Train journey or better not? (flood)

[Tau]

Son - aged 15 is supposed to go to his dad for Christmas. We live in Cornwall, dad in Wales. Son travels on the train - I already have the tickets. It's a long journey.
Now there's been a lot of flooding, and trains have been cancelled, and replaced by (limited) road transport in at least two places on the journey - with a third one looking dodgy.
Son would be transferring from (probably overcrowded) trains to buses and back, and it could take him up to ten hours.
He is, to say the least, reluctant to go. If I am honest, if it was me travelling, I would cancel so I feel a tad hypocritical telling him that he really ought to go because his family is expecting him....

What d'you reckon - should I kick him on the train or cancel and let him go whenever it's all settled? His dad is very easy going ; he would be okay with it.
But it would mean Son would not be at the family christmas celebrations.

Having just seen the travel news for south west and Wales, I wouldn't send him, let him go when it is a straightforward journey, especially of his Dad is understanding.

Nope no way, I let my 15 year old dd travel between Woking and Exeter or Barnstaple on the train/bus alone. There is no way either her dad or I would let her with the issues at the moment.

I live near the flooded train lines. They really are recommending people don't try and travel across Devon by train at the moment. They aren't guaranteeing bus replacement, your son could easily be stuck for hours in the back end of beyond waiting for a bus replacement that is endlessly postponed. Don't make him do it if he's reluctant. Even when they "guarantee" bus replacements it can be pretty dire, but if they aren't even guaranteeing that I'd worry.

I spent quite a bit of my late teenage years stuck on remote train platforms when my gung ho parents had sent me off merrily into winter storms etc. I have never quite recovered from my miserable freezing hrs at places like Didcot parkway in the snow (without even an indoor waiting room in those days). Son may not be at the family christmas if you send him, he may spend it sitting at Tiverton Parkway.

I wouldn't send him. There's going to be a lot more rain today in the sw and the situation is unfortunately probably going to get worse.

I would let him go at a later date, when the flood waters have subsided...You just never know what might happen and it is a very long journey particularly if some parts of the journey tracks are submerged and the passengers have to alight and do some bits by coach/bus....

If his Dad is easy going he will go with the flow (excuse the pun!) - the main thing is that your DS is safe and sound and 15 is still quite young to embark on a complicated journey if it's going to stress him out!

Merry Christmas

Can you not both drive to a half way point somewhere and your ds swaps cars?

eatyourveg - the roads in Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Wales are horrendous, it really is only drive if you have to, and I am very grateful that we have a 4x4 at the moment.

I wish I could say that it's going to improve in a couple of days, but I'm afraid I can't. Diabolical models showing. You might get a couple of days respite later in the week.

bbc report says they aren't expecting to reopen the line til Friday. Blimey.

great western talk about the difficulties of the limited bus service due to flooded roads.

Problem solved - his dad agreed that it looks terrible, so son is not going. We will see what happens with the weather now, and if it all clears up he'll still go later - and if not it'll be half term!

By the way, we do not have a car and I cannot drive anyway! :-)

I am sure at 15 he is capable of changing trains and buses (or at least should be) but it will be horrible so if he doesn't want to go, leave it. I wouldn't bother either in the current conditions!

Holla I agree they are capable (my dd certainly has) on a normal service but this something else and I wouldn't let her go even if she wanted to.

Very sensible tau :)

well you haven't really got any option other than to stay put. rearrange for after the new year and he will have the bonus of unopened presents when he finally gets there

He doesn't want to go...
You wouldn't go if it were you...
His dad is easy going and won't mind...
It wasn't too much of a dilemma, was it?!

I drove frm St Ives to Tenby in the summer, and had to stop off over-night because it was too much for me to do in one go: only about 90 miles as the crow flies, but over 300 by road! How I wished for a Newquay to Milford Haven ferry!