I met some very nice people yesterday doing a job in difficult circumstances....
So, for my pleasure, I went to Manchester yesterday to ride the track at the velodrome. It being Christmas and thus, knowing the trains would be busier than normal: its normally standing room anyway, I spent the £3 extra to go First Class both way.... you can sometimes get a "bargain" booking early. And nice it was too.
However.... this is where the grumble comes in. While the people working for Cross Country Trains were very nice, the service itself is a complete shambles. Firstly, the 14.27, the train before the one I was due to catch was nearly an hour late due to "train issues" while my train, the 15.03 was half an hour late arriving and 40 minutes late into Manchester giving me just 20 minutes to get to the Velodrome. The reason the train was late.... whoever did the rota failed to notice that the crew taking the train to Manchester would not be arriving into Birmingham until 25 minutes after the train was due to leave...... "Happens often" said the Train Manager when I asked.
A £10 taxi ride later I managed to get to the velodrome just as the session started. I was allowed to pay for the shoes on the way out (which was very nice of the velodrome staff) and the Coach remembered me from last time!
Of course nothing could go wrong on the way back could it.....I was booked on the 19.05 out of Manchester and after arriving on time found it had been cancelled. Reason given: "No idea" said the stressed looking information worker, "they don't tell us anything."
Anyway, the 19.27 was available and the First Class section almost empty....unlike the rest of the train which was rammed! Come on Cross Country Trains, how about putting more than four coaches on (yes, yes, they could take off of the First Class coach but but but but.....
)
So, Cross Country and Velodrome staff excellent. Cross Country Train: up there with Northern Rail and Transpennine Express for crapness.
