Long time ago there was a national train's company called British Rail and the pink people could go to anywhere and all was happiness but the forces of evil weren't over, only were sleeping and in 1979 they waked up, their best soldiers were Margaret Thatcher and John Major.
In 1993 British Rail was privatized and everything changed.
The excuse (it's always the same): Saint "competitive market" will save the world and all will be more cheaper, more quality and It will be for everybody.
The real life (it's always the same, one more time): The tickets are the most expensive of all history, If you have lucky your train will arrive later, if no your train will cancel without notify you and the money never is returned.
In conclusion: fewer trains, fewer direct trips, fewer schedules, more expenses, worse salary for the rail's staff and 0 competitive market (oh yeah, there are 100 different companies but they split territories).
It was Monday and although I thought my trip as if it start at 11:53 (1 hour and 30 minutes before of the necessary) I had waked up at 9:30. I wanted leave with time because my sister told me "You can't trust in the train".
When I arrived to the train station the first train had left against all prognosis.
"No problem, I will take the next" I thought.
The next was canceled and I had to take one at 11:15 to Reading and in Reading I took other to London but this other broke down before departure and I had to change train again.
The new train hadn't free seat and the people had to be standing up in the passage but this train was better, at least it worked until half hour before it broke down and stopped during 40 minutes.
I had left home 2 hour earlier than my original plan and I arrived London Paddintong 11 minutes later my original plan. It was 13:05 and now I had to get on the underground.
Easier? Yes, at least the departure because in Paddintong there is a only platform for my line, but in the back way, in King's Croos St. Pancras, the platform has 5 different lines, also in the both trips you have to take the line towards Baker Street because in Britain the direction isn't the last stop, I don't know why, but they prefer to chose any other station for this and two opposites directions could be the same in the map.
I was in London St Pancras and something incredible would be happen: I got on train at 14:15!!!
A little more and I would arrive in York at the right hour... but It would be too easy, and the bus left one hour later.
Finally I arrived in York at 19:30, then I had traveled during more than 8 hour to make 215 miles (346 km).
In the next post I hope writing about York and something more pleasant than the transport in Britain: the try of mass murder with gunpowder!!!!!
Why? Because Guy Fawkes was born in York. Maybe you don't remember this noun, but I'm sure that you remember this face.
"England prevails"? I would not be so sure if the trains don't change.
Entradas
mira tio, me da un monton de peereza leer en ingles tras pasarme el dia traduciendo en tres idiomas pero venga vale paso, pero pon las putas distancias en km, que ya tener q estar convirtiendo millas en kilometros no me apetece un carajo.
ResponderEliminarok, ok, ya busque la equivalencia y lo puse.
ResponderEliminarEs que como estoy en uk el google maps me lo detecta y me pone las medidas en millas :_
Gracia!! se agradece eso.
ResponderEliminarLa verdad que si tiene pinta de ser bastante desesperante el transporte en uk, y sobre el metro... los ingleses tienen tantas ganas de hacer las cosas al reves del resto del mundo que si pudieran caminarian haciendo el pino y dirian que es perfecctamente normal y elegante.