To make the visit over as short a time as possible (my wife doesn't keep good health) I travelled by XPT train from Albury to Southern Cross, leaving at 4.03am, and booked the same day 12.05 pm V/Line return train to Albury. Thankfully my medical appointment went well, but what an atrocious time followed.  

The 12.05pm V/Line train travelled half way towards Broadmeadows, and stopped for some 10 to 15 minutes somewhere along the track. The loudspeaker then let us know: “This train has a technical fault” and is unable to proceed to Albury.  So we limped into Broadmeadows and another train was arranged. Just before we alighted, the announcement came: “All passengers will alight. Passengers with luggage in the luggage compartment will need to collect their luggage. We are now arranging buses for the rest of the journey”.

 About 250 passengers (the announcement said the train was fully booked) including children, elderly people, families – some needing help from other passengers to walk/carry/drag their luggage – then stood outside in the cold waiting for the buses. Some time went by and the message came through the crowd that we needed to walk to the other side of the Broadmeadows station (down a long ramp, a tunnel under the railway lines and back up the opposite long ramp to reach the street) to reach the buses. After that  walking effort, we all waited for quite a while. A railway staff member then informed us we had to walk back to where we had come, to the other side of the station where we had been, as the buses were coming in there.

Off we all set again, down the ramp, under the line, up the ramp again. There were four to five buses as I was coming last up the ramp. One bus was full, and it was my Albury bus! Off it went, straight to Albury.

The next bus was also going to Albury, and stopping at each railway station where passengers had tickets for that station. So we arrived at Albury station by bus at about 5.45 pm. I drove home to West Albury where I arrived at 6pm. So much for my deliberate attempt to be home by about 3.30 pm. Even worse, some passengers, i.e. for Canberra, then had to board one of the buses for the last part of the trip.

Early during the 'limp' to Broadmeadows. the loudspeaker came on and I think it said, “all first class passengers will be given a voucher for refund of their fare”. No comment about the rest of the passengers. I will certainly be seeking a  refund. I had booked the day before the journey (usually travel first class but that was fully booked and so economy class was my only option).

This ‘effort’ by V/Line doesn't really fit into 2017. I wonder which decade will produce any improvement? I am reminded of a statement I have pinned to my notice board: ‘The certainty of the unexpected’.

I want to say how delighted I was that management of the Ripe Tomato Cafe in the Harvey Norman complex were very quick to recognise and accept a service dog. My daughter and her husband are travelling Australia raising funds for Lifeline and Minddogs Australia, after he had a break down last year and was contemplating suicide.

Now diagnosed with PTSD they are frequently amazed at how many proprietors do not know it is illegal to refuse entry to a service dog, which in turn can cause considerable set backs to the patient. All service dogs have been trained in their specific field, they must be registered and be wearing a Service Dog coat.

It is also imperative, (and I'll admit very hard to do) to not touch or speak to a service dog whilst it is working. So many thanks to the Ripe Tomato for your consideration and making my brief visit with my family very pleasant.