Views on 13 year old granddaughter travelling on train alone from Yorkshire to Cornwall !!!e

I'm on the fence on this.
It's a long journey, but I don't think 'what ifs' help at all.
I don't think I'd trust my boy, but that's because he looks older and can be silly. (Obviously doesn't take after me!)

Her safety on the train wouldn't bother me too much presumably she goes out and about on her own anyway The reliability of trains would and having to change train or route If she had a phone to contact guardian and had booked assistance Id be less concerned

I think I'd have to draw up a "what if" plan and go through it with her.
Then I'd probably allow it, if she passed all the tests.

Saying that, my daughter used to end up in all sorts of places, and phone my mum to bail her out or pick her up, so that I wouldn't know.

I asked the same question re my 13 year old grandson about a year ago.
He was fine. He is a confident young lad, but at that time, had not done any train journeys on his own.
The thing is, they have to start somewhere. Parents need to prepare their children for independent life, step by step, not wait till a major event comes up. Today they have phones and trackers, so it is a lot safer.
What a brilliant idea to take a full length and portrait photo before they set off!

Around 1950, a close friend, aged 6, was put on a train in London, in the care of the guard and was met at Exeter by her grandmother.

At the ages of 8 & 10. living in Hong Kong, my sister and I had a journey to school that involved a bus, a ferry and a tram. We didn't like the route our parents had chosen so decided to catch a different bus to a different ferry and then walked a distance to catch another bus. It was months before we told our parents. We were found out when our mother decided to meet us off the ferry one day and we never appeared because we had stopped getting that ferry.

I wouldn't be happy about it. However, I'd insist on her having a booking on first class where the steward (if that's the right word) responsible for the carriage would keep an eye on her. I've always found them helpful, especially when getting on and off the train.

Mine used to go to school on a bus and train aged 12. A lot do but the main problem for this young one is that she will be alone rather than surrounded by others of her own age. I don’t know what state the trains are in there but here we do get instances of youths stealing phones from young people, especially on certain lines and in certain areas. That would worry me.

Thank you for all replies, appreciate them all. I know we live in a totally different world now, well.... do we! Or is it that the frightening cases are streamed into our homes daily ! I have never had to travel anywhere on my own as a child so I have nothing to compare it with and i guess its just me ..... but still it makes me fearful !!!!!

Thank you so much for taking the time to send me replies, puts my mind in a different place.....

X

Let us know how it goes Serendipity.

Will do Daisy.

Thank you.

Here is a mathematical question for you. Please answer in CAPITAL LETTERS and say the answer out loud.

Is ninety nine point nine nine nine equal to one hundred?

depends on the circumstances.

welbeck

the parents know her best.
it's their call.

Is it?

Or are there laws about this?

I think 13 is OK. Some train companies do not allow those under 12 to travel unaccompanied.

At thirteen my son was a seasoned traveller on trains and planes to and from school. At least train carriages now are open seating and not compartments, but I have to say that ten hours is a hell of a long time for a child to be on a train alone. I suppose it depends on the child. As others have said, if she must travel and you can afford to, buy her a first class ticket.

vegansrock

I’m surprised that so many say no. if she can go on a bus or train to school alone then I don’t see a problem. it’s just a longer more boring journey. My youngest DS went on trains alone to central London twice a week from the age of 11.

It's not just though.

The just version would be going back and forth twenty to forty times or however many times on the local journey for ten hours, never very far from home.

Could a parent accompany her, stay overnight, then travel back the next day?

Cabbie21 wrote What a brilliant idea to take a full length and portrait photo before they set off!

Please state exactly why that is a brilliant idea!

That might crystallise why the answer is NO.

Bluebelle wrote I think those giving horror stories are not being at all helpful

I consider it better to hear the horror stories before doing it and then not do it than be on television recounting a horror story and sit there mournfully advising other parents how to look after their own children.

Serendipity22

Just that really.

My own thoughts on it are an outright NO.

Thank you

Could she do the journey by plane?
Could someone take her to the airport an meet her at the other end, no changes involved and it would be quicker.
It would probably be no more expensive either.

That being said, DH used to travel from Devon to London, change trains and on to boarding school from the age of 8. A 12 year old girl was supposed to look after him but, having pointed him in the right direction the first time, she ignored him thereafter.
That was many years ago, of course.

I agree with those who say that we have to begin teaching independence, and so the reply may depend on the child's previous experience rather than age.

If she has never travelled alone, rarely gone on a train etc,. then she needs some experience and preparation. I made sure that all of our kids got such experience. For instance, on an outing, a child would pay for their own ticket, sit alone etc. knowing that the rest of us were on the bus / train if needed.
They began with short journeys where someone would meet them. I recently saw my 10 year old GC on to a bus, then went to meet him off, just for the experience.

I think that learning to be independent, watch out for yourself and so on, are important skills. Young people are more likely to run into trouble if they don't know how to handle themselves, or spot trouble and know how to avoid it.

The parents may know her best,but they no nothing about those scumbags out there waiting for an opportunity to pounce.

I'm sure they do.

As Nannarose says:
I think that learning to be independent, watch out for yourself and so on, are important skills. Young people are more likely to run into trouble if they don't know how to handle themselves, or spot trouble and know how to avoid it.

It amazes me that primary school pupils are not allowed out of school without being met by a designated adult yet six weeks later they may be negotiating a journey to senior school on public transport involving a change of bus/train and a walk each end.

Children are in more danger sitting in a car than sitting on a train yet as far as I know we don't suggest children shouldn't travel in cars. Giving children responsibility is empowering for them, suggesting the world is a bad place with people waiting to pounce on them will just make them anxious. I've always taken the view that my job as a parent is to help my children become confident independent people who are able to rely on their own resources if needed and you don't do that by wrapping them up in cotton wool.

My grandchildren 14 & 16 used to do 4hr train journey to visit. We would meet them at a London station. Having said that I have just travelled Penzance to Paddington direct, but had to change 3 times for various train problems.