The Anonymous Widower

Reflections on the Train Trip to York

It was a good trip and East Coast played their part.

1. The trip up was uneventful, except that I probably annoyed my companions in the set of four seats, by talking on the phone too much, because of Brian‘s death. We left on time and arrived at York dead on the scheduled arrival time. The coffee was excellent.
2. If I want to nit-pick, I needed to know the time that the train arrived at York, so my friend’s son could meet me. But I’d left the details in my bag, which was in the luggage rack and I didn’t want to disturb everyone by getting it down.  I seem to remember being on a train, which told me the time it would arrive at the various destinations.  This may have been the TGV I took to Nice.
3. Before returning, I did get into a bit of a panic, as I thought I’d lost one of the seven orange tickets that I needed for my trip. Surely one ticket printed with an itinerary could be designed, but then you’d probably need a smart mobile phone, which I won’t carry, as they break too easily. In the end, I found I’d mixed the outward and return leg tickets and found the one I needed in my jacket pocket.
4. The return train was an hour late at York, due to a problem with another company’s train and I was kept informed by East Coast’s staff.  So they didn’t fail in the way that some companies did in the snow.
5. I was able to get a gluten-free snack at the AMT coffee stop in the station, so although it was late, I wasn’t unduly troubled, especially, as I live only fifteen minutes from King’s Cross on a bus.
6. Staff on the train were handing out claims form and we were informed, when we were over an hour late, which effectively meant that the trip was free. My claim went in the post this morning.
7. At least we weren’t too late for the buses to get me home and five minutes after the train arrived, I was on a 476 for home.

To sum up the return journey – We were late, but I didn’t suffer any serious problems. It was all rather less stressful and problematic, than some journeys done in the snow lately. I also think that quite a few people were surprised at the handing out of claim forms.

February 4, 2011 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Trains, York