AIBU to think East Coast trains are not child-friendly?

[seoladair]

I've previously booked passenger assistance several times to help me change trains when travelling alone with baby in pram, big suitcase, changing bag and handbag. The staff have been kind and helpful, and so have the people at the end of the phones when I've made the booking.

I recently got through to a jobsworth though, who said that I can't book help as the baby isn't disabled. It doesn't make sense to me - I won't be able to change platforms on my own. I physically will not be able to get from one train to the next, especially in the limited time available between trains.

East Coast is not some budget company - the train ticket between London and Scotland costs about £120, and I believe our trains are the most expensive in Europe. At these silver service prices, why can't I book help? In the past I have been helped while disabled passengers have also been helped, so I don't think it's to do with staff availability.

I think I will have to travel by plane in future, which is a shame as I'd rather take the environmentally friendly option of going by train, but with the plane, I know I'll get the help I need.

BTW when I was pregnant and tried to book help with luggage with Scotrail, they refused on the basis that getting pregnant was my lifestyle choice. That attitude oesn't help much when you need to travel alone somewhere.....

Mumsnet is a good microcosm. You get all sorts of opinions and types of people here...

I find attitudes of some people on here fascinating! Whoever mentioned the badge of honour for those who struggle the most is spot on! There's nothing wrong with asking for help!!

Maybe I have a Bad experience of London commuters, in the three years I've been here I think I could count on one hand the number o times I've been helped out at rush hour trying to get kids to nursery/school/nanny on time! Usually tutting and sighing is the done thing around here. Where I grew up the whole community was responsible for the children and every one helped each other with EVERYTHING, even cooking and cleaning, how I miss that! so compared to London it was a dream!

I travel regularly (every school holiday) on East Coast with my
3 and have done since I only had one, I have never even thought to ask for assistance. I have a big hiking rucksack (I think it's about 60 or 70L capacity) for our clothes, the older two carry backpacks with stuff for the train, DD's back pack goes in the basket of the pushchair and the cool bag with lunch hangs over the handle of the pushchair. I get the boys on the train, then the pushchair, put everything away then get DD out and fold the pushchair. I don't really find it difficult, the hardest thing is finding enough space to put the luggage if we join mid-route. Next year when we travel pushchair free for the first time I think I'll get the children smallish wheelie suitcases in addition to their backpacks, plus a larger wheelie case for me, and I'll carry the lunch in a backpack.

I agree with the PP who suggested changing at Waverley if you can. Haymarket does have a lift now (and Waverley does have platforms requiring lift access these days) but all in all Waverley is easier I find. And look into a family and friends rail card, it costs £28 for a year but and saves you 30% off adult fares and 60% of children's (have to have at least one of each travelling). If you buy a child seat for your baby you may find it cheaper than buying just a seat for yourself without the rail card. I buy all my 3 seats even though only one is over 5, it makes the journey that little bit nicer, and I find the railcard usually pays for itself in the first journey each year.

It depends so much on your children as well.

When I was travelling last week and MIL's passenger assistance didn't turn up, it turned out that 5yo DS1 liked nothing better than pulling along a massive suitcase that was twice the size of him. If he hadn't we simply couldn't have managed without help because we didn't have enough hands. Similarly, if your children can be trusted not to run away that makes a big difference.
It's how much practice you've had too. The passenger assistance man was able to whizz along a wheelchair with one hand and pull a suitcase with the other but most people couldn't do that.

Change at Waverley rather than Haymarket- then you won't have to negotiate any stairs.

"Theres a lot of "use this, use that" being said...have those people stopped to consider that OP may not have those things available, I know I havent got " a sling" and wouldnt be willing to buy one just for a train journey plus her DC may be to heavy to ride in one, i know my youngest wouldnt be able too. The same with the bag..my children come with a lot of baggage..If I were going away any longer that a day with them a sports bag wouldnt cut it, I would need a case!"

A school sized backpack was big enough to fit four days worth of clothes for my hulking teenage son on a road trip where we had limited access to washing machines. A bigger backpack would certainly be big enough to carry for a mother and baby for a two week trip with some washing or as people have pointed out, you can mail some of the stuff.

A sling doesn't have to be a poncy silk one, you can make one from a tied piece of fabric for goodness sake, no sewing necessary. If you can prop your kid on your hip they aren't too heavy to carry. As for her not wanting to buy something for one train journey, it sounds like she has done this a number of times.

If someone is available then that would be lovely, and I'm sure none of us would turn the help down with that much stuff, but that doesn't mean you should be entitled to it.

OP has said she has back problems - it's great for those who can pop a toddler on their hip and walk for miles but we're not all able to do that.

Yy to the railcard - I have just bought 4 seats, return to Glasgow for £150. Have even bought seat for two year old.

Another tip - purchase tickets from Mainline station as you can choose your seats - sometimes the online booking companies scatter you about the carriage (bitter experience.)

I do find these new trains hard to negotiate with children. They seem to be modelled on aircraft and there isn't enough luggage space, the windows don't open which means it can get unbearably hot. They seem to close toilets a the time so making your way through a hot crowded train with a baby, toddler and a pre schooler wailing that they need a wee, is horrendous ( so take a potty when baby is out of nappies)

And I think people are just trying to be helpful with suggestions to make journey easier. Slings are invaluable if you are travelling a lot, especially if you have a toddler too.

she doesn't have a toddler though and doesn't need to walk for miles, just long enough to get on and off a train.

I know the station in question, and it's not far short of miles you can have to walk, and up and down stairs/lifts!

Really Igggi ? Haymarket is not a large station at all. She may have one set up and one set down of stairs max. There is also a lift.

I travel by train frequently, with and without the 3 children. I also travel for work with and without piles of luggage, in both cases I have struggled and juggled my luggage. I really find it strange that anyone with 1 baby needs to book special assistance. I am not a macho mum but you will find a notice on the wall at Haymarket which sums it up - please do not travel with more luggage than you can carry.

As a tip if you book your travel in advance you can get a ticket for well less than £125 single. As a family of 5 we are travelling to London, over the Easter weekend, for £325 return. Booked 3 weeks ago so not months and months in advance.

Gomez is right about booking early, I am travelling first class with a child over Easter from Aberdeen to London and a return cost me £157 all because we book uber early. If you can it really, really makes a difference.

Also sign up for East coast emails as their offers are fantastic and join their loyalty scheme as you can earn points per journey and then when you have enough points you can book free tickets.

I know non of this helps with assistance getting about but saving money will make it feel a hell of a lot better.

I've booked going down from Scotland to London in May out on a Friday afternoon and back on a Tuesday for £200 return 1st class for our family of 4. Total bargain and you get "proper" 1st class mid week too - no wine or hot food at the weekend.

You must sign up to the East Coast emails - they have offers like this every 4 months or so. I did the same in Jan, Friday - Sunday and went to see a pal in London for £50 return - 1st class both ways!

Not as far, but I went up to Manchester recently with my DS for just over £100 first class (this included getting from my suburban station to Euston - worth over £25, I reckon). I noticed that Virgin were offering first class upgrades for £15 on the day. Although Saturday was not the full service, there was still a free lounge (with snacks), and a free refreshment trolley on the train to supplement my bottle of wine, and free Wifi (this would have cost about £40 if both of us paid for it in Standard class - and I used mine for the whole return journey).

I would easily have spent over £100 on diesel, if driving, not to mention parking.

I thought it was a bargain, and the service on this occasion run like clockwork.

I initially planned to fly for about £100 for the both of us, but those particular fares were not available for the flight we wanted.

I agree that it's rubbish that they won't help, but sorry - a baby is not like having a disabled child. You can sling a baby on your back or front, if necessary. You can't do that with a disabled three year old. Plus, wheelchairs tend to be a damn sight heavier and wider than a pushchair. I find it enough of a pain taking a train with my 3 year old because he won't step over the gap and has to be carried, and he's perfectly able bodied and able to walk.

I like the suggestion of posting some of your luggage on. Also what I have done in the past is take things in a rucksack, take fewer clothes and wash them, and take an umbrella fold buggy and cram every single bit of space you can with luggage - this is what we did when we went by train to the isle of wight with 3 adults and an 11 month old. We fitted almost all of that luggage onto the pushchair.

When mine were little, I used a Mayan wrap style sling up until the age of about four. No, not for hours on end, but for those few minutes of getting on and off trains and negotiating the Underground. I would carry my umbrella stroller in one hand, use a backpack as a handbag/changing bag, and if travelling overnight, a trolley suitcase. I did receive offers of help from other passengers, but, tbh, didn't really need them.

We travelled as a family to Edinburgh on the train once - five children, baby up to age nine. We were there for three days with no easy opportunity to do laundry. It was honestly fine. We thought of everything that could go wrong, everything we would need, got rid of any non-essentials. It's these occasions that help focus the mind.

Gomez I was talking about Waverley, as many posters were suggesting that would be a better option for changing due to lifts. I walk through it a lot, the London train is always on a far-away platform!

I had to do the same line as you back in December, OP. Not the whole thing,I was only going from Newcastle to Peterborough where I had to change, but I have sympathy for you wrt the trains themselves. The steps to get onto the train make it difficult to board with baby, buggy and luggage. Tbh it didn't occur to me to book assistance as it was a last minute mercy dash but as it turned out, we didn't need it. I have always been lucky that the station staff at Newcastle have always let DP come to the platform with me to help with the bags, probably because I was looking harried and stressed with 2 rambunctious boys with me and last time I had the baby in a sling, a trolley bag and a changing bag. All of which I could carry by myself, but it was far easier to have someone help me with it.

When I got on at Newcastle, a man sitting near me put my case up on the overhead rack for me and told me to focus on getting myself settled wit' bairn ;) he then asked where i was getting off so he could help me get it down. When I said Peterborough, he looked worried and said he was getting off at York, then a guy behind me piped up that he was getting off at Peterborough as well so would get my bag down and see me onto the platform. When I was leaving the platform cafe at Peterborough, a couple of rough, chavvy looking teens practically tripped over each other to open the door for me. There was a young student who insisted on seeing me onto the next train and making sure I was sorted in my seat before he moved off to find his own seat, then came back at my destination to see if i needed help getting off. Which I didn't as yet another person had already grabbed my bag down and said they would set it down on the platform for me. Not once did I get help from the station staff, but not once did I need it.

It was the same story on the return journey a few days later. At each stage I could have managed perfectly well on my own, but it never came to needing to. It really restored my faith in humanity that so many different people took the time out of their day to make my journey that little bit easier.

Ah right Iggi. Waverley is a different proposition you are right. Sometimes go from 11 but anything else is a trek. Haymarket is a much better idea and there are always staff on the platforms so increased possibility of help.

I made the trip yesterday, and asked the conductor if I could change at Waverley instead of Haymarket. She said my ticket wouldn't allow it (I'd booked an advance ticket 2 or 3 days ahead) but she was willing to turn a blind eye. Anyway, as soon as I got out of the train, a member of the Waverley staff magically appeared to help (who knows, maybe East Coast Customer Relations people have been reading this thread?!) So it was fine.
Thanks to the people who came up with helpful suggestions, and also to those who came up with money-saving tips for train bookings. I must say though, I'm a bit scared of the macho mums

EAST COAST Train
From York to Leeds thursday 28/08/2014 14:40 pm
Great customer service from east coast train conducters !!!
we all have this train from york to leeds before we get the
chance to get the pushchair on these people just jump in front of
us and sat on the seats so when I ask them to give my wife a seat with my baby they said move the pushchair to that corner front of the toilet door.
thanks for great customer service and be helpful to the mums with pushchairs NOT