Never do this.

[smokingboot]

Illness made things difficult for us this Xmas. The journey itself had to happen; having family over from Oz and the US meant everything to my mother-in-law who had been planning meticulously for months. Had it not been so momentous, we would have cried off. But for some blurred out reason, we didn't get the plane - maybe it was because we had so much luggage, what with presents and all? I don't recall. Instead we decided to travel with a rail company called CrossCountry. Never do this.

Too many sold tickets and not enough carriages meant a hopelessly overcrowded train with people having to sit on the floor. Natch, the train cafe had to be closed because it was dangerous to serve food/drink, cue hundreds of people in a cramped sweatbox for 7 and a half hours without water. Bad, but paradise compared to the journey back. The train for which we had booked seats was cancelled flat out, not enough drivers. There was a replacement which would take us to County Durham - whoops, even as we checked the website, that destination changed to York - and from there, er, something else would happen but no-one knew what. We caught an earlier train with no potential changes... and as it turned out, no spare seats, just passengers crowding on, getting more frustrated station after station. By the time we reached Brum it looked like blows might be exchanged, folk on the platform surging forwards shouting angrily, train guards yelling back, and an acrimonious atmosphere growing like the bile of football crowds.

'Move down, move down!' The guards would bellow at the sardine cans before them, as if yelling would magically stretch the carriages. No-one moved down because short of sitting on the roof there was nowhere to go. It was a stupidly dangerous situation, all £350 of it (which included some kind of discount for us) and easily the worst journey I have ever taken anywhere. I'm not asking for the Orient Express or even the Caledonian Sleeper, I'd be content with Ravilious' steam train provided there was a seat.



Sorry Greta. Next time it's the plane.

Comments

[mallorys_camera]

That sounds horrifying. Did you & R have to stand for seven and a half hours?

[smokingboot]

When we could make the room I sat on the cooler box and Russ sat on the floor. Some seats became available for the last half hour into Edinburgh. The train was already late on top of everything else, so for 30 minutes of what had become an 8 hour journey, we had the seats we paid for.

[flemmings]

Dear lord, how absolutely horrible. Rest up and recover.

[smokingboot]

Thanks, I am doing just that... isn't it strange how bad travel debilitates one?

[benicek]

Czech railway carriages still look like the Ravilious painting.

Transport in the UK is SO FUCKED UP.

[smokingboot]

It is! But why the hell is it like this?

[benicek]

Greed, short-termism, Brexit, corruption etc.