I am now on a train from Leeds to York which is diverted via a bit of line I’ve never been on before.
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I am now on a train from Leeds to York which is diverted via a bit of line I’ve never been on before. I am on this train because I paid good money to avoid the rail replacement bus from Leeds to Newcastle.
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The train has been cleverly designed to prevent the catering trolley getting past if the wheelchair space is in use.
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Changed at York to another diverted train. I have plenty of train snacks.
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OMG, this sunset!
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The train has arrived at Newcastle in good time, and we are now sat here for another 15 minutes.
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This train has a different example of crappy design than the previous one. The buttons to operate the loo doors are by a door to the outside. The buttons for that are close to the loo ones and are of exactly the same design.
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According to a member of train staff, she’s had to help passengers trying to alight, who were trying to open the door by pressing the loo door button.
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Anyway, I am sufficiently old that flushing the toilet while the train is standing at a station feels naughty.
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@feorag I never do that even though I know it's been perfectly OK for years.
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@Uilebheist I needed to go.
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@feorag But if you use the loo at the station, does that prevent the train doors closing?
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@Uilebheist There was a crew member standing by the door, outside the train. Perhaps that’s part of her job?
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@feorag Ah yes of course. She would have been issued with a Special Key which force the doors to close even if people is using the loo.
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@feorag Which reminds me, I need to go on a proper train journey.
TGV are very comfortable etc but there's no "special entertainment" on them.
(And there's this weird business that with my railcard first class tickets are almost always a lot cheaper than second class, it does feel like cheating) -
@Uilebheist I have a 15 days in two months Interrail pass I intend to start using in mid-May. Thoughts include that city with the weird transport (was that Genoa?) and a beer/funicular ride in San Marino. Know anyone who speaks Italian and is sympathetic to veganism?
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@feorag @Uilebheist do you already know that in that part of the world (Emilia Romagna, I believe the cuisine in San Marino has the same issue) things like bread and potatoes by default are *not* vegetarian, nevermind vegan?
asking in advance is safest
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@valhalla @Uilebheist Hence my plan to bring along an Italian vegetarian.
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@feorag @Uilebheist sounds like a pretty sensible choice!