An Unexpected Stop

Categories: life

Date: 22 May 2006 11:29:25

A metre (or so) was my undoing on the way home tonight.

On the timetable, my railway station has SP3, which means Short Platform -- Use Back Three Cars. The trains on my line are either four or two car sets. Today I decided to jump into car number one of a four-car train, knowing I could walk through to car number two and get off [I generally travel in car four: I wanted a change].

As we approached my station, I got my bike out of the bike compartment [kudos to CityRail for these: wonderful!] and waited by the front door in car two. The platform came into view; seats and signs went slowly past; the train had almost stopped -- and I then noticed the platform had stopped. The train stopped. The platform was a metre or two back from my door.

I didn't want to look any more like a loon, rushing through the carriage with my bike screaming, "Wait! Wait!", so I silently pulled out my timetable and worked out how I could best get back. Thanks be to God, if I got off at the next stop, Yerrinbool, I'd only have a ten or so minute wait. Yerrinbool also had SP3 so, taking no chances, I excused myself as I navigated my way through the carriage with bike in tow to ensure I was at the rear door of car two. We pulled into Yerrinbool, and I alighted, crossed the tracks, and waited for the train.

To pass the time, I took some photos. Here they are.