Stuck on the train
Monday, October 21, 2013 at 17:02 Currently stuck on a very slow moving train to Edinburgh.
"I could peddle faster," says a woman two seats away.
First it was a problem with an overhead line. Then we were told another train had broken down ahead of us.
ITV News business editor Laura Kuenssberg tweeted:
Anyone else stuck on east coast line? Meant to be filming in Leeds - now on train no 3 - not sure how bad prob is and whether merits a story!
A few minutes later she reported:
Sad consensus seems probs on east coast so regular that not worth highlighting!
What is galling is that I debated whether to drive to Scotland but decided that four hours on a train was probably better than six hours on the road.
As things stand I will be on the train for six hours at least, probably more.
Thank God for my iPad.
Now, if only I could find my sense of humour. Oddly, it's gone missing.
Update: This train should have arrived in Edinburgh at 7.15.
It's now 8.15 and still an hour and a half - at least - to go.
Reader Comments (4)
"Thank God for my iPad."
All well and good until BritRail (or whatever incarnation thereof) decide to ban the use of them on trains -for the sake of the children of course.
Have you no heart? The dangers of second hand porn surfing are not to be dismissed lightly and it's a proven-by-mumsnet fact that ipads give off CANCER CAUSING EMs and wifi signals that must sheer fry the brain of any toddler nearby.
Seriously though Simon, nice for you that you had the choice of traveling by train (not that anyone who wants to be somewhere on time ever would), us smokers aren't so fortunate. The last time I thought to let the train take the strain (and a large chunk of my weekly budget) it was VERBOTEN even to smoke on the platforms....in the fresh diesel fumed air.
And imagine, Simon, being a smoker, trapped with no where to go and you can't even light up to relive the boredom - not even in one ventilated carriage at the far end of the train where non smokers wouldn't go.
Oh well, there is always stealth smoking - and I don't mean using an e-cig. There are ways and means if you know the secret art to smoking tobacco.
"secret art to smoking tobacco."
Back in the early 90s, I had the misfortune to have to travel down, by train, to Canterbury for a Uni interview. On the train up to London from deepest darkest Norfolkshire I got a smoking seat and traversing London on the Tube I seem to recall still being able to smoke in the carriages but then I boarded the Kent train and walked up and down the entire length looking for the 'Smoking'. In the end I asked the Guard (back when there were still 'Guards' and not 'Service Managers') who told me that Kent Rail (or whatever they were calling themselves that week) had banned smoking on their trains totally. I recall being gobsmacked and as I expressed my displeasure to the Guard he kindly said I should go down to the Guard's van and light up there.
...but when I got to the Guard's van it was Standing Room only. You have never seen so many 3 piece Suits and 'Something in the City's packed in that tightly! If my ash had fallen off it would have burnt holes of bespoked expensiveness. A third of the adult population smoked back then and it sured seemed like a 3rd of the train were jammed in there.
One almost felt like humming Hava Nagila.
Mark my words, there will be a case of train rage one of these days.