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| Jim Metcalf, a regular passenger on the sleeper train service from Scotland to London, first reported the strange incident on the morning of July 20 (Photo: getty images) |
Resident Jim Metcalf wrote on Twitter: "I've been using this train for 15 years and this is by far the strangest incident I've had."
After sleeping overnight on Britain's Caledonian sleeper train, passengers awoke the next morning hoping to have reached their destination after a 345-mile journey, but were shocked to find that the train had actually left the station. Not at all.
Jim Metcalf, a regular passenger on the sleeper train service from Scotland to London, first mentioned the strange incident on the morning of July 20.
Metcalf wrote on Twitter: "I've been using this train for 15 years and this is by far the strangest incident I've ever had."
He added: 'When we woke up, we found that the train had not left Glasgow station. It has been standing here all night and now we have been dropped in the wrong city at 5:30 in the morning.
The Caledonian sleeper operates several routes between London and Scotland and its overnight service between Glasgow and London is usually seven and a half hours.
Passengers can board it at 10 pm and reach their destination by 7:30 the next morning.
Metcalfe, from East Renfrewshire, added: 'The Caledonian (Caledonian) Sleeper tweeted that the service will run as normal tomorrow night. They took the people and left us sitting here all night.
'They allowed everyone to come on the train and sleep here and left us here. I am traveling for work. I don't understand what to say now.
After getting off the train, Metcalfe told: 'I can't sleep after the train is running so I get on early and try to go to sleep beforehand. I lay down on the train bed at 10:30 pm and slept till 11 pm. It really happened like that.
Of the next morning he said: 'At five in the morning there was a knock at the door and a lad appeared very politely with a sausage roll and coffee - he revealed to me that the train had not left.'
He added: 'We were told we had to get off because they needed to get back on the platform. It was very ridiculous because in reality we should have covered 300 miles.
The passenger said he had checked before leaving home that the departure of the train was confirmed as Wednesday was a day of railway disruption following the heat wave. The train was definitely scheduled to depart so they boarded it as usual.
However, Metcalfe praised the crew of the Caledonian sleeper, saying: 'I would call it a really difficult situation. The staff on the train were really calm and professional in their behavior and handled the situation very well.
He added: 'I went back home. It was a painful moment for me, but it is happening because of the worldwide climate emergency. It is now a reality that you are facing at the present time.'
People on social media were amused by Metcalf's story and his tweet received nearly 5,000 likes.
One follower advised them to claim damages, writing: 'I know this won't help much but since the train is definitely over an hour late to its destination you should claim it. should do.'
Catherine Darbandi, managing director of Caledonian sleeper services company Serco, said: "We apologize to passengers affected by the cancellation of the night service between Scotland and London."
In a statement they added: 'This was due to a fault on the line associated with extreme temperatures during the evening causing problems across the network that were beyond our control.'
He said: "We have made all efforts to assist the affected passengers, including providing overnight accommodation on board and alternative rail travel options the next day." All guests will be fully refunded.
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