Getting on the wrong service

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

Don’t look back in anger.

Some might say that was a good pun. Whatever. I'll roll with it.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Pre-2021, if there was a train at Platform 1 you could be confident it was heading for CNX.

In the "good old days" you went to Platform 1 for the Waterloo train  

Erm ... my learned friend Red Squirrel was referring to platform 1 at Bristol Temple Meads.  Although I'm not sure where he thought he was going to end up, on the Severn Beach Line with that station code.

 

[Red Squirrel]

It’s an ELR, not a CRS CfN

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks!  I still learn something every day. 

[bobm]

It’s an ELR, not a CRS CfN

But not as we know it.

[froome]

I can remember twice getting onto the wrong train, both leaving me completely awry.

Once, probably in the 1970s or possibly 80s, I went to catch a train from Temple Meads to go to Liverpool, and decided to catch the first northbound inter-city and change at Birmingham New Street. I went to the right platform and at the time the train I expected to arrive did, I got on, but did notice that other people on the platform didn't seem to be getting on. Anyway, it headed off northwards towards Birmingham. I don't remember there being any announcements, but it didn't stop anywhere en route, not even at Birmingham. It was then I realised that everyone on board seemed to have a Geordie accent, and found out it was a holiday-makers special returning to Newcastle non-stop. I did eventually see the train manager and the train did make a stop at Sheffield, though whether that was just for me to get out I was never sure but I suspect it was.

The second occasion, also in one of those decades, was when I went to catch a late night service from Temple Meads to Stapleton Road, and found I was on a Cardiff service that didn't stop at any Bristol stations. IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) the train manager allowed me to continue to Cardiff where I had to wait until the first train in the morning to return.

[grahame]

It’s an ELR, not a CRS CfN

I saw "CNX" as an STP code ... after eliminating it as a station code for Central Division New Cross ... in the family of ...
WTT^▸ (Working Time-Table)
VAR
VST
CNX
STP
VVR

[grahame]

It’s an ELR, not a CRS CfN

I saw "CNX" as an STP code ...

And now I see http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/elrs/_mileages/c/cnx.shtm

CNX   Clifton Extension Line

[Worcester_Passenger]

Perhaps it would be an idea to have a campaign "Don't be afraid to ask, and do help others" to encourage passengers to ask and help one another.  

I can report that I have been putting this into practice, and feeling much better for doing so.

On Thursday of last week, I was on a Chiltern train from Birmingham Moor St to Marylebone, which failed at Dorridge. We're all asked to alight, and have to wait for an hour for the next one. No-one on the station; no announcements; nothing. But we are helping one another. Sitting in the waiting room, there’s an 85-year-old man on the phone to his daughter.  “Does the next one stop at Princes Risborough or Haddenham & Thame Parkway?” asks the daughter (he's got the mobile on loud). I'm able to look it up and tell him “No it doesn’t”.

On the Friday, I'm at Paddington for the 18:57 back to Worcester. It’s shown as leaving from platform 2, but the train there says it’s the 19:06 to Bedwyn.  The train on platform 3 is also saying it's the 19:06 to Bedwyn. A conversation with the only other passenger in coach K (First Class is very very empty); she also hopes it’s the 18:57 to Great Malvern.  No internal displays, no reservations. Until a couple of minutes before departure, when we get some good PA^▸ (Public Address) announcements from the train manager (“this is NOT the 19:06 to Bedwyn”) and, belatedly, some internal displays and reservations.

[grahame]

Over three quarters of us have caught the wrong train (and many have a story to tell) and a handful who have NOT are feeling smug.   Ah - perhaps your time will come 

I suspect the result shows more that we have a lot of frequent travellers, and less that we're a careless bunch of folks!