LNER delay

[bikerbob]

My oldest son and his partner kindly gave us a treat yesterday a trip to York by train from Newcastle normally only a one hour journey. He booked and reserved the seats on line,well we got as far as Durham about 15minutes when an announcement was made that the train had a serious technical problem. After about 10 minutes it was announced that if passnegers were going to Darlington or York it they should leave the train and go over to another platform and get on the cross pennine train the was going to Manchester airport it was stopping Darlington and York. So there was a mass exodus off the train and a mad scramble to get over to the other platform to catch that train fortunately they held up that train to allow us to board. It being only a small train it was quite cramped with standing room only for most people, so off we set again got to Darlington when it was announced that if going to York you should get off and wait for 4 minutes for the next train which was going to Kings Cross. We duly got off waited and got on that train only to find it was our original train, fortunately again, our seats were reserved so we took up our original seats to the amusement of fellow passengers who were travelling to Kings Cross.  We arrived in York only 45 minutes late so not too bad, we went to get instructions at the info office on how to get to the railway museum which is just outside the station this took about 10 minutes and on crossing back over the station we noticed that the train we had just got off had not moved the serious technical problem had happened again which was railway speak for the doors would open but would not shut. Anyway we had a great day in York the weather was cold but sunny according to my son who travels quite a bit by rail thes problems with reliabilty are not rare.

[Butch (cb)]

I get to use the railway for a c. 60 minute journey (if all goes well) each way each day. The ‘service’ is generally pretty poor, and pretty uncaring. I wouldn’t choose to use them ever on my own time.

[RDfella]

Trains are so uncivilised, potentially dangerous (from the morons on them) and horrendously expensive that if ever I needed a long train journey I'd buy a cheap car and abandon it at my destination.

[Black Sheep]

My worst/best train delay was travelling from Fort William to Edinburgh by steam special. 7 coaches was 1 too many for the Black 5 so time was lost on a long slow climb to Crianlarich. All well after that until the climb out of Glen Douglas. After 3 runs at it it was decided to split the train, 3 coaches being taken forward to a siding then the other 4 collected. Very late into Glasgow with no water in the tender and a lengthy water stop. Spirited running into Edinburgh to find the access to Waverely occupied by engineers. A very challenging circuit of the old suburban circle with the crew resorting to hand sanding the rails brought us into Waverley from the other direction at 03:00 which was by that time locked up. Taxis were laid on for stranded passengers, some moans were heard. However, for my wife and I it was a great day out and I congratulated the crew on their excellent engine handling. The volunteer train staff were superb throughout too and they still had to get the train home and bedded down.