Categories: uncategorized
Date: 22 January 2007 23:00:14
So let me set the scene for you: Auntie D has dropped me at the station, I've caught the train to Watford and changed onto the Birmingham train. It's nearly 6 in the evening, and we're rumbling towards Nuneaton...
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, this is your train manager speaking. In around five minutes' time, we will be arriving at Nuneaton. When we reach the station, we will need to attach a diesel locomotive to the front of the train, this will take around fifteen minutes." There was some other stuff too, but it's not all that relevant, so I'll leave it out.
So we sit there while a bit of bumping and thumping goes on at the front of the train, and then we start to head off. And then, about two minutes out of Nuneaton, the train grinds to a halt and all the lights go off.
We all sit in the dark, somewhat bewildered, for a few minutes. Train crew members wander up and down the carriages. Eventually, they go to a cupboard by the carriage door, unlock it and take out... some glowsticks, which are then distributed to the somewhat confused passengers. Then they offer us free bottles of water. All very nice, but we're still somewhat in the dark, in every sense.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, the train manager pops in after a while to explain that we've had some sort of power failure, they're looking into it, and they'll let us know as soon as there's any news, but the PA system's obviously down too so they can't announce anything there. We wait a while, and eventually, after about 25 minutes, the lights come back on to cheers from the assembled throng. As the heating starts to kick in again, the train manager announces over the (now working again) PA that the diesel locomotive had had a loose connection which caused a total power failure, that we'll start moving again as soon as it's been replaced, and that he's extremely sorry for the delay and inconvenience. Another 15 minutes waiting around, and finally we start moving again.
For the rest of the journey the train manager makes regular, extremely apologetic anouncements. He's very sorry for the delay and inconvenience. We are all welcome to a complimentary tea or coffee from the buffet car. He's very sorry for the delay and inconvenience. Although the delay was less than an hour and therefore passengers can't claim compensation, we're welcome to fill out a customer feedback form, available at the buffet car. Oh, and did he mention that he's very sorry for the delay and inconvenience?
Finally, we rumble towards Birmingham. As I make towards the door, a woman already standing there turns to me and says, "What a crap journey, eh? We can't even claim any money back." Which I thought was a little harsh, considering that the problems had been dealt with quickly, the train manager had kept us as well informed as he possibly could, and in the circumstances we were doing well to only be 45 minutes behind schedule. Then came one last announcement from the train manager...
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are now arriving into Birmingham New Street. I must apologise once again for the problems caused by the power failure earlier, and the delay and inconvenience this has caused you. However, on the plus side, those of you going clubbing tonight now have your own glowsticks."
I had to smile. The woman opposite me didn't.