There's a jolly hostess, selling crisps and tea

[venta]

When I was a student, I used to make the journey between Oxford and my parents' house in Darlington by the cheaper cross-country train route. It provided direct trains, via Birmingham which was handy. The downside was that they were hideously unreliable: when I travelled to Oxford for interview, I arrived hours late and in the middle of the night. On a number of occasions in later years I arrived not only late but on the wrong day. It was only later that I discovered that Virgin's Cross-Country service was a by-word for implausible service.

These days I pay the extra and get the quick service up the East coast main line from Kings Cross. I've never yet got on a train on that route and not arrived more or less bang on time. For some years I could be heard singing the praises of GNER, and how they seemed to be the only operator in the country who were capable of running a railway.

Of course, last year GNER lost their tender for the East coast line. It didn't matter that they were running a speedy and punctual service; they couldn't pay the government the agreed premium so out they went. When buying my tickets to travel home recently, I discovered that National Express had taken over.

I booked my tickets; when I turned up at Kings Cross tonight the fast-ticket machines wouldn't let me have my little bits of card. I had to queue up and talk to a human to get them. He checked I knew there were no direct services to Darlington. Er, no. In fact, I rather thought I was booked on one. Oh no, recent storms have brought down power lines. Have to change at Doncaster.

So, here I am on my train to Doncaster. Which is still cheerfully announcing that it's going all the way to Newcastle stopping at Darlington. So... let's put that phonecall to the parents warning them of my impending lateness on hold until I find a human to quiz.

Honest. National Express have had this tender for about 15 minutes, and after 7 or 8 years or good service they've broken the damn thing already.

On the plus side: free wifi.

Comments

[venta.livejournal.com]

In all fairness, I wouldn't really blame them for storm-damage to power lines. However, I do blame them for extremely poor peformance in passing on information. Presumably telling people whether or not their train exists[*] is not that different from telling them whether their bus exists.

[*] It turns out that my train is going straight through to Darlington. The man who told me I had to change at Doncaster was just plain wrong. My train is going to wait at Doncaster, but it doesn't require me to move from my seat in any way. It would also help if the PA system in the train didn't break up whenever they get to a critical part of the announcement. The comedy timing has been so perfect so far I'm verging on the belief it must be deliberate:

"Passengers travelling to Grantham, you were given the wrong information at Kings Cross. This train does not call there. You should get off at the next station and <crackle crackle> which will take you to Grantham. I repeat, get off at the next station and <dead silence> to get to Grantham."

I've also heard 3 different lists of stations we're calling at announced, and 3 different arrival times into Newcastle announced.

[taimatsu]

I pity the immediate on-board staff - it must be a *nightmare* dealing with that. Because I'm sure they're not making the decisions...

[(Anonymous)]

"In all fairness,"

Fairness? This is the internet, its no place for fairness, anymore than for considering the viewpoints of others.

Anyway trains to the North, both England and Scotland, should be run by LNER (1) or LMS (2)as in the heyday of the railway. We could go back to proper timber pannelled carriages, the corridor to the side of the carriage, ahhhh... In deference to modern developments we could keep the Wifi though.

(1) London and North Eastern
(2) London, Midland and Scottish