DOUBLE DECKERS

Recently I travelled into Birmingham by train to attend my second Author and Bloggers meet up.  The train was crowded on the busy Saturday morning.  I estimate the train had 5 or 6 coaches and the compartments were all paying customers of the rail company.  In the carriage I was in, all the seats were taken and all luggage racks full of cases and bags.  People were standing in the doorway areas holding on where they could.  I joined this standing crowd.

To my left was a passenger in a wheelchair which blocked the entrance to the rest of that carriage, and to the right people stood alongside rows of seats and there was a large piece of luggage in the aisle making it impossible to pass by.  Kiddies and their mother stood next to me.

I wondered at the health and safety aspect of the situation should an accident or other emergency occur.  No-one had access to the toilet facilities on this particular carriage either.  Travelling by this train both outward and return was an uncomfortable and unpleasant experience.  I felt I had paid good money for this poor service, except that the train was on time and we all emerged safely at our destinations.  No doubt we will all do it again and inwardly grumble.

In comparison in Lisbon, Portugal, a similar train journey had me marvelling at the ingenious invention of DOUBLE DECKER carriages.  Double the seating area without having to provide further carriages to cope with commuting passengers seemed a super idea to me.

 

During the journey the train went over the River Tagus bridge which was also a DOUBLE DECKER.  The lower part of the bridge was for the railway and the upper deck for road transport.  How amazingly thoughtful and resourceful of the space and expanse of the bridge.  Well Done Lisbon.  I was very impressed.