virgin on the ridiculous

---

So, back to the blog - your private inside information...
My journey from Ruabon to Heathrow was somewhat fragmented, but got there in the end (a reflection of life maybe). Despite getting to Ruabon with only one minute to spare until timetabled departure, the wait there lasted nearly half an hour - 28 mins to be exact. The delayed ttrain then proceeded, not at great speed as one would image, rather the opposite - we had gotten (is that a real UK word?) behind a slow train which stopped at EVERY stop between here and Wolverhampton and I can assure there's hundreds!
Give the dear ticket man his due, at various stages of the journey he would come and give me updated train options as each one became invalid due to time expiration. At one point I had 5 different options in front of me.
However when it was announced that the train I was on, which should have been taking me to Birmingham New Street, would be terminating at Wolverhampton, all five went in the bin and the ticket man said "I'll ring head ofice to see what they will do about the rest of your journey to Heathrow"

That's where the fun started. Technically Ariva are only responsible for journeys departing over half an hour - not 28 mins!

I was advised to get off at Wolverhampton, which as it was terminating there was my intention at that point anyway, and make my way to platform 4 where a train to Stafford would take me, on the Liverpool Line to..somewhere I can't remember, where I should then catch a train to Watford, then get another train to Reading and jump the bus to H. Row to arrive at 19.40. I explained I needed to check in no later than 19.00 hours, I'd phoned Air NZ - from my mobile which propbably cost me fifty quid (I exagerate somewhat - I hope) who had said they close the gate at 7pm but would hang on 15 mins for me...
Nothing doing.
So I legged it over the bridge, across the lines, down the stairs to platform 4 to hear an announcement that the train now leaving platform 2 (alongside from where I'd alighted) was in fact the one I needed ARGH!! Amazingly as it slowly pulled away I remained calm - 'hey ho' I thought.
Thats when Virgin came to my rescue.
This little chappy in one of those long navy woolen trench type coats with red epilets took me under his wing and 'sorted me out' - (ha, if it was only that easy!!) "Jump a taxi" he said thrusting a piece of paper in my hand, 'we'll sort it".

So, thinking I had plenty of time now, I casually went into the Lemon Tree cafe and enjoyed, no endured a cuppa stewed tea and a half coked limp cheese and onion pasty - the only thing left in the warmer. Coked by the way should have read cooked, although half cocked may have been equally appropriate...limp....get it?
Then I made my way out to the Taxi rank and asked the driver to take me to Heathrow Airport. "You joking me" he asked surprisedly. "No" I said in ignorance of the reason he was shocked. "How r you paying he" enquired suspiciously. I showed him the Virgin piece of paper. Immediately his persona uplifted. "Jump on" he said cheerily.
Little did I know how far it was from Wolverhampton to H.Row. After an hour I asked how long it would be till we got there. "About two and a half hours" he answered, "maybe more, it is rush hour". That meant we would get to H.Row around half past seven, all being well.
Whatever.
Now this is where it starts to sound like a fairy story.
All of a sudden I woke up...honestly, to find myself arriving at Terminal 3. "There you go lady, just in that door". "What time is it" I enquired sleepily. "ten past seven" The taxi driver announced.
I was so made up I gave him a tenner tip. It was worth it. As I got out of the cab I looked at the meter 197.88p. Not a bad day for him then. See someones downfall is anothers windfall.
I rushed to Air NZ desk and quickly checked in. I considered going business class, until they told me the flight was half empty....and that it would cost me another 1200 pounds.
So all's well that ends well.

---