After some time away..

JOURNEY MONDAY  16^th Nov 2009  LONDON WARRINGTON LONDON

Booking clerk at Euston a miserable sod.

My reserved Seat is not Quiet, not at table – ‘Airline’ in D. Why am I not surprised?

Manage to get a table seat- having had to move from initial Quiet Coach as reserved seats were not correctly marked

Ask guard about reservations. She says the passengers who asked me to move could have been lying. ‘Did I check their tickets?’ Anyway its  ‘Not a matter for her’.

By Warrington we are running 20 minutes late, apparently because of delays at Milton Keynes but no announcement  was made.

Journey aborted here because of phone call summoning me back to London. On return from Warrington, no hot water. Surreal conversation with attendant. I ask why the hot water is such a problem on all these trains. “There are X other Pendolinos in service. They can’t all have faulty boilers.” Oh no?

JOURNEY 30^th November LONDON-DUMFRIES-LONDON

No reservation possible. The online booking did not notify me  before  I made the transaction. It turns out, having made a specific seat request, they don’t say whether you have been successful, you have to ask for ‘further details.’ Helpful.

At Euston, the platform is announced with ten minutes to spare. Passengers arriving on train from Manchester at Platform 15 surging out of same two gates as passengers for Glasgow race for platform 14. Helpful.

On board, no reservations marked. Chaos. Announcement  “Reservations still downloading. Those without reservations, please make your way to coach D.”  In coach A no one can move in or out.  Eventually the seat I grab proves to be reserved. Fortunately the reserved seats opposite  are not occupied.

When the guard eventually appears, his demeanour makes it clear there is no point complaining about chaos. I ask if the sign ‘Reserved’ but with no other details means I won’t be disturbed. Categorically ‘Yes.’ They should have got on board at Euston. At Warrington I am asked to move by woman who has reservation  for  my seat. Couple opposite at my old table tell me they are getting off at Preston. When they leave. I go back to take on of their seat. Hardly surprised when shortly after I am asked to move by people who have boarded at Preston.

The train is late at Carlisle, no warning given but fortunately the Dumfries train is being held.

(No hot water in ‘The Shop’. No water at all in the lavatory basin tap. But the soap dispenser works fine... Helpful)