Goodbye National Excuse

Post by **cnosni** » Mon 16 Nov, 2009 12:20 pm

Si wrote: cnosni wrote: Oh the irony!!http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8354358.stm Errr...."occasionally????"Fantastic! Should be the in the dictionary as the definition of irony! I don't know whether to laugh or cry... Ive learned to laugh

Reginal Perrin · Post by **Reginal Perrin** » Mon 16 Nov, 2009 12:25 pm

BLAKEY wrote: Reginal Perrin wrote: They should just give it to Branson for nowt. Let him run it and take a cut of the profits. With the greatest of respect sir, I dread to think of such a thing. When Virgin ran the Aberdeen to Penzance services through Leeds the performance was abominable. Late running and cancellations were legion, and just out of interest eventually I used to always scan the screens in Leeds for the ten past the hour southbound departures -"47 minutes late", "cancelled" and so forth were almost routine. Also the trains were (still are under the present franchise) totally inadequate. Due to too few carriages, criminal overcrowding to rival the London tube was routine, and the coaches themselves are claustrophobic and have totally inadequate luggage space for such very long jouirneys - often, if just nipping to Wakefield, I've found the gangways full of heavy luggage and loads of long distance people standing. Maybe not then. Nationalise the lot I say.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Mon 16 Nov, 2009 2:09 pm

Reginal Perrin wrote: [Maybe not then. Nationalise the lot I say. Here here sir !! - I think we can safely say that the "ayes" have it.Oooh heck - I hope I'm just imagining things, but I'm sure I heard a plummy Grantham female voice just then saying "NO NO NO"

Uno Hoo · Post by **Uno Hoo** » Mon 16 Nov, 2009 3:17 pm

BLAKEY wrote: Trojan wrote: [ Don't be tempted by "warme whallocks" - it's whelks in like a spicey gravy and it's just as disgusting as it sounds!Slagroom on the other hand is whipped cream Thanks for those "Cordon YUK" recommendations Trojan - rest assured that I avoid anything of that sort like the plague its almost certain to contain !! I have nightmares thinking about those huge silver tureens from which brave diners partake of their MOULES - double YUK Still, good job everyone's not the same or there'd be no sausage and chips left for me Oh, come on, Blakey! Where's your sense of culinary adventure? As one whose business takes me to Brussels three or four times a year, the highlights of such visits are eating at "Le Pre Sale" in Vlaanderstraat. Start with eels in green sauce, followed by a nice horse steak, cooked rare - that's Belgian rare, not British rare, with chips. Delicious, and by Brussels standards, not too expensive.

trophy · Post by **trophy** » Mon 16 Nov, 2009 4:32 pm

i can not see the point in the new barriers there used to be two ticket collecters now there are four barrier attendants.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Mon 16 Nov, 2009 9:21 pm

[quotenick="Uno HooOh, come on, Blakey! Where's your sense of culinary adventure? As one whose business takes me to Brussels three or four times a year, the highlights of such visits are eating at "Le Pre Sale" in Vlaanderstraat. Start with eels in green sauce, followed by a nice horse steak, cooked rare - that's Belgian rare, not British rare, with chips. Delicious, and by Brussels standards, not too expensive. For sale - no reasonable offer refused - one return Eurostar ticket St. Pancras to Brussels and back, and will throw in a "Big Mac plus large fries" voucher gratis as a sign of goodwill.

dogduke · Post by **dogduke** » Mon 16 Nov, 2009 9:33 pm

[quotenick="Reginal Perrin"]They should just give it to Branson for nowt. Let him run it and take a cut of the profits.The high prices are just additional back door taxes on business. If I want to get to London afor a meeting of anykind I need to get a £200 train, the company pays. [/quoteOn privatisation Branson took on the worst 2 franchises of the lot.The West Coast Main Line and the Cross Country.Either a very brave or a very foolish man

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Mon 16 Nov, 2009 9:44 pm

BLAKEY wrote: Oh, come on, Blakey! Where's your sense of culinary adventure? As one whose business takes me to Brussels three or four times a year, the highlights of such visits are eating at "Le Pre Sale" in Vlaanderstraat. Start with eels in green sauce, followed by a nice horse steak, cooked rare - that's Belgian rare, not British rare, with chips. Delicious, and by Brussels standards, not too expensive. For sale - no reasonable offer refused - one return Eurostar ticket St. Pancras to Brussels and back, and will throw in a "Big Mac plus large fries" voucher gratis as a sign of goodwill. Don't forget the mayo on those chips, will you dogduke wrote: Reginal Perrin wrote: They should just give it to Branson for nowt. Let him run it and take a cut of the profits.The high prices are just additional back door taxes on business. If I want to get to London afor a meeting of anykind I need to get a £200 train, the company pays. On privatisation Branson took on the worst 2 franchises of the lot.The West Coast Main Line and the Cross Country.Either a very brave or a very foolish man Branson has made a lot of money out of the WCML, both in ticket sales and subsidies. I don't know if it's still the case but at one point that franchise was operating on a "costs+%" basis, meaning he couldn't possibly lose.And thats not to mention the penalty payments he got when the upgrade works continually over-ran.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Mon 16 Nov, 2009 11:26 pm

Came home by train this evening from Leeds, and the departure screens showed everything on time except for three trains - yes that's right, a couple a few minutes late and another over half an hour, and all "Cross Country" so Mr. Branson wasn't the only one seemingly unable to pull those services into shape. Possibly a deeper individual problem than we know about ??Off to Belgium Wednesday for a week, and I'm banking on "Downing Street Rail" to be spot on - the ECML is usually a very efficient and reliable service indeed.

Uno Hoo · Post by **Uno Hoo** » Mon 16 Nov, 2009 11:59 pm

BLAKEY wrote: Came home by train this evening from Leeds, and the departure screens showed everything on time except for three trains - yes that's right, a couple a few minutes late and another over half an hour, and all "Cross Country" so Mr. Branson wasn't the only one seemingly unable to pull those services into shape. Possibly a deeper individual problem than we know about ??Off to Belgium Wednesday for a week, and I'm banking on "Downing Street Rail" to be spot on - the ECML is usually a very efficient and reliable service indeed. In fairness, ECML has far fewer opportunities for late running, as it isn't continually passing through major rail bottlenecks, whereas cross-country does. ISTR "The Devonian" used to be similarly affected in BR days.That said, I share the opinion about the cross-country trains being uncomfortable and cramped. If I have to travel further than Birmingham, I now use airlines. Flybe & Air Southwest have good services to Southampton, Bristol and Exeter from LBIA, and the fares are reasonable, particularly with early booking. Eastern Airways is good for Southampton too, but pricey - nice experience, though, with fast-track through security, and as much pampering as a short flight allows.