They're Back

[david63]

For those who remember the giant puppets in Liverpool a couple of years ago then they are back again this coming weekend (July 25th - 27th) to commemorate WW1.

This time there will be the little girl, her dog and her grandmother.

[JoanneB]

More details on here

http://www.giantspectacular.com/

[david63]

Yesterday we went to see these and whilst I can say it was an experience it is not one that we will be repeating.

All the odds were stacked against us - the weather, the start of the school holidays etc.

We made the decision to go by train as we thought, quite rightly, that the roads would be chaotic. This started off badly when we saw the chaos at the station - not only were there those going to Liverpool but there were also many going up to Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games. However all credit nust go to the station staff who brought in additional staff to issue tickets.

Once on the train was where the real problems started - it would appear that either they were taken by surprise by the numbers going to Liverpool or that there was a lack of foresight about the number of carriages that were needed. As it turned out the train was [over] full within a couple of stations and just sailed right through the other stations leaving people stranded on the platform!

Once in Liverpool the one lasting memory was the sheer number of people - the place was just a sea of bodies. In fact you did not need to know where to go as all that was needed was to take your feet off the ground and "go with the flow"!

After two hours of battling with the crowds we were on the train back home.

[Kenmo1]

David - for the first time in years we caught a train to Brighton yesterday and unfortunately caught the 17.03 back to Portsmouth Harbour which obviously had some commuters on it, all standing up. I was so grateful that I didn't regularly have to commute by train especially in this weather. However, having seen the puppets on the news last night I would have endured it just to have seen such an incredible sight - absolutely fantastic sight.

Maureen

[JoanneB]

You maybe passed us David, we got to Bidston station just before 9.30am so we could use our old codgers pass, and there were about 20 people already waiting. Great we thought train in 3 minutes we'll be fine. And we would have been other than for the trainload of people from Wales who were decanted onto the platform a minute later! The 3 carriage train supplied by Merseyrail which then arrived was soon overloaded, so we waited for the next one. The guard said there would be one in 5 minutes, so we assumed extra trains; no such luck 20 minutes later along came the next one already overfull!

We gave up and went to New Brighton for a walk and an ice cream! At least it was quiet there, everyone else was "over the water"!

[david63]

You maybe passed us David, ...

Nope - we were on a different line

[wolfie]

You maybe passed us David, we got to Bidston station just before 9.30am so we could use our old codgers pass, and there were about 20 people already waiting. Great we thought train in 3 minutes we'll be fine. And we would have been other than for the trainload of people from Wales who were decanted onto the platform a minute later! The 3 carriage train supplied by Merseyrail which then arrived was soon overloaded, so we waited for the next one. The guard said there would be one in 5 minutes, so we assumed extra trains; no such luck 20 minutes later along came the next one already overfull!

We gave up and went to New Brighton for a walk and an ice cream! At least it was quiet there, everyone else was "over the water"!

Blame Merseyrail not the Welsh!!

[JoanneB]

We did!
The Welsh were equally p***ed off as half of them ended up waiting in vain for the next train, many with small children.