Great Western Coffee Shop

The 'misery' and 'chaos for travellers over Christmas' headlines have started already!

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/881604-engineering-works-set-to-cripple-train-lines-over-christmas (http://www.metro.co.uk/news/881604-engineering-works-set-to-cripple-train-lines-over-christmas)

Look out for fare rise related 'double-whammy' ones next week.

Have you noticed that the photo in the article is of an SNCF RER train in Paris?  :D

Really, the Metro is just 20-odd pages of journalistic cliches. There are two particular hacks at the Metro (I won't name them as this is a public forum) that I don't believe a word that they write- I've seen their efforts regarding areas I'm familiar with (broadcast technology which is a hobby of mine, and healthcare, my profession) and there were so many inaccuracies, so by that reasoning the stuff they write about that I don't know about must have the same amount of errors.

Shall we play "Metro transport bingo"? A prize to the person that can spot the following cliches by the end of next week...

"The misery line"
"Inflation busting fare increases"
"Arctic Conditions bring misery to thousands of rail passengers"
"Widespread disruption caused by Siberian winds"
"Trains axed"

Any other suggestions?

Metro - Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd
Daily Mail - Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd

They share the same offices and journalist staff.

Draw your own conclusions.  :P ;)  ;D

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Looks like I will have to go back to readig a credible paper like "The Sun"!

The DM have run a vary similar article today.  Interestingly the comments are generally positive - backing up the rail industry and criticising the DM's article.  I wonder if (like me) more and more non Daily Mail fans are actually going on-line to air their views rather than let the predictable 'immigrants to blame' and 'country has gone to the dogs' comments dominate every article they run?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2061033/Christmas-train-misery-47-sets-engineering-works-planned-holiday-period.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2061033/Christmas-train-misery-47-sets-engineering-works-planned-holiday-period.html)

Gosh 'Engineering work to take place over the Christmas/New Year holiday period' shocker!

This article carries on as if engineering work over the holiday period has never happened before. Best time for it to take place.
After that it was a fairly informative article as to where and when engineering work is taking place.

The question is do people get taken in by this sort of articles that the railway is a complete no go over Christmas? I guess that's like asking if you believe everything that happens on X Factor isn't scripted  ;)

Get ready for the annual 'Why aren't trains running on Christmas Day and Boxing Day' appearing just before and after Christmas.

I remember that Metro rag slagging off the railways due to engineering work in late December closing certain routes.

Then apologising for no paper for a few weeks as shut down for the Xmas holiday.

The irony.

Skimming through looking for the Sudoku when I used to do them.