It was bad from the word go. All looked well in the waiting room, the board dutifully saying that the 10:51 to London Euston would be departing from platform 8, but we had not been on the train for long when the train guard announced that due to emergency engineering works between Haymarket and Carstairs, there would be a delay leaving Edinburgh.
The people at the table opposite me accessed the national rail website on their laptop, and were informed that the train would leave at approximately 11:45, nearly an hour's delay. As that time approached, the estimated departure time was moved to 11:50 with the news that the service was subject to cancellation.
The train guard had been keeping us updated as best he could, but the people opposite seemed to know far more about what was going on. Eventually, approaching mid-day, he announced that the train would now be departing at approximately 12:51 - 2 hours behind schedule. There were other services available via the East coast, and it was recommended that I take the Penzance train and change at Leeds. Well, I did. That left at 12:08, and at least I was moving. The problem is, I was moving in entirely the wrong direction. Still, for the first part of the journey, my worries disappeared as I sat back and enjoyed the beauty of the SE Scotland countryside and, slightly further south, a glimpse of one of my favourite places, the Holy Island of Lindisfarne.
The anxiety began to increase again as we approached Leeds - how would I go on for a connection to Manchester? And just how late home would I be? Well, although the train did arrive in Leeds on time, I missed a connection by seconds, but it was not too bad as there was only about 20 mins to wait for a train that was going to Manchester Airport, but calling at Picadilly en route. I could change there for a Shotton train.
Or so I thought.
As we were approaching Stalybridge, the train ground to a halt. We were informed that there was massive signal failure in the area, and the train would need to be diverted via Victoria, causing a delay of about 20 minutes. Well, ok, that still gave me about 20 mins to make a connection.
Or so I thought.
To say that the train was crawling along doesn't even begin to describe it. It was stop-start through Victoria, through Salford Central, turning round at Salford Crescent, eventually reaching Picadilly 40 mins late. You've guessed it, any chance of making a connection had gone right out of the window.
But, there was a Chester train about 20 mins after arriving. Whilst that would not get me home, it would be within 7 miles. That train passed Warrington just before 6. The train I was originally booked on should have reached Warrington just after 1:30. The irony is, that by now I was wondering if waiting for the delayed train to leave might have been quicker after all ?
At Chester, there was no train to Shotton for another half hour, but there was a train first stop Flint leaving in 2 mins. I got that one and got a taxi home from Flint. Broken rails and massive signal failure. Not a good day for the railways. And then we're encouraged to use public transport? Why ?
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