Trains...

These two incidents happened last year but perhaps partly prompted my blog, so I can get my story out and open people’s eyes on disability.

It was my first time on a train in years so the first time in my wheelchair. A friend and I had decided to head up to the West End and have a look around. This would involve a short journey to St. Pancras and then my friend would have to walk because underground stations obviously have limited accessibility. They got the ramps out at St. Albans and I boarded the front carriage without a problem. However, shortly after leaving the station, my friend overheard the driver on the radio complaining of a brake fault. As the train reached the first stop (Radlett), it came over the loudspeaker that all passengers should get off. The driver then informed us that Radlett had no ramps so would have to continue to Borehamwood. This filled me with immense fear as the magnitude of the fault was never revealed and whether the train was completely safe. Added to this, the driver was now instructed to stop at Kentish Town so more time on the broken train. They eventually got me off but the adventure wasn’t over. Turns out the ramp they used came from St. Pancras and a member of staff was sent specifically to get me off. The final part of this adventure probably annoyed a lot of people that day. They stopped a fast train so that I could board and make the final leg of the journey.

I was annoyed by the events. If I had a meeting, I would have been an hour or two late. My misery was compounded that day by the torrential rain. It was not as if I could decide to go on the tube.

I will leave the sequel to trains until tomorrow.

Bye for now!