Re: Central Station

["Bradley Torr" <btorr@bigpond.nospam.com>]

No C&P

My journey home was screwed up at Central Station today... I intended to
catch the 16:36 to Dapto.... looked on the platform indicators in both the
main pavillion, the one near the ticket gates (and the one near the NewsLink
stand), and they said platform 14..... I went to platform 14, and lo and
behold, there's a train there, and the indicator on the platform itself
confirmed that it was the 16:36 to Dapto....

It was about 16:25 at this stage, and I hopped on to a near-empty carriage
(about three other people), and get out my newspaper and start doing the
crosswords....

At about 16:45 I wondered why it was taking so long...... so I went outside,
checked the platform indicator, and lo and behold - it magically changed to
the 17:06 service to Dapto! My discreet inquiries found that the *REAL*
16:36 to Dapto had already left from another platform..... but I heard
nothing over the PA, either from outside on the platform or the internal PA
on the train.....

So I felt like a real goose, sitting in a stuffy carriage for half an
hour......

When I got to Wollongong, it was 18:33, and the bus to Warrawong left 3
minutes earlier - infact, nearly all the buses to Warrawong leave just
before the trains from Sydney pull in, which leaves one wondering as to how
many brain cells are currently in the employ of John J. Hill Pty. Ltd. the
bus company from hell.

Soon after a Port Kembla train pulled in, and I prepared myself for the 35
minute walk home up the hill through the red-light junkies'n'whores
district...... I saw a bus coming, and the driver hopped out, I asked
"excuse me, does this bus go to the station then go back down Illawarra
Street, driver?" and the driver snapped back "Don't f&^&*#$g ask me, I'm not
a driver right now!" and went into Mac's Pie Shop to fill his already
bloated stomach.....

Anyway, tired, cold and hungry, I eventually wimped out and spent $4 on a
taxi.....

All I can say is....

THANKS A FRIGGING LOT, CITYRAIL and JOHN J HILL!!!!! You make me feel real
f^&^&#$g proud of the public transportation system!

Sorry, I really had to get it off my chest, and I know that there are
sympathetic ears out there........ :-)

Regards,
Bradley.