Rail replacement bus

A journey to a hotel in Birmingham that was more traumatic than it should have been. I always think that the three words "rail replacement bus" are enough to strike terror into anyone's heart. On a par with "change at Crewe" and, as someone pointed out on Facebook, "batteries not included" on Christmas Day in the 1980s.

It turned out that I was on the same train out of Edinburgh as Meles, who was on one of her regular trips to MK. We were all chucked off the train in Carlisle and told to await buses because of a fatality on the line between Carlisle and Penrith. Meles sensibly decided that for a one night trip this was not looking very likely and decided to try to find a train back to Edinburgh, which didn't seem all that likely.

I managed to get on a bus - although it didn't do me much good. One busload of us were bussed down to Preston enjoying the usual comfort that coaches afford (not). The rest of the people were, in due course, put on a train that eventually started to travel south, so a colleague of mine who had also been on the same train ended up on the same train from Preston to Birmingham, and bypassed the bus experience. I was obviously too hasty.

Anyway, some good has come of this doubtless very sad day for some people.

Because for once I can mimic the famous dwalletta and have a song on my blip. Yay. Thanks to a friend on Facebook. Rail replacement bus - as featured as a facet of National Shite Day. Yes indeed.