Left standing on the platform at New Street

Consider yourself lucky.

300 years ago your kind would be begging for their living outside Cripplegate.

Go out and buy a secondhand Reliant Robin Threewheeler.

Andy it was refreshing to read your comments and to know that there are some rail company employees like yourself who want to make the experience for passengers a good one rather than a bad one. I hope I find myself travelling on one of your trains on a future date!

Hello!

Speaking from the perspective of a train guard, is there a possibility that they simply have not realised you were intending to board the train? I can understand that this was not a pleasant experience for you, but the fact of the matter is that a guard is under pressure to set the train off on time. That pressure is being applied by the company they work for, by the rest of the rail network, and from all the other passengers wanting to catch their connections. On rare occasions I have accidentally left people behind, because by wandering up and down the platform, they just didn't look like they were intending to board the train. Sorry, but it happens - unfortunately we're not psychic, and the guard may not have been aware of your medical conditions. You need to make it clear to us by your physical actions that you wish to board the train.

Can I suggest to you that you should board the train at any carriage and then look for one of the priority seats - most trains have priority seats near the doors for customers who need them most. If people are sitting in them, tell them you have a medical complaint, and ask them if they would mind moving. There should be a sign above the seat telling them that they need to give their seat up if requested to do so. If they refuse, which I would think highly unlikely, or if you are uncomfortable asking in the first place, then try and enlist the help of the guard. I am well practised in the art of telling people they need to move, and I have no qualms doing so! Please do not feel that you need to pay an upgrade to first class in order to get a seat on the train - I know from experience that there are some well-mannered and reasonable people out there, who are still willling to give up their seat to someone who needs it more.

Bob sometimes that's not possible. It depends a fair amount of the time on what line, what carriages etc. etc. I've been on the receiving end of rail staff that don't give a damn as well.

Surely you could have just got on the train on any carraige and walked along it?

I've seen this kind of thing before as well and I'd say it's even more prevalent at stations in and around London. Some of them just don't give a damn about the passengers as long as they don't bother them, and that's if they can even speak English in the first place. There's no excuse for being rude and unhelpful in a customer service environment. And yes, we're passengers, but we're also customers!