I was surprised to hear that! Did we (Liverpool) win?
I was wondering if it was draughts, quoits, or topless darts or something.
I was surprised to hear that! Did we (Liverpool) win?
Well they didn't at Kings Cross.
We had a lady at the back of the huge crowd at 9/10/11 shouting "Could you get someone with a loud voice to tell us what is going on" - much to everyone's amusement.
And in response the member of GN platform staff mumbled into their broken loud hailer, and even though I was stood within 10 feet of them, I couldn't hear a word they were saying.
Meanwhile, just generic "its all messed up" statements and nothing meaningful over the station PA.
Left... Crewe where an extra stop was arranged at 18:55. Now on the run to London running a bit slow but the TM expects arrival 20:25.
Chelsea played Liverpool last night!
Kings cross was annoying. For some reason great northern wouldn't use the station PA. best the could turn out in the time I was there was 4 coach trains. I got out at about 1722. Crowds still growing as people could physically get out on all the short trains. Combine no information and short trains and passengers were getting angry.
Isn't that just how Kings Cross normally looks? Whenever it's shown in newspapers or on tv, there are similar crowds.
I popped into Manchester Piccadilly around lunchtime, where nothing was departing in any direction apart from occasional MIA services. Lots of VTWC staff on the concourse including one with a megaphone who announced complimentary refreshments were being provided.
Outside was an Ellisons coach labelled for Chelsea Football Club. Presumably the team were attempting to catch a train south after playing Liverpool last night.
Disappointing that passengers got angry over something the staff have no control over.
I've been to Birmingham today from Stamford Lincolnshire.
Journey to Birmingham was good - traveled on the 0906
Coming back has been a nightmare. I ended up coming back via Derby and Leicester.
Train to Stamford eventually arrived in Leicester at about 19:30 after also coming via Derby. Just chatting to the people on the train and apparently it was originally the 13:22 Birmingham to Stansted which got turned back to Birmingham at Coleshill.
It then picked up passengers from the 12:22 which was stranded in front. Apparently it then went back to Birmingham and then left again.
Long day for all - felt sorry for the staff at Leicester - they seemed to be getting very little info.
When I was at Kings Cross early this evening I saw nobody getting angry with the staff. Just people incredulous at the lack of organisation.
By "the staff" I am including the managers who were stood on 9/10/11.
The staff had control over delivering a coherent message to customers. They failed.
They did not use the station PA.
They did not use the departure board screens effectively.
They didn't even have a working loud hailer.
There were a lot of things within the control of the 'staff' to make things better that quite simply were not done.
On the other hand, having walked through St Pancras to get to Kings Cross they seemed to be marvelously organised, barriers information, etc.
What I don't understand is why the rail network has collapsed so badly despite the forewarning? I've been on trains in Sweden which ploughed through 3 feet of snow, trains in Norway which made light work of a sustained total blizzard and in Germany, despite ice, wind, snow etc causing line obstructions over winter there was nowhere near this level of disruption
When I was at Kings Cross early this evening I saw nobody getting angry with the staff. Just people incredulous at the lack of organisation.
By "the staff" I am including the managers who were stood on 9/10/11.
The staff had control over delivering a coherent message to customers. They failed.
They did not use the station PA.
They did not use the departure board screens effectively.
They didn't even have a working loud hailer.
There were a lot of things within the control of the 'staff' to make things better that quite simply were not done.
On the other hand, having walked through St Pancras to get to Kings Cross they seemed to be marvelously organised, barriers information, etc.
When I was at Kings Cross early this evening I saw nobody getting angry with the staff. Just people incredulous at the lack of organisation.
By "the staff" I am including the managers who were stood on 9/10/11.
The staff had control over delivering a coherent message to customers. They failed.
They did not use the station PA.
They did not use the departure board screens effectively.
They didn't even have a working loud hailer.
There were a lot of things within the control of the 'staff' to make things better that quite simply were not done.
On the other hand, having walked through St Pancras to get to Kings Cross they seemed to be marvelously organised, barriers information, etc.
ATW are showing all Wrexham to Bidston and Blaenau Ffestiniog as cancelled
tomorrow. Suspect unit shortage as they have also posted that many trains will be short formed due to the number of units damaged due to trees winning the tree v train battle. Suspect this is the reason although in case of these routes blamed on weather conditions.
What's the winner on delay minutes? This Euston to Manchester service managed to reach 377 minutes (six hours seventeen minutes) including three hours spent between Colwich and Stone.
The angry passengers I witnessed had a compound of these problems.
A 4 car train to Royston came and went at about 1645. No announcement just got info from stampede of passengers - couldn't board. Then tried 1722 service (unannounced) but got turned back because it was too full. I was one of the last ones to board so could hear the rant. But not using the tools they have - namely the station PA seems odd.
However this is GTR. I have found in the past my train is cancelled by finding out on my phone. They didn't bother telling people via the pa on the full train it didn't have a driver!
It's high time it became acceptable in this country for clear forecasts of severe weather to come attached with a message of "don't travel at all".
Chiltern must have saved a fortune on delay repay with the extra padding in the timetable.