Old Yard Dog
Established Member
- Joined
- 21 Aug 2011
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Not feeling confident enough to trust long-distance rail yet, I drove down and booked myself into a hotel in Ruislip for the Euro 2020 final and then travelled to Wembley Park on the Metropolitan line. Having seen the huge crowds on Wembley Way two hours before kick off, I was worried about getting home afterwards if the game went to extra time and penalties. Having studied my options, I decided the best bet was to go for Chiltern's 2355 from Wembley Stadium to West Ruislip if the stopping train queue wasn't too bad, which it wasn't. I thought it too late to walk to Alperton for the Piccadilly line. Having waited 30 mins in the rain, we were let on to the platform at 2345, only for the train to be delayed as various empty stock workings passed by before reversing to form southbound shuttles to Marylebone. Then hordes more were allowed onto the platform as a Banbury train had left Marylebone before mine. When the 2355 finally arrived 28 minutes late, hundreds of people were forced to cram on - it was like Tokyo in the rush hour. I think a later semi-fast train had got cancelled and Chiltern tried to get two lots of passengers into one unit.
Having successfully social distanced for 14 months, even in the stadium, I was suddenly squashed like a sardine with scores of others, hardly anybody wearing masks and many too young to have been double vaccinated.
Chiltern let me down. I don't think their northwards stopping timetable made sufficient allowance for (a) extra time and penalties and (b) the fact that people would want to stay for the presentations, particularly if England had won. I hope I haven't caught anything.
Having successfully social distanced for 14 months, even in the stadium, I was suddenly squashed like a sardine with scores of others, hardly anybody wearing masks and many too young to have been double vaccinated.
Chiltern let me down. I don't think their northwards stopping timetable made sufficient allowance for (a) extra time and penalties and (b) the fact that people would want to stay for the presentations, particularly if England had won. I hope I haven't caught anything.
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