From Beautiful Britain


The longest (and it was rail replacement transport) taxi ride my family took was from London (Euston) to our home in Easterton, nearest exStation Lavington, in Wiltshire.

The Motorail train on return from holiday in Scotland had come to a halt Watford Junction because the overhead lines were down, and whilst we as passengers could complete the journey by local third rail train, our car could not.   We all waited a while in Euston and then (with a bit of persuasion) a taxi was laid on for [name redacted] and the kids to get home. I got the car, later in the day, and had a peaceful drive home.

I do recall making the case against underground to Paddington, train to Swindon and taxi from there with two children who hadn't, slept all that well. It was a Sunday morning and the trains were few and far between in those days.

What is the longest rail replacement (or other) taxi journey YOU have made?

 
From memory the 'best' taxi ride I can do is 29 miles; on 17th August 1986 I was returning to Singapore after a short break in the UK and got caught up in the Cogload Junction cement train derailment delays. Got as far as Taunton where we were put on an RRB to Temple Meads. Then took a train to Reading where I had intended to use the Railair bus to Heathrow. But realising I did not have enough time the journey was done by taxi and I made my flight 'Gate Closing' with 15 minutes to spare.

 
My longest is Shrewsbury to Pwllheli

 
Burford Bridge Hotel to a hotel near Paddington Station, early 1990s, 25 miles.  Last train from Box Hill was cancelled. Called BR (from a call box near the station with a rapidly dwindling supply of loose change) explaining that we were at a wedding reception but were returning to Bristol that night and would now not make the last train back from Paddington.  BR person told us to return to the hotel and a taxi would come and take us to a hotel near Paddington Station where they would book us a room.  We were told that our tickets would be okay to use the following (early) morning.
Everything went as arranged but as a footnote, on our arrival back at the reception party, one of the guests, a  complete stranger to us,  kindly offered to book us a room there when they heard what had happened.  By then all the revised arrangements had been made so we had to decline....pity really, it was quite a bit of a do.

 
The longest taxi journey that I recall, was Minehead to Nunhead at a cost of about £200.
That was after the Hatfield accident.