Oh dear! Virgin train from Glasgow broke down about a mile north of Stafford - brakes suddenly locked on! We knew it was serious when the engines were turned off, the lights were dimmed and all went very quiet! I'm just glad I was on a Virgin train and not a Virgin flight!!! Yikes!!
However - to be fair to Virgin, we limped into Stafford station and they got another train to Stafford within about 20-25 minutes. I couldn't work out where they had the spare train and driver ready for such an event until it actually arrived. Our train heading south from Glasgow to Birmingham was on the north end of platform 6 and the "spare" train came heading north into the south end of Platform 6. It was then I worked it out.
That train detials said it was going to Glasgow - so once stopped a couple of hundred passengers disembarked and rushed up the platform to get onto our old train - meanwhile the 5 remaining passengers for Birmingham (everyone else had jumped onto other trains heading out of Stafford) headed for their old train - and within a few minutes we were on our way - 5 of us in a 5 coach train!!
So we got sorted but what happened to the couple of hundred who got on our train who were heading for Glasgow? If the brakes were jammed on where was that training going? I suggested to one of the Virgin staff maybe because it is a two engined train (one at the front and one at the back) it could go back the way it came using the engine at the other end - but she said the brakes went throughout the train - so maybe they're now sitting on our old train wondering why everything is so quiet and they haven't left Stafford!! Could be a long wait!
Anyone got a spare steam engine!!!
Thursday 3 February 2011
Glasgow's finest?
Had an hour spare at Glasgow central station before catching train home today so went to the old Glasgow Grand Station Hotel - originally built in 1880's and just reopened after major refurb. Champagne bar (no - doesn't only serve bubbly) is excellent - however that wasn't the Glasgow's finest - that was reserved for the 4 ladies who came in and sat on the next table in the lounge.
They were dripping with furs and obviously "well heeled"! Got through a bottle of pink champers in less time than it will take me to write this and were all leaning well forward to discuss (confidentially) all their interests.
But the one that really struck me was the lady with long, very well styled white (grey or blond??) hair - probably in her 60's - whose well manicured finger nails were so long I was surprised she didn't poke her eye our when she blew her nose, and who's coat probably cost more that this laptop!
She wore 36" heels (OK I exaggerate a bit) with huge bows on the shoes and a skirt far too short for a lady of her age - oh and her coat, shoes etc where the same tint as her hair!
She probably thought she was the "bees knees" but I just felt she would have looked better if she had not tried to look 20 years younger than she was and had checked the mirror before she had come out!
I'm sure she is a very nice lady - just struck me as someone who was shouting "look at me" - trouble is I think everyone did and then thought "what the heck...."
Oh well - it takes all sorts!!
They were dripping with furs and obviously "well heeled"! Got through a bottle of pink champers in less time than it will take me to write this and were all leaning well forward to discuss (confidentially) all their interests.
But the one that really struck me was the lady with long, very well styled white (grey or blond??) hair - probably in her 60's - whose well manicured finger nails were so long I was surprised she didn't poke her eye our when she blew her nose, and who's coat probably cost more that this laptop!
She wore 36" heels (OK I exaggerate a bit) with huge bows on the shoes and a skirt far too short for a lady of her age - oh and her coat, shoes etc where the same tint as her hair!
She probably thought she was the "bees knees" but I just felt she would have looked better if she had not tried to look 20 years younger than she was and had checked the mirror before she had come out!
I'm sure she is a very nice lady - just struck me as someone who was shouting "look at me" - trouble is I think everyone did and then thought "what the heck...."
Oh well - it takes all sorts!!
Wednesday 2 February 2011
On (another) train
This time going from Birmingham to Glasgow. Nice in 1st class (and if you buy your ticket in advance and with a railcard cheaper than standard 2nd class!) - even get wine!
So I'm sitting here, with my Virgin lunch (cheese sarnie and bag of crisps) and the lady in charge of the carriage says "Would you like a cold drink?"
"Yes please," says I, "could I have a glass of white wine?"
"White?" she confirms?
"Yes please!"
- she then walks the rest of the carriage (4 seats - no-one else there), turns - and stops by me and says "Did you say white or red?"
"White" I repeat for the third time!!
Good job they give you a tumbler full!
Listening is a skill we can ALL practice!
Oh, by the way - she brought red!!!
So I'm sitting here, with my Virgin lunch (cheese sarnie and bag of crisps) and the lady in charge of the carriage says "Would you like a cold drink?"
"Yes please," says I, "could I have a glass of white wine?"
"White?" she confirms?
"Yes please!"
- she then walks the rest of the carriage (4 seats - no-one else there), turns - and stops by me and says "Did you say white or red?"
"White" I repeat for the third time!!
Good job they give you a tumbler full!
Listening is a skill we can ALL practice!
Oh, by the way - she brought red!!!
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