Stephen

"Geoff" <geoff@example.com> wrote in message
news:BfGdnQ5pk7pCVubVnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@posted.plusn et...
>I dropped in to York station on my way past yesterday, expecting to
> see the 1531 GC departing towards Cambridge, avoiding the blockade
> south of Peterborough. Mildly surprised to see at least 500 passengers
> waiting on platform 3, I thought a couple of NXEC services had been
> delayed - but the next P3 train on the departure board was London Kings
> Cross / Grand Central.
>
> 1525 and GC's train, in 2+6 formation, rolls into P5, accompanied by
> announcement of platform alteration. Tidal surge of passengers towards
> footbridge, lift and subway. After a few minutes every vehicle was full
> and standing all the way down, with 20+ people waiting at each door,
> many rather upset and clutching tickets and reservations.
>
> The driver took one look and phoned the signal box to cancel the road,
> onboard staff ploughed through the train evicting (presumably) those
> without reservations to make room for those with. BTP assistance
> required for some coaches, although those in the HST luggage van got
> out when asked by staff.
>
> The 1608 NXEC to Peterborough was well loaded but there wasn't the same
> scramble as there had been for the GC train.
>
> GC departed 1638, hardly any standees visible on board, plenty left on
> the platform.
>
> Was it a coincidence? (cancelled earlier train + popular time to exit
> York anyway)
>
> Was it evidence that people strongly prefer trains over bustitution?
> (several of those left were going to wait for the EMT to St Pancras)
>
> How many of those left behind thought they were entitled to travel
> on that train? - regular ECML travellers are used to wedged trains in
> and out of London in the peaks.
>
This sort of thing is the reason I now use a car instead of the train. It
only goes to confirm I've made the right decision. They need to sort out
their act before I use the train.