first time ever on a train
Discussion
At the age of 52, I finally submitted, I went on a train journey for the first time in my life. As a lifelong hater of public transport I was surprised to find it a pleasant and relaxing journey (Galashiels to Edinburgh on the newly reopened Borders Railway). From what others have told me all my life, I expected it to be slow,smelly, crowded and noisy but it wasn't. Has anyone else been pleasantly surprised by a train?
Total convert to train travel for the last five years.
Fight the traffic, deal with cretinous drivers, rack up the miles, arrive stressed and tired or sit back, read a book, catch up with some emails or work or just gaze out of the window?
My annual mileage is down to 7,500, my stress levels are down and my productivity is up.
Fight the traffic, deal with cretinous drivers, rack up the miles, arrive stressed and tired or sit back, read a book, catch up with some emails or work or just gaze out of the window?
My annual mileage is down to 7,500, my stress levels are down and my productivity is up.
I find that quite an amazing admission in the modern age.
I've travelled on thousands of train journeys in my life, from rickety, worn out diesel powered commuter trains in the Dublin of the 1970s to the super fast, efficient, air conditioned trains of today.
Most of the time, train journeys are great. However, having to use them during peak commuting times can be soul destroying on occasions.
I've travelled on thousands of train journeys in my life, from rickety, worn out diesel powered commuter trains in the Dublin of the 1970s to the super fast, efficient, air conditioned trains of today.
Most of the time, train journeys are great. However, having to use them during peak commuting times can be soul destroying on occasions.
If you can use the train between 0900 and 1430(ish) you can generally avoid the school kids and the majority of commuters who make the journey tedious.
We often use the train to travel from Stourbridge to Birmingham. It works out a little bit more expensive than parking to by two return tickets, but it saves the hassle of the crap road network in Birmingham.
We often use the train to travel from Stourbridge to Birmingham. It works out a little bit more expensive than parking to by two return tickets, but it saves the hassle of the crap road network in Birmingham.
Of course a lot will depend on where you live and your personal circumstances.
If you are 52 then you would have been born in 1963 or 1964, when car ownership was growing exponentially and Richard Beeching was wielding his axe. By the time you were 5, there were many areas of the country with little or no railway left.
I was brought up in a “railway family” (father, grandfather and various uncles on the railway), and I too joined up when I first left school (until I saw the error of my ways and retrained as a Surveyor instead). Even so, I didn’t use the railways very much for 20 years or so – when you’ve got a family with four kids in it, six railway tickets to anywhere is going to be more expensive than taking the car, no matter what “deal” might be on offer (family railcard etc).
Nevertheless, whether you are a fan of railways or not, even the most diehard car lover cannot have failed to notice that trying to drive around or major cities in becoming an increasing pain in the arse. Whilst you can justifiably blame local councils for making things worse in many cases, the fact remains that there are more vehicles that want to get into cities than there is space for. You can have as many trunk motorways and dual carriageways as you like, but sooner or later you’ll pass a “30” sign and driving will be bleedin’ murder from then until you park up - if you can find somewhere to park up, of course…
The two cities closest to me, Bath and Bristol, are a total pain to even try driving around and, unless I happen to have some bulky stuff to move to or from either of them, I never take the car. My local station is 10 minutes walk away and I can be in the centre of Bath in 15 minutes and the centre of Bristol in just over 30. And London in just over an hour, if I want to go that way instead. For me, using a car to get to any of these places has become simply a no-brainer.
If you are 52 then you would have been born in 1963 or 1964, when car ownership was growing exponentially and Richard Beeching was wielding his axe. By the time you were 5, there were many areas of the country with little or no railway left.
I was brought up in a “railway family” (father, grandfather and various uncles on the railway), and I too joined up when I first left school (until I saw the error of my ways and retrained as a Surveyor instead). Even so, I didn’t use the railways very much for 20 years or so – when you’ve got a family with four kids in it, six railway tickets to anywhere is going to be more expensive than taking the car, no matter what “deal” might be on offer (family railcard etc).
Nevertheless, whether you are a fan of railways or not, even the most diehard car lover cannot have failed to notice that trying to drive around or major cities in becoming an increasing pain in the arse. Whilst you can justifiably blame local councils for making things worse in many cases, the fact remains that there are more vehicles that want to get into cities than there is space for. You can have as many trunk motorways and dual carriageways as you like, but sooner or later you’ll pass a “30” sign and driving will be bleedin’ murder from then until you park up - if you can find somewhere to park up, of course…
The two cities closest to me, Bath and Bristol, are a total pain to even try driving around and, unless I happen to have some bulky stuff to move to or from either of them, I never take the car. My local station is 10 minutes walk away and I can be in the centre of Bath in 15 minutes and the centre of Bristol in just over 30. And London in just over an hour, if I want to go that way instead. For me, using a car to get to any of these places has become simply a no-brainer.
vanordinaire said:
At the age of 52, I finally submitted, I went on a train journey for the first time in my life. As a lifelong hater of public transport I was surprised to find it a pleasant and relaxing journey (Galashiels to Edinburgh on the newly reopened Borders Railway). From what others have told me all my life, I expected it to be slow,smelly, crowded and noisy but it wasn't. Has anyone else been pleasantly surprised by a train?
Nope. Hateful things populated by hateful people.I used to use them a fair bit and some of the lowest points of my life have been on cold, bleak platforms being informed at stupid o'clock that the train I'd waited an hour for was cancelled and I'd need to wait an eternity for another.
Once actually on the train, if I was in standard class, it usually smelled of McDonalds and was full of horrible people using the opposite seat as a foot stool. In first class things were marginally better but the price was horrific for the benefit of nasty coffee and even nastier wine on evening services.
The only train that might have pleasantly surprised me was probably a steam train, restored by some society or other, as a reminder of a bygone era when trains might (I say might) have been a more pleasant way to travel.
I will stick up for trains, if I want to get into Manchester, 20 min walk and another 20 mins on the train, no messing about parking, they run ever ten to fifteen mins up to 11 pm, sometimes later, I read the paper or use the time to answer work emails, OK the public can be unpleasant, most aren't though.
It's just another option, for certain journies.
It's just another option, for certain journies.
vanordinaire said:
At the age of 52, I finally submitted, I went on a train journey for the first time in my life. As a lifelong hater of public transport I was surprised to find it a pleasant and relaxing journey (Galashiels to Edinburgh on the newly reopened Borders Railway). From what others have told me all my life, I expected it to be slow,smelly, crowded and noisy but it wasn't. Has anyone else been pleasantly surprised by a train?
Not to be rude but I'd genuinely like to know - how do you go 52 years without ever having been on a train?blueg33 said:
If you want to hate trains try the Northern Rail service from Stockport to Cheshire at 8.31am on a weekday.
I use trains all the time but the above is the most hateful I have ever been on, and I have to do it once a week.
May I suggest a week's course of "South Eastern Trains Therapy"? It works like this: you spend a week travelling on SE Trains during weekday rush hours. If further treatment is deemed necessary, yo can also be prescribed a few journeys after the hour of 2230 in the evening.I use trains all the time but the above is the most hateful I have ever been on, and I have to do it once a week.
Once the course is completed, you will find all of your Northern Rail travel to be blissfully delightful.
(Or you'll do what I did and buy a bike to commute on)
CAPP0 said:
blueg33 said:
If you want to hate trains try the Northern Rail service from Stockport to Cheshire at 8.31am on a weekday.
I use trains all the time but the above is the most hateful I have ever been on, and I have to do it once a week.
May I suggest a week's course of "South Eastern Trains Therapy"? It works like this: you spend a week travelling on SE Trains during weekday rush hours. If further treatment is deemed necessary, yo can also be prescribed a few journeys after the hour of 2230 in the evening.I use trains all the time but the above is the most hateful I have ever been on, and I have to do it once a week.
Once the course is completed, you will find all of your Northern Rail travel to be blissfully delightful.
(Or you'll do what I did and buy a bike to commute on)
I have the fortune to commute on Southern in to London Bridge. Commuting really is down to frame of mind. There is no alternative way for me to leave the house at 7am and walk in to the office in the City at 8:50 other than travelling by train. Equally whilst the train might cost £2,700pa in reality that is only £12 per day, the congestion charge would cost £11.50 per day if I drove, let alone fuel, wear and tear etc from the 100 mile round trip.
Yes the train might often be late but it is a lot more reliable in terms of time than driving would be! The reality is that when you consider that the London commuting terminuses are operating at almost total capacity its no surprise that when something goes wrong it has a knock on effect. Social media just gives people an opportunity to moan and very often those moans really are not justified. After all the reality is no other train operating company is going to do a better job at running trains although they might be better at communication!
As long as you accept the reality of life, the possibility of being late etc then commuting is ok.
Then I often use the train when travelling for work, In general its more reliable than driving, and I can sleep. Not only that but if its late I get my money back!
Yes the train might often be late but it is a lot more reliable in terms of time than driving would be! The reality is that when you consider that the London commuting terminuses are operating at almost total capacity its no surprise that when something goes wrong it has a knock on effect. Social media just gives people an opportunity to moan and very often those moans really are not justified. After all the reality is no other train operating company is going to do a better job at running trains although they might be better at communication!
As long as you accept the reality of life, the possibility of being late etc then commuting is ok.
Then I often use the train when travelling for work, In general its more reliable than driving, and I can sleep. Not only that but if its late I get my money back!
b
hstewie said:
hstewie said: Not to be rude but I'd genuinely like to know - how do you go 52 years without ever having been on a train?
I've never lived within walking distance of a railway station so always would have had to drive to a station, park the car then switch to a train. When I was a kid we never travelled far from home except for annual family holidays which wouldn't have been practical on a train with 4 kids,a granny, some dogs etc. As an adult, the cities I've had to travel to haven't been so big or busy that it wasn't possible to drive and park in. Until the Borders railway reopened last year after having closed 40 odd years before, my nearest station was 50 miles away. It's still a 20 mile drive away but yesterday I gave it a try. I might use it again for a day or night out.blueg33 said:
CAPP0 said:
blueg33 said:
If you want to hate trains try the Northern Rail service from Stockport to Cheshire at 8.31am on a weekday.
I use trains all the time but the above is the most hateful I have ever been on, and I have to do it once a week.
May I suggest a week's course of "South Eastern Trains Therapy"? It works like this: you spend a week travelling on SE Trains during weekday rush hours. If further treatment is deemed necessary, yo can also be prescribed a few journeys after the hour of 2230 in the evening.I use trains all the time but the above is the most hateful I have ever been on, and I have to do it once a week.
Once the course is completed, you will find all of your Northern Rail travel to be blissfully delightful.
(Or you'll do what I did and buy a bike to commute on)
CAPP0 said:
Not that I don't believe you, but I'm having difficulty comprehending how bad the northern ones can be!
I will buy you a return from Stockport to Altfincham and you can give it a go. 15 mins of purgatory especially on the outbound. You will probably get squashed in between the really smelly old bloke with a beard and the fat bloke who always spills his coffee. But the worst part is the fact it's an ancient, filthy, rattling 2 carriage Pacer (sort of converted bus), trying to accommodate 4 carriages of the great unwashed of Manchester. CAPP0 said:
Not that I don't believe you, but I'm having difficulty comprehending how bad the northern ones can be!
My wife used to regularly wait around for them, not get a grotty seat which is a mixed blessing and then get dumped at some small station way before her destination because the train had broken down with no further trains put on and no bus. We've yet to have that on a SE train.She was a student at the time so the cheap fare when saying she was going to Bradford (which was further than the more expensive Leeds) was worth it to her. I couldn't put up with it myself, the last time I took a train it left me feeling seasick the ride was so bad, worse than the "WiFi".
blueg33 said:
I will buy you a return from Stockport to Altfincham and you can give it a go. 15 mins of purgatory especially on the outbound. You will probably get squashed in between the really smelly old bloke with a beard and the fat bloke who always spills his coffee. But the worst part is the fact it's an ancient, filthy, rattling 2 carriage Pacer (sort of converted bus), trying to accommodate 4 carriages of the great unwashed of Manchester.
I wouldn't spill my coffee if you didn't insist on wearing that great big fking rucksack!Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff