making it home in one piece

After a weekend of the incredible high that was Britmums live, I was feeling emotionally and physically tired on the journey home.  My journey had consisted of a two hour journey from London to Manchester, catching the last train to Leeds and then finally catching the last train out of Leeds home.  Each train journey saw me dashing between trains to catch the next with a rather heavy case.  Whilst I don't normally write posts like this I needed to put this in writing.


squashed on train

My final train journey out of Leeds was one of the most horrendous experiences of my life.  There was a cricket match on in Leeds plus it was a Saturday night, therefore my logical brain says that there should be either an increase in trains to cope with demand or a train with more than two carriages put on for the last train out.  

I got on board the train, which was already full think London Underground full but then more people started getting on.  Staff on the platform kept putting more and more people on the train telling us to move down.  People piled on the train.  I was shoved into the door, completely squashed.  Every inch of that train was packed with people.  It was incredibly hot.  No one could move but more people were been shoved on.  Then the first fight broke out.  I do not know who started it, all I saw was a punch been thrown, a random arm which caught other people on the way.  People trying to move out the way with no where to go.  The ricochet of this caused more fights further down the train, tempers flew and harsh words were thrown around the train.  I just wanted to get out and get off the train.  Get home.

The train doors opened and people started to be pulled off the train.  There was no explanation, just manhandled off the train.  People began getting wound up and standing their ground.  It was then that I saw the yellow vest of the police office and my bid for freedom took over.  I got off the train.  It was then made clear by staff on the platform that we were been transferred to another train, one with four carriages.  At least it was clear to me, sober me.

The train driver got off the train, he had clearly had enough.  We were late over 20 minutes and no one on the train was listening,  It was chaos.  Once on the platform I asked one of the staff members if they could make sure police were on the train.  I'm not sure why I did.  Tempers were still high, you could feel it in the air.  Frustrated that they were late home, slightly drunk from a night out, anger that the original train wasn't adequate and confused as to the current situation.

The new train with twice as many carriages was still packed.  People still had to stand up, all the seats were taken.  This train wasn't as hot and there was slightly more room to breathe.  People were still angry and telling every police office who would listen that they saw nothing.  By this point I was just tired and just thankful that there was a police presence on this train.

I was really disappointed with how things were handled on the train.  What would have happened if there had been a medical emergency?  That train was hot, and I mean hot.  There was little room to breathe, I felt trapped.  People could have very easily been crushed, it could have turned into a disaster.  Why were people continued to be shoved onto the train? Why was the 4 carriage train not used originally or earlier?  Things should have changed sooner, it would have prevented the hot tempers.  There should have been a stop to people getting on that train and there should have been extra measures taken to meet the increase demand on public transport that evening.  For me I am just thankful I made it home in one piece.

This Day I love making it home in one piece.

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4 comments

  1. Oh I'm so sorry you had a horrendous journey

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  2. What a crap end to the weekend!! I am also grateful you got home in one piece! x

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