One of the worst journeys of my life...

I thought it had been a while since I've written a post about my distain for public transport, so I thought I would write one. No, that's a lie, if there weren't any problems with the trains then I would have nothing to write about.
I decided to take a weekend trip to see Chris as I hadn't seen him in ages, and as my friends have been total let-downs I felt in need of company.
The train I was due to get was to London Liverpool street, so imagine my confusion when, on boarding, we were informed that the train would only be calling at Colchester. For those of you who do not know this route, Colchester is only two stops away from where we started from! So myself and another passenger practically jumped from the train (5 mins until departure) and I ran to one of the men who worked at the station. He then told me that the train is the one which which goes to London, but first it is a train to Colchester (highly confusing, but put simply it was a split journey where we didn't need to get off of the train mid-journey).

I raced back onto the train (1 min until departure!), still a little unsure of the exact situation but prepared to hold my breath and see what would happen.

When the train arrived at Colchester the situation was exactly as described by the man who worked at the station (I could remain in my seat and there would be no issue). However, there was one point which us passengers had not been warned of. Serious delays. At Ipswich we had been told of possible delays but to be perfectly honest that didn't phase me (typical dreadful British transport, so I was used to it). It was the moment in which the the friendly guy on the tannoy (at Colchester) reported delays of 45 minutes that I got somewhat frustrated. From there, it got gradually worse. They cancelled the next few trains to London and held us at Colchester, this meant that my nice, comfortable, enough space for my bag to had its own seat, train became packed. To hold the extra passengers (from the cancelled trains) we were informed that "another eight coaches will be added to the end of the train". Being the easily amused person I am, I thought that would be something interesting to liven up the journey; especially as we may only "experience a slight bump". Slight? Slight? Slight understatement I think! It felt like a goddamn earthquake! (okay, that may be a little exaggeration, but it was certainly a bit more that a 'slight' bump!

We eventually left Colchester (all in one piece!) and eventually reached our destinations.

This journey did get me thinking (not for the first time, I might add) about how we (we as Britain, rather than me personally!) are going to cope with the Olympic transport. Indeed, there are no huge events going on in Ipswich/Colchester, but this was a London bound train. Anyone who lives in the area and has had the need to travel via train at least once, may have predicted the cause of these delays - signal failures! It has become somewhat a cliché for such thing as a signal failure to be the reason for a disrupted journey, as it has been a renowned excuse for years. Ever since I was a small child, I remember my dad complaining about his work journey being disrupted for this reason, and as I have got the train more often I am also experiencing this. This particular occasion took place since the rail has been taken over by Greater Anglia (in all fairness I don't really know the whole situation about the company changing, so maybe they got bored of the name 'Network Rail', but I doubt it very much). Anyway that brings me back to the Olympics; if these supposed signals cannot successfully work when they have had years to perfect them to usual routes, with a fairly consistent number of commuters, how will they cope with an increased number of travellers? Not only this, I think they should definitely increase understand ability of where trains are heading. Luckily, if I had ended up in Colchester, I know I wouldn't have been stranded because I know that it is gradually closer to London, but imagine if a foreign tourist had been in the same situation!

There's the pause for thought and the rant of the day ;)

<3

A day in the life…

Written on 18.04.2011 (although don’t know when it will get uploaded lol as I’m not sure when I will have internet access. Using software called ‘live writer’ which apparently will let me publish it as soon as I have wifi :) so will have to see!)




6 am: Just woken up. Going to Preston to see the people I mentioned in my birthday post and to do some work while I’m up there. Train leaves Euston at 8am so will have to be there on time. Booked the tickets last minute so they were pricey – only standard class but even with my student railcard discount, it still cost £114 for two tickets.
8.15 am: Well thankfully the train didn’t leave at 8 (I am apparently incapable of reading!). Still yet to leave the house, in fact we are still packing.  My mum still doesn’t grasp the concept that is you are travelling somewhere by train you have to carry everything you take. She’ll regret it later.
9.05 am: Finally left home! On a train to Liverpool Street :)
9.30 am: Used my trusty tube map app to work out how to get to Euston from Liverpool Street – it is an absolute Godsend, as helped me out of so many situations where I’ve been lost, lol!
9.35 am: Mum has decided we are only partially using the directions suggested by the app and we are now going to Euston Square and walking.
9.38 am: Apparently she didn’t realise we had to walk a bit. It’s not far but with the amount we are carrying, it’s her loss
9.39 am: She’s regretting the amount we bought with us…not gonna say I told ya’ so…
10.00 am: At Euston, and in plenty of time too!
10.02 am: They make you pay for the toilet! 30p. I know it’s not much, but it’s frustrating
10.03 am: Just had a man ask me to help him find 30 ‘cents’ amongst his handful of change, “ I don’t understand the coins you see” I love the American accent! :D
10.04 am: Eww you’d think that if you had to pay for the toilets they’d actually be clean. They are vile!
10.20 am: On the train to Preston now. It’s so busy, the ‘train manager’ reckons it’s because a lot of people came down  for the marathon at the weekend.
10.30 am: Well they certainly don’t hang around, we are leaving dead on departure time
10.35 am: Was going to upload this blog but they charge £4 an hour for the internet. What a flpping cheek!
11.39 am: Ugh!!! Just opened my bottle of sparkling water. It seemed like such a smooth train journey but apparently not…it fizzed up and sprayed everybody within a two seat radius. I am currently sitting, covered in water, in the middle of a packed train. I am the definition of embarrassed :|
12.39 am: Train just pulled into the station and apparently the first thing I am doing is getting straight to work. Fun. But it’s all for a good cause, hopefully help me get a good grade.

Will probably do a blog post on my journey home on Wednesday xx

London Transport

London Transport, Definition: Badly organised public service, resulting in discomfort and dispute between travellers.


I have just survived yet another uncomfortable Tube journey. I have this habit of blaming the company but I suppose it's not their fault. After all they can't always accurately estimate the sheer mass of commuters at any one time.  Mind you, it would help if different lines didn't carry  out maintenance at the same time, let alone all going on strike at the same time! If there is one thing I have learnt since using the London Transport system more frequently it's that 90% of travellers must have had manners bred out of them. Picture this: train reaches its final destination and you are standing at the front waiting to get off (of course letting the few people in front of you off first). However the people behind you always seem to have a different idea, you are pushed out of the way and people trample you. Now forgive me, dear reader, but both common sense and manners seem to have evaded these people YOU WILL NOT GET THERE ANY QUICKER!!! It is the ignorance of these people which results in overcrowding as they all wish to go first (nobody seems to have realised that if everybody goes at the same time, the queues mean that actually you get there 10x slower.


Oh well, as I write this post, I am sitting on a somewhat  less crowded overground train (unusual but much more pleasant!) so I suppose I should stop complaining...for one day at least.