The Pony Express?

A couple of days ago Robbie told me about a man who attempted to board a train with his Pony in Wrexham. I didn't believe him at first, but he pointed to a YouTube clip showing the man with his little grey pony on the platform waiting for the train. The pony seemed very good natured, it did not show any outward signs of fear. Apparently the man even took the pony in the lift to get to the platform. The train operating company Arriva Trains Wales released CCTV pictures of the pony in the lift and on the platform.


Robbie was horrified and he patiently explained that with the exception of dogs animals must be conveyed in a fully enclosed basket or pet carrier no larger than 85cm x 60cm x 60cm. Personally I would rather travel with that pony near me than with a tarantula or a snake in a pet carrier. A spokeswoman for Arriva Trains Wales said "Large animals, including horses and ponies, which may pose a risk to the general public, are not permitted to travel." I am not suggesting that horses and ponies should travel with people on already overcrowded trains. But if they are trying to prevent risk to the travelling public they perhaps need to have another look at their rules. I would rather travel with ten horses than ten football fans and I would prefer a whole train full of horses to one annoying drunk. After all horses don't spend hours on mobile phones telling the world in general that they are on a train and they don't feel the need to terrorise their fellow passengers with their music. 


Apparently the man wanted to board the train with his pony because he wanted to take it to hospital. Perhaps he is a bit eccentric, but judging by the pictures that little pony seemed calm and not at all distressed by it's adventure. 

One Track Mind!

I forgot to mention that when we were in bed on Sunday morning, after Robbie's little gem about Argos he strayed onto the subject of trains. I was quiet for a few moments after his comment about the stretch mark, he really knows how to make me feel good! For some reason Robbie chose to fill the silence with a detailed account of the platform arrangements at Nottingham Station. He mentioned Sheffield and I commented that when I worked in Sheffield I used to travel there by train. He asked what route I took and I told him what I could remember, it was 1983 so I could hardly be expected to have total recall! Robbie insisted that I was mistaken about the route and he sat up and started to get out of bed. Talking more to himself than to me he said that he wondered if he had a timetable for 1983, and he was going to have a look. I fixed him with one of my best Paddington Bear stares and without a word he got back into bed and put his arm around me. With a tone of defeat in his voice he said he would look later. That man really does have a one track mind - a railway track!

The Moment Was Lost 07.01.01

I have written about Robbie managing to say the wrong thing at the wrong moment several times before, but Saturday evening's little gem was a classic. We went to bed fairly late in the evening and I snuggled up to Robbie, it is such a nice feeling when a busy day is over and we finally have some 'us' time. He put his arm around me and for a moment or two we were quiet, then he remarked that the strangest things pop up in his mind at the most inappropriate times. He went on to say that he was just wondering why two platforms at Euston Station were known as the 'wooden platforms' as they were not made of wood. He then told me which trains run from those platforms, the number of the platforms in question and then a comprehensive listing of which trains run from which platform and the various changes that have taken place over the years. Odd as it may seem I have no particular interest in the platform arrangements at Euston. After that the moment was lost!

The Answer to Rail Congestion - Become a Sheep! 31.01.07

Being a sad sort of person, I listen to Radio 4 wall to wall (I even have a radio on the loo!). Last night as I was getting everything ready for Emily's birthday 'Today in Parliament' came on the radio and the railways took centre stage at Transport Questions. It is surprising to hear a government minister say anything that has a clear basis in truth, but I have to admit that the Transport secretary Douglas Alexander was absolutely right when he said that the recent performance of FGW was 'simply unacceptable'. Understatement, truth and brevity - not what we have come to expect from government ministers! Don't worry, it didn't last he was soon back to spouting the usual nonsense about matters that he knew absolutely nothing about. He must have had a deprived childhood because it is clear that he has never seen a train in his life. Imagine growing up without Thomas the Tank Engine, poor man!

The government has apparently set the operating companies a target that a passenger should not have to stand for more than 20 minutes. Well, I suppose FGW meet that by not providing enough floor space for them to stand on, and by thoughtfully providing a cushion of other passengers to keep them upright when they faint! There were lots of horror stories about people having to stand for entire journeys, one woman stood all the way from Kirkcaldy to London. The feeble reason given for overcrowding was that the government has been surprised by the increase in rail passengers - hardly a surprise surely, for years it has been government policy to get us out of our cars and on to public transport!! I really should be more charitable, they must have been surprised that one of their policies is actually working. Maybe astounded would be a more appropriate word, I think most of their polices are for show or for job creation rather than to make a practical difference. True to form, when incapapable of joined up thinking, Douglas Alexander reached for statistics to support his feeble excuses. He said that over a billion journeys were made by rail in the year 2005-6, that is the largest number of journeys taken since 1961. Look out folks, that could be an omen, remember who was getting ready to sharpen his axe in the early sixties - Dr Beeching!

Virgin came in for some criticism too, mainly for their annoying habit of dropping off but not picking up at Milton Keynes (pity they can't do the same with Coventry!). Douglas Alexander claimed that it was due to the wrong kind of platform - too short, I think he is wrong, but he certainly didn't explain himself very well. There were also grumbles about lack of functioning toilets, MP's want a statutory requirement to provide toilets on trains. The most interesting little snippet was that regulation 1/2005 91/6281 specifies a minimum amount of space required for cattle, pigs and sheep when travelling by rail, but there is no such entitlement for human beings. Never mind, I can think of one or two people who would easily qualify under that regulation!!