The nightmare rail journey

I came down to London on Saturday, the day on which Network Rail announced their engineering works on the East Coast line outside Kings Cross had overrun from the Christmas break. Trains from the North East were only running as far as Finsbury Park. Many were terminating at Peterborough. I was due on the 3pm train from Newcastle but got to the station at 2.30pm. On the platform was the delayed 2.23pm train that would terminate at Peterborough. I decided it was pointless getting that train as the 3pm was due to go to Finsbury Park and all announcements were that the 3pm train was running on time. The delayed train was also due to stop at 6 stations on the way south. My train was due to make 2 stops and would probably overtake the delayed train. All booking restrictions were cancelled but I took the decision to wait for the 3pm train. At 2.45pm the delayed train headed south half empty and as it was pulling away from the platform, an announcement was made that the 3pm was cancelled.

To add insult to injury, the 3pm then arrived from Edinburgh full of passengers. The train pulled up to the platform and the doors opened. No one got off the train so people on the platform, myself included, decided to get on the train and battle it out for the last available seat (I won) thinking the announcement about the cancellation was in error. A somewhat pyrrhic victory as just I was taking the seat, the train guard announced that the service was cancelled and everyone had to get off. The result was that everyone was crammed onto the platform until the next train at 3.30pm was able to take us as far as Peterborough. It was packed all the way but this was nothing compared to the connecting service (which did not arrive until an hour after we arrived at Peterborough). It was standing room only to Finsbury Park. I managed to get a standing space next to the buffet bar.

From Finsbury Park, things got much better. I got a tube immediately to Victoria and then ran to catch the overland train to Crystal Palace. From the house in Gateshead to the flat in London it was 7 hours. Despite that, I still recommend travel by train. Driving is not among my favourite activities. And I hate driving to London. Yes, there was disruption on the train but the roads aren't much better. Accidents and roadworks are just waiting on the roads to slow me down.