Good coffee

It was a bit chaotic at Carlisle station this morning. One announcement after another reported a delayed train and there aren’t that many trains go out of Carlisle. Fortunately, Virgin Rail was extremely sorry, not just sorry, or very sorry, but extremely sorry. I don’t think that helped all the people milling around waiting for trains, but these kids didn't seem too bothered about it. 

Meanwhile, the Newcastle train, which I was waiting for, came in. This caused great consternation amongst the station staff. It was ‘unexpected’ - unexpected because it had come in on time perhaps. So all the people they had sent down to the far end of the platform, because they thought that the delayed London train would arrive first and the Newcastle train would be behind it, had to be brought back, and sent to another platform. I hope the delayed London train knew it was going to another platform. 

So, our little old Northern train that chugs along very slowly, managed to be on time, whilst the spanking new, very red, ‘fast’ Virgin trains suffered long delays - well, the trains didn’t suffer, but the passengers did. What a way to run a railway! Actually I suppose the idea is not to really run a railway, you just do what’s required to obtain a franchise, then you take the money and run. Interesting that the most prominent posters in the station are nothing to do with safety or anything, but to give information about how to claim compensation for delayed trains. 

Perhaps it was just a bad day!!

However, the lady with the yellow van makes excellent coffee, far better than the Ritazza across the way.

And I made it to Newcastle (on time) for a super session, reading Seamus Heaney. Pamela Woof is an inspiration. Three hours went by so fast and, when she gave us a ten minute break, we were all back in five.

We're on the East Coast line tomorrow.