We had grand plans this evening of taking the relaxing 16:38 service from Dyce to Aberdeen, enjoying the 20 minute connection stocking up on Krispy Cremes, boarding the 17:15 train to Edinburgh, finding our table, drinking a scalding cup of tea from the trolley service and enjoying our donuts, then playing some fun family Uno for the next 2.5 hours.
Except we pitch up in Dyce (the Inverurie to Dyce line is closed for dualling and to create a station at Kintore) ready to board the train, only to be told by a conductor at the station that it's been cancelled. Cancelled?? What use is that if you need it to make your connection? And what use is a bus that'll take half an hour to drive into Aberdeen train station coming in 10 minutes, when you only have 35 minutes to make your connection??
So we debated missing out Aberdeen altogether and driving to Stonehaven (thank you bypass) and enjoying the free parking there, except when I looked it up, first stop: Montrose. So into Aberdeen city centre we drive, battling with Friday late-afternoon rush hour and slow drivers and road works, park in the 'long-stay' car park for another £21.50, and jump on the train in the nick of time. Sans donuts, sans a table or even seats together, and sans a trolley service! In the end we just took a table and hoped that the four that were booked to use those seats from Arbroath to Edinburgh decided to get a different table, or climb on a different carriage. I am all for public transport- both the Don and I used the train and buses as our regular mode for years - but when it's not reliable it's just frustrating, and makes you understand why many don't bother!
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