For some I might add. As workers get more annual leave each year and more people get to work from home, it seems that the big return to work has shifted from the day after the Christmas bank holidays (25th/26th December) to a day much later!
Many companies close down over the holiday and depending on when it is, they close for the whole week. As an education department we have a close-down as there are no schools working. This year I took the 24th off as it was a Monday and I had no train ticket. That meant that I was booked off right up until the 2nd January.
Last week it was fantastic. The car-park empty, the peak commuter trains almost empty and a chance to have a seat all the way with no one next to you. A bit of a squeeze in the evening as the parents taking advantage of the kids travelling for £1 filled the trains and the seats. Luxury.
Today, the big return. So after yesterday when there were n trains at all on our line the reward was chaos.
A note on the board said that the 0759 would go to Ashford and we would have to change. Usually "our" six" mate with six carriages already there. The "front six" are pretty full. The info on the train made no mention of it.
At Ashford we rushed off. The 0816 (front six) was pretty full before our passengers hit the platform.. Then they announced the 0806 was late on the adjoining platform. So us displaced souls went there.
It arrived and was going to go out first. Some people that wanted to get to London a few minutes early swapped trains. I got on couldn't see a seat and got off. I spied an empty seat on the "front six" and claimed it.
So all ended okay and only a few minutes late.
What a great start to the new year with a 3.5% fare increase and the car-park charge going up!
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