My old arch-enemy, the rain.
Not to sound like a crazy person ranting about public transport or anything, but OH MY GOD HOW SHIT IS PUBLIC TRANSPORT THESE DAYS?
In 8 minutes time, I am supposed to be pulling into London Euston. Yet I am still somehow 200 miles from London Euston, because Virgin trains (boo-hiss!) cancelled my train.
Do you know WHY they cancelled my train? And in fact, ALL trains from Manchester to London (because man, nobody really uses that route?) - because it was raining.
I don't know if I am the first person to notice this, but it kind of rains a lot in Manchester. Somebody once told me it was the wettest city in England. You would think, really, that they would build an infastrucutre that could cope with a little rain. But no! Mancunians, for example, do not believe that drains would be a valuable addition to the busiest bus route in Europe, which leads to puddles about 18 feet long that bus drivers seem to actively rejoice in driving through, or apparently, that there should be some way to run trains when it's raining.
What actually happened:
I arrive, as usual, ridiculously early. I see hear over the intercom that they have cancelled the train before mine "due to the wet weather".
I get on my train as soon as possible to grab a seat, thinking there will be twice as many people as there are supposed to be on this train and I am sooooo not standing up for the whole journey because I was planning to work on my essay during the ride. I end up seated next to an annoying buisnessman, and we not particularly happily co-exist for 15 minutes or so whilst the train waits in the station. Then, over the intercom we are told that our train will soon be departing... to Rugby.
Much confusion ensues. I mean, everyone on the train is going to London, and, well, Rugby isn't even on the London route. After a few minutes of mumbling and confusion from all passengers, the intercom repeats that the yes, the train is now going to Rugby, because they are having problems with power because of the rain, and well, Rugby's kind of South, right? I mean, it's roughly the right direction, we really shouldn't be complaining.
There's lots of debate about whether anyone really wants to get this train, because, we are told, there is no service between Rugby and London. At one time we are told there is in fact no line between Rugby and London, so we would just be stranded in Rugby with no way to return to civilisation.
There are, of course, alternatives. We can make our way to Sheffield, and get a train from there. Maybe. It is also suggested that we go to York and get a train from there. Of course, we'd have to pay extra for that - I mean, that's only reasonable, right?
For those whose geographical knowledge is as poor as mine, a quick refresher - York is quite a long way NORTH of Manchester. London is SOUTH of Manchester. They told us to get on a train to York, 132 miles away in the wrong direction, with no guarantee that we would get back to either Manchester or London. AND THEY EXPECT ME TO PAY EXTRA ABOVE MY ALREADY EXTORTIONATE FARE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T RUN TRAINS WHEN IT'S RAINING??? This is the part that really makes my brain want to implode.
At one point I was also trapped on the Rugby-train against my wishes, because the one train-conductory type person said this was the best thing to do and then the doors shut behind me in this and-now-the-train-is-leaving-and-you-are-trapped-forever-hahaha type way. I only escaped being sent to Rugby because a woman was similarly trapped against her will outside the train and started shrieking that her bags were on the train.
Anyway: BAH HUMBUG. I was actually looking forward to seeing my crazy family, and now I am trapped in gloomy rainy Manchester.
In 8 minutes time, I am supposed to be pulling into London Euston. Yet I am still somehow 200 miles from London Euston, because Virgin trains (boo-hiss!) cancelled my train.
Do you know WHY they cancelled my train? And in fact, ALL trains from Manchester to London (because man, nobody really uses that route?) - because it was raining.
I don't know if I am the first person to notice this, but it kind of rains a lot in Manchester. Somebody once told me it was the wettest city in England. You would think, really, that they would build an infastrucutre that could cope with a little rain. But no! Mancunians, for example, do not believe that drains would be a valuable addition to the busiest bus route in Europe, which leads to puddles about 18 feet long that bus drivers seem to actively rejoice in driving through, or apparently, that there should be some way to run trains when it's raining.
What actually happened:
I arrive, as usual, ridiculously early. I see hear over the intercom that they have cancelled the train before mine "due to the wet weather".
I get on my train as soon as possible to grab a seat, thinking there will be twice as many people as there are supposed to be on this train and I am sooooo not standing up for the whole journey because I was planning to work on my essay during the ride. I end up seated next to an annoying buisnessman, and we not particularly happily co-exist for 15 minutes or so whilst the train waits in the station. Then, over the intercom we are told that our train will soon be departing... to Rugby.
Much confusion ensues. I mean, everyone on the train is going to London, and, well, Rugby isn't even on the London route. After a few minutes of mumbling and confusion from all passengers, the intercom repeats that the yes, the train is now going to Rugby, because they are having problems with power because of the rain, and well, Rugby's kind of South, right? I mean, it's roughly the right direction, we really shouldn't be complaining.
There's lots of debate about whether anyone really wants to get this train, because, we are told, there is no service between Rugby and London. At one time we are told there is in fact no line between Rugby and London, so we would just be stranded in Rugby with no way to return to civilisation.
There are, of course, alternatives. We can make our way to Sheffield, and get a train from there. Maybe. It is also suggested that we go to York and get a train from there. Of course, we'd have to pay extra for that - I mean, that's only reasonable, right?
For those whose geographical knowledge is as poor as mine, a quick refresher - York is quite a long way NORTH of Manchester. London is SOUTH of Manchester. They told us to get on a train to York, 132 miles away in the wrong direction, with no guarantee that we would get back to either Manchester or London. AND THEY EXPECT ME TO PAY EXTRA ABOVE MY ALREADY EXTORTIONATE FARE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T RUN TRAINS WHEN IT'S RAINING??? This is the part that really makes my brain want to implode.
At one point I was also trapped on the Rugby-train against my wishes, because the one train-conductory type person said this was the best thing to do and then the doors shut behind me in this and-now-the-train-is-leaving-and-you-are-trapped-forever-hahaha type way. I only escaped being sent to Rugby because a woman was similarly trapped against her will outside the train and started shrieking that her bags were on the train.
Anyway: BAH HUMBUG. I was actually looking forward to seeing my crazy family, and now I am trapped in gloomy rainy Manchester.