JUST before Christmas, my daughter said that I could easily travel by train to Fareham, near Portsmouth, to be with them at Christmas.

She assured me that if I obtained a disabled person's railcard, she would phone and make sure that they met me at Reading and enabled me to change trains, as there was not a through-train to Fareham.

I therefore got a railcard and bought a ticket at Shrub Hill station, where they were very pleasant, and put me on the train. I cannot walk with crutches and carry a suitcase.

When I arrived at Reading there was nobody there to meet me. I stood by my carriage with the door open, as I could not get my suitcase off the train and "walk".

Finally, the guard came to ask what was wrong. I explained and he found assistance for me and asked the rain driver for Fareham if he could wait, but the change was complicated so I missed the connection.

I was finally, without the help of a wheelchair, put on a train via Basingstoke. Again I had to change and again I had to seek help.

The train went to Fareham via Winchester. By the time I arrived, I was well over 30 minutes late. By then my daughter had gone home and my son-in-law met me. He rescued my luggage and got me in his car.

My daughter was not pleased by my lack of help as she had been assured that I would get assistance.

Am I alone or have others experienced similar problems?

M H REYNOLDS,

Hylton Road,

Worcester.