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

At 13 my dd2 and a same age school friend did a day trip to Calais on their own. Train to central London, across London, train to Dover, ferry - and back again.
But I don’t mind admitting that the other mum and I said OK only after much angst-y dithering, and were in a tizz until they were safely back.

This was ages ago though - I wouldn’t allow it now - Calais is not what it was.

Like others on here, I used to travel alone from (Worcester to Paignton or Torquay and back) from the age of 11. However, I am now 78 - do the maths. I was “ put in the care of the guard”, often taken to watch how the mail was dealt with and spoiled rotten.

It would never be allowed now, even if there were sill a guard on the train.

If you have been shown how to handle a train journey, how to look for announcement boards, who to ask for help, then you are better able to cope. I am talking generally here, not specifically to this situation.

Recently, taking my GCs swimming, I found a young woman standing in the corridor just outside the women's changing rooms in tears. This is the 'public area', she was in her bikini. She was I guess about 13, taller than me.
I asked her what the problem was and she said she was lost. I asked where she wanted to be and she said 'the pool' which is accessed through the changing rooms. I asked if someone would be there and she said 'my dad, I've never been swimming without my mum before'.
She had obviously not been taught how to ask for directions / help. Her response to a problem was to cry - making her vulnerable (OK not here so much, but another situation possibly).
Of course, I saw her through, and she appeared 'normal' (I mean, not special needs). I didn't labour the point to her dad as the GCs needed seeing to.

Again, I make a general point.

Two of my GD (now 14 and 15) travel on the train on their own to visit relatives. But only on straightforward through trains that depart and arrive in daylight hours, so far. They are put on the train in a reserved seat, shown the toilets and any available buffet and the guard (when available). They take a list of stations they will go through and a fully charged mobile phone. Every hour they phone a parent and tell them what the last station was they went through. When they get to the stop before their destination the parent phones the person who is meeting them to confirm arrival time and which carriage their seat is in (ie front of back of train). They are also told to ask for help with their luggage if needed, as trains may not stop long in station, and bag may be too heavy. So far no nasty surprises and the girls enjoy the train rides and the independence. But even when they first went they were aware of always asking for help if they were worried by anything.

Wow these posts are so interesting.

Thank you all

My just 16 year old ( I know it’s a different age) has just flown a short European flight and found her way from the airport to the station got the correct train for a 4 hour train ride with one change had an hours delay and I met her at this end We were in touch along the way
Most childreb are much more savvy that we believe

Reading these stories reminds me how stressed I get travelling alone now!
I think it is the alone which is the worry
2 of them can cope but unless very mature I wouldn't feel happy about a 13 yr old on their own
I recently left my overnight bag on the train when I changed trains. And that train from Grantham to Edinburgh pre Christmas was the stuff of nightmares. It was so crowded, I never found my reserved seat and had to stand for the first 2 hours. The train stopped outside Darlington for 2 hours. We were issued with vouchers afterwards as an apology but I haven't been on a train since.

www.holidayextras.com/travel-insurance/children/can-a-child-travel-alone-on-a-train.html

According to this link, British rail will accept a thirteen year old travelling alone.

If the girl is sensible, knows what to do if anyone behaves inappropriately towards her, and has made the journey with an adult before, she should manage all right, unless she is scared at the prospect.

grandtanteJE65

www.holidayextras.com/travel-insurance/children/can-a-child-travel-alone-on-a-train.html

According to this link, British rail will accept a thirteen year old travelling alone.

If the girl is sensible, knows what to do if anyone behaves inappropriately towards her, and has made the journey with an adult before, she should manage all right, unless she is scared at the prospect.

I read from 12 on your link.
This may be useful;
www.btp.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/btp/railway-crime/young-people-travelling-alone/

When my younger daughter used to travel to her grandparents on the South Coast from the Midlands _ it may have been this same train as it went up to Sheffield for certain _ I made sure she had the number of the transport police. My older daughter had the number too... but written down... no phone in her day. I expect they were 12 / 13 ish. But no changes and not quite such a long journey. Maybe 5 or 6 hours.

Just remembered that my husband hitch-hiked round Europe at 15. He met a friend somewhere... don't remember where but they went off separately after a few days together.
I think, when people say "it's a different world now" it's probably true - but not necessarily in the way we imagine!

NotSpaghetti

Just remembered that my husband hitch-hiked round Europe at 15. He met a friend somewhere... don't remember where but they went off separately after a few days together.
I think, when people say "it's a different world now" it's probably true - but not necessarily in the way we imagine!

At 15 my dh and a friend of the same age cycled on their own from SW London to Dorset, where they camped - on their own - for a week. And cycled back again.

And at 11, when his mother was removing from a major op, he was also sent - by train on his own - to an elderly relative in Bude, where he went to the beach, on his own, every day for a fortnight. They knew he was an excellent swimmer, but even so….
A different world indeed.