british joke rail

[rockrabbit]

got to blackpool north station today at 10,45 to catch the 11.14 to accy went to ask which platform and was informed it was cancelled due to maintenance but could get on the mnachester airport one and get off at preston where there was a coach waiting they crammed as many people on the train as possible quite a lot standing up in the aisle then when i got to preston foudn the coach apart from it didnt set off for another 45 minutes and stopped at every station on the way yet my train was straight through to bburn and accy so it was gonna take a lot longer i had arrangements at 12 to do a job was still stood there at half 12 out in the cold then was told they was waiting for a replacement driver for our coach even though the driver on it had been sat there about an hour and didnt bother saying anything earlier at this point most people went to find alternative transport i managed to ring a mate to pick me up and still at half two the coach was still there .Im going to the rail office tomorrow for a reimbursement of what i paid for ym return and alos want the money i had to pay my mate for his time and petrol thats the last time i use the rail instead of a 50 minute journey it took over 4 hours

[sarnie boy]

Its the railway systems for you
They have too many strikes and they keep you waiting for ages

[Busman747]

I find it very surprising that you had to wait 45 minutes rockrabbit. As a coach driver, I have often covered rail replacement in other areas down south.

The company involved was Frazer Eagle which is local to this area and they would often pay for up to 40 coaches to be on 12 hour stand-by just in case they were needed! On top of that, they had a fleet of active coaches carrying passengers to their destination.

Each coach had a strict timetable which had to be adhered to even if it meant travelling empty! Many were "express" and travelled directly to the major train stations rather than stop at each individual station.

It seems to me that you were inadvertently boarded on one of the coaches that catered for those that "lived out in the sticks"

Maybe the rail service up here decided on another logistics company rather than Frazer Eagle who I felt actually went over the top in trying to satisfy rail customers.

[Steven]

well its still not good enough so yeah u have every right to get ur money back but they probably wont give it u!!!!

[WillowTheWhisp]

This job you mentioned - was that something you were being employed to do? In which case if you missed out on money because of the incredible delay you should claim compensation for that too.

[rockrabbit]

fraser eagle are running all coaches except the accrington line one they soon let us know that and the job was more of a favour but still gonna see what i can do about it

[WillowTheWhisp]

Just an additional thought - of course they have to do maintainance to the railway lines or we could end up with a dangerous situation which could lead to derailment and death. Personally I'd rather be delayed in my journey than in danger. My grandfather worked on the railways and they always used to try to do maintainance at times when it was likely to disrupt as few people as possible. (ie not holiday times or midweek) Of course it's bound to inconvenience some people whenever they do it but a delay like you had is very unusual and certainly unacceptable.

[rockrabbit]

being delayed i didnt mind but firstly if i hadnt have asked which platform the train i wanted was on i wouldnt have known that it was cancelled there was no signs up or anything and also that train left at 11 where the train i wanted was at 11.14 so good job i got there early or id have been waiting a lot longer for the next one and secondly the coach driver had been sat there for an hour and hadnt bothered informing the fraser eagle staff that he was waiting for a replacemnet driver until one went and asked what he was doing as he should have set off 15 minutes ago with how one bloke reacted when he heard this the driver is lucky he wasnt dragged off the coach this bloke had already had to get the coach from wigan as that line was down as well and was already late for something he was going mad about all the fraser eagle coaches come on time for where they was going should have asked the name of the company for the coach i was meant to be on

[WillowTheWhisp]

Now it's beginning to sound as if your complaint is really with the one odd driver rather than with British Rail or the 'rail replacement by coaches' system.

[Busman747]

If Frazer Eagle had the contract to supply coaches, then they were responsible for any delay due to driver "ignorance."

I am sure that they will contact the coach company concerned and it may be that they will refuse their services in the future but for once, I am in support of the rail company as it is often necessary to "close down lines" for essential track repair. I also support Frazer Eagle because I know their reputation of getting rail passengers from A to B as quickly and conveniently as possible..........but there is always the one rogue driver or company that doesn't give a sh**.....and Frazer Eagle cannot be held responsible short term for idiots like that as long as they take immediate action to ensure that it is not repeated.

I would suggest that you complain to not to just the rail company, but to Frazer Eagle and I would be surprised if they did not look at your complaint sympathetically.

[Smiffy16]

Buy a bike..

[rockrabbit]

have no complaints with frazer eagle felt sorry for the frazer eagle staff as they took quite a bit of abuse from people about it as for buy a motorbike have done for the last four years but had enough of riding in the rain for the majority of the year think its time i got my driving license

[WillowTheWhisp]

When you've complained to Fraser Eagle do let us know what they say.