So I thought I'd put a trip report on here as I always enjoy reading them. I don't collect the numbers of trains I've ridden on I'm afraid. That part of it doesn't really interest me...although it never puts me off reading other trip reports. Sometimes, there's a lot to think about when going on a train journey, it must be difficult to make sure you record the number as well! So anyway, I apologise if you are interested in the numbers. What I do like is simply travelling by train. Always have done. The whole process fascinates me. I find it a very relaxing and exciting thing to do. So here goes...
I've been wanting to re-visit York for a while, I haven't been since 2003. So a couple of weeks ago I looked into it. The Crosscountry advances weren't that great and to be honest, I wanted to go through London. Just love negotiating my way around the big terminus stations there...gives a real sense of adventure seeing all those destinations on the board and trains lined up under a giant train shed....knowing that one of them will be whisking me away to a faraway destination (I'm a bit strange like that!). London Midland happened to have their flash sale on..great! £8 return to London from Birmingham sorted. Then it was a simple case of a couple of cheap East Coast advances. Except it wasn't. Because the cheapest coming back was with Grand Central. Seeing I had never been with them before I thought it was worth it. So with all the tickets bought and collected, yesterday (27th), off I went to Sandwell and Dudley to get the 07:39 London Midland to Euston, due in 10:18. I was then booked on the 11:08 to York from Kings Cross.
It all started well, plenty of spaces left in Sandwell and Dudley's car park at that time of morning so no problems parking up. The commuter train to Four Oaks never showed up before my train came in. Mine was around 6 minutes late. It had two lots of morning commuters to take into Birmingham because of the no show before it. But it wasn't horrific and managed to get a seat. I was expecting a lot of people to get off at New Street but surprisingly a lot of people stayed on. The train slowly filled up along the way and by Northampton people were standing. The guard then declassified First Class and made an announcement that we would be making additional stops at Apsley and Kings Langley. I could just sense that something was up...and I was right.
It started to unravell there. The guard announced that there was a broken down freight train at Apsley and we would have to divert onto the fast lines. The train became more and more full. The jouney became slower and slower. By the additional first stop at Apsley the train was rammed and it was becoming impossible for the people at the station to get on. You can only imagine what Kings Langley was like. In the back of mind, I had the 11:08 to York to think about. We were around 20 minutes behind at Watford Junction. Not too bad considering and I could still easily make Kings Cross so I started to relax again a little. Then the guard came back on...He started with "I'm afraid there's more bad news..."
He said that there were big problems in the Wmbley area and that we would be going very slow indeed. We crawled out of Watford all the way to Wembley Central. By now I'm panicking again. We were over half an hour down and it was looking unlikely that I would make my East Coast train to York. I phoned East Coast who said that because I didn't a through ticket I would have to buy a new ticket. I knew they were right but I hope not too many people in my carriage heard the word I said when I hung up. I was polite to the lady on the phone though...she hadn't caused the problem at Wembley! I called my wife and told her it was likely I would be home earlier than I though. Other people on my stopped train had been listening in and started egging me on to claim my money back or demand that I was put onto another train to York. I changed the subject and started asking what plans they had in London that day. We continued to creep forward...stop...creep...stop again. Almost an hour down now. Was all very frustrating. Considering we were nearly an hour down, it was quite a jovial atmosphere on the train and that helped me relax again. Then the guard came back on and said the problem had been fixed but warned the people standing that we were going to build up quite a speed and then brake very sharply indeed so they would need to hold on tight. He said we had to test something. So that was a bit of fun and the passengers took it in good humour!
We arrived at Euston 65 minutes late, my York train had long gone. I walked to Kings Cross...got in the queue for tickets and waited. When I was called up I politely told the lady that I was in a bit of a pickle. I was expecting her to tell me I would have to pay for a new ticket when she said, "Not to worry, I'll just put you on the next train". She filled out one of the revised reservation slips and stapled it to my ticket. I guess I got lucky, but I thanked her, told her she was a star and she was brilliant (which made her smile...she hadn't seemed overly happy until that point) and went on my way. She didn't have to do that considering I didn't have a through ticket and I was extremely grateful.
Turns out that she had put me on the 12:00 Highland Cheiftan with the first stop being York! The train was quite empty and managed to get a table seat. The guard saw my slip of paper and praised me for doing the right thing. I told him about my horrible journe so far and that I thought his train was far nicer than the last one I had just been on and he thanked me.
An extra bonus was that I got to York only 20 minutes later than I was scheduled to. Considering I was 65 minutes down at one point...that's a pretty good result!
The journey back was uneventful. 17:02 Grand Central to Kings Cross (not a bad train...not as uncomfortable as London Midland but not quite as nice as East Coast)...then the 19:46 London Midland to Birmingham New Street. Then straight onto a Virgin train to Sandwell and Dudley where my little T Reg Volkswagen Polo was waiting in the Black Country drizzle and mist for me.
A great day out that was almost a write off. But thanks to the lovely staff at Kings Cross...it was a brilliant day in the end. I've emailed East Coast thanking them for their discretion. Other down point is that London Midland take far too long to get to London and back but for £8 return...can't really complain!
I've been wanting to re-visit York for a while, I haven't been since 2003. So a couple of weeks ago I looked into it. The Crosscountry advances weren't that great and to be honest, I wanted to go through London. Just love negotiating my way around the big terminus stations there...gives a real sense of adventure seeing all those destinations on the board and trains lined up under a giant train shed....knowing that one of them will be whisking me away to a faraway destination (I'm a bit strange like that!). London Midland happened to have their flash sale on..great! £8 return to London from Birmingham sorted. Then it was a simple case of a couple of cheap East Coast advances. Except it wasn't. Because the cheapest coming back was with Grand Central. Seeing I had never been with them before I thought it was worth it. So with all the tickets bought and collected, yesterday (27th), off I went to Sandwell and Dudley to get the 07:39 London Midland to Euston, due in 10:18. I was then booked on the 11:08 to York from Kings Cross.
It all started well, plenty of spaces left in Sandwell and Dudley's car park at that time of morning so no problems parking up. The commuter train to Four Oaks never showed up before my train came in. Mine was around 6 minutes late. It had two lots of morning commuters to take into Birmingham because of the no show before it. But it wasn't horrific and managed to get a seat. I was expecting a lot of people to get off at New Street but surprisingly a lot of people stayed on. The train slowly filled up along the way and by Northampton people were standing. The guard then declassified First Class and made an announcement that we would be making additional stops at Apsley and Kings Langley. I could just sense that something was up...and I was right.
It started to unravell there. The guard announced that there was a broken down freight train at Apsley and we would have to divert onto the fast lines. The train became more and more full. The jouney became slower and slower. By the additional first stop at Apsley the train was rammed and it was becoming impossible for the people at the station to get on. You can only imagine what Kings Langley was like. In the back of mind, I had the 11:08 to York to think about. We were around 20 minutes behind at Watford Junction. Not too bad considering and I could still easily make Kings Cross so I started to relax again a little. Then the guard came back on...He started with "I'm afraid there's more bad news..."
He said that there were big problems in the Wmbley area and that we would be going very slow indeed. We crawled out of Watford all the way to Wembley Central. By now I'm panicking again. We were over half an hour down and it was looking unlikely that I would make my East Coast train to York. I phoned East Coast who said that because I didn't a through ticket I would have to buy a new ticket. I knew they were right but I hope not too many people in my carriage heard the word I said when I hung up. I was polite to the lady on the phone though...she hadn't caused the problem at Wembley! I called my wife and told her it was likely I would be home earlier than I though. Other people on my stopped train had been listening in and started egging me on to claim my money back or demand that I was put onto another train to York. I changed the subject and started asking what plans they had in London that day. We continued to creep forward...stop...creep...stop again. Almost an hour down now. Was all very frustrating. Considering we were nearly an hour down, it was quite a jovial atmosphere on the train and that helped me relax again. Then the guard came back on and said the problem had been fixed but warned the people standing that we were going to build up quite a speed and then brake very sharply indeed so they would need to hold on tight. He said we had to test something. So that was a bit of fun and the passengers took it in good humour!
We arrived at Euston 65 minutes late, my York train had long gone. I walked to Kings Cross...got in the queue for tickets and waited. When I was called up I politely told the lady that I was in a bit of a pickle. I was expecting her to tell me I would have to pay for a new ticket when she said, "Not to worry, I'll just put you on the next train". She filled out one of the revised reservation slips and stapled it to my ticket. I guess I got lucky, but I thanked her, told her she was a star and she was brilliant (which made her smile...she hadn't seemed overly happy until that point) and went on my way. She didn't have to do that considering I didn't have a through ticket and I was extremely grateful.
Turns out that she had put me on the 12:00 Highland Cheiftan with the first stop being York! The train was quite empty and managed to get a table seat. The guard saw my slip of paper and praised me for doing the right thing. I told him about my horrible journe so far and that I thought his train was far nicer than the last one I had just been on and he thanked me.
An extra bonus was that I got to York only 20 minutes later than I was scheduled to. Considering I was 65 minutes down at one point...that's a pretty good result!
The journey back was uneventful. 17:02 Grand Central to Kings Cross (not a bad train...not as uncomfortable as London Midland but not quite as nice as East Coast)...then the 19:46 London Midland to Birmingham New Street. Then straight onto a Virgin train to Sandwell and Dudley where my little T Reg Volkswagen Polo was waiting in the Black Country drizzle and mist for me.
A great day out that was almost a write off. But thanks to the lovely staff at Kings Cross...it was a brilliant day in the end. I've emailed East Coast thanking them for their discretion. Other down point is that London Midland take far too long to get to London and back but for £8 return...can't really complain!
