Would you let your 10 and 13 year old on London to Leeds train alone?

[Secondtonaan]

Dds 10 (nearly 11!) and 13 are staying with family in London for a couple of days in the summer hols.

We live in Leeds and an option is them getting the train from Kings X together if my mum sees them on the train at the station and I meet them off the train at Leeds.

They're both v sensible and have phones with trackers on. Would you do this?! I think so but seems a long way.

Mine are the same age and I let them have a lot of independence. Stopping in when we're at work and they're off school, going to Morrisons for bits, walking to the park/school/out with friends etc but no, I don't think I'd let them get a train, especially not that far. Just incase they have to get off for whatever reason along the way and or weirdos on said train

No, so much could go wrong - delays, line closures, bus replacing train, arguement or fight in the carriage they are in, thefts, losing their tickets, arrest, accidents like broken finger or a banged head, or something else they need an adult to deal with, power cut, phones losing charge, phones stolen, or dropped, fierce dog in the carriage, someone vomiting in the carriage, someone calling social services or police and reporting child abandonment, well intentioned do-gooders asking them load sof questions, giving them advise, which could be right or worng,

No.Travel with them. 13 year old is far too young to be responsible for a 10 year old in such a situation.

I’ve travelled on trains a lot and never once had one break down and be turfed off. I think that’s like saying, don’t go on a plane in case there’s turbulence and it has to make an emergency landing in an airport in another country. Sure it COULD happen but 95% of the time it won’t. If it did happen, your 13 year old could notify the train guard to help them find another train. Or call/text you.

Hell no! Not even in the past when people were more laid back. Not a hope in this day and age.

This! I did my first solo long train journey at 13 and was fine. 10 is a bit young to be without an adult.

Are you serious ?

Not sure if it's the same where you are but theres a lot of antiisocial behaviour on some trains and if it kicks off it can get very lively quickly, in a confined space with limited policing. Surely you are aware of the range of risks that 2 relatively young children travelling alone would face?

I also travel on trains alot and it's happened to me several times. It's pretty common

Yes.
10 year olds aren't less clever than they were a generation ago. There aren't (in spite of media making it seem so ) more hazards than there were.
The only difficulty might be putting them on the train if you can't get to the platform yourself. I suggest a short journey so you can accompany them through the barrier, show them where to stand on the platform, how to find their seats etc before the bigger trip.
No one is born knowing these things: you can be taught as a child or work it out yourself as an adult. I advocate the former.

They'd be seated at Kings X and met at Leeds, have tickets/ season tickets which would allow access to platform.

I'm not going to do it now anyway as would worry about someone vomiting in carriage 😆

Are we talking about kids that never go anywhere? Never get trains / buses with adults?
Because otherwise I cannot see the issue. If something goes wrong they should have a phone / there is a guard on the train / other decent adults etc.

They'd be recruited for County Lines and trafficked off at Sheffield. Have a nice life boys.

What's the odds of that happening? If it's one direct train, I would but you know your children and if they can cope.

Yeah I would. But I'd fork out for first class which is easily done between London and Leeds. There's always staff on board in the carriage in first so no weirdos or harassment which is my main worry.

Yes I would let them. My parents would have let me and my sibling 🤷

In a tricky spot we put ours on a train between big cities at similar ages with some worry but no issues in the end. We saw them to their seats, had a word with friendly ticket inspector to say they were being met by their grandparents, off they went - they had a great time.

I would if I get on the platform at either end, book first class tickets and let the train crew know. You can easily get on the platform by buying a cheap single ticket to anywhere.

No. I would maybe let the 13 year old if they were with an older teen

No. 10 is just a bit too young and 13 is too young to be in charge of a younger sibling.

Yes if they were put on the train and met the other end.
I travelled alone from the US at 14, got from the airport to Cambridge by train, and then taxi to my final destination. My most nerve wracking bit was trying to figure out what platform and which train.
My cousin used to get put on the train at age six and met at the other end, maybe more common in the 1960s.
They will presumably have a phone. Is it direct? Then with the right info they'll be fine.

My main worry would be nutcases/drunks on the train tbh - depends on how streetwise your kids are and whether some drunk sitting next to them and rambling on at them would freak them out or not.

no…its alright while things are alright. They are too young to deal with anything that may happen and it just isn’t worth the risk…

My DC has done a very similar journey aged 12 alone. Couple of hours on the train, they don’t have a smartphone but honestly at their age I was flying as an unaccompanied minor.

Initially they were really reluctant. Got off the train and announced to their uncle that they’d had a great time. No problems going back and they will do a couple of trips to and from London this summer too.

Honestly, it was fine. I did it at 11- it wouldn’t dawn on me for them not to do it.

I have never travelled on that service but I do use trains quite a lot. 90% of the time it's fine but I have had some very uncomfortable journeys where there have been rowdy groups, especially when the football season starts up. In my experience the train manager is rarely seen if something kicks off. I think this could be upsetting and possible frightening for a 10 year old. As you now can't go through the barrier without a ticket you couldn't even help them to chose a seat although there's no way of predicting who will get on later in the journey.

I would let them go on the train. It is safer than a bus. There is always the possibility that the train may break down or be delayed. Go through some plans with them
beforehand to show them what to do.

i work for an airline and children of those ages fly on their own all of the time.