What is GNER's equivalent to the Marie Celeste or the Flying Dutchman? The 1835 from Embra to Newcastle and all stops between. The 1730 to London is heaving as is the 1900 but the 1835. A full length, two football pitches, 20 Routemaster buses, gleaming carriages, State of the art Dr Who capsuled loos. And nary a passenger! Well, I exaggerate slightly. The reserved seats were as usual crammed, hip to hip in one third of an otherwise empty carriage. And a small sprinkling of people bound for Dunbar, Berwick, Alnmouth Morpeth and Newcastle scattered through Coaches A-H. First Class Plush and empty.

A pleasure to ride in it and to wonder why it is so empty. It is meant to feed the local stops generally ignored by the mighty expresses of GNER and the thoughtful meanderings of Virgin.
Who are the 1835 people? Hutton Think Tank needs to do a socio-economic study of these few hardy souls

Hardy? Yes. The restaurant trolley never reaches them from my observation. So few the potential customers seemed to be that presumably Bert and Elspeth, Customer service managers ic Trolley rushed it down to Coach A ignoring any plaintiff cries for refreshments as they speed north. They then settled down for a good chat helping themselves to the odd cup of tea and shortbread to keep them in trim. Passed the journey pleasantly, I am sure.

For them at least.

Labels: GNER

  ¶ 9:12 AM