Trapped up north

Now the first thing I'd like to stress is that being up north in England is not a bad thing. But when you are trying to go south and all you want is the comfort of your own bed, being stuck in Sheffield in a train station at 10 at night can reduce some people to tears. (please note I did not cry but I really wanted to) Basically this is how it went. I agreed to a gig in Rotherham on a Wednesday night. I didn't check where exactly I was going to before I said yes which was a mistake, but I honoured my commitment and said I'd take the 2.5 hour trip up. I had a plan. Finish work, jump on train, the train arrives, I do the gig and then jump on the 9:27 train, change once and then I'm home by 12:30. If I screw up once, disaster. But as I had the plan, there was nothing to worry about. The way there is uneventful. I work on the train. I change at Sheffield and make it. Right on time for the gig. The audience is very small but lovely and want me to stay for a drink. No I say. Yes the station is close but I can't chance missing it. So off we go and I'm at the station 5 minutes early. Result.  As I wait for the train, I look up and see the it is coming at 9:32. Odd, it should be 9:27. I guess it's running late. I think nothing of it and board the train to Sheffield. After a short journey I'm standing in the station and I'm looking up at the departures board. Where is the train to London? Where is the bloody train?  With no staff on the platform, I rush through the station trying to find someone. Anyone. Where has everyone gone. Finally I find a booth. Sorry, the man politely says. You should have gone to Doncaster. There are no more London trains departing from here tonight. Stupidly I thought if I came through Sheffield to get to Rotherham, I'd go the same way home. I say stupidly but really it's logically right? You would imagine the route would be exactly the same. And then i find out there are no more buses going south either. What to do... Calling the organisers of the gig, they say come back to Rotherham. I can stay the night and go home first thing in the morning. Good plan, I think. I'll just email work, tell them I'll be late for my morning meeting and it'll all be fine. But wait. My ticket isn't valid in the morning. It'll cost m e nearly £100 to get a single ticket. What the. That option out. Check my handy phone. There is a bus leaving Manchester at midnight and another at 1:30 am. Because of my faffing, there was no way I'd make the first bus but the 1:30 one could be my salvation. I head to Manchester. This is the very last train there. But at least I'm heading south. I arrive at midnight to pouring rain but I'm here. I put on my "don't fuck with me" London face and walk the 15 minutes to the bus depot. In the florescent box, people are sleeping on metal benches or looking vacantly at the floor, out windows, at crappy magazines. My heavy heals draw tired eyes. I ignore them in search of ticket machines. I find them and put in the details for my ticket. The bus is....full? What? Yes, the buss is fully booked but if I wait I can see if the driver has any room. Panic sets in. What if there isn't room? What if I have to sleep on the floor? How will I get home? I check the trains. £132 to London in the morning. It's even worse. And the next bus at 3:30 doesn't get in until 10:30. I'm screwed. Still I join the vacant eyed stares with my own and I wait. Bus arrives right on time. I wait until everyone shuffles on and hallelujah! I have a seat. Another £23 but at least I'll be home by 6 am. I think I sleep most of the way. I do wake up ever hour or so to switch positions but at least I'm sleeping. 6 am we hit Victoria station and it's off to the tube to change and then head straight to work. Yes. The lesson here is that I should read through my travel itinerary and not rely on common sense. BUT. Why is it the last train to London from Sheffield is at 9:15 pm? The last one to Sheffield from London is 10:30. Why can't it be the same? Maybe if there were more trains that left later from the North people from London would be more likely to go there for an event or a gig or a happening. Instead we constantly cater to a London centric approach to everything we do. Does anyone else think this is backward thinking? Other countries have 24 hour trains and buses so why can't we? We sure pay enough for it. 

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