I'd packed the night before...up early, dropped the room key to the security office...and off to walk down Penglais...
Near the bottom the mural was clear to see..
Nearly an hour to wait for the train at 9.30..but nice to sit and relax!
Then on the way towards Machynlleth
The bridge is where the line from Pwllheli crosses the river...and at Machynlleth it was waiting for us and both joined together for the next part of the journey
Past bales of silage....but also fields of cut and drying haylage waiting for turning, drying and baling.
Then Newtown, Y Drenewydd...glimpses of Victorian Era buildings
And on to Wolverhampton, the first train change.....
Where we waited....half an hour.....
And rumours started arriving, with the staff doing their best to tell us what was happening...... electric cables down somewhere but they weren't sure where....
On the Avanti West Coast line....the schedule was change at Carlisle...but the delay crept up to nearly 40 minutes and the announcement that the train stopped at Preston!!
A quick word with staff on the platform...
It was suggested that we go via York....or Newcastle....then Edinburgh and back across to Glasgow!!
But, an older man said...you could take the slow train through Dumfries.....
Two trains full squeezed on to the train from Preston to Carlisle...standing room full..I was lucky to get a seat!
At Carlisle I should have gone straight for the platform instead of buying a ticket first...so had to wait two hours for my last train leg of the journey. But at least the ticket office gave me a print off of the stops and times.
The tree on the line was near Lockerbie...so all trains to and from Glasgow and Edinburgh using that line were cancelled.
You could use your ticket the next day...or wait for a coach....
I took the chance of getting home the same day, although as it was with a different train company I couldn't transfer my ticket as I could have done on other routes....so £16 even with the Railcard reduction!!
They hadn't publicised this as an alternative...but put an extra two carriages on...which filled up!!
My plan was to take the train as far as Auchinleck near Cumnock then the bus home..and I double checked the timetables...one said I had 20 minutes to wait for the bus....and it was wrong!! The bus goes past the station four minutes before the train!! Another 50 minutes hanging around...and just as the bus reached my stop we had a shower of rain...and I was home at 8.50 pm.
What a day!! But still fascinating seeing places from the train instead of the road..and seeing views and places I'd love to return to with photos in mind ....
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14 comments:
...I love the rural landscapes.
WOW! Sounds/reads like you made the best of what was disconcerting to say the least. Bet you're ready for a day of rest.
A long day, but home sweet home at last!
Oh my goodness. I would have been exhausted after all that!!
" Let the train take the strain" was a 1970s advert slogan to encourage people to use the train. In my last few visits to England trains seem very crowded and far too few carriages. I do like trains when your not held up or having to change.
Wow! You’re finally home. Great Britain seems to have many trains - but they do have problems too. Im hoping for more clay news!
Wow what an odyssey. It used to annoy me that the stations on our line to London where operated by the train company with the franchise on the line. They never seemed prepared to announce alternative routes that involved alternative operators that also used parts of that main line. Everyone had to be their own guru on the network.
And the thought of buying tickets online , not in the ticket office on the station....it may be cheaper, split ticketing etc....no thanks!!
Your comment came in just after your query btw 🙂!!
I love learning the geography through alternative routes home! Thank you.
I love trains, especially the ones that travel through the countryside. The views are always enjoyed. Thank you for all the photos.
You navigate the train system beautifully. It can be a challenge.
What an ordeal!
You had to be completely exhausted by the time you got home -- that is QUITE a day!
Oh my gosh...unmitigated chaos. But as usual, you went about getting yourself home in your practical way.
Good grief - what a challenging journey. So many unknowns. Bet you were glad to get home after all that kerfuffle.
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