Passenger blog

21 June 2007

Thought I'd let you know I haven't popped off!!

The reason for no weblog lately is that nowt's happened worth blogging!.............Is this a good thing? You bet ya, it is!

The trains have arrived on time and give or take a few dips have generally done what it says on the tin. There have even been seats available, due to Central putting an additional carriage on my home bound train.

Last night I left for the later train and memories came flooding back, as I had to stand for the 50 minute journey home. Just what you need after a 9 hour shift at work!

But I must say (choke) Central have done a good job recently. Oh happy days, it'll soon be November, then what???????

posted by Eric at 1:20 PM 2 comments

15 June 2007

I'm not disabled: I've just had a baby!

I went to work later on Tuesday, so I travelled on a different train. I sat opposite a lady with a small baby. He, in fact, was only 13 weeks old. Unlike the vast majority of commuters, even though we didn't know each other we did actually talk. I suppose a baby is always a good excuse to start a conversation with a stranger.

We had a pleasant journey, and even at 9.45 there were still passengers having to stand.

When we arrived at Euston, I was somewhat disappointed by the response of some of my fellow passengers. Here was a lady, on her own, with a small baby and a pram in the 'train vestibule' (I think that's what you call the standing area). When we arrived at Euston instead of being given offers of help, she was asked "Can we move your pram?" and then they pushed past.

People were so concerned at not being delayed a further 20 seconds that they literally turned their backs on her! I spent the necessary 30 seconds to help her get the pram off the train and make sure she was okay! She was limited as to where she could go as how do you get a pram down stairs? To ask for help from the train company she is classified as 'disabled'.

How ashamed I feel of our supposedly caring society and our lack of appropriate infrastructure. How do new mothers fare in other countries?

posted by Edwin at 2:09 PM 8 comments

11 June 2007

We need to sit down!

Our trains have been coming fairly closely to their advertised times just recently, well done Silverlink! (I hope I haven't just put the kibosh on everything!)

One thing my fellow commuters do complain about though is the lack of seats.

Given the platform has been expanded several years ago to take 12 carriage trains, why can't we actually have twelve carriage trains in the rush two hours and then shorter trains at other hours. Yes it would take some planning to make sure we had the right stock at the right place... but they are clever people at Silverlink, surely they could sort this out!

This would help relieve so much unhappiness and stress, particularly at the start of the day.

posted by Edwin at 3:22 PM 0 comments

29 May 2007

Mind the gap!

This didn't actually happen on my commute, but I was amused when I read about it.

A train (I shall not name the company) was just coming into its station of arrival, quite late as usual. The conductor, deciding he had enough of this then announced, "When you alight from the train please mind the gap between the timetable and reality!"

posted by Edwin at 5:27 PM 0 comments

24 May 2007

What a surprise, held up in traffic!

We've been promised new rolling stock sometime in the next 10 years (all in 2017 then) to address the ever-increasing overcrowding on the train.

"Let's all take public transport and do our bit for the planet..."

Whilst I agree... surely we must make travelling by train a pleasant and even enjoyable experience (and I don't mean being able to gloat at the cars stuck in traffic delays as the train zooms past!).

One day this week, our train stopped and remained motionless for what seemed an age. Finally a voice came over the loud speaker, "Sorry for the delay but we are waiting at a red signal as we are following a freight train".

Our train had left on time, why was there a freight train in front of us? Had it taken a wrong turn by mistake... didn't the signallers know that we were coming?

Now the free flowing cars could enjoy their 'pleasant experience' while we waited in traffic!

posted by Edwin at 3:45 PM 2 comments

16 May 2007

The SLOB

Sorry I haven't blogged in a while - I've been away on a course; "Understanding Central Trains and their customer information boards". They didn't hand out certificates at the end, just aspirin!!! I have now concluded the boards are there for entertainment purposes only and once you accept that, things are fine.

For instance, the other day the board told me my train was delayed by 4 minutes, then 8, then 12, then 16, oh, oh, I thought, there's a pattern here, then 20, then GONE! Oh well wait for the next one, which was now due. The next one went the same, 4,8,12,16, GONE! Do central trains only have watches with 4 minute intervals? And then when they GO! Where to and why? To keep us entertained can't Central come up with a bingo style game,where if your train changes arrival times 4 times in a row, you can hand in your ticket and pick up a prize?

But I'm bored with that now so with a bit of a jump lets have a look at our fellow commuters and the one's I fondly refer to as the SLOBS. These social chaps have all obtained a degree in slobology whilst attending the university of Slovenly.Loathsome, Obnoxious, Blokes. How they show off their ologies is by sitting on the outside seat whilst the window seat is vacant. The train fills to capacity but the SLOB stays put! In the knowledge that he has a right to the 2 seats he occupies and other seat paying passengers don't have the right to their one.

Be warned the SLOB does not like to be disturbed. If approached to relinquish one of his seats it could bring on the chant used universally by this breed. It consists of tutting, sighing, and raising his eyeballs towards heaven. He will the claw his way out of his chair and slump to one side to enable you to squeeze past his bulk (yep they're always big slobs). But beware of their powers, because as you squeeze past their sports jacket (yep most of them wear those) they hit you with a spell and you actually hear yourself saying "thank you" and even "sorry". Why? Why thank and apologise to a slob that put himself in the way in the first place? I must say I have found a way to get around the slob irritating me. I just imagine when I see that spare seat next to them that they've saved it just for me and give them a big smile as I get them to shift!!

Just a quick note to say that when the fairer sex commit the crime of seat hogging this is usually due to do with an over shopping episode, which is genetic, and therefore can't be helped and should occasionally be excused. My wife made me write that bit!!

posted by Eric at 10:31 AM 0 comments

15 May 2007

Like clockwork!

I saw a really interesting programme on the television sometime ago extolling the virtues of the train system in Switzerland. They interviewed a regular commuter and asked him if the trains were ever late. He thought for a moment and replied "Yes," the attention of the interviewer was immediately grabbed, "I remember once that it was 30 seconds late!"

The programme went on to describe the clockwork system, where passengers not only knew that the trains would arrive and depart on time but also that particular trains would always arrive and depart from the same platform on every occasion. This makes so much sense.

I can't tell you how infuriating it is when I try to rush through to the barriers to catch my train (remember I only have two an hour in peak time) only to be met by a very helpful man shouting loudly that the 17.34 will be leaving from platform 17 instead of platform 8. Sounds simple? Not when you have to run back up the station concourse, into the main station area, along a corridor and then back down again. Yes it only takes about three minutes or so... but judging by the spare seats when this happens some don't make it!

Why can't our trains run like clockwork?

posted by Edwin at 1:38 PM 3 comments