Delays southbound on the northern line

Three trains delayed at Herrljunga, originally uploaded by Gothenburg Observer.

Last Friday, my usual journey home to Gothenburg from Falshopping was prolonged by hours. The 16.50 train arrived on time and we swooshed off with hearts high for the big city, but at Herrljunga everything stopped. A goods train, further down the line between us and Gothenburg had shed its load and derailed and was blocking both tracks south of Alingsås. Could they clear it in time for us to continue? Would we have to switch to busses? Would they be able to arrange busses at such short notice? Apparently there were trains backed up at all the stations ahead of us to Alingsås as well. While we waited, two X2000s - the express trains that run between GBG and Stockholm also arrived and stood.

Coffee and a bun at 1 crown a piece from the cafeteria car, a stroll along the platform (at least it wasn't raining though it looked threatening), a report home by mobile phone. And then? I hadn't got a book or a paper with me, but I did have my camera. So ...

Waiting on the platform: at least one person had a book.

After more than an hour's wait, there was an announcement that there would be a train departing from platform one to take anyone who wanted down to Gothenburg by way of Borås. Two sides of a triangle. Along with everyone else from the three trains who was still hanging around, I hurried down into the subway to get across to the right platform. There was no panic exactly, but a bunch of boys and young men did push forward and barge their way through the crowd in the tunnel to swarm up the steps to platform one.


When we all got up on the platform though, it turned out the train hadn't come in yet. I overheard a railway employee say there must be over a thousand people on the platform, and there wouldn't be room enough for everyone on the train. I think she was exaggerating.

As the train hadn't come in, some teenage boys started jumping down onto the tracks and running along as if they could reach the train and board it before it arrived. Some people (including the guard I'd overheard) shouted at them, but they took no notice. Eventually the train showed up, but when the driver saw the kids on the track he put on the breaks and waited. Now more people were shouting at the boys and they climbed back on to the platform. (Reluctantly it seemed, and without the least sign of embarrassment, still acting as if they hadn't heard the shouting.) Then the train came in and the doors opened.

Of course it stopped so I was equidistant between two doors, which meant I was one of the last aboard, still, I found a seat without difficulty. Some people in our carriage did end up standing, but not many. I killed time to Borås by reading a newspaper I found and solving the sudoku. Not the greatest of challenges, mind you. Then we sat at Borås station for what seemed like a hell of a time. I sent a long and involved text message to a friend. And finally set off of Göteborg, whereupon I fell asleep and think I must have slept with my mouth open since it tasted terrible when I opened my bleary eyes to find us rolling in to GBG at about 9 p.m. Three hours delay and then a half hour on top to get home.

I saw film of the derailment on the news the following day. The damage to the rails was worse than expected and they were to have been working on them all this week. Still, delays on the line haven’t been so bad since Friday. I travelled up from Gothenburg on Sunday evening and arrived in FLKPNG only 10 minutes late.

Yes, I know. But seemed more interesting this way up.

You can see more of my photos by going to my Flickr page where I go under the name of Gothenburg Observer