Snow

[williamjm]

Originally when I was booking train tickets last month I was intending to head back down to Cambridge probably sometime later today (Friday). However, this plan was initially changed after the train ticket booking website claimed that the journey would take 11 hours due to engineering works (and this was before the recent extra delays that have been in the news), and I wasn't that keen about being on the train for that long. In retrospect, this may have been a good thing since it seems to have been snowing steadily for about the past 24 hours here and weather of any kind can send the British transport system into chaos. Hopefully it'll mostly have melted by the time I actually head back down to Cambridge on Monday. Meanwhile, the snowy Highland landscape is very scenic, especially since I don't have anything I need to do for the next three days.

Comments

[catrionamacnair.livejournal.com]

While it's kind of reassuring to learn that not only the German transport system is totally overwhelmed by anything from falling leaves to a bit of snow - sympathies.

Give note when the BwB needs to send some care parcels your way.

[isis-newton.livejournal.com]

BLOODY TRAINS!

That is all.

[tenalpia.livejournal.com]

the snow's nearly gone from here now - our snowman is looking very forlorn :(

[nuttyxander.livejournal.com]

11 hours!? Do you get directed down the west coast and/or via Glasgow normally?

I came back yesterday down the east coast mid-snow and all was fine. The only risk is heavy snow accompanied by strong winds and/or chill to cause ice on the overhead cables and/or blow them down. Otherwise the East Coast Mainline is really rather reliable.

Also, the sound snow makes on an HST going at 125MPH is really really interesting, and rather pleasant when you get used to it.

[williamjm.livejournal.com]

The British transport system also doesn't seem able to cope with leaves well, which can be a problem in autumn.

[williamjm.livejournal.com]

I've never been directed down the West Coast line before, but for some reason the website decided to do it this time. Of course, it didn't explain why it was directing me down this excessively long route.

The only risk is heavy snow accompanied by strong winds and/or chill to cause ice on the overhead cables and/or blow them down.

If I had gone down today then I'd probably have been delayed/diverted a bit by the lorry that skidded onto a level crossing and got hit by a train at Dunning (unless the train was going through Fife rather than via Stirling, it depends which train I would have caught).

Also, the sound snow makes on an HST going at 125MPH is really really interesting, and rather pleasant when you get used to it.

Britain was entirely covered in frost when I came up here on the train back in December, which made it very scenic. I guess the same thing will be true of the snow.