When the train started early, I felt smug. Good thing I got here on time, I thought. How sad that all those people who arrive on time will miss it. Ah, hubris...for nemesis was soon to follow.
For slowly, a thought came to me. Trains don't usually leave early (fifteen minutes early, to be precise). Better check the booking ticket attached to the seat. I turned and looked at it. Oxford, it said. OXFORD! I didn't want to go to Oxford! Panic!
With help from a lovely man with the right kind of mobile, which had all the trains and times on it, I discovered that my (Oxford) train would arrive at Reading about 5 minutes before my (home) train. a five minute window in which to change trains. Hm. Reading is a very big station. Time to get professional help.
To cut a long (or longer) story short(er), I found a lovely guard, and the man selling snacks, both equipped with those right kinds of phones, with timetables, and updates. My (Oxford) train was running late; my (home) train was on time. Bugger.
But with much encouragement from both, I did what for me is quite a sprint up and down escalators between platforms, and just caught my (home) train. Phew.
The moral of this story is: IF YOUR TRAIN LEAVES EARLY, YOU'RE ON THE WRONG TRAIN.
I have been repeating this mantra to myself ever since. (Oh, and I wrote to Great Western Railways to congratulate them on their wonderful staff. I do hope my two helpers get the message.)
Dear Frances, if you were used to the workins of the German railway, you would have never, ever assumed you were on the right train in the first place! I know "we" used to be known for punctual and efficient train services, but that time is the glorious past... For the last 20 years, things have gone from bad to worse.
ReplyDeleteI can not count the times I have missed my connection in Karlsruhe (on the way to or from O.K.'s), or those times I had about 2 minutes (really) to get from platform 12 to platform 2, with luggage... But I made it most times :-)
Meike, I'm astonished. I thought you of all people would be too organised to do this kind of thing, and I'm surprised that German trains have deteriorated. As for running for a train, do remember that you're younger than I am!
DeleteI would be proud of this it's Muppetry on a heroic scale.
ReplyDeleteAddrian, I think I can safely say that I'm not proud at all.
DeleteWell you should be.
DeleteI don't suppose it was funny at the time Frances, but the scene you set did make me laugh.
ReplyDeleteMaggie, trust me. The one thing I didn't do was laugh!
DeleteOh dear. It's one of those things which with hindsight you can see was a silly mistake, but are very easy to do at the time.
ReplyDeleteGlad it worked out OK in the end.
As my son in law says, we could all be chairman of the hindsight committee, Patsy!
DeleteHi Frances
ReplyDeleteI can quite imagine the rush of panic when you realised you were on the wrong train. Many years ago I got on the wrong train at Euston. My train was on the left and I got on the train on the right. I had the pleasure of watching the correct train leave before I realised my mistake. Lucky for me I was able to get off and wait for the next correct train. There is one good thing about mistakes like that though - you never make them twice! Glad you caught the connection though.
Thank you. No - I don't think I'll ever do that again!
DeleteSo glad it worked out well for you, Frances, in the end. How terrifying though and what a rush it was! Reading is so huge with so many platforms. It's good to know there were several people to help you - and their phones too. It's almost worth enduring the painful lesson when it turns out this well! xx
ReplyDeleteJoanna, you're right. Reading is huge. Luckily, the two trains were at almost adjacent platforms, so I only had to go up one escalator and down the next. But it wasn't fun!
DeleteWhat an eventful journey, Frances, and just as well you're fit enough! I'm glad you got home and that you wrote to thank the helpful men.
ReplyDeleteRosemary, they were marvellous. They really did go the extra mile (to prevent me from going the extra miles...).
DeleteHusband sat and watched his homeward flight, from Albuquerque to California, take off then later called me to complain that nobody else was waiting at the gate for the time of his departure. He had not adjusted his watch to local time!
ReplyDeleteOh, that is far, far worse, ER. (But I'm afraid it also makes me feel much, much better!)
DeletePlay the Glad Game Frances. It wasn't the Oxford non-stop express.
ReplyDeleteMy son, who flies all over the world many times a year (for business) turned up at a flight to Thailand (where he was meeting friends for a holiday) only to find that he was booked on the previous day's flight. "Ah well." he said "There's plenty to be done at home."