The Train Company Hates Me
<div class="IPBDescription">...</div> Well, it's official, the Train company hates me. The time is 20:31 GMT and i've literally just stepped in from work. This is the first thing i've done, barring getting a cold drink, since i got home.
I finished work at 17:30, and it is the hottest day of the year so far here in Britain. So on the dot i left work and head to the train station where, dispite hearing otherwise earlier, the trains were actually running. I hopped on my usual train, the 17:44 from London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria, all seemed normal, there were still seats, it was the usual long 12 carriage train and there were one or two familiar faces around. I sat down, pulled my book out, and began to read. This was at around 17:40.
10 minutes later, whilst the train should have left about 5 minutes earlier, the driver apologises for the late running of the train due to signal problems and speed restrictions but we would be on our way shortly. Needless to say, a few minutes later we were on our way. Now i jump you ahead in time an hour, about 18:55 or so, we had made it to the first station, Stratford. On a normal day this is a 5 minute trip, it took us a DAMN HOUR. What's worse was that outside it was about 36 degrees, inside i'd not like to hazard a guess, but just think what happens to 36 degrees when you enter a confined space full of people (seated and standing, exceptionally crowded) with minimal ventilation. Yes it was hot, but i feel that doesn't quite describe it fully.
After another hour of travelling around about 10mph (i am not exagerating, they REALLY were going that slow) and stopping at 5 minute intervals i started to get even more aggitated than i already was, so i called my dad up and asked him to pick me up from Billericay station, this is a few stops before my usual one, but bugger it, i wasn't going to sit on that train any longer. So another half an hour later it was about 20:10 and i was FINALLY getting off the train from hell to get into a nice air conditioned car and be whisked home.
2 and a half hours to do about a 30 minute trip (since i got off way before i usually do), but not only the inconvenience of the amount of time this took, the heat was unbearable, one of the 5 minute breaks i mentioned earlier was because of someone passing out. This is a joke, a damn sick joke, by the train company, i swear they're trying to **** with our heads.
So that brings me to know, i'm sat here caked in sweat, my shirt (which i've now discarded) is soaked through and i'm going to go have a shower. I hate you Great Eastern Railways.
I finished work at 17:30, and it is the hottest day of the year so far here in Britain. So on the dot i left work and head to the train station where, dispite hearing otherwise earlier, the trains were actually running. I hopped on my usual train, the 17:44 from London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria, all seemed normal, there were still seats, it was the usual long 12 carriage train and there were one or two familiar faces around. I sat down, pulled my book out, and began to read. This was at around 17:40.
10 minutes later, whilst the train should have left about 5 minutes earlier, the driver apologises for the late running of the train due to signal problems and speed restrictions but we would be on our way shortly. Needless to say, a few minutes later we were on our way. Now i jump you ahead in time an hour, about 18:55 or so, we had made it to the first station, Stratford. On a normal day this is a 5 minute trip, it took us a DAMN HOUR. What's worse was that outside it was about 36 degrees, inside i'd not like to hazard a guess, but just think what happens to 36 degrees when you enter a confined space full of people (seated and standing, exceptionally crowded) with minimal ventilation. Yes it was hot, but i feel that doesn't quite describe it fully.
After another hour of travelling around about 10mph (i am not exagerating, they REALLY were going that slow) and stopping at 5 minute intervals i started to get even more aggitated than i already was, so i called my dad up and asked him to pick me up from Billericay station, this is a few stops before my usual one, but bugger it, i wasn't going to sit on that train any longer. So another half an hour later it was about 20:10 and i was FINALLY getting off the train from hell to get into a nice air conditioned car and be whisked home.
2 and a half hours to do about a 30 minute trip (since i got off way before i usually do), but not only the inconvenience of the amount of time this took, the heat was unbearable, one of the 5 minute breaks i mentioned earlier was because of someone passing out. This is a joke, a damn sick joke, by the train company, i swear they're trying to **** with our heads.
So that brings me to know, i'm sat here caked in sweat, my shirt (which i've now discarded) is soaked through and i'm going to go have a shower. I hate you Great Eastern Railways.
Comments
too bad about the heat, it was pretty hot for me too, but i just took a shower that i started out cold and ended cold...
Maybe you could take the bus ?
Sorry you had such a bad, but i'm suprised you didn't lash out in that heat, i would have.
Well enjoy your shower.
That's the Engish weather for you <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo--> better luck tomorrow.
Sig is in .GIF now <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
And Amtrak is on the verge of going under, which is the only passenger line anywhere east of the mississippi. (Probably because the Gov't subsidizes airlines and interstates so heavily.)
ever get a reason why the train was that slow?
I think the first thing you should tommorow morning
is complain to the Train Company. The more you ang them
the better. My mum and step-dad were once in a similar
situation and were sent compensation from Virgin trains.
Oddly enough my step-dad for £30 and my mum got close to £70.
Not sure how they work out the compensation rates
they must have an "amout of whinging-o-meter".
Because my mum whinges ALOT! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.natural-selection.org/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Keep us posted Esuna, we're here for you <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.natural-selection.org/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
ever get a reason why the train was that slow?
I think the first thing you should tommorow morning
is complain to the Train Company. The more you ang them
the better. My mum and step-dad were once in a similar
situation and were sent compensation from Virgin trains.
Oddly enough my step-dad for £30 and my mum got close to £70.
Not sure how they work out the compensation rates
they must have an "amout of whinging-o-meter".
Because my mum whinges ALOT! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.natural-selection.org/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Keep us posted Esuna, we're here for you <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.natural-selection.org/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
The reason it was going so slow was "speed restrictions due to the heat", which is ****, there's no reason it should be going THAT slow.
Well i pay £230 a month for this privaledge.
I would hate to be waiting at a stop when it's 110 degrees outside though. :\ That's around 43C for you Euros, and it's like this ALL SUMMER LONG.