G'day ,
It was over!
I had just finished a long week of university study and was on my way home. First, there was a train trip and then, a day later, a flight.
The old diesel train pulled into the station and I got on and settled in a seat. It was a two-hour journey so I had some time to fill in (before the days of smartphones and wireless internet!). No problem, I could write up some notes or something.
We set off and ten minutes later were at the station in the next country town. Some people got off and others got on.
I was busy working on my notes until suddenly I realised we weren’t moving. Something felt strange.
Maybe my feeling was wrong — I looked at the time and watched as a couple of minutes ticked by. Still, we didn’t move.
My seat was on the station side and as I looked out the window I saw a fireman or two.
Oh dear! This wasn’t good!!
After about 20 minutes a voice came through the speakers — there was a fire in the locomotive (1), but we were to stay on board.
😳
I was so glad that I wasn’t trying to make it to the airport for a flight that evening!
We sat on the train for quite a long time. In the end we were told that the train wasn’t going any further. We should get off and wait in the station for buses.
So we did — a large number of people in a small-town station. But as it wasn’t the warmest time of year, having a group of people in the building raised the temperature a bit! Which was good, because we still had to wait …
At the time we should have been arriving at our destination, we finally set off on buses. And we still had two hours of travel ahead of us.
But the rest of the trip went smoothly. There was no more drama after that crazy start!
Have you had any trips that just didn't go to plan? Just hit 'Reply'...
May all your trains run on time!
Andrea
(1) locomotive - first wagon of a train, also called the engine
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