would have preferred anything else but the scenery was well worth the pain.

 

[Lampshade]

Mine was on a 150/1 from Preston to Manchester. The TPE before it was cancelled so everyone was wedged onto this train which was also boiling hot as the heaters were full on.

There was also the Pendolino journey from Preston to London Euston where I was sat on the floor by the door with the suitcases for the whole journey (and back). Luckily the Guard let me use the wifi for free as 'compensation' so I at least had something to do :P

 

[4SRKT]

When I was 15 my parents let me travel to visit my grandparents in Northern Ireland on my own for the first time. This was a journey I had made every year at least once all my life, and with my high level of timetable literacy, it seemed nothing could go wrong. I was to be met at Larne, and my parents brought me to York station for the off.

All fine to Newcastle, then onto a then new 143 for the journey to Carlisle. This was express to Hexham and the pacer was bucketing along the Tyne Valley at about 70 on a fine spring day when there was the most enormous bang and the train came to the most grinding halt I've ever experienced: nearly smashed my front teeth in on that bus seat handle on the seat in front. The driver then staggered out of his cab looking pretty unwell. Of course it had been a suicide and the BTP were quickly on the scene. One of the officers boarded the train and informed everyone what had happened, whereupon a woman got up, went to the [only] toilet and pebbledashed the whole interior with her puke. Nice. The toilet was effectively rendered unusable with most of the journey still to go. Once the trackside debris had been cleaned up, it was then found that the 143's brakes were damaged and we couldn't get them off. More waiting around until the following train was allowed into the section (luckily also a 143 as there were still quite a few 101s around then), which coupled up and provided braking. This cavalcade proceded to Hexham (all stations now of course, losing further time), where a fitter managed to fix the brakes on the leading set which proceded alone to Carlisle.

On arrival at Carlisle the Euston > Stranraer boat train was long gone. (Everyone was having a sneaky look at the front end of the 143 I noticed, but there was no evidence of remains). The harrassed looking station master said we should travel to Glasgow Central and get the late train to Stranraer (awful, filthy Mk I SKs in Sealink livery), for a three hour wait for the 03:00 boat to Larne. Luckily there was a very aggressive woman travelling with her family, who was aware that the train takes 3 and a half hours to get to Stranraer, and that there was a good chance of getting to the boat by road. She was having none of his suggestion, making much play of the trauma we had allegedly all suffered en route to Carlisle (whether she meant the suicide or having to ride in a pacer at 70 mph on jointed track remains unclear to this day). After much shouting the station master agreed to charter a coach and 16 of us boarded it for the white knuckle ride of a lifetime along the pre-EU-improved A75. Screeching into Stranraer just 15 minutes before the boat was due to depart, we were swept up the gangplank and on board for a prompt departure at 19:00.

Well worth all the hassle, because on this visit I got a cab ride in a GM 111 class from Belfast to Dublin and back Quite an experience.

 

[Mojo]

I have never had an "awful" train journey.

Worst delay was about an hour and a half on a Pendolino south of Milton Keynes. I'd been at work all day and was heading to London for a few days; last train of the night and we were sat in the same place for ages; information was minimal. I'd missed the last Tube so had to get the night bus from hell so all-in-all I was about 2 and a half hours late!

 

[142094]

Probably one of the worst experiences I've had was at Hartlepool. For those who don't know, the service to Newcastle is hourly and the station is (well was) quite open due to half the roof being missing. This was a particulalry wet and windy evening to boot. Normal departure time came and went, and a 142 came into sight. However it didn't stop, it went straight through. Never found out why. Then an announcement - "We are sorry to announce that the xx.xx to Newcastle has been cancelled, please wait for further announcements". Well, no further announcements and another hour for the train, waiting room shut and no staff. Absolutely peeing it down and cold like I've never felt before. Thank god the next one turned up. Always wondered what it would have been like at stations like Seaton Carew and Billingham, waiting for the train that never was. If I had been a bit older at the time I would have written in to complain. And guess who it was as well:





















Arriva Trains Northern. And you think ATW is bad.

 

[37372]

Ahh ATN, I remember experiences like those quite often.
I've had many a farcicle journey in my time, being stuck on a 153 for 2 hours due to it hitting someone, being shoe-horned into Mk4 sets for long distances, being crammed against the doors in the doorwell of a 142, trains full of drunks/cretins etc.

Probably one of the worst rides I've had was on Wednesday. 142001 from Exeter to Barnstaple and back. Never again.

 

[4SRKT]

Another horrendous one was one Sunday morning from Glasgow Central to Stranraer. I was travelling with my then girlfriend (now wife), who was very unwell, in the early stages of what turned out to be Crohn's Disease As we were sitting on the 156 at Central, large numbers of blokes carrying trays of lager began to get on. It was the day after a Rangers versus Celtic match, and all the Northern Irish Rangers supporters were returning (happily victorious for the sake of the other passengers). Celtic supporters used to go by bus to Cairnryan for the P&O boat, an arrangement presumably enforced by the Police to prevent mayhem.

We were turfed out at Girvan for a bus substitution to Stranraer. Bad news as we boarded a pair of clapped out Strathclyde Atlanteans for the 40 mile journey. My girlfriend wasn't in too good a state by this time, and I didn't relish the prospect of crawling along the twisty coastal road at 30 mph in a double decker. Hardly out of Girvan station when the 'lads' started singing 'The Sash' very loudly, to the dismay of the driver who pulled up outside a Police station and went and got two officers out. One of them told the bus that "Nobody's going anywhere until you Irish idiots stop singing sectarian songs". Someone then called back that "we're British idiots", and my heart sank, thinking that the old familiar pattern of Northern Irish nonsense was about to descend on the bus. Happily though the lads were in reasonable form so agreed to shut up for the duration. A few more minutes into the journey and the problem of no toilets began to surface. Having been drinking all morning, the pressure on a number of bladders became intolerable, and having no other option, empty cans were pressed into service. Unfortunately it was on this day that we all discovered that the capacity of a beer can is slightly less than the capacity of a drunk man's bladder, and before long the floor of the top deck was in places half an inch deep in ****, which slopped over the stairwell every time the bus lurched (which was frequently). The lads also found it most amusing to offer cans of 'lager' to the many bewildered Inter-railers on board, warning them that it "might be a bit warm". As we rounded the head near Cairnryan the Sealink boat could be seen several miles away, whereupon some wag shouted "we could walk from here if we had to lads", and they all started on 'The Sash', 'Pope on a Rope' and other 'classics'. Luckily the driver didn't take umbrage this time and delivered us to Stranraer in time for the boat.

 

[Ivo]

On the first weekday after my 18th (Mon 02/04/2007), I decided to go into London for a day. It was to be the second of six (might be seven, I can't remember) days on which I would travel around the capital on my own, using every TfL line and every NR line that permitted a journey entirely within the Travelcard area exactly once and without duplicating routes. It went completely fine. No trouble whatsoever. A peaceful, if somewhat crowded at times, runaround in my then favourite city, marred only by the inconvenience of having to change Central line trains because mine changed terminus after I boarded it, thus ruining the idea of only using each line once. I even had a nice conversation with my father, who invited me to his when I was at, typically, North Acton (the revised terminus). That aside though, nothing happened of any note at all.

Until it came to returning home.

I boarded a Circle line train at Paddington, going via Victoria because I had already covered most of the northern section. I intended to stay on the train until Liverpool Street, but at Tower Hill... "Please note that c2c services are currently suspended." Brilliant. So I got off at Liverpool Street, and went on to Stratford on a Clacton train (bit naughty that, but hey!). I had to wait around for a 238 to Barking, which I expected to be a Dart. Instead, it was a Trident, and more to the point it was so full out of Stratford (where it started) that people were sitting on the stairs! Finally got to Barking, where it transpired that high winds hadblwn some sheet metal onto the OHL near Bromley-by-Bow - just in time for the 17:30 express [non-stop to Benfleet, said to be c2c's busiest service]. The impact ripped off the pantograph, causing it to glide helplessly along the line until it came to a shuddering halt somewhere a bit further down the line. People jumped off the train and started to walk towards Barking, causing LUL to have to turn off the power east of Whitechapel as a precaution.

When service resumed at Barking, all trains were on platforms 7 and 8 (4 and 5 have no access to the Liverpool Street route). So imagine the scenes when many board any given train expecting it to head towards Rainham and Grays...

 

[j0hn0]

I commuted from Darton to Sheffield for 2 days. That was enough - Stinking pacer, track that felt it had been nailed together, standing room only, no toilets, seats ripped and broken.

I once went on a trip to Barmouth from Bham Int on a 158. Only one toilet on this 4 coach train was working, by shrewsbury, covered in urine. Broken, ripped dirty seats, air con broken, ride comfort beaten only by a pacer (poor track also) and then when i got off the train at Barmouth, I was dizzy with vibration.

For me, any journey that involves a 158, a pacer, a 150 or similar is hell. Any distance and it is even worse, add a toilet in there and poorly maintained track (barnsley to Meadowhell anyone) and it tops all the boards

There are many journeys, given the rolling stock, would be considered as hell by many people I think.

The units aren't inherently bad, they are just so poorly maintained

 

[4SRKT]

The units aren't inherently bad, they are just so poorly maintained

Many posters on here would disagree with you with regard to pacers. The recent 'Pacer Wars' where multiple pacer threads did battle for attention were ample evidence of this!

Just to show that terrible journeys are not just the preserve of modern stock, I was on the Edinburgh > Bristol sleeper one February night in 1984. It was formed of Mk I sleepers and PV Mk II seating accomodation. The ETH wasn't working, and by the time we got to Birmingham conditions were absolutely baltic and I was seriously worried about my father who gets bronchitis easily. Annoyingly the freezing conditions spoilt my enjoyment of a rarish bit of class 81 haulage, as I'm sure everyone would have objected to me opening the window to have a bellow along to the 'roarer'! Luckily a steam heat peak was waiting at New St with boiler working nicely, and it was applied to the train for the run to Bristol, where I could just about feel my toes again by the time we arrived!

 

[142094]

Not bringing up the Pacer Wars again, but I've had worse journeys on Voyagers and Pendos compared to most Pacers.

 

[Lampshade]

^^^Seconded

One of my favourite train trips ever was on a 142 (admittedly one with proper seats).

 

[gordonthemoron]

Worst train journeys:

Manchester-York, february 1980, middle of the night following Clash gig. MkI stock, no heating and no lighting either

Munich-Prague (& return), march 2010. 6 hours, bloody uncomfortable compartment seating, could hardly walk afterwards

 

[4SRKT]

Not bringing up the Pacer Wars again, but I've had worse journeys on Voyagers and Pendos compared to most Pacers.

Ah, but we all know you are a Pacer lover, so is your word on this subject without bias?

I was talking to a friend the other day about getting by rail from Todmorden to Ashton under Lyne, and found myself uttering the phrase "with any luck, it'll be a pacer". We both had to do a double take and reflect that such a phrase would once upon a time have been unthinkable!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Worst train journeys:

Manchester-York, february 1980, middle of the night following Clash gig. MkI stock, no heating and no lighting either

Was it the Manchester portion of the Shrewsbury > York mail train that joined at Stalybridge? More importantly, was it a class 40?

 

[gordonthemoron]

Was it the Manchester portion of the Shrewsbury > York mail train that joined at Stalybridge? More importantly, was it a class 40?

It was indeed, I have no idea what the loco was

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Birmingham to Warrington BQ on 02/01/2008.

It was the 1930 service - a Voyager. There'd been power failures in Buckinghamshire so our train was packed, ready to go, but our driver was still in London.

We left at 2120 and I had to sit by the toilet from 1915 til 2300. I managed to write a 3 page complaint letter

 

[4SRKT]

It was indeed, I have no idea what the loco was

Well do I remember this awful train from the days before all night services to Manchester Airport. It was the only way to get back from Leeds to York after about 11:30 if you missed the last DMU, but didn't leave until around 02:30. Hanging about a freezing Leeds station for hours did a lot to remove the enjoyment of going to gigs, I can tell you!

 

[yorksrob]

Well do I remember this awful train from the days before all night services to Manchester Airport. It was the only way to get back from Leeds to York after about 11:30 if you missed the last DMU, but didn't leave until around 02:30. Hanging about a freezing Leeds station for hours did a lot to remove the enjoyment of going to gigs, I can tell you!

Not as sobering as the £30 taxi fare it still takes to get back from Leeds to Wakefield any time after 11:00 I'll wager!

 

[4SRKT]

Not as sobering as the £30 taxi fare it still takes to get back from Leeds to Wakefield any time after 11:00 I'll wager!

No, probably not.

 

[Ivo]

Not bringing up the Pacer Wars again, but I've had worse journeys on Voyagers and Pendos compared to most Pacers.

Ah, but we all know you are a Pacer lover, so is your word on this subject without bias?

I was talking to a friend the other day about getting by rail from Todmorden to Ashton under Lyne, and found myself uttering the phrase "with any luck, it'll be a pacer". We both had to do a double take and reflect that such a phrase would once upon a time have been unthinkable!

A fair criticism, but to be honest could he not say the same about us? I have already provided my worst example, but a contender for the worst journey I have since leaving home would be one night in January heading up to to Severn Beach and back using a 143. The journey was very rough and slow (obviously!)... but beyond Avonmouth there is a very sharp turn and near St Andrew's Road a long level crossing (about five lanes!) which, between them (twice), gave me a back ache!

The worst post-Southend one of them all, though, would probably be either returning from Weymouth in early February or going to Swansea in December (which First Somerset & Avon provided compensation for... which I haven't cashed for the same "smug" reason as Jon Morris in his FCC thread as confirmed a few hours ago). Returning from Weymouth I had a McD meal with me (admittedly a very large one!). Two drunk yobs boarded, and one threatened me, saying he would stab me if I didn't give him my Big Mac! (Sad...!) Eventually, by the time we reached Yeovil Pen Mill, they were appreciating my advice on where we were and how far away Frome (their station) was. They even gave me sex advice... As or Swansea, I was waiting for the bus at 08:00 (or thereabouts) to take me to Bristol for the 08:45 X14 to Newport, from which I would use a Return to Swansea. Instead, the X39 broke down before it left the Depot, leaving me stranded - and subject to missing the X14 (by a large margin at that). So I bought a single to Newport, travelled to Bristol Parkway and then travelled on a Rail Replacement Bus to Newport, which arrived at 10:35, only five minutes later than the X14 should have (not sure whether it did or not) - but it left me two minutes to access the Swansea train! Instead... its brakes were jammed on, and thus was going nowhere. Finally got to Swansea 82 minutes later than planned...

 

[gordonthemoron]

just remembered another dreadful trip:

Inverness-Wick & back, November 1988, last weekend before I left BR, no bloody heating for 6-7 hours

 

[yorksrob]

To be fair, (and going back to the Pacer wars because I just can't resist ) I've had many a potentially wonderful trip over the little north western spoiled by a Pacer.

That said, I can't bring to mind a really bad train trip that stands out. The worst was when I actually missed a pre-booked train from Leeds to London and had to get a five hour coach journey to avoid paying an £80 walk on fare. Even that was mitigated by the fact that it got me to Victoria in time for the last train to Kent!

 

[142094]

Ah, but we all know you are a Pacer lover, so is your word on this subject without bias?

That made me chuckle a bit!

I can look at it in two ways - as a person who likes Pacers and doesn't like Voyagers and Pendos, and as a member of Joe Public. I do like Pacers and a I do like the ride you get on them, even if it is bumpy as hell. Much more atmospheric!

The problem is that ther are hardly any routes that Pacers and Voyagers share, apart from some areas of the ECML. Taking York - Leeds, this is one line shared by both. Now on welded track Pacers give quite a good ride, not as smooth as a Voyager. However as a member of the public, a clean, more open plan Pacer with lots of windows is much better than any Voyager, IMO.

As for Pendos, I admit the last time I was on one the journey was smooth and fast, but I don't just go on a train for that. Everything else, from the seats, the crappy windows and the total 'feel' of the train was terrible. Thank God I live on the east coast.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

To be fair, (and going back to the Pacer wars because I just can't resist ) I've had many a potentially wonderful trip over the little north western spoiled by a Pacer.

Quite the opposite for me, I have a smile and a laugh when I see one coming round the corner. However just about everyone else on the platform groans...

 

[Ivo]

I can look at it in two ways - as a person who likes Pacers and doesn't like Voyagers and Pendos, and as a member of Joe Public. I do like Pacers and a I do like the ride you get on them, even if it is bumpy as hell. Much more atmospheric!

The problem is that ther are hardly any routes that Pacers and Voyagers share, apart from some areas of the ECML. Taking York - Leeds, this is one line shared by both. Now on welded track Pacers give quite a good ride, not as smooth as a Voyager. However as a member of the public, a clean, more open plan Pacer with lots of windows is much better than any Voyager, IMO.

Whatever happened to the South West? I can tell you now that even though I am not particularly fond of Voyagers, I would happily take one over a Pacer any day. In particular, they share the route between Exeter and Newton Abbot (and Paignton, albeit to a lesser degree given the rarity of XC services there), and some of the sea wall section feels quite uncomfortable on a Pacer. Although, I will admit that I have never done this on a Voyager (should change this Saturday), so I stand to be corrected.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Ivo...it was a bad journey because it included McD's and sex advice?

I don't understand you sometimes

 

[yorksrob]

Quite the opposite for me, I have a smile and a laugh when I see one coming round the corner. However just about everyone else on the platform groans...

At least they cheer someone up