British Rail

By way of opening, yes, I am aware that BR does not exist anymore. This however, is an opinion about the whole rail network and it seemed fitting to put it here, after all, as you will see, BR had its merits. Many of us rely on rail travel every day and there can be few people who have never been on a train. Whether we use the railways for daily commuting or the occasional trip away we should be able to rely on the fact that there will be trains, that they will turn up on time and get to their destination with the minimum of delay. That’s what should happen. In reality we are faced with ... more

Before anyone says anything, I know that this is the British Rail category and that good old BR don't technically exist anymore but at this point you don't know what I'm going to write about (and hey, neither do I) so tough. But what am I actually going to address during today's outpouring of drivel? Actually I'll be documenting my experiences as a rail traveller and addressing the pros and cons of chucking away your car keys and heading for the train station instead. What qualifies me to do this? Hmmm. I'm not a rail employee, never have been, never will be (IQ in double figures), but I am a ... more

I've had a young persons rail card now for 5 years and i wouldn't be without it. altogether the savings it has made me on rail travel have totalled at least £300. The young persons rail card gives you a 1/3 discount on standard train fairs any where in the UK and a discount on one day London travel cards. They are available to anyone aged 18-26 years old (and also mature students who have proof of student status from their academic institution). They are available from any British rail ticket office and cost £18 for one year at the end of which it must be renewed. If you have never had a young ... more

During a recent train journey we had to change trains at Sheffield. This didn’t seem a big problem. I think that at this point I should stress that although I love travelling on trains I don’t use them very often. As we got off the first train the PA system announced that the train we wanted was at platform 3a. We crossed the footbridge, found platform 3, checked on the display monitor that the train was going to Worksop and got on the train. Whilst we sat on the train there was an announcement on the train that departure would be delayed due to staffing problems. After a short ... more

High speed rail networks exist due to umpteen individuals who access this mode of transport on a daily basis. These are the regular users who systematically like clockwork; frequent the rail network for up to 2 hours a day. It is a lifestyle choice. Engineered to the London city clock watchers, rail travel correspond to working times of every citizen who embraces the ‘rat race’ with a grit and determination that is only rewarded with obscene rail fees; leaving them with a beetroot face glow as they stride forth onwards to that promotion, by which time the fees would of escalated. It was the ... more