I am currently writing this from a cramped and noisy train, on my way back to Uni after a nice weekend home with the family.
I decided to travel by train instead of driving the 200+mile round trip, as it would save money on petrol, and would save the wear and tear on my beloved yet rather old and fragile car. However, what I did not anticipate was the traumatising level of stress that would be experienced by travelling via train.
It is one thing for public services to offer great deals etc on prices, but what good are they when the service itself is as reliable as chocolate teapot.
Commuters are forever complaining of cancellations, delays and the abominable train service in general, and today I have realised, much to my disgust, that I have become one of them.
The odd delay I can handle, these things happen, but everybody has the right to get from one destination to another without too much difficulty.
How can it be possible to fly from one country to another without much hassle, yet to sit on a rocket on wheels can seem more stressful than moving house.
Firstly, timetabled trains get delayed, with very little warning or explanation. This is always going to cause problems to travellers. Many people will just think, oh well, I'll get the next one, but what about those that are at smaller stations with a non-regular train service? Nobody wants to wait an hour for a train if they need to be somewhere. Is it really fair that these passengers then have the option of waiting for another train, or if there isn't one, somehow finding a way of getting to a different station?
This is my story. As mentioned above, my first train from a small station called Weston Milton at 11.13, was cancelled, with very little warning. This left me with the predicament of waiting an hour for the next train, or finding a way of getting 2 miles to the main station in Weston-super-Mare in time for the 11.45 train.
This caused problems for me, as I had an advance booking on a train in Bristol at 12.23. I decided to chance the 11.45 train, hoping it would get into Bristol on time, and I would have 5 minutes to board a train to Southampton. Being such an unreliable service, I am sure you can guess what happened next. I get off the train at Bristol and see my train standing at the platform. The doors had already been closed and the guard would not let us board. I had made it just in time to wave my connection goodbye as it left without me and a handful of other passengers. Said guard very nearly ended up under said train.
I'm sure many of you can appreciate the stressful situation. As if my day hasn't been bad enough, I am now stranded in Bristol, with exams in 24 hours time. The guard advised us all to get on a later train to Brighton (which I am now on). After getting on this train and finally heading in the right direction, the ticket collector was kind enough to point out that my ticket was not valid on this train, as the reservation was pre-booked on a previous train. Of course, I'm not a moron, and I'm perfectly capable of reading a train ticket. I then had to explain to the guard my story and he let me stay.
I thought this was the end of my horror journey, and that I would be able to relax and wind down for the rest of the trip, however, this wasn't the case. A disgruntled man has just approached me and told me he has reserved the seat I am currently occupying.
My final point now is that the guard in Bristol told me to get on this train to get back to Uni, only now as I am sat on it as it trundles through the country, the driver has announced the station stops. Guess what? Southampton isn't one of them. I now have to go onto Eastleigh, and wait for a train to Winch. What would be a simple journey has turned into a hellishly complicated 4 hours long, 5 train mess.
Thank you for reading my boring rant.
Much love x
Monday 14 December 2009
Friday 11 December 2009
News Writing
A student has been praised after saving a pensioner from a fire in a Stanmore home earlier this week.
20-year-old Edward Herbert heard a smoke alarm and noticed flames coming from his elderly neighbours ground floor kitchen in Chatham Road, Winchester.
The student used a ladder to enter the property, where the pensioner was trapped in his top-floor bedroom, and dragged the man to the window until emergency services arrived.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service received the urgent call at 21.17 on Monday 7th December, and sent 2 teams from Winchester Fire Service and 1 from Eastleigh Fire Service to the scene.
Firefighters used a ladder from a fire appliance to rescue the pair from the top floor while further crews tackled the blaze in the kitchen.
Edward later said, “ I just wanted to get him out. He was holding my hand and I was telling him it would be ok. He fainted on me twice, and that was really scary, because I thought the worst. I’m definitely going to go and see him in hospital and make sure he’s ok.”
Inspector Johnson stated that the fire is still “under investigation” but is thought to have been caused by a fault in an electrical appliance.
The pensioner was taken to hospital with smoke inhalation and is in a stable condition.
Winchester Fire Station Watch Manager Chris Roper has emphasized, “This kind of incident demonstrates the importance of every home in Hampshire having at least on working smoke alarm in place”
20-year-old Edward Herbert heard a smoke alarm and noticed flames coming from his elderly neighbours ground floor kitchen in Chatham Road, Winchester.
The student used a ladder to enter the property, where the pensioner was trapped in his top-floor bedroom, and dragged the man to the window until emergency services arrived.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service received the urgent call at 21.17 on Monday 7th December, and sent 2 teams from Winchester Fire Service and 1 from Eastleigh Fire Service to the scene.
Firefighters used a ladder from a fire appliance to rescue the pair from the top floor while further crews tackled the blaze in the kitchen.
Edward later said, “ I just wanted to get him out. He was holding my hand and I was telling him it would be ok. He fainted on me twice, and that was really scary, because I thought the worst. I’m definitely going to go and see him in hospital and make sure he’s ok.”
Inspector Johnson stated that the fire is still “under investigation” but is thought to have been caused by a fault in an electrical appliance.
The pensioner was taken to hospital with smoke inhalation and is in a stable condition.
Winchester Fire Station Watch Manager Chris Roper has emphasized, “This kind of incident demonstrates the importance of every home in Hampshire having at least on working smoke alarm in place”
Friday 4 December 2009
World Cup
So there we have it! All the excitement and tension is over-the draw has been made!
Much to fans relief England were seeded in the same pot as threats such as Brazil, and Argentina, however many people were still tense about the odds of drawing Portugal or France.
Luckily, in my opinion, we have avoided any major threat, drawing America, Algeria and Slovenia in our group.
My personal opinion is that we will get through the group stage, along with America, but our dreams will be dashed by Germany or Australia in the first round of the knockout stage.
I hope this is not the case, as the battle for 3rd place will take place on my birthday, with the final being the next day, and it would be nice to celebrate alongside the rest of the country if England are victorious!
Other teams however, were not so lucky. Group G dubbed "The Group of Death" consists of Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast and North Korea, which will provide some very competitive and enjoyable football. Again, my prediction is for Brazil and Portugal to progress to the further stages of the tournament.
Hosts South Africa were also not quite so lucky, drawing France, Mexico and Uruguay, and unfortunately I must say I can see France and Mexico going through, leaving our hosts bitterly disappointed.
Group B is made up of Argentina, South Korea, Nigeria and Greece, with my personal opinion being that Argentina and Greece will proceed to the knockout stages.
Group D consists of Germany, Australia, Serbia and Ghana. No guesses whose going through in that group!
Group E is the Netherlands, Japan, Cameroon and Denmark. I think that Denmark will be top of the group, but the fight for the remaining qualifying place will be tough.
Group F is Italy, New Zealand, Paraquay and Slovakia, and again, I believe Italy will be top of the group, but any of the other teams have the ability to beat the others to the qualifying place.
The final group, H, is made up of Spain, Honduras, Chile and Switzerland. My guess is that Spain and Switzerland will go onto the knockout stages.
To clarify, my personal World Cup predictions are that the following teams will get through the group stage and fight it out for a place in the quarter finals:
England, America, Brazil, Portugal, France, Mexico, Argentina, Greece, Germany, Australia, Denmark, The Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Switzerland with the last remaining place going to either New Zealand, Paraguay or Slovakia.
The groups have been paired up for the next round, A playing B, C playing D etc.
Therefore, going by my predictions, it will be:
France and Mexico vs Argentina and Greece
England and USA vs Germany and Australia
Denmark and Netherlands vs Italy and ?
Brazil and Portugal vs Spain and Switzerland
Focusing on Englands group (C), if we do get through the group stage, we go on to face Germany or Australia, which is where I fear our World Cup dreams will be dashed, and our hopes will be put to rest for another 4 years.
However, I'm not psychic, and believe that anything can happen when those players step onto the pitch.
Time will tell.
Much to fans relief England were seeded in the same pot as threats such as Brazil, and Argentina, however many people were still tense about the odds of drawing Portugal or France.
Luckily, in my opinion, we have avoided any major threat, drawing America, Algeria and Slovenia in our group.
My personal opinion is that we will get through the group stage, along with America, but our dreams will be dashed by Germany or Australia in the first round of the knockout stage.
I hope this is not the case, as the battle for 3rd place will take place on my birthday, with the final being the next day, and it would be nice to celebrate alongside the rest of the country if England are victorious!
Other teams however, were not so lucky. Group G dubbed "The Group of Death" consists of Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast and North Korea, which will provide some very competitive and enjoyable football. Again, my prediction is for Brazil and Portugal to progress to the further stages of the tournament.
Hosts South Africa were also not quite so lucky, drawing France, Mexico and Uruguay, and unfortunately I must say I can see France and Mexico going through, leaving our hosts bitterly disappointed.
Group B is made up of Argentina, South Korea, Nigeria and Greece, with my personal opinion being that Argentina and Greece will proceed to the knockout stages.
Group D consists of Germany, Australia, Serbia and Ghana. No guesses whose going through in that group!
Group E is the Netherlands, Japan, Cameroon and Denmark. I think that Denmark will be top of the group, but the fight for the remaining qualifying place will be tough.
Group F is Italy, New Zealand, Paraquay and Slovakia, and again, I believe Italy will be top of the group, but any of the other teams have the ability to beat the others to the qualifying place.
The final group, H, is made up of Spain, Honduras, Chile and Switzerland. My guess is that Spain and Switzerland will go onto the knockout stages.
To clarify, my personal World Cup predictions are that the following teams will get through the group stage and fight it out for a place in the quarter finals:
England, America, Brazil, Portugal, France, Mexico, Argentina, Greece, Germany, Australia, Denmark, The Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Switzerland with the last remaining place going to either New Zealand, Paraguay or Slovakia.
The groups have been paired up for the next round, A playing B, C playing D etc.
Therefore, going by my predictions, it will be:
France and Mexico vs Argentina and Greece
England and USA vs Germany and Australia
Denmark and Netherlands vs Italy and ?
Brazil and Portugal vs Spain and Switzerland
Focusing on Englands group (C), if we do get through the group stage, we go on to face Germany or Australia, which is where I fear our World Cup dreams will be dashed, and our hopes will be put to rest for another 4 years.
However, I'm not psychic, and believe that anything can happen when those players step onto the pitch.
Time will tell.
News Writing
The search for a Dorset fisherman, missing since Tuesday December 1st, has been called off by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
Osman Sharif, a 32 year old Somalian man, disappeared from Mudeford Quay, sparking an air, sea and shoreline search after he failed to return to his London home.
Sharif's inflatable boat was discovered along the shore at Chewton Bunny, Hampshire, but the search was called off at 2.20pm on Wednesday December 2nd, after attempts to find him failed.
Inspector Tracey Baker, of Dorset Police said: “We will continue to work with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the requirement for further searches will be dependent on any further information we may receive concerning the missing man or his whereabouts.”
Anyone with information about the missing man or his whereabouts should call Dorset Police in confidence on 01202 or 01305 22 22 22.
Thursday 3 December 2009
News Report
Hampshire County Council have launched a campaign to raise awareness of driving under the influence of drink and drugs.
Taxis can be spotted across Hampshire with the slogan “You drink, I’ll drive” to promote responsible behaviour.
The campaign is running for six weeks over Christmas, using 32 taxis across the county following the charity, Brake’s, Road Safety Week.
They are currently running in Basingstoke, Gosport, Winchester, Andover, Aldershot, Farnborough, Petersfield, and Alton.
According to Brake, nearly 16,000 people in the UK were killed or injured by drink and drug drivers in 2007.
Locals are also being encouraged to ask their pharmacist if medication will affect driving ability, in an attempt to raise awareness of drug driving.
County Councillor, Mel Kendal, the Executive Member for Environment, said: “We want everyone to get home safely. Having just one drink, or taking drugs will impair your driving skills. Driving whilst under the influence is extremely dangerous and could cause serious harm to you and other innocent road users. If you’re going to have a drink or take drugs, including medicine that carries a warning about side effects, then don’t drive!”
Driving under the influence of legal or illegal drugs carries the same penalty as drink driving. This may be a 12 month driving ban, £5,000 fine and up to six months imprisonment.
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