Marooned!!

[Blindtraveler]

oo some of these are just priceless!

 

[Oswyntail]

Not me, honest. Was on a spotters tour round Scotland back in '85 over a Bank Holiday weekend. Sunday morning at about 02:00, train pulls in to the centre road in Perth for signals. Many announcements saying this is NOT a stop, do NOT get off. But the rumour runs along the train that there were a number of stored MacRats just the other side of that wall. So, with a shout of "pull the chain if it starts", about half-a-dozen numpties jump off. Bingo, just as they are behind the wall, the train moves off, with most people too busy laughing to think of the chain. The lads had left everything, bags, coats, wallets, food, on the train.

 

[317666]

I've never been properly stranded as such, but one of the worst things that has happened was in fact just the other week. Me and a group of friends were heading home from Penzance, and on the way back planned to do the Gunnislake branch. Rather than have to wait for an hour or so at Plymouth, me and a mate jumped off at Liskeard to go to Looe and back, then at Plymouth it would be a 4-minute connection onto the Gunnislake train. We got back to Liskeard to find that the train to Plymouth was two minutes late. It was formed of a 150/1 and a 153, which meant that the guard couldn't change between units whilst we were on the move. Yep, you guessed it, this guard decided to change between units whilst we were at a station - at every station! So we just got later and later. Got held outside Plymouth for the Gunnislake train to cross our path, and then to add insult to injury, the next train back West was 35 minutes late, so we had to wait around at Plymouth anyway, without doing Gunnislake!

In the end, we waited for the late-running down train (which was the 'Royal Duchy' 1206 from Paddington and absolutely heaving as usual), and jumped on our train home at St Austell.

 

[Temple Meads]

I was stranded for nearly 2 hours at Plymouth the other week after missing the 19:42 and the next up train not being until 21:26!

Luckily Plymouth is an OK place to be stuck, so I just walked around photting buses until the train was due!

 

[CNash]

I've never been "marooned" as such (as I commute through London and night buses are available), but a month or so ago I found myself having to get the last train to Dartford via Bexleyheath from Charing Cross. I thought I'd missed the previous one, having gotten into CHX late, so I went off and grabbed a bite to eat - not realising that it was still on the platform due to signal problems! So I really did miss that one, and resigned myself to getting the next one.

The train arrives, late of course due to the signal failure, at about 0015. We board this train, and wait for it to depart... and wait, and wait... Eventually, at about 0045, we're told that the train won't be departing yet because there isn't a driver, and they're waiting for a replacement to arrive. Oh, and if we want, we can hop on the last train to Orpington if all we need is between Waterloo East and Lewisham... it leaves in 1 minute. Cue mad dash to jump on it by a few folks, who depart on schedule. Unfortunately I specifically need the Bexleyheath line, so I'm forced to wait.

Driver arrives at 01:10; we depart over an hour late. Of course, I could've gotten the night bus at any point - but a kind of "good money after bad" instinct kicked in and convinced me that if I left the train, it would immediately depart (sod's law), so I stayed. I do wish SET had announced the problem sooner, though.

 

[swj99]

Congleton.

 

[Welshman]

And one from a friend of mine who, knew full well the time the train left, but was too busy enjoying himself with a lady friend to notice the time and missed the last train to Lincoln from Derby by over an hour, and had to spend the night mooching around Derby as he was too embarrassed to call for help. Its a standing joke to this day and he has never returned to Derby alone since.

I suppose if he hadn't been smooching he wouldn't have ended-up mooching!
I'll get my coat.

 

[IanD]

I was stranded for nearly 2 hours at Plymouth the other week after missing the 19:42 and the next up train not being until 21:26!

Luckily Plymouth is an OK place to be stuck, so I just walked around photting buses until the train was due!

Yeah, I missed a connection once and had to wait for the next train. Don't know how I survived. :roll:

 

[Temple Meads]

Yeah, I missed a connection once and had to wait for the next train. Don't know how I survived. :roll:

Do I detect a hint of sarcasm in that post Ian?

 

[fgwrich]

Further to my first post (lowestoft - what an awfull place to be marooned at!)....How about Portadown. Thanks to the numerous faults on the Enterprise, which caused it to slip to 55 minutes late, i ended up being stranded down in Portadown, on a Saturday night....Not particually a good place to be stranded at in the dark i think, Still the chip shop was open - more than lowestoft!

 

[gazthomas]

As a 13 year old I was on a "Coast & Peaks" in the mid-eighties and got stuck at Styal on Sunday due to engineering works. We got police help back to Crewe and I got home to Llandudno Junction about 7am the following day. Parents were not best pleased.

Flights have been a mixed bag. Once got stuck for 36 hours in Chicago due to snow. $400 for an airport hotel. If Bethlehem took credit cards...

A more positive note, once got delayed 24 hours in Antigua due to flight issues. We stayed an extra night at the same hotel but the annoying thing was we got put into a better room than we had been in for the last 2 weeks!

 

[IanD]

Do I detect a hint of sarcasm in that post Ian?

Just a bit. 2 hours in Plymouth is hardly "marooned". Now, had it been my home town of Bradford...

 

[deltic1989]

I suppose if he hadn't been smooching he wouldn't have ended-up mooching!
I'll get my coat.

What he told me when he finally returned was more embarrassing.
He got home minus a shoe...... A homeless guy had apparently threatened to beat him up if he didn't hand over one .....repeat one of his shoes. No offence to anyone that lives in Derby but that is the nuttiest thing I have ever heard.

 

[MCR247]

Sounds like the Derby I know

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Sounds like the East Midlands in general!

 

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

I've had a few, mostly relating to girls.

No surprise there...

As a student in 1996, I went to Southampton to see the better half on a Sunday. Because on this occasion we only had the one day together, I wanted to spend as much time there as possible, so I left Southampton as late as I could. My train was due to arrive at Waterloo with just over 30 mins to make the connection at King's Cross for the Cambridge train - plenty, I knew from experience. However, this was my first time crossing London on a Sunday night, and the Bakerloo Line train from Waterloo was the last one of the night. Cue delays at each station as the staff tried to shepherd everyone onto the train...got to Oxford Circus with about 10 mins left and instead of changing onto the Victoria Line as planned, I headed for the street and jumped in a taxi. The taxi driver decided that the best way to calm down the breathless young man who had just got in was to drive rather slowly to King's Cross. I got there, hopped out, bunged him a fiver and ran into the station, just in time to see the tail lights disappearing into the tunnel.

Knowing that the King's Cross area late at night is full of scumbags and maggots and cheap lousy faggots (RIP Kirsty), I wasn't keen to spend the night on the station, so I wandered outside to the Great Northern Hotel and managed to get the night porter to open the door. £5 bought me a blanket, a pillow and a conference room, where I spent a fairly uncomfortable five hours or so on the floor until it was time to get up for the first train out. Fortunately the WAGN lady guard took pity upon my unkempt appearance and didn't argue with my out-of-date day return. Or maybe I was so smelly that she didn't want to stand near me any longer than she had to...

 

[Blindtraveler]

funny how so many of these cautionary tales involve Women aint it? This may be for a seperate thread but how many rail UK members better halfs go bashing with them. Mine does and if I were to get stuck somewhere she would most likely laugh.

 

[Track Basher]

I have travelled the network extensively for the last 30 years and can safely say I have only been stranded once. I have however had 6 near misses I can recall, which were all saved by professional railway(wo)men. Their professionalism saved the day when the railway failed to deliver. I have never got myself stranded through a timetable reading failure or similar.

The one and only occasion I got stranded was on Mazey Day a couple of years ago. Normally I go down to Dawlish/Teignmouth to photograph the specials. This year some friends were going so I went on the train hauled by 2 x Class 56.

Normally when I travel on a railtour I drive to catch the tour. On this occasion it was possible to connect with the tour at Bristol Parkway and have 1 hour connection on the way home or two and a half hours into the last train home. This this being a simple out and back to Penzance I took the train option.

On the return journey there was a lineside fire near St Erth and the train missed the connection into the last train back home. I however worked out what was about to happen and got off at Temple Meads so I had could at least get back to Cardiff. My wife had an hours drive (with three children) after midnight to come and collect me. She was not impressed!

I shall do the near misses in several installments.

 

[D2022]

Missed the last train from Stroud to Swindon one saturday night back when I lived in Stroud, the sunday morning service is 'fun' to say the least, luckily the office staff forgot to lock the waiting room door heater and a long bench, bliss

 

[grid56126]

Bialystock in Poland (border with Ukraine).

This was mid 90s when nobody spoke a word of English. We arrived about 20.00 and the guide book told us there was a hostel in the bus station. "was". We had no idea what to do so wandered around looking for a Hotel and got stopped by the Police (3 dodgy youths near the border). They pointed us toward a Hotel and a few minutes later came and picked us up in their Lada (Quite hellfire). The Hotel was a typical Eastern Block concrete tower that had one room left for two of us. As I snored I got the short straw which was a fester whilst the receptionist faffed about on the phone. Sometime later I was ushered into a car that had turned up and with no idea what was going on sped off into the night. I admit to getting a bit worried when we drove onto a building site only to pull up in front of a brandnew building that turned out to be a Hotel that had only opened that week. The cost was ridiculously small, this was when the Zlotty was worth 37,000 to the pound (!) and with an evening meal which included caviar, came to about a tenner. The waitress was the only one who spoke a tiny amount of English so it fell to her to ask me "that" question as I set off for bed - "would you like a lady tonight".

Needless to say I met up with my mates in the morning nicely relaxed after a good nights sleep...............


Grid

 

[LE Greys]

I've never quite managed the 'Move to Oblivion', but have come close several times. One was a visit to the Isle of Wight, track-bashing the entire line and getting my first hovercraft trip, when I decided to head back via Yarmouth and Lymington (I was staying in Bournemouth at the time) to do a different ferry route. Southern Vectis let me down badly. I walked about half-way to Newport before a bus finally caught me up, then realised I had a three-hour wait for the next one, started to walk, lost the bus route and eventually hitched a lift to the ferry terminal. Having almost made a pier-head jump, I finally ended up in Lymington . . . to find that the last train to Brockenhurst left half an hour before. Luckily, someone from the boarding house drove over to pick me up.

The other time was almost a backwards stranding, the famous occasion when I had to dive back aboard the Caley Sleeper to rescue my toothbrush (among other things) in a day of thick snow at Aviemore. Had it left, I would have left all my kit on the platform and had to wait hours at Inverness before it made the run back, since there were no other trains operating and the sleeper stock did a fill-in turn in the middle of the day.

Finally, I deliberately stranded myself at Berney Arms once, intending to walk back to Reedham, but the riverbank was so heavily overgrown that I eventually hitched a lift by boat!

 

[Mark_re]

I got stuck at Holyhead once, but I suppose it's quite a common occurrence. I was coming back from Dublin on a Sailrail ticket to Durham and there was a pretty bad storm, so the fast sailings were cancelled. I had to wait about 8 hours at the ferry terminal in Dublin for the conventional sailing. Unbelievably, there was a sign saying that no alcohol was to be consumed in the ferry terminal, also there were no shops open or anything.

I was with my pushbike so I cycled to the nearest petrol station and bought a cheap (for Dublin!) bottle of wine, expecting it to be a long night. I drank most of it in a dark corner of the terminal, hiding from the staff. The ferry eventually left very late and it was an extremely rough crossing, with everything strapped down. I arrived into Holyhead at about 0030, having missed the last train. I cycled to town and found an open pub. I was treated very well, but was kicked out at 0200, so I went back to the station, by which time a fight had broken out between some local kids and some people spending the night. I thought this unspeakably grim, so I set out to cycle to Valley, where I thought I could at least get some peace.

I hadn't really clocked that Holyhead is separated from the rest of Anglesey by a causeway and the wind from the tailend of the storm was blowing so hard that it blew the hood off my coat! It must have taken me an hour to cycle to Valley, during which the Police kindly offered to give me a lift, but I had no intention of returning to get my bike in the morning.

I sat in the lonely shelter on the platform, half-cut, soaking wet, but finally in peace, waiting for the first train (about 0440 I recall).

It was quite a challenge getting myself and my bike up the little wooden steps to the train. I eventually made it home to Durham at about 0800, snoring spectacularly on a packed transpennine on its way to Newcastle.

 

[dstrat]

Some good stories here..

Congleton.

As in..the crash??

 

[PFX]

My only real stranding was at Elephant & Castle after getting a Northern Line tube down from Camden. I was visiting a friend who wanted to stay out late and assured me I had enough time to get back to Queen's Park before handing me his flat keys and leaving me to my own devices. I'm a culchie so not really much of a clue about London.

Needless to say, I got to Elephant & Castle in time to be kicked out on unfamiliar streets which I wandered aimlessly before deciding I was walking in a westerly direction (who knows if I was or not, I was fearful of asking the 'city' folk). Eventually I clocked a free fast black and headed back to Queen's Park for the princely sum of £30. All the money I had.

__

While not exactly a stranding and more a tale of stupidity, I had a travel warrant to get from Edinburgh to Grantham for an interview with the RAF. On boarding the GNER service at Waverley, I had a feel of unease about me. I kept looking at my warrant and thought there was something amiss.

As departure time came closer, I was convinced I was on the wrong train. I checked the warrant and my watch once more and confirmed my suspicion; I was indeed on the wrong train. I should have been on the same service the previous day! I didn't bother rearranging the interview after that display of planning and organisation.

Instead I went directly to the station bar and utilised my day off in an unhealthy way.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

My "nearly stranded" experience was at Brigg a few years back. I'd gone partly to do the Gainsboro Central - Barnetby section of line but also to see Brigg Town play Halesowen in the cup. After the game I was enjoying a few beers with some Halesowen fans when we realised we'd only got a few minutes before the train and none of us could quite remember where the station was, and with it being November it was already dark though barely 7pm.

Cue a mad rush through the town till someone spotted a station sign pointing down a rough lane. I can vividly remember seeing the train was already in as we all stumbled across the station car park in the dark, but we all just about made it.

Not exactly an epic journey but if we'd missed the train we'd have had to wait a week for the next one!

 

[Track Basher]

Nearly stranded #1

The date 13/09/86 - Network South East Day

We had set off on the first train from Lancaster to London in order to get the most of the day and return on the nightrider to make the most of the day. This was booked to leave London at around midnight on Saturday night. Yes overnight trains did used to run on a Saturday night.

Our basic plan was to cover Uckfield and East Grinstead, then down to Brighton, Portsmouth, Southampton, Salisbury and a 50 back into Walerloo (50018). We would then go acorss to Kentish Town (this was pre Thameslink and 317s ran to St Pancras and Moorgate). We were then going to Bedford and back to Bletchley and Milton Keynes for the nightrider home.

Unknown to us there was a trap for us in the All System Timetable. They had made a complete mess on the notes at the head of the columns and they all related to the wrong trains. When the train arrived at MKC it was sleeping cars only, with no seats.

The guard took pity on us when we had explained what had happened and allowed us to sleep on the mail bags in the Mk1 BG back to Lancaster. The train was incidently hauled by 47543 between Stafford - Manchester Pic - Preston.

Nearly Stranded #2

28/10/89 - A day excursion to Boulogne

We had booked on a day excursion to Boulogne. This involved an overnight train down the West Coast Mainline to arrive in Folkestone Harbour (33021 assisted down the branch) in time for the morning ferry to Boulogne. we would then have several hours in Boulogne before catching the ferry home again and the train took us home arriving back at 01:00 Sunday.

As it turned out the weather was horrific and the sea more than a little bumpy but the sailing departed on time and bounced across to France.

Problem #1
When we got there the French port authority said it was too windy to dock and spent 3 hours going round in circles outside the port.

Problem #2
This delayed the entire shipping service so everything was hours late

Problem #3
The boat we came across on crashed into the harbour wall at Folkestone on it's return journey, this both put the ship out of service and closed the port. We however did not know this until we boarded the ferry to get home and the captain announced it.

Problem #4

Ferry diverted to Dover because of the harbour closure. Special train in Folkestone.

We steamed back across the English channel running several hours late. When the special train should have left Folkestone at 17:45 we were still in France.

Some quick thinking by the BR staff travelling with the excursion arrange for the train to be moved to Dover Western Docks.

Problem #5

We eventually arrive outside Dover port there is no tug available to help us berth at Western Docks. They are fully occupied in Easter Docks. We again have to wait several hours for one to become available. We eventually dock at midnight 30 minutes before we should have been home.

Leave Dover at about 00:30.

Problem #6
This is Saturday night and the railway is shutting down for engineering works.

We go on a magical mystery tour to get home Dover Western Docks - Ashford - Maidstone East - Hither Green - Factory Jn - Clapham Jn (Southbound) - Kew Jn - Acton Wells Jn - Nuneaton - Crewe - Styal - Manchester Pic - Preston - Lancaster

Arrived home 07:30 which was actually 08:30 because the clocks had gone back overnight. I walked in the house at 08:00 and my parents thought I was in bed. They had not realied I had not come home. They had gone to bed because I was not expected back until 01:30.

This still remains my record for a delay 7 and a half hours for a delayed train.

 

[CC 72100]

I was stranded for nearly 2 hours at Plymouth the other week after missing the 19:42 and the next up train not being until 21:26!

Luckily Plymouth is an OK place to be stuck, so I just walked around photting buses until the train was due!

That would normally be the train I'd do back up to Exeter myself on a Devon Ranger Evening move. Hence why I check the XC app to see if I need to bail at Totnes 21:26 is a unit I take it?

 

[Greenback]

Then only place I have been stuck is Bristol Temple Meads. At the time I was rail staff, and felt confident I could blag my way on to the sleeper back to Reading at stupid o'clock in the morning after quite a few drinks in Bristol.

Unfortunately, on approaching the station I saw a notice that the sleeper had bene diverted and there was no alternative transport (this was an advance warning).

I found myself in a waiting room waiting for the first train at around 0540. There were quite a few people using the room for a quick sleep, I was quite surprised (but grateful) that it was allowed.

 

[The_Rail_WAy]

Oxenholme. Being young (18) we thought that it would have a service at 2300 (cant remember the exact time) on a saturday night, this was after walking from Kendal after there being no service from there.

There was nothing for miles around the station, everything was shut!!!! I remember having to go for a poo in a bush because I had needed a poo for hours and had been saving it up inside of me and the toilets were locked. In the end a taxi to Lancaster sufficed and we mauled our endeavours upon our return.

 

[Crossover]

The only time I have nearly been stuck on the railways was in Edinburgh in May 2011. It was when the high winds hit the country.

Initially me and a friend had been exploring parts of Edinburgh, seeing some of the sights etc. Having nearly got blown off the hill at Edinburgh Castle (where a number of people were struggling to stay stood up, us included!) we headed back down towards Waverley, only to find on arrival virtually every service was cancelled. This was about 4pm in the afternoon and approaching rush hour - chaotic scenes everywhere.

Staff were unsure how long the problems would go on for and that there was no rail replacement services and we needed to get back to Perth.

In the end we were advised to head towards the bus station (which was shut due to the weather) and managed to get on (along with a few others) one of the coaches (I forget the name of the company, but it was like a National Express type operation, with people having booked places etc)

Luckily, everyone who was after getting on just about squeezed on and we headed on our way (with a drivers window that wouldn't shut properly leading to a howling gale all the way)

It must have taken upwards of an hour to beat the traffic out of Edinburgh and by the time the coach should have been in Perth for the driver to take a return journey, we were still the wrong side of the Forth!

The Forth road bridge was still shut to high sided vehicles so a lengthy detour ensued. By the time we reached Perth, it must have been at least 10:30pm (with the driver having taken a break at Perth P&R so he was in hours to take the bus, unscheduled, onto (IIRC) Inverness.

Certainly a day to remember, but at the time, I was a little concerned we'd end up stuck in Edinburgh for longer