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2 This is Brighton station. It’s a busy station. Many passengers travel up to London everyday from here. I’m going to talk to one of the passengers now. let’s talk to you first of all, please.
--- Can I ask do you travel on a train very often?
--- Not very much. Only occasionally, from where we live in the country to London.
--- Where do you originally come from?
--- Switzerland, … French speaking.
--- How do British trains are very clean, on time and always at the same hour. Each
hour which is very, very convenient. They’re expensive. But so are they
in England, expensive.
--- Are British trains getting better?
--- No, worse.
--- Oh, dear.
3 Here’s a gentleman. Sir, where are you from?
--- Australia.
--- What do you think about rail service?
--- It seems fairly good. The trains seem reasonably clean and reasonably on time,
so it’s alright.
--- How do they compare with Australian trains?
--- Fairly better, I think.
--- How have you found British Rail staff?
--- Fairly friendly, most of the time.
--- Splendid, thank you very much.
4
---Madam, could I have a quick word? Where are you from?
--- I live in England, actually. I’ve lived in England for 11 years. But I’m from
Holland originally.
--- By comparison, I think British Rail is just appalling.
--- What’s wrong with British Rail?
--- It doesn’t run on time. It breaks down half the time. You just can’t rely on it. Trains
are dirty.
--- Have you experience of other railways around the world?
--- France, Holland. I think that’s about it. I travel in Portugal a bit, not very much.
--- And British Rail doesn't?
--- It doesn’t compare favorably to any of those.
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--- And turning to you. Do you thin British Rail is doing quite a good job?
--- I think so, yes. I don’t come from this country, so I’ve just been here for a week.
--- Where are you from?
--- Norway.
--- How does British Rail compare with Norwegian Railways?
--- I think it’s pretty much the same.
--- Do you think there is anything we can do to improve the railway service?
--- I think they’re quite dirty at times.
--- Thanks very much. Thanks for your opinions.
--- Well, the local trains could be a little bit more on time.
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--- Sir, can I ask you how often do you travel on British Rail?
--- Well, during week. I use it every day to go to work, but not around here.
I travel from Lewisham to the center of London during the week.
--- So you’re a commuter.
--- I suppose so. Yes, a short-distance commuter, yes.
--- How long does that journey take?
--- About 20 minutes, generally, yes.
--- Do the trains normally run to time?
--- They’re normally fairly on time. But what annoy me most is about that particularly
route and that particular service. Is that it’s vastly overcrowded in the mornings.
It’s really is immensely over crowded and dangerously overcrowded.
--- So can’t you get a seat?
--- Certainly not.
--- Never ever, in the morning can you get a seat from Lewisham to the center of
London.
--- So how many people standing in the carriages?
--- As many as will squash in. And that’s what’s dangerous about it, in the light of
what happened at Clapham Junction about 2 to 3 years ago. It, it really is appalling
that is allowed to continue.
--- Thank you very much indeed. Nice to talk to you about this.
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---Sir, if I can just interrupt you for a second? You’re reading your newspaper.
--- Have you just come off a train?
--- I have, yes.
--- Where was your journey.
--- Trains from Clapham Junction to Brighton where I live here.
--- Right, so that’s from London to Brighton.
--- Is that the journey you regular make?
--- Yes, every day.
--- Right, so you’re a commuter.
--- I’m indeed, yes.
--- How do you find the service?
--- In the morning good, in the evening less good.
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--- What’s wrong with the service in the evening.
--- Not always reliable, often late.
--- How long does the journey take?
--- The journey to work takes me about an hour and fifteen minutes.
--- Do you always get a seat on that journey?
--- Yes, I make sure I do.
--- How do you do that?
--- In the morning, well, in the morning, in Brighton you always get a seat. Anyway
in the morning in the evening I tend to cheat and sometimes sit in the first-class
compartment but I do.
--- Your secret is save with me and no names.
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