PalenQ

I've finished my Christmas Pud and desperately need to get back to London and i go to the Victorian brick train shed fully expecting to hop a train to London and find the place completely shuttered - no one in sight - trains are indeed standing at platform two but are locked and dead looking.

Is this a strike or something? I've been in many european countries on Christmas Day and always have seen trains running - and even buses aren't running here they say

I can't afford the 500 pound taxi fare. And folks tell me tomorrow there will be no trains as well!

Incroyable - Dec 26 that also puts me in a box.

So stranded here in Sodom and Gomorrah for two full days!

What can i do - even the stores are all shut except a Chinese restaurant and some pubs are open - shockingly seems that's the only essential service running here.

I even called 411 or whatever the UK 911 is to ask if i can get out of this hellhole and the recording said they weren't taking any emergency calls until midnight Dec 27

What's a poor lad to do in Bishop's Stortford?

PalenQ

oh well guess i'll have to go trolling thru the pubs.

rogeruktm

I don't get it. Are you trying to be funny? I expect better from you.

PalenQ

humourless Brits

rogeruktm

Hold on, my treat. What will it be? Bitters, stout, ale or Stella? Will be over in February.

PalenQ

Well it seems i may still be stuck in the God forsaken den of sin until Febraury -are you coming to Bishop's Stortford? - i hope tomorrow there will be some trains running so i can get out of this hole.

rogeruktm

I will have a rail pass and go as I wish. Always looking for something different. Worth a night?

PalenQ

Well i've spent a week here and i've only been here one day

BTW i am not really in Bishop's Stortford - this has something to do with my yesteday's post about Trains Not Running in UK on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. I'm in the USA!

will also have a railpass in February when i do indeed go to Britain though probably not Bishops's Stortford though i may if someone says anything good about it - always looking for places near london to day trip to.

any recommendations - have done all the biggies several times - unheralded places.Friends recently went to Stamford, near here and said it was very nice.

rogeruktm

Last years trip included a stay in Wool, in Dorset, to visit the Tank museum located in Bovington. Great if you like military stuff. Next to York for a day out to Whitby by local bus and a visit to to the WWII POW camp at Eden Camp. Then to Wellington for the RAF museum at Cosford. Finished up in London. This trip will have a different theme, but want to visit the RAF museum at Duxford, out of Cambridge. Thinking of Broadstrairs, Bridlington and then either Chester or Conwy. The last night in London.

RM67

There is no train shed in Bishop's Stortford. It's an open station, not a terminus.

PalenQ

hope - i waz in the old station perhaps and perhaps there are indeed trains running today from the new station

heading over there right away

thanks

Pegontheroad

Serves you right, you godless atheist!

Love and peace,
Pegontheroad

Cholmondley_Warner

Bishops Stortford is full of friendly chaps. Surely one of them will take you under their wing.

You do like ABBA don't you?

PalenQ

Peg - thanks for the hope and prayer as that's what i need apparently

no trains today!

hope springs eternal maybe a freight train will trundle thru and i'll hop on.

CW - yes chaps seem super friendly here - whazz up? Where are all the gals? Ones i've seen look masculine

hetismij

Did they take your money for a non-existant train like this poor soul???
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7160445.stm

PalenQ

yup - thye got me too. Great post!

stranded in Bishop's Stortford

and

Disgusted in Tunbridge

stokebailey

I'd think a non-existent ticket today would be adequate for PalQ's purpose. In my fantasy train ride the door opens from compartment directly to the platform, as in the old Hitchcock movies.

BTilke

Good luck to that doctor. First Great Western (the train company serving our area) has consistently been rated the worst in the UK.

http://www.ihatefirstgreatwestern.blogspot.com/

Last week, while waiting with the commuters for an early morning train to London (to catch the Eurostar to Paris), the scheduled FGW train blasted right past us on the platform. As the stunned commuters stood around, a station official announced, "For some reason, this train has decided not to call at Maidenhead. We hope the next train will remember to do so."

stokebailey

eek. Did you catch your Eurostar?

BTilke

Oh yes, as an experienced FGW traveler, I built an extra hour into my schedule. So it really wasn't a problem for me. But the regular commuters looked pretty annoyed...especially as the previous two trains had been canceled and the trains after that were all delayed. And of course, when the train did arrive, it was standing room only...it's nearly impossible to get a seat on the morning commuter runs if you're coming from Maidenhead.

My other odd experience with FGW was a train that was supposed to be local from Reading to London, making the usual stops (Twyford, Maidenhead, Slough, Iver, etc. etc.). The staff on the platform said it was the local. But AFTER the train left, the driver came on and announced that the schedule had been changed and this train was now a nonstop to Paddington. Anyone wanting to get off at stops along the way had to go to Paddington and catch a local back. Again, it wasn't a big deal for me, it just meant the cocker was going to get a late dinner. But there were some business men on board who were supposed to meet with important potential clients in Slough and they were LIVID. I thought they were going to explode.