To think they should have provided water?

[writersblockkk]

Maybe I’m expecting too much.

My train (2 hour journey) was cancelled because of a trespasser and then it reopened but it had double the amount of people due to earlier cancelled trains.

The train kept constantly stopping (they did no announcement as to why) it was getting more and more delayed, so many people crammed in one space, heat and ave, no air con.

It then got stopped again because of another trespasser. In all a 2 hour journey took 4.5 hours. It was horrendous.

Who is 'they'?

Route through Stockport yesterday?

Ds was on Avanti and it wasn't delayed too much but I expect the slow route was awful. They had to divert via Crewe.

A month or so ago he was on a train to Leeds that was delayed by 4 hours due to the electrics. They went down the train handing out water & food.

Seriously? If you have enough for 2 hours you can surely cope for 4 hours. People didn't used to need a constant supply of water. Unless there's something medically wrong with a person, they can go an extra two hours without keeling over from dehydrating even on a hot train.

Seriously? "People didnt use to"- is that the best argument you got?... People used to die around 40 or so, should we strive for that again, genius?

If the train journey in the heat we have now takes twice as long, Id think that it would be nice if someone turned their brain on and provided the bare minimum which is water.
I recently sat on a bus that got stuck in traffic and almost fainted from the heat, there was no air and it was unbearable; so using imagination I can see how extra 2 hours would be very uncomfortable- you clearly struggle with that typing bs in your living room.

It’d be nice to have free water. And a snack or two. And a moist towelette.
And a choice of flavoured drinks for all those who dislike water.
Maybe a free yoga session if you are there more than two hours.
I’d settle for a seat though.
Do you think people might become more self-reliant if this continues to become an issue? Plan ahead and think of bringing their own bits and bobs?

Get yourself a recycled, reusable water bottle and carry your own.

Maybe I’m expecting too much.

Yes, you are.
Take your own water. Everyone knows delays can happen on any journey. Everyone knows it's summer.

Yanbu.

You are stuck in an enclosed space. They have a contractual duty of care towards you. It’s entirely foreseeable that someone could overheat. Yea, people generally take their own water but sometimes you are caught out.

I was on a train on Wednesday that was delayed because someone on the train in front had passed out. It happens a lot in the heat.

People used to die around 40 or so, should we strive for that again, genius?

No they didn't. Genius. There was a high infant mortality rate that skewed life expectancy stats. And mania for constant hydration is extremely recent so hardly relevant to claim it's like striving for a return to the neolithic era. I'm sorry you felt hot on a bus once, but it's still not an outrage to go two hours without water after your two hour supply ran out.

Clearly they can’t because this happens a lot. It’s also incredibly unlikely that on a train full of people, not one of them would have a single medical condition 🫤 This is just the train company being shit.

Sure, and train companies in this country are shit. We know this. Work with that reality and plan accordingly.

Where does this water come from, any idea how many people there are on a train as busy as the one the OP described. And how does the water get to the train and who distributes it quickly enough for everyone to grt some?

The train was stuck due to trespassers so likely not to have even been stuck in a station, and even if it was small stations often don't even have staff.

It's a big ask the logistics of this is big, it would cause even longer delays and now that most trains don't even have buffet cars it involves starion staff.

Just bring your own water, same as you woukd on any journey.

Where are they getting all this water from at no notice, and who is going distribute it through a packed train?
Carry a little bit more water next time.

Your train was cancelled so at that point you must have been at the station so why would you not go and get an extra bottle of water. Common sense tells you if a train is cancelled then most of the passengers due to travel on it will get the next one resulting in a lot of passengers so it is sensible to be prepared.

So do I but it's probably not going to last me four and a half hours in near 30 degree temperatures to be fair.

Just as you would keep a jacket /coat in the car along with water/drinks you should also be prepared when using public transport.

Yes the service was awful but you should always carry something with you in case of emergencies like this, water being the obvious one.

I'm wondering how you would've expected them to get the drinks to you if it was that packed? I was on a similar train out of London recently that was packed for the two hour journey that had already been delayed by two hours. They estimated it was carrying three times as many passengers as normal and was shorter than the usual amount of carriages. It was horrible and no one had fun that day. But there was no way any staff member with trolley was going to make it down the train to distribute water. You just have to take your own and make sure your bottle is full before you get on.

You’re assuming they had that much water aboard which is laughable.

The train company

They would have given you some if you asked.

They aren't going to randomly go down all the carriages offering water to everyone.

Next time find someone and just ask them.

Just because nothing was distributed to everyone doesn’t mean there was nothing available for people who were struggling, it doesn’t sound like any had asked?

In my experience on local trains and tubes without train staff on board people are perfectly capable of self-organising (giving up seats, donating a spare bottle of water or snack etc) if for example someone feels faint.

I’ve been on severely delayed trains before where drinks and snacks were distributed but I guess it depends on the circumstances whether that happens - how long the delay has been and how long it’s expected to continue, whether they have enough on board for all or whether it’s better to hold back what stock they have for those in most need. If everyone gets a bottle of water after 1 hour but you end up delayed for 6 hours, it might have been better to wait!

DD got stuck on a hot train recently from London to Leeds and they did indeed hand out water, in fact I believe they made an unscheduled stop to get it

@reugny

At short notice? Staff is at the bare minimum.... bottles water stored on the premises....or mid station?

So flippant to say other people should do this or that with zero thought to practicalities!

You seemed to be confused. I'm one saying bring your own water. Some mainline stations have water fountains so you can fill up a bottle.

I was simply explaining who the "they" was.

Btw just been on the tube - both at the station and on the tube they tell you to carry water for your journey.

Well common sense would also tell you that you weren’t there so maybe it wasn’t that simple. ALL trains coming in from that area were cancelled. Because you see when someone’s on the lines, they don’t hop on and off letting some trains come through and some not.

So whilst I was working out if I could get a train that was running and then get a connection, my train was suddenly ok to go again, so I had to rush up the stairs and down to get to my platform - which was announced by a guard shouting it and not on the board.