ScotRail has
apologised to customers for what it has described as its "unacceptable
service" according to a news report today. This was my recent experience travelling
from Edinburgh to Glasgow by train:
09.50 Arrive on the concourse at Edinburgh
Waverley station, ready to board the 10.00 train to Glasgow – as yet, platform
unknown.
09.55 I ask a ScotRail employee which
platform said train is expected. ‘Dunno,
pal – it might be 14’
09.56 Slip train ticket into slot in
automatic ticket barrier – it doesn’t open. I ask for help.
09.57 A ScotRail employee (a different one)
arrives with a large bunch of keys and opens the barrier thereby letting a
large queue of people pass through. Most will have tickets, some may not.
09.59 No word yet of which platform the
10.00 train to Glasgow will depart.
10.02 Train arrives at platform 12 –
passengers soon discover this is the arriving train from Glasgow Queen Street
which is ten minutes late and will have a quick exchange of passengers before
setting off back to Glasgow.
10.05 Train departs for Glasgow Queen
Street. It is overcrowded with many passengers unable to secure a seat – the
lack of carriages on this train may be a factor.
10.20 First (and last) sullen appearance of
woman with catering trolley.
11.02 Arrive at Glasgow Queen Street – 15
minutes late. No apology from ScotRail ticket inspector but there is a reminder
to collect your personable belongings.
11.05 On exiting the train I slip ticket
into slot in automatic ticket barrier – it doesn’t open. I ask for help (see
above)
15.00 Arrive on the concourse at Glasgow Queen Street Station for the 15.15 train back to Edinburgh – as yet, platform unknown.
15.05 I ask a ScotRail employee which
platform said train is expected. ‘No
idea, pal. It’ll no be long though.’ He doesn’t realise the irony in his
statement.
15.07 Slip train ticket into slot in
automatic ticket barrier – it doesn’t open. I ask for help.
15.08 A ScotRail employee (a different one)
arrived with a large bunch of keys, opens the barrier thereby letting a large
queue of people pass through. Most will have tickets, some may not.
15.17 Train arrives at platform 4 -
passengers soon discover this is the arriving train from Edinburgh Waverley
which is ten minutes late and will have a quick exchange of passengers before
setting off back to Edinburgh.
15.20 Train departs for Edinburgh Waverley.
It is overcrowded with many passengers unable to secure a seat – the lack of
carriages on this train may be a factor.
15.35 First (and last) sullen appearance of
woman with catering trolley
16.22 Arrive at Edinburgh Waverley– 15
minutes late. No apology from ScotRail ticket inspector but a reminder to
collect your personable belongings.
16.25 On exiting the train I slip ticket
into slot in automatic ticket barrier – it doesn’t open. I ask for help (see
above)
The moral of this somewhat repetitive
story? If you’re thinking of travelling from Edinburgh to Glasgow and don’t
wish to take the car – take the bus…
3 comments:
I was exhausted just reading this post Mike! Sydney trains are not quite as bad but often break down recently.
On flip side of the coin I recently holidayed in Japan for 4 weeks.......every train we caught (and there were at least 30) - were on time to the second!!!
Peggy xxxx
You can afford to take a train...?
How much are you charging folks?
Indeed, Peggy - travelling by train in Scotland is an exhausting experience!
Adullamite - not nearly enough!
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