One Saturday I had persuaded a mate of mine (who was holidaying near Glossop) to join me on a trip to Carlisle to watch Oxford play there. He agreed to meet me at Piccadilly on the way up and that I picked a train that gave us overan hour to kick off.
I waited on Oxford platform for the northbound VXC which was 4 cars long and had come from Bournemouth. It was packed tight and some guy in a Man Utd shirt told me I couldn't get get on as it was too full. I looked at his shirt with disdain and told him I was going to watch my local team in Carlisle and I WAS getting on this train.
Solid until Birmingham International when a few people got off for the Motor Show, but packed again from New Street. Get into Piccadilly and teh whole train empties. I'd been speaking with my mate travelling up as we were getting later and later, telling him how full the train was. He gets on and cheers me up by saying it didn't look that full to him.
Managed to get to Carlisle about an hour late so only time for a swift one before the game (1-0 defeat) and no real problems on the way back. All this for £35 return...
Found out afterwards that the WCML was being dug up near Milton Keynes, so peolpe from London going via Reading, the Motor Show was on at the NEC and Southampton were playing Man Utd at Old Trafford that day. About 3 train loads of people crammed into a 4 car voyager - LOVELY!
