Travelling by Train

Half Cm Snow Drifts Bring Chaos to Central Trains

Massive snow fall at Wellington station today

Oh dear. Snow drifting to almost half a centimeter depth, brought chaos to Midlands railways today. I arrived at Shrewsbury station, never giving a second thought to the possibilty that the smattering of snow we had experienced, would wreak havoc on the region's railways. The departure boards showed my train was on time, but the ticket booth informed me that a train failure and a signal failure, had conspired to get that and an earlier train cancelled. "Sorry, the next train is in 45 minutes, the signals are frozen" Grooan..... It's all such a familiar tale of woe. In typical rail industry fashion though, there is a sudden announcement that the next train coming in will go to Birmingham. Never mind that it was originally destined for Bangor, the Welsh would have to wait! So, two train loads of people try to cram on to a two carriage train. Then we wait another twelve minutes for the bloody thing to move. Great. Many of us are left standing, staring into each other's arm pits in a sea of bodies. Thank God I'm getting off at the first stop. Miracously, without being asked, a young lad gives up two seats, that he and his baggage were occupying, to two elderly ladies. At least that cheered me up. A flicker of decency in this squalid world of public (non) transport.

Jeremy Clarkson will be laughing into his beer. Another one in the eye for public transport, and another reason for everyone to pile into their cars for every single journey they ever make.

Message to the government: Honour that pledge you made seven years ago and get this sodding excuse for a rail service sorted out!

Poor sods!