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Getting home from Eastercon
Apr. 22nd, 2003 12:52 amWhen it comes to economic politics, I would generally hold a slightly right-of-centre opinion that private industry will generally be able to operate more efficiently that the public sector, and that healthy competition only benefits the consumer. However, where the rail network is concerned, I mat have to reevaluste my viewpoint.
The route we had been given when we booked our tickets, started with a 13:59 train from Hinckley. We arrived at the station at 13:40, and fund some information on a poster which made us uncertain, so we called the information line. Yes, the 13:59 was definately running.
13:59 comes and goes without any sign of a train. We get worried about the train and phone the information line again. The guy cannot find any information about the train being delayed. The guy is clearly either incapable of doing his job, or his job has been engineered to the point that it is incapable of being done. Either way, he failed to give us any useful information. He wouldn't tell us alternative train times until we told hime what kind of ticket we had so he'd know what trains we could go on. We told him our ticket lets us travel any trains we need to rech our destination. The ticket type wasn't on his system because we'd bought it from the ferry company. He gave us some times, but they were fairly useless, involving about seven changes, and wouldn't get us to Holyhead in time for the ferry. We need to be there for 19:30 to check in for the 20:00 sailing. amd the best he can offer is one that arrives around 20:30. It was looking increasingly likely that we'd be spending the night in North Wales.
Eventually a train shows up, twenty minutes earlier than we were expecting. The conductor tells us that they're actually forty minutes late. He also tells us that times the helpline guy gave us were rubbish. He tells us to get the direct train from Nuneaton to Crewe.
Arrive in Nuneaton, and find out that there is no direct train to Crewe today and about the only train we can get foes to Birmingham. Get on, and the electronic displays tell us the train is going to Liverpool, calling at various places, including Crewe. Despite this, it terminates at Birmingham.
Talk to information guy in Birmingham, who tells us to run to platform 4, where there is a train to Crewe about to leave, which is the last train that will get us there in time for the 17:30 to Holyhead.
Get to Crewe, and grab a sandwich while waiting for the 17:30. On the train, have a conversation with the conductor:
Me: How long does it take to Holyhead?
Conductor (apologeticly): Well, this is the slow train that stops at all the local stations, so it's two hours.
Me: So, roughly what time do we arrive?
Conductor: I don't do anything roughly. [takes out timetable] Let's see... nineteen twenty-five.
Me (hopeful): So we might just make the ferry...
Conductor: Oh, yes, this is the boat train...
So we made the boat. With no help from the useless guy on the helpline.
It does seem like there's a basic lack of information sharing amongst the various railway companies. I hope this situation isn't the same where safety is concerned. I continue to hold my view that private sector can run things more efficiently, but that doesn't mean it always will!
By the way, apologies to everyone I didn't get a chance to say good-bye when I had to run for the Taxi...
The route we had been given when we booked our tickets, started with a 13:59 train from Hinckley. We arrived at the station at 13:40, and fund some information on a poster which made us uncertain, so we called the information line. Yes, the 13:59 was definately running.
13:59 comes and goes without any sign of a train. We get worried about the train and phone the information line again. The guy cannot find any information about the train being delayed. The guy is clearly either incapable of doing his job, or his job has been engineered to the point that it is incapable of being done. Either way, he failed to give us any useful information. He wouldn't tell us alternative train times until we told hime what kind of ticket we had so he'd know what trains we could go on. We told him our ticket lets us travel any trains we need to rech our destination. The ticket type wasn't on his system because we'd bought it from the ferry company. He gave us some times, but they were fairly useless, involving about seven changes, and wouldn't get us to Holyhead in time for the ferry. We need to be there for 19:30 to check in for the 20:00 sailing. amd the best he can offer is one that arrives around 20:30. It was looking increasingly likely that we'd be spending the night in North Wales.
Eventually a train shows up, twenty minutes earlier than we were expecting. The conductor tells us that they're actually forty minutes late. He also tells us that times the helpline guy gave us were rubbish. He tells us to get the direct train from Nuneaton to Crewe.
Arrive in Nuneaton, and find out that there is no direct train to Crewe today and about the only train we can get foes to Birmingham. Get on, and the electronic displays tell us the train is going to Liverpool, calling at various places, including Crewe. Despite this, it terminates at Birmingham.
Talk to information guy in Birmingham, who tells us to run to platform 4, where there is a train to Crewe about to leave, which is the last train that will get us there in time for the 17:30 to Holyhead.
Get to Crewe, and grab a sandwich while waiting for the 17:30. On the train, have a conversation with the conductor:
Me: How long does it take to Holyhead?
Conductor (apologeticly): Well, this is the slow train that stops at all the local stations, so it's two hours.
Me: So, roughly what time do we arrive?
Conductor: I don't do anything roughly. [takes out timetable] Let's see... nineteen twenty-five.
Me (hopeful): So we might just make the ferry...
Conductor: Oh, yes, this is the boat train...
So we made the boat. With no help from the useless guy on the helpline.
It does seem like there's a basic lack of information sharing amongst the various railway companies. I hope this situation isn't the same where safety is concerned. I continue to hold my view that private sector can run things more efficiently, but that doesn't mean it always will!
By the way, apologies to everyone I didn't get a chance to say good-bye when I had to run for the Taxi...
