Super Steve Earle
Well-known member
don't often the pleasure of travelling on the railway, but Friday was an exception. I had to go be at Shepherds Bush by 12.00 and all seemed well as I waited in the station at Hassocks to buy a ticket at 9.00 am for the 9.41 to Clapham Junction with Mrs Earle. With only a couple of people in the queue in front, what could go wrong? Well the woman at the front of the queue and the trainee on the desk for starters. Suffice to say, her transaction took more than 20 minutes and I didn't have tickets in my grubby hand till 9..25! Oh well, still plenty of time for the 9.41.
But at 9.40, station announcement, all trains delayed due to power failure. Luckily, another train wombled up at 9.50 and the announcer decided to let us know at the last minute that it was headed for Victoria, no idea about other stops, but jumped on board anyway. Paused for 10 minutes outside Burgess Hill for unexplained red signal, but incredibly, everything else went smoothly apart from one troubled soul on the bus to my appointment. Arrived half an hour later than expected, but at appointment at 12.00 Phew.
3.20 left appointment to head home. Caught bus to Shepherds Bush. Different troubled soul on board and bus terminated one stop early, but who minds a little walk in the rain on the way home. Arrived on Platform One ready for train to Clapham Junction. Station announcement 'will all passengers on Platform One, move to Platform Two as no more trains on One due to broken down train outside station. Walked to Platform Two where we were greeted with an assortment of station announcements covering no more trains to Clapham Junction at all to various other options until after best part of an hour, they said make other arrangements. As we dawdled off with no idea how to get home, a voice on the tannoy proudly announced that the train now arriving was for East Croydon. Hoorah. Except as we arrived at Selhurst (yes I know) the driver cheerily announced the train was terminating! So now what. Fortunately a good samaritan said he would help us and directed us to a train to West Croydon. He then took us to tram stop and told us which one to catch for two stops to East Croydon. He also demanded free passage from the tram staff because of our day and they agreed.Jumped on a train to Brighton with no idea if it stopped at Hassocks and struck lucky. Home by 6.40.
Is it like that every day for local commuters?
But at 9.40, station announcement, all trains delayed due to power failure. Luckily, another train wombled up at 9.50 and the announcer decided to let us know at the last minute that it was headed for Victoria, no idea about other stops, but jumped on board anyway. Paused for 10 minutes outside Burgess Hill for unexplained red signal, but incredibly, everything else went smoothly apart from one troubled soul on the bus to my appointment. Arrived half an hour later than expected, but at appointment at 12.00 Phew.
3.20 left appointment to head home. Caught bus to Shepherds Bush. Different troubled soul on board and bus terminated one stop early, but who minds a little walk in the rain on the way home. Arrived on Platform One ready for train to Clapham Junction. Station announcement 'will all passengers on Platform One, move to Platform Two as no more trains on One due to broken down train outside station. Walked to Platform Two where we were greeted with an assortment of station announcements covering no more trains to Clapham Junction at all to various other options until after best part of an hour, they said make other arrangements. As we dawdled off with no idea how to get home, a voice on the tannoy proudly announced that the train now arriving was for East Croydon. Hoorah. Except as we arrived at Selhurst (yes I know) the driver cheerily announced the train was terminating! So now what. Fortunately a good samaritan said he would help us and directed us to a train to West Croydon. He then took us to tram stop and told us which one to catch for two stops to East Croydon. He also demanded free passage from the tram staff because of our day and they agreed.Jumped on a train to Brighton with no idea if it stopped at Hassocks and struck lucky. Home by 6.40.
Is it like that every day for local commuters?
