Yesterday was another round trip from Derby to Reading on the train. Again I caught the 06:48 for the outbound trip and as we approached Birmingham New Street we slowed and when release we passed a slow moving goods train which appeared to be heading towards Leamington Spa which is on our route to Reading. Sure enough, after leaving Birmingham we were delayed (again) until we cleared Leamington Spa, only to fall foul of track maintenance near Didcot. OK, we were only a few minutes late into Reading but with all the technology available these delays just should not happen.
At first the return trip on the 16:40 appeared to be a reverse of the outbound trip, but after clearing Didcot the train sped up and arrived outside Birmingham New Street a little early so we sat outside the station until our expected time. But (as is usual) there was a change of crew which resulted in our departure being nearly 10 minutes late. Most of that was made up by the time we neared Derby but we were "officially" 3 minutes late according to the "Train Manager".
I used the "quiet" carriage for both trips having pre-booked a window seat so that I could watch the English countryside pass by. Except that the "window" seat for the return trip had no window, just bodywork/structure - so I move to another unreserved seat. And that's the difference between me using my car or taking the train. In the car I am guaranteed a window seat and a forward view, I know all/any passengers I take in the car with me, we hold conversations and they in return do not intrude into my "personal space". Total journey time (assuming no traffic delays) is roughly the same at 3 hours door to door with no stops at places en route to pick up other travellers, many of them being hot a sweaty with questionable habits and standards of hygene.
Let the train take the strain...? In my experience it is the train that creates the strain.
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