I have begun investigating various aspects of Britain’s railways, from the passenger’s perspective.
This means that I will be observing every little detail of my journey, from the promptness of my train to the condition of my seat.
Yesterday, I was bitterly disappointed.
After paying for a first class ticket from the potteries capital Stoke-On-Trent to Manchester, I was expecting good things from CrossCountry. How wrong I was.
First of all, the carriage was in a poor condition, with seats and other fixtures looking worn and tired.
This really annoys me, because the whole point of paying extra for a first class ticket is so that, for once, the passenger can experience something out of the ordinary and enjoy a little slice of luxury for once.
Then there was the service. Now, I do not expect much from the people who serve me – just a smile. That is it.
As a courteous, polite person myself, I expect to get the same response. But having paid extra for my ticket, I was greeted by a miserable assistant who simply barked coffee or tea at me. He then failed to offer to any other refreshments (not one measly biscuit, although his trolley was laden with them) and promptly skulked off to disappoint other passengers.
Following this experience I will never, ever travel first class with that company again.
On the odd occasion that I am forced to use their services I will content myself in standard class with the knowledge that at least I will not have to endure any contact with their staff during my journey…
