Twitter info

[trainophile]

I subscribe on Twitter to ATW and Merseyrail for (almost) real time info when travelling. However I notice there seems to be a universal daily update, which says...

Good morning, there are currently no line problems to report but remember to check your journey before travel

I am, of course, pleased that there are no reportable problems, but what exactly do they mean by "remember to check your journey before travel". Isn't that what I'm doing, by referring to Twitter? Where else do they expect me to check?

I am just about to set off, and after reading that I don't feel or see the need to check elsewhere. What am I missing?

 

[tsr]

This is a pretty generic phrase, which, as you probably know, is used across public transport (and indeed by the HA and highways authorities) throughout the UK. Whilst you have checked for incidents that may be causing unscheduled alterations, I imagine what it means is that you should ensure your journey is planned correctly around engineering works, some of which may not be mentioned regularly on Twitter. Also, it presumably means you should check train times (a sensible precaution even if you're a regular user of the service) and ensure that you know your way around any interchanges. You might want to check that there is no severe weather forecasted that may affect your journey. It means a lot of things, really!

 

[Michael.Y]

Check your journey could also mean "make sure you're aware of where you've got to go, and when your connections are." I had a family of three lump all their luggage off the train onto Wilmslow platform, before turning around to me and saying through the closing doors "This is where we get off for Manchester Airport, right?"

 

[tsr]

Check your journey could also mean "make sure you're aware of where you've got to go, and when your connections are." I had a family of three lump all their luggage off the train onto Wilmslow platform, before turning around to me and saying through the closing doors "This is where we get off for Manchester Airport, right?"

I can beat that.

I was asked by a gentlemen at Liverpool Street Underground Station how to get to Liverpool Lime Street. It turned out he was an American visitor who had assumed he would end up at Lime Street by using the London Underground, having got confused between several rail maps and printouts from NRE and TfL on his way to Rainhill from Gatwick Airport. He had misread "Liverpool Street" as "Liverpool Lime Street". It took quite some explanation to ensure that he knew where he was and how to get to Euston for his northbound train. The phrase "Liverpool is quite a long way from here, sir" didn't seem to mean much. Mind you, I wouldn't be much good with the geography of US States. Ah well... I hope he got there in the end! He had plenty of time - his train to Liverpool was some time around 1800hrs and this happened just after lunchtime.

This story will doubtless be repeated on other threads, with additional detail, as and when I feel the need...