Let the Train Take the Strain

Recently I found myself on a variety of trains for a prolonged
Rail journey through various European countries
It’s amazing how many organisations are now in the
Rail transport business.

Apart from UK providers like Virgin Trains (however did he chose that name?)
We have Eurostar, SNCF, Deutsche Bahn, Thales, Rail Jet to name but a few
There are Pendolino trains and ICE (Intercity Express) and Alstom high speed
In fact the options are almost infinite and no-one can complain of lack of choice
And I haven’t even mentioned the Orient Express!

But there is something romantic about travel by train, something
worth preserving despite the other options available to the traveller

So here is a little rhyme to capture that mood

Check the Departure Board to confirm the time
On the right platform, next to our line
Search for our coach number, in the right class
Seated passengers gaze back through the glass

Mount the steep ladder to enter the coach
Hoping that no-one has our space encroached
Remember we have booked a nice reserved seat
So we should not with others have to compete

Why is our seat number always at the wrong end?
As up the passage we haltingly wend
At last we have found it – it must be still free
A window seat with a view fills us with glee

Our luggage loaded neatly up onto the rack
The siren sounds, we feel movement of wheels on the track
We are off on our journey no matter where
And soon we forget all of our dull cares

Not long in our progress we feel need to refresh
And tasty snacks and drinks our pangs soon repress
Free newspapers are issued by one of their staff
Of course we get them ‘cause we travel first class!

As the miles disappear under the wheels
And the country and townscape to us are revealed
We thunder through stations as if out of control
Determined to reach our great journey’s goal

Eventually we arrive at the terminal station
In brief hours we have traversed across the nation
All this without effort if one travels by train
Cast aside all our woes – let the rails take the strain

Ken Fisher