Travelling by train

RandallFlagg · November 2019

First time on a train this morning since July 2018, travelling to boring meetings in Birmingham.

I forgot how annoying it is. Some millennial student oik is sat behind me rustling and munching his food and slurping his coffee with the tinny buzz of music in his headphones.

I want to hit him with a shovel.

never again, car next time

ICBM · November 2019

Chauffeur off work?

Jetsam1 · November 2019

I actually quite like the trains. True I get to go into somewhere like Budapest to work rather than Birmingham.

I absolutely hated Birmingham New Street and having to use Virgin Trains when I was a student though. And The Transpennine Express? Not very much express about it.

EricTheWeary · November 2019

What student can afford a train journey now? My son uses the Mega Bus ( charging points and WiFi so he’s fine for a few hours).
The German market has started now so there’s an opportunity to de stress from your meeting with warm wine and vomiting in the street.

Jetsam1 · November 2019

A month pass for Budapest is about £30 and that is for trains, trams, buses, underground at any time and as many trips as you want.

Last time I was in the UK I saw people paying for the local buses with £20 notes and the drivers didn't shout at them..... I found a hire car was cheaper than using the public transport. That shouldn't be right!

mart · November 2019

Jetsam1 said:

I actually quite like the trains. True I get to go into somewhere like Budapest to work rather than Birmingham.
...

I guess that’s what happens when there are engineering works on the WCML.

Jetsam1 · November 2019

mart said:

Jetsam1 said:

I actually quite like the trains. True I get to go into somewhere like Budapest to work rather than Birmingham.
...

I guess that’s what happens when there are engineering works on the WCML.

I would much rather be in Budapest than Selly Oak!!

Winny_Pooh · November 2019

But think of the plus side. What a joy it must be for your wife to say goodbye in the morning and see you leave the house even earlier than normal.

drofluf · November 2019

I feel your pain; my journey this morning was ruined by a grumpy old man in front of me tutting every time I took a sip of coffee and muttering about garden implements. Even my little headphones couldn't drown him out.

mart · November 2019

Jetsam1 said:

mart said:

Jetsam1 said:

I actually quite like the trains. True I get to go into somewhere like Budapest to work rather than Birmingham.
...

I guess that’s what happens when there are engineering works on the WCML.

I would much rather be in Budapest than Selly Oak!!

I’ve now got an image in my head of George Ezra singing about his house in Selly Oak.

TTony · November 2019

RandallFlagg said:

First time on a train this morning since July 2018

I never understood why you allowed them to take the Royal Train out of service.

munckee · November 2019

Re the cost my daughter pays £3.80 I think to get the bus 4 miles return, if I train to work its 26 miles and costs £9 return, seems pretty reasonable to me.

If I go to London which is 75 miles its around £40 (off peak) including all zones tube which also doesn't seem unreasonable.

Unfortunately I have to use Southern and South Western so 1 in 3 trains turns up and they are constantly on strike, so much so its harder to find a day they aren't on strike.

bgmartinsbridge · November 2019

I commuted for two years Peterborough to London. Some days I had to sit on my bag on the floor in the joining carriage and it cost me around 8k a year for the economy privilege!

My one tip is always carry headphones, so you can listen to music on your phone - drowns out the train and any other noise.

prowla · November 2019

South West Failway for me today.

Dopesick · November 2019

Bloody millennials and their eating and drinking and listening.

RandallFlagg · November 2019

Just changed at Ely and things have taken a turn for the worse. It’s only a 2 carriage train that appears to have been built for people who are 3 foot tall. My knees are crunched into the seat in front and I am having to rub thighs with what looks like a socialist remainer next to me.

munckee · November 2019

bgmartinsbridge said:

I commuted for two years Peterborough to London. Some days I had to sit on my bag on the floor in the joining carriage and it cost me around 8k a year for the economy privilege!

My one tip is always carry headphones, so you can listen to music on your phone - drowns out the train and any other noise.

You had a bag! - luxury : )

ICBM · November 2019

RandallFlagg said:

Just changed at Ely and things have taken a turn for the worse. It’s only a 2 carriage train that appears to have been built for people who are 3 foot tall. My knees are crunched into the seat in front and I am having to rub thighs with what looks like a socialist remainer next to me.

This is what happens when you privatise a public service and try to make it run as cheaply as possible, instead of just throwing money at it

.

That said, in that part of Cambridgeshire it's probably justifiable to have designed the train for hobbits. It's not far from Norfolk.

RandallFlagg · November 2019

ICBM said:

RandallFlagg said:

Just changed at Ely and things have taken a turn for the worse. It’s only a 2 carriage train that appears to have been built for people who are 3 foot tall. My knees are crunched into the seat in front and I am having to rub thighs with what looks like a socialist remainer next to me.

This is what happens when you privatise a public service and try to make it run as cheaply as possible, instead of just throwing money at it .

That said, in that part of Cambridgeshire it's probably justifiable to have designed the train for hobbits. It's not far from Norfolk.

And there’s no restaurant car with waited tables in first class. No sign of Jezza sat on the floor of the vestibule taking selfies either.

Jalapeno · November 2019

ICBM said:

RandallFlagg said:

Just changed at Ely and things have taken a turn for the worse. It’s only a 2 carriage train that appears to have been built for people who are 3 foot tall. My knees are crunched into the seat in front and I am having to rub thighs with what looks like a socialist remainer next to me.

This is what happens when you privatise a public service and try to make it run as cheaply as possible, instead of just throwing money at it .

If you think for a second British Rail was better, think again. BR along with all the utilities were cash starved for decades under governments of all hues. Bureaucratic, Union controlled with strikes every other day, blocked toilets, unreliable and slow trains - it was awful

Cols · November 2019

You should’ve got your man to give him a damn good thrashing for his insolence.

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