Young children on the train on their own...

[highlandcrusader]

I'm on a train from SE to Scotland. 5 young children, ages between 2 - 13 I would say got on and settled on the seats near me (table seats area). They all looked absolutely exhausted and all feel asleep as soon as they sat down. There are no parents or carers anywhere near. Also, they smell quite bad, like they haven't washed in a while.
AIBU to think this is weird?

I know it's none of my business but it feels strange to me. Especially the little one who can't be older than 2 should not be on a train without an adult?

In the book A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1905, the youngest girl at Miss Minchin's was Lottie, aged four.

@Lifeinlists

I worked with a Dr a number of years ago who's father used to travel between boarding school and his parent, I can't remember where the parents were, it could have been India. But he was basically put on a train and made his own way to the ship and other adults just kept a look out for him. This would have been pre WW II

Also in the 1970s schools for deaf children were mostly boarding school and children attended from age 4. Often they didn't know where they were going because their parents were hearing so communication was difficult.

My 16 year old can’t either 😂

I roomed at Uni with a student whose parents had sent all 4 away to Boarding School , aged 5, so immediately post WW2.

Nope, not mainstream schools in the UK.
My friend who spent their entire education in boarding schools, including one of the top 3, was 'sent' away to school at 7, and was born in 1942.

Definitely a thing in the previous centuries - Mrs Austen , I believe sent her children away as babies and only had them back when they were more 'civilised'.

'Previous centuries' - like when? Before trains existed?

@sashh
My scepticism is about the tale of a 4 year old in England in the 1970s getting on a train alone, with luggage and no experience of her destination, managing to deal with all that and get off at the right place, "sobbing", and no-one intervening (or calling social services which did exist). I suspect accurate recall has faded over the years.

No indication that she was deaf or blind either - which would have made the scenario even more incredible.

As for a 4 year old at a mainstream boarding school in the 1970s; I'd be fascinated to know which one it was. Lowood School?

This thread has gone weird. A person was worried about a group of children on a train but turns out they were with their Dad and all was fine - but now it's turned into a strange argument about whether or not 4 year olds got sent to boarding school by themselves back in the 70s.
What has something that may or may not happen over 50 years got to do with the OPs concerns?
Odd.

@Needmorelego

Not 'weird' at all.
Someone said in the 1970s a 4 year old alone on a train, going to boarding school for the first time, with luggage, no experience of where she was going and 'struggling ' and 'sobbing', was ignored.

This was to illustrate that very young children did this, evidently routinely as no-one intervened, and haven't times changed as OP's scenario is now so different.

A few of us questioned the likelihood of the 1970 events as described. Hence the conversation went on to a branch line.

@Lifeinlists I meant the thread has gone weird. Rather than helping the OP with advice about what to do it has just switched to something that really is a completely different subject and essentially has become irrelevant to the OP.
I like the way you say it "went on to a branch line" 😂🚂

Oh I haven't thought about that book in years.

Don't remember a huge amount about it. I loved it, but think it must have been very sad?

I remember that her dad was really rich and doted on her, but took her to boarding school while he worked abroad.

I like the way you say it "went on to a branch line" 😂🚂

I didn't want to derail the topic
I'll stop now!

That's not quite true: I know a school that had a 6 year old year 2 boarding a few years back. I imagine they have had some since. I haven't come across any 4 or 5 year olds but I won't claim to have omniscience on the subject.

Oh FFS, that was supposed to be a reply to the pp who said there are no schools that have under 7s boarding.

Exactly this! People are such busy bodies!
Couldn't just ask the children where the parent is and keep it moving?
So what if they smell - perhaps they can't afford to wash clothes daily.

So he is travelling with eight children? Who is he, a piper from Hamelin?

Could be cousins too. I have taken my kids and a few of their cousins out for day trips on public transport- once there's four, anything above that just feels like there's more of the same!

As an 89 year old I would have hated to see those children without supervision of an adult. Any thinking, sympathetic person would be rather surprised at the situation the OP was in. The least the dad of 8 should have done was to have made sure his children were OK and settled. Those of you who expressed irritation at the OPs concern for those children sound rather odd to me. I lived in Papua New Guinea where our children had to board in Australia once they completed primary school. We would never have sent our children to boarding school until about 11 or 12. They did fly home for holidays and at the Brisbane airport the children were supervised by airport staff and on the plane by the hostesses. We waited to greet them at our airport. Well done OP!! You behaved very well in the circumstances.

Oh I can assure you there were!!! And they had kindergartens!

No it's not great memories at age 7 either! Although a lot of people pretend it was all whoops doo doo and never recognise the damage done to them.

I can assure you that really wouldnt make a lot of difference!

No boarding school in the Uk takes 4 year old boarders I have first hand knowledge. The youngest is 7 - prep schools

They did in the past!

Back in the day and my mum included children used to travel unaccompanied being looked after by the guard they could well be being kept an eye on and are just riding a couple of stops to be picked up by another parent or grand parent but always best to check hope this is the case and all OK not good really especially with the 2 year old. bless them

Please let us know the outcome.

@Heyhoitsme the OP did several pages back.
Their Dad was with them. Originally in a separate carriage but then joined them.

You don't need to be sure that's the point of safeguarding children others do the investigation

We don't need to advise the OP on what to do, she's asked the guard, dad has turned up, the DC appear fine if tired and scruffy, and are in fact travelling with a parent. The OP requires no further advice and we're free to digress as much as we like.