Ticket To No Where by Richard Otter




Ticket to No Where
by Richard Otter, version 1.1 (5th in the InsideADRIFT Summer MiniComp 2004)
(type details for more info)
In the race of life you never seem to even get on the starting blocks.
Once again you have slept through your alarm clock, missed your shower, didn't have time for breakfast, couldn't get the car to start, missed the only bus and failed to get a taxi.
You have probably the most important meeting of your life today with John Tailer of Broke Brothers. John is considering buying his pencils and other stationary from Super Stationary rather than your company. Broke Brothers are your last big customer so you desperately need to get to his office at Grantby by 4.00pm.
You now only have one option left and that is to use the train, so you run to the railway station.
You now find yourself (out of breath and sweating badly) at Coltby Railway Station. Coltby has just been voted the winner in the all time worst top 100 railway stations poll. It has actually won this award three years running.
Guess what? you have missed the train to Grantby.
The objective ? you must meet with John Tailer today by 4.00pm.
Press ENTER to continue

Front of Station
You are at the front of Coltby Railway Station. All the stations that belonged to this company where built of local stone in a sort of mock Georgian style. Now many years later and after decades of neglect and vandalism it looks a very sad place. You can see many spaces for waiting taxi's (all empty) and the main entrance to the station. Against one wall you can see one of those wire frame rubbish bins. To the north you can see the station entrance.

> x bin
You can see a wire rubbish (trash) basket and unusually for Coltby it is not overflowing with rubbish. Some of the wires are sticking out. A colesworth timetable is inside the rubbish bin.
(for your information you now have 6.5 game hours to finish this adventure. The time is now 9:31.)

> get wire
You pull a piece of wire from the rubbish bin.

> n
You move north.
Ticket Hall
You are in the grimy ticket hall. The floor is stained with decades of footprints and the walls look like they haven't seen a coat of paint for a long time. You can see a counter behind which is a man (selling tickets probably). You can also see a set of double doors with glass panels. The Ticket Seller is looking at you expectantly. A cat is silently wandering around. You appear to be able to move north, south and west. A cat strolls out to the west.

> x counter
You look carefully at the battered old counter. From the look of it the counter has been in the building some years. A leaflet is on the counter.

> read leaflet
The leaflet goes into a lot of detail on how great Super Stationary is and how bad the opposition is. Someone has written a phone number on the back of the leaflet - 768555 A cat strolls in from the west.
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.
The whole station seems to be shaking as a freight train rumbles through. The shaking feels like it is never going to stop.

> i
You are wearing your suit and a wristwatch, and you are carrying your wallet, a stationary catalogue and a piece of wire. A scrap of paper and your business card are inside your wallet.
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.

> read scrap of paper
The scrap of paper reads
"John Tailer of Broke Brothers, Tel: 767123"
"Meeting today at Grantby, 4.00pm"
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.

> read card
Your business card reads -
Colin Thompson,
Rapid Stationary Ltd,
Coltby
Tel: 798654

You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.

> w
You move west.
Cafe
It is probably the first time you have been in this cafe (and it will be the last). You have the feeling that a visit from the local heath inspector is long overdue. A counter is before you on which you can see an old tea urn, a display unit and the till. The other extensive facilities consist of one table and one chair. On one wall you can see a small notice board. The door out of the cafe is east.

> x counter
The small counter is in keeping with this room, shabby, neglected and dirty.
A train thunders through the station and it doesn't sound like it is going to stop.

> open urn
You open the tea urn. A pipe is inside the tea urn.

> get pipe
You take the pipe from the tea urn.

> open till
You open the till. An iou is inside the till.

> get iou
You take the iou from the till.

> open unit
You open the display unit. A stale donut is inside the display unit.

> get donut
You take the stale donut from the display unit.

> look under table
You look under the table and find something.

> get rattle
You take the baby's rattle.

> e
You move east.
Ticket Hall
You are in the grimy ticket hall. The floor is stained with decades of footprints and the walls look like they haven't seen a coat of paint for a long time. You can see a counter behind which is a man (selling tickets probably). You can also see a set of double doors with glass panels. The Ticket Seller is looking at you expectantly. You appear to be able to move north, south and west.

> n
You move north.
Platform 1
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. Attached to the wall you can see a large clock and next to it is a poster. You can also see a set of double doors with glass panels. The Porter is here leaning against the wall. A drunk is sleeping off a heavy night on a bench. A cat is silently wandering around. You appear to be able to move east, south and northwest.
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.

> e
You move east.
Waiting Room
Hoping for something different to the rest of the station you are disappointed. You now find yourself in the Waiting Room which is drab, dirty and a very depressing room. Just the place to wait for trains at Coltby. You can also see a magazine and a vending machine. Mrs Peters is waiting for a train. The door out of the room is west.
The very smart lady says "Hello my name is Mrs Peters."

> x mrs peters
You can see Mrs Peters who is a smartly dressed woman. Mrs Peters has a small baby in her arms.

> give rattle to mrs peters
You hand the rattle over to Mrs Peters. "Oh my! I didn't realise that I'd dropped it."
The whole station seems to be shaking as a freight train rumbles through. The shaking feels like it is never going to stop.

> x vending machine
It's a vending machine selling chocolate. The label on the machine states that it is supplied and operated by "Mega Vending". You can see a slot which has £1 next to it. The vending machine is supported by four legs and stands slightly away from the wall. A bar of chocolate is inside the vending machine.

> x slot
You can see a pound coin stuck in the slot. You will need to get it out before you can use the vending machine. Something to poke it out would help.

> poke pound with wire
You poke at the pound coin in the slot and it comes loose. You pocket the coin.

> insert pound
I have no idea what you mean!

> insert pound in slot
You insert a pound in the vending machine and a bar of chocolate drops out.

> get chocolate
You take the bar of chocolate.
A train thunders through the station and it doesn't sound like it is going to stop.

> w
You move west.
Platform 1
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. Attached to the wall you can see a large clock and next to it is a poster. You can also see a set of double doors with glass panels. The Porter is here leaning against the wall. A drunk is sleeping off a heavy night on a bench. You appear to be able to move east, south and northwest.

> nw
You move northwest.
Bridge
You are on the covered footbridge over the train lines. At either end of the bridge is metal staircase which is open to the elements. The bridge itself has a metal floor and sides which reaches to nearly shoulder height. A metal grill then fills the gap up to the roof. From here you can see both platforms. A Trainspotter dressed in wet weather gear is watching you. You appear to be able to move northeast and southeast.

> ne
You move northeast.
Platform 2
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. To the west you can see the door to the toilets. You can see a large poster with a picture of a policeman on it. You can also see a payphone. A large pigeon is watching you from the canopy over the platform. You can see a young girl wandering around looking very lost. You appear to be able to move north, east and southwest.
The young girl says "donningby train?"
The pigeon on the canopy of platform 2 flaps its wings and does its business. You end up with bird mess on your suit.

> e
You move east.
Private
The warm and cosy Station Master's office is a pleasant surprise from the rest of the station. It even has wallpaper and a carpet. The room has a fireplace but it is a long time since it held a fire. The fireplace contains a nice vase of flowers. You can also see a desk and a telephone. The Station Master is standing to one side. A bearded chap is pacing up and down. The door out of the room is west.
As you enter the room someone is making a complaint to the Station Master.
"I had my wallet when I entered the Station and now its gone." says a bushy bearded man.
The Station Master replies "perhaps you have dropped it somewhere? I'll get the staff to look if you like."
The bearded man looking rather cross says "No I haven't dropped it. It was in my buttoned up pocket. Someone has stolen it!"
The Station Master trying to calm the man says "I'm sure it will turn up."
Beardy turns and leaves, just as he goes out the door he says sharply "this is a waste of time, I'll call the police myself."

> give pipe to station master
You hand the pipe to the Station Master explaining how you found it. He says "thanks, I bet I know who hid it!" He leaves the room. He could return at any moment so you want anything you had better be quick.

> get notepad
You take the notepad. A young girl wanders in from the west.
The young girl says "next train going to donningby?"

> get note
You take the note.

> get pen
You take the pen.

> get flowers
You pickup the vase of flowers.
A train arrives at Platform 2. You just manage to catch the name Bayswater on the announcement.
It sounds like a train is at platform 2.

> drop flowers
You drop the vase of flowers. The plastic vase shatters into lots of pieces.
The young girl says "donningby?"
The Station Master enters the room.
It sounds like a train is at platform 2.

> get flowers
You pickup the flowers.
It sounds like a train is at platform 2.

> w
You move west.
Platform 2
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. To the west you can see the door to the toilets. You can see a large poster with a picture of a policeman on it. You can also see a payphone. The Porter is here leaning against the wall. A large pigeon is watching you from the canopy over the platform. You appear to be able to move north, east and southwest.
You can see that the Bayswater train is at platform 2.
The porter is looking at you shoulder. "I can see the pigeons aim is getting better."

> x payphone
It is a yellow payphone. You lift the receiver and it actually seems to be working. On the phone is a small yellow sticker.
You can see that the Bayswater train is at platform 2.

> read sticker
The sticker reads Need to know when the next train is? then call Train Timeline on 858585 A young girl wanders in from the east.
The young girl says "donningby?"
You can see that the Bayswater train is at platform 2.
The pigeon on the canopy of platform 2 flaps its wings and does its business. You end up with bird mess on your suit.

> call 768555
You pick up the handset, insert a pound and dial the number.
"Hello is that you Bill? thanks for the wallet today. Now if you can get any more credit cards I can get a good price for them."
"Wallet, Credit Cards? Bill? would that be the Super Stationary salesman" you think. What has Bill Peters been up to?


You can see that the Bayswater train is at platform 2.

> call 767123
You pick up the handset, insert a pound and dial the number. "Hello, this is Mr Tailer's PA. I'm sorry but he is out of the office until 4.00pm today at a meeting in Colesworth." The PA hangs up. So John Tailer is not at Grantby. Now should you go to him or will he pass through this station?
"I could ask someone about trains 'passing through'" you think.
You can see that the Bayswater train is at platform 2.
You can hear a beeping sound. The automatic doors on the train must be closing.

> sw
You move southwest.
Bridge
You are on the covered footbridge over the train lines. At either end of the bridge is metal staircase which is open to the elements. The bridge itself has a metal floor and sides which reaches to nearly shoulder height. A metal grill then fills the gap up to the roof. From here you can see both platforms. A Trainspotter dressed in wet weather gear is watching you. You appear to be able to move northeast and southeast.
You can see that the Bayswater train is at platform 2.
The Trainspotter turns to face you and asks "what's that mess on your shoulder?"
The Trainspotters says "If you would like to look at my notes I will be happy to show you."

> ask trainspotter about passing through
"Yes, lots of trains pass through. For example the train from Colesworth passes through here at around 3.30pm, but it doesn't stop."
You think to yourself "so a train from Colesworth passes through here does it. John Tailer must be on that one for our meeting at 4.00pm. How do I stop the train? I wondered if the trainspotter knows about stopping trains?" A cat strolls in from the south-east.
You can see that the Bayswater train is at platform 2.
You hear someone blowing a whistle and the train on platform 2 pulls out of the station. The trainspotter writes something in a notebook.
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.

> ask trainspotter about stopping train
"once you get a note with the right station on it, give it to the Station Master."
A train thunders through the station and it doesn't sound like it is going to stop. The trainspotter writes something in a notebook.
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.

> se
You move southeast.
Platform 1
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. Attached to the wall you can see a large clock and next to it is a poster. You can also see a set of double doors with glass panels. The Porter is here leaning against the wall. A drunk is sleeping off a heavy night on a bench. You appear to be able to move east, south and northwest. A cat strolls in from the north-west.
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.
It has started to rain very heavily. You realise that this place looks a lot worse in the wet. It is still raining very hard.

> s
You move south.
Ticket Hall
You are in the grimy ticket hall. The floor is stained with decades of footprints and the walls look like they haven't seen a coat of paint for a long time. You can see a counter behind which is a man (selling tickets probably). You can also see a set of double doors with glass panels. The Ticket Seller is looking at you expectantly. It is still raining very hard. You appear to be able to move north, south and west.

> s
You move south.
Front of Station
You are at the front of Coltby Railway Station. All the stations that belonged to this company where built of local stone in a sort of mock Georgian style. Now many years later and after decades of neglect and vandalism it looks a very sad place. You can see many spaces for waiting taxi's (all empty) and the main entrance to the station. Against one wall you can see one of those wire frame rubbish bins. You can also see a crumbled newspaper. A bearded chap is pacing up and down. It is still raining very hard. To the north you can see the station entrance.

> get newspaper
You take the crumbled newspaper.

> give catalog to bearded chap
You hand your companies catalogue to the Bearded Man. "Thanks, this could be useful."

> give card to bearded chap
You hand your business card to the Bearded Man. "Thanks, I'll be in touch." For the first time today you feel a little happier.

> s
To the north you can see the station entrance.

> drop newspaper in bin
You put the crumbled newspaper inside the rubbish bin.

> n
You move north.
Ticket Hall
You are in the grimy ticket hall. The floor is stained with decades of footprints and the walls look like they haven't seen a coat of paint for a long time. You can see a counter behind which is a man (selling tickets probably). You can also see a set of double doors with glass panels. The Ticket Seller is looking at you expectantly. It is still raining very hard. You appear to be able to move north, south and west.

> w
You move west.
Cafe
It is probably the first time you have been in this cafe (and it will be the last). You have the feeling that a visit from the local heath inspector is long overdue. A counter is before you on which you can see an old tea urn, a display unit and the till. The other extensive facilities consist of one table and one chair. On one wall you can see a small notice board. It is still raining very hard. The door out of the cafe is east.

> bored
Time seems to fly.......
You look at your wristwatch and see that the time is 11:00.
(pity you can't do this in real life - if you use the railways you know what I mean.)
(You now have 5 hours left to finish the game. The time is now 11:00.)

The station sound system bursts into life and you hear some crackling and whistling. You then hear Draycot followed by something like "running approximately 15 minutes late."

> z
Time passes...

The whole station seems to be shaking as a freight train rumbles through. The shaking feels like it is never going to stop.

> z
Time passes...

> z
Time passes...

A train thunders through the station and it doesn't sound like it is going to stop.

> z
Time passes...

You are starting to feel very cold from all the rain.

> z
Time passes...
A train arrives at Platform 2. You just manage to catch the name Draycot on the announcement.
It is still raining very hard. You really wish the rain would stop.
It sounds like a train is at platform 2.
It sounds like a train is at platform 2.

> z
Time passes...
The rain finally seems to be stopping.
It sounds like a train is at platform 2.
It sounds like a train is at platform 2.
It sounds like a train is at platform 2.

> z
Time passes...

It sounds like a train is at platform 2.
It sounds like a train is at platform 2.
It sounds like a train is at platform 2.

> z
Time passes...

It sounds like a train is at platform 2.
You hear someone blowing a whistle and the train on platform 2 pulls out of the station.

> z
Time passes...

A train thunders through the station and it doesn't sound like it is going to stop.

> z
Time passes...

> z
Time passes...

> z
Time passes...

> z
Time passes...

The whole station seems to be shaking as a freight train rumbles through. The shaking feels like it is never going to stop.

> z
Time passes...

A train thunders through the station and it doesn't sound like it is going to stop.

> z
Time passes...

> get bag
You take the bag of shopping.

> x bag
It is one of those plastic bags given out by Supermarkets. Inside the bag of shopping is a pair of tights, a tin of pet food, a can of deodorant and a pair of gloves.

> e
You move east.
Ticket Hall
You are in the grimy ticket hall. The floor is stained with decades of footprints and the walls look like they haven't seen a coat of paint for a long time. You can see a counter behind which is a man (selling tickets probably). The floor is wet in here; the rain must have been blown in. You can also see a banana skin and a set of double doors with glass panels. The Ticket Seller is looking at you expectantly. You appear to be able to move north, south and west.
The whole station seems to be shaking as a freight train rumbles through. The shaking feels like it is never going to stop.

> get banana skin
You take the banana skin.

> s
You move south.
Front of Station
You are at the front of Coltby Railway Station. All the stations that belonged to this company where built of local stone in a sort of mock Georgian style. Now many years later and after decades of neglect and vandalism it looks a very sad place. You can see many spaces for waiting taxi's (all empty) and the main entrance to the station. You can see several large puddles from all the rain. Against one wall you can see one of those wire frame rubbish bins. A bearded chap is pacing up and down. To the north you can see the station entrance.
Your right foot feels a little damp. You guess that your shoe must be leaking.

> put banana skin in bin
You put the banana skin inside the rubbish bin.

> n
You move north.
Ticket Hall
You are in the grimy ticket hall. The floor is stained with decades of footprints and the walls look like they haven't seen a coat of paint for a long time. You can see a counter behind which is a man (selling tickets probably). The floor is wet in here; the rain must have been blown in. You can also see a set of double doors with glass panels. The Ticket Seller is looking at you expectantly. You appear to be able to move north, south and west.

> n
You move north.
Wet Platform 1
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. Attached to the wall you can see a large clock and next to it is a poster. The platform is now very slippery from all the rain. You can also see a set of double doors with glass panels. The Porter is here leaning against the wall. A drunk is sleeping off a heavy night on a bench. You can see a young girl wandering around looking very lost. You appear to be able to move east, south and northwest.
The young girl says "next train going to donningby?"
A train thunders through the station and it doesn't sound like it is going to stop.

> nw
You move northwest.
Bridge
You are on the covered footbridge over the train lines. At either end of the bridge is metal staircase which is open to the elements. The bridge itself has a metal floor and sides which reaches to nearly shoulder height. A metal grill then fills the gap up to the roof. From here you can see both platforms. A cat is silently wandering around. A Trainspotter dressed in wet weather gear is watching you. You appear to be able to move northeast and southeast. A cat strolls out to the south-east.

> get tights
You take the pair of tights from the bag of shopping.

> give tights to trainspotter
You hand the tights to the Trainspotter. His little eyes light up. A young girl wanders in from the south-east.
The young girl says "need train."

> ask trainspotter about young girl
"Yes, I've seen her. I think she is German. Pity my brother is not here as he speaks perfect German. I think she said she is going to Donningby which is a change at Grantby."

> ask trainspotter about german
"Yes, I think the lost girl is German, I'm pretty sure. Pity my brother is not here as he speaks perfect German. If she is going to Donningby she needs to change at Grantby. I think the German for station is Bahnhof and umsteigen means to change. "
"Ah! so I need to say something like Donningby bahnhof umsteigen Grantby" you think. A cat strolls in from the south-east.
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.

> give flowers to young girl
You hand the flowers to the young girl. Even though they are only plastic she seems quite pleased.
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.
(Not wanting remind you but you have 4 hours remaining. The time is now 12:00.)

> say donningby bahnhof umsteigen grantby to young girl
The girl replies "vielen dank!" The girl heads for Platform 2.
Hurrah! you actually spoke to the girl and she understood you. What a day this is turning out to be. A cat strolls out to the south-east.
The station sound system bursts into life and you hear some crackling and whistling. You then hear Colesworth followed by something like "running approximately 5 minutes late."
The Trainspotters says "I could invite you to the next meeting of the local Trainspotter's club."

> ne
You move northeast.
Wet Platform 2
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. To the west you can see the door to the toilets. The platform is now very slippery from all the rain. You can see a large poster with a picture of a policeman on it. You can also see a payphone. A large pigeon is watching you from the canopy over the platform. You appear to be able to move north, east and southwest.

> throw donut at pigeon

You throw the stale donut at the pigeon. The donut flies through the air and connects with the pigeon on the back of its head. The pigeon is obviously shocked by this turn of events and just flies off.

> e
You move east.
Private
The warm and cosy Station Master's office is a pleasant surprise from the rest of the station. It even has wallpaper and a carpet. The room has a fireplace but it is a long time since it held a fire. You can also see a desk and a telephone. The Station Master is standing to one side. The door out of the room is west.
The whole station seems to be shaking as a freight train rumbles through. The shaking feels like it is never going to stop.

> give iou to station master
You hand the IOU to the Station Master explaining how you found it. He says "thanks, I will have a word with the Porter about this." He leaves the room. He could return at any moment so you want anything you had better be quick.
A train arrives at Platform 1. You just manage to catch the name Colesworth on the announcement.
It sounds like a train is at platform 1.

> z
Time passes...

It sounds like a train is at platform 1.
It sounds like a train is at platform 1.
It sounds like a train is at platform 1.

> z
Time passes...

It sounds like a train is at platform 1.
The Station Master enters the room.
It sounds like a train is at platform 1.
You hear someone blowing a whistle and the train on platform 1 pulls out of the station.

> bored
Time seems to fly.......
You look at your wristwatch and see that the time is 13:00.
(pity you can't do this in real life - if you use the railways you know what I mean.)
(Not wanting to add any pressure at this stage in the game but you have 3 hours remaining. The time is now 13:00.)

A train thunders through the station and it doesn't sound like it is going to stop.
The station sound system bursts into life and you hear some crackling and whistling. You then hear Bakeswell followed by something like "running approximately 15 minutes late."

> w
You move west.
Wet Platform 2
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. To the west you can see the door to the toilets. The platform is now very slippery from all the rain. You can see a large poster with a picture of a policeman on it. You can also see a payphone. You appear to be able to move north, east and southwest.

> sw
You move southwest.
Bridge
You are on the covered footbridge over the train lines. At either end of the bridge is metal staircase which is open to the elements. The bridge itself has a metal floor and sides which reaches to nearly shoulder height. A metal grill then fills the gap up to the roof. From here you can see both platforms. A Trainspotter dressed in wet weather gear is watching you. You appear to be able to move northeast and southeast.

> se
You move southeast.
Wet Platform 1
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. Attached to the wall you can see a large clock and next to it is a poster. The platform is now very slippery from all the rain. You can also see an apple core and a set of double doors with glass panels. The Porter is here leaning against the wall. A drunk is sleeping off a heavy night on a bench. You appear to be able to move east, south and northwest. A cat strolls in from the east.
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.

> e
You move east.
Waiting Room
Hoping for something different to the rest of the station you are disappointed. You now find yourself in the Waiting Room which is drab, dirty and a very depressing room. Just the place to wait for trains at Coltby. You can also see a vending machine. Mrs Peters is waiting for a train. The door out of the room is west.

> z
Time passes...
A cat strolls in from the west.
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.

> z
Time passes...
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.

> z
Time passes...
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.
The whole station seems to be shaking as a freight train rumbles through. The shaking feels like it is never going to stop.
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.

> z
Time passes...
A train arrives at Platform 2. You just manage to catch the name Bakeswell on the announcement.
You can hear a small bell tinkling which sounds just like one of those bells worn by a cat.
The Business man hears the cat and turns sharply and starts shouting at it. "GO AWAY! CLEAR OFF! GET LOST! MOVE!"
The business man says "Hello, I thought I saw a cat behind you. Please tell me it wasn't a cat. It's not that I don't like cats you understand. But please tell me it wasn't a cat."
"He must have a thing about cats." you think
It sounds like a train is at platform 2. A cat strolls out to the west.
It sounds like a train is at platform 2.
It sounds like a train is at platform 2.

> open pet food
You open the tin of cat food. You are greeted with a terrible smell of old tuna and rotting socks. The cat seems to be following you.
The Business man hears the cat and turns sharply and starts shouting at it. "GO AWAY! CLEAR OFF! GET LOST! MOVE!"
It sounds like a train is at platform 2.

> get bell
You take the bell from the cat. The cat seems to be following you.
It sounds like a train is at platform 2.

> put food in pocket
You carefully put the cat food in the Business Man's pocket. The cat jumps up at the pocket and the man nearly jumps out of his skin.
He starts shouting "HELP! GET THIS CAT OFF ME! HELP!"
As he is leaping about something falls out of his other pocket.
He shouts at you "you damn fool! you are just like that bearded idiot I took the wallet from this morning, stupid!"
You have just noticed that the Station Master has quietly entered. He has seen and heard the whole thing.
The Station Master says "Mr Peters I think we better go to my office to discuss this."
He leaves with Mr Peters and the cat follows.
It sounds like a train is at platform 2.

> get all
You take the credit card.
It sounds like a train is at platform 2.

> x credit card
It the credit card of John Tailer. It has writing on it.
You hear someone blowing a whistle and the train on platform 2 pulls out of the station.

> w
You move west.
Wet Platform 1
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. Attached to the wall you can see a large clock and next to it is a poster. The platform is now very slippery from all the rain. You can also see an apple core and a set of double doors with glass panels. The Porter is here leaning against the wall. A drunk is sleeping off a heavy night on a bench. You appear to be able to move east, south and northwest.
A train thunders through the station and it doesn't sound like it is going to stop.
The Porters is shouting across the station to the Station Master.
"Bill Peters is back. He is in the Waiting Room if you want him." The Station Master waves an acknowledge and goes back into his office.
The Porter mutters something under his breath.
The porter says "if you see the Station Master before I do can you tell him a parcel has been delivered. I put it in Left Luggage."

> nw
You move northwest.
Bridge
You are on the covered footbridge over the train lines. At either end of the bridge is metal staircase which is open to the elements. The bridge itself has a metal floor and sides which reaches to nearly shoulder height. A metal grill then fills the gap up to the roof. From here you can see both platforms. A Trainspotter dressed in wet weather gear is watching you. You appear to be able to move northeast and southeast.

> ne
You move northeast.
Wet Platform 2
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. To the west you can see the door to the toilets. The platform is now very slippery from all the rain. You can see a large poster with a picture of a policeman on it. You can also see a payphone. You appear to be able to move north, east and southwest.

> n
You move north.
Left Luggage
Although the whole station has seen better days, this room certainly can't have seen any worse. The paint is peeling from the brick walls, the ceiling looks like it leaks and floorboards look rotten. Still a good place to store left luggage. You can see a green box on one wall with the words First Aid on it. Near the first aid box you can see a light switch. You can also see a suitcase, a sweeping brush, a bucket, a parcel and a manual. The door out of the left luggage room is south.

> get parcel
You take the parcel.

> open parcel
You open the parcel. A pencil and a delivery receipt are inside the parcel.

> get pencil
You take the pencil from the parcel.

> snap pencil
You look around to make sure no one is looking and then break the pencil in half. A little childish but you feel a lot better. "Anyway" you think "it should be harder to snap pencils."

> drop pencil in parcel
You put the pencil (broken) inside the parcel.

> close parcel
You close the parcel.

> s
You move south.
Wet Platform 2
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. To the west you can see the door to the toilets. The platform is now very slippery from all the rain. You can see a large poster with a picture of a policeman on it. You can also see a payphone. You appear to be able to move north, east and southwest.
The whole station seems to be shaking as a freight train rumbles through. The shaking feels like it is never going to stop.

> e
You move east.
Private
The warm and cosy Station Master's office is a pleasant surprise from the rest of the station. It even has wallpaper and a carpet. The room has a fireplace but it is a long time since it held a fire. You can also see a desk and a telephone. The Station Master is standing to one side. The door out of the room is west.

> give parcel to station master
You hand the parcel to the Station Master who says "thanks, I've been waiting for this." He opens the box and looks at the delivery note. He doesn't look pleased. He then sees the pencil. His face goes a lovely red colour.

> w
You move west.
Wet Platform 2
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. To the west you can see the door to the toilets. The platform is now very slippery from all the rain. You can see a large poster with a picture of a policeman on it. You can also see a payphone. You appear to be able to move north, east and southwest.

> sw
You move southwest.
Bridge
You are on the covered footbridge over the train lines. At either end of the bridge is metal staircase which is open to the elements. The bridge itself has a metal floor and sides which reaches to nearly shoulder height. A metal grill then fills the gap up to the roof. From here you can see both platforms. A Trainspotter dressed in wet weather gear is watching you. You appear to be able to move northeast and southeast.

> se
You move southeast.
Wet Platform 1
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. Attached to the wall you can see a large clock and next to it is a poster. The platform is now very slippery from all the rain. You can also see an apple core and a set of double doors with glass panels. The Porter is here leaning against the wall. A drunk is sleeping off a heavy night on a bench. You appear to be able to move east, south and northwest.
A train thunders through the station and it doesn't sound like it is going to stop.

> bored
Time seems to fly.......
You look at your wristwatch and see that the time is 14:00.
(pity you can't do this in real life - if you use the railways you know what I mean.)
(Well you now have just 2 hours remaining. The time is now 14:00.)

The station sound system bursts into life and you hear some crackling and whistling. You then hear Coldon followed by something like "running approximately 10 minutes late."

> z
Time passes...

> z
Time passes...

> z
Time passes...

> z
Time passes...
A train arrives at Platform 2. You just manage to catch the name Coldon on the announcement. You are nearly knocked over by the crowd that gets off a train.
The Business Woman asks "The cafe seems to be shut. Do you know of anywhere to eat I missed breakfast?"
You can see that the Coldon train is at platform 2.

> give chocolate to business woman
You hand the bar of chocolate to the Tall Woman.
She appears to go all weak at the knees.
Throwing her coat to you saying "hold this for me please" she grabs the chocolate bar.
I guess she was hungry.
You can see that the Coldon train is at platform 2.

> cover drunk with coat
You cover the drunk with the coat. The drunk drops something onto the platform.
You can see that the Coldon train is at platform 2.

> get all
You take the bottle and the apple core.
You can see that the Coldon train is at platform 2.

> use bottle on note

You use Wonder White on the note and careful cover the word Draycot. It is now ready to 'write something on the note'.
You can see that the Coldon train is at platform 2.

> write colesworth on note
You write the name 'Colesworth' on the note.
You can see that the Coldon train is at platform 2.
You can hear a beeping sound. The automatic doors on the train must be closing.

> nw
You move northwest.
Bridge
You are on the covered footbridge over the train lines. At either end of the bridge is metal staircase which is open to the elements. The bridge itself has a metal floor and sides which reaches to nearly shoulder height. A metal grill then fills the gap up to the roof. From here you can see both platforms. A Trainspotter dressed in wet weather gear is watching you. You appear to be able to move northeast and southeast.
You can see that the Coldon train is at platform 2.
The Trainspotter has seen the note you are carrying and says "You should really hand that note back to the Station Master."

> ne
You move northeast.
Wet Platform 2
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. To the west you can see the door to the toilets. The platform is now very slippery from all the rain. You can see a large poster with a picture of a policeman on it. You can also see a payphone and a chocolate wrapper. The Porter is here leaning against the wall. You appear to be able to move north, east and southwest.
You can see that the Coldon train is at platform 2.
You hear someone blowing a whistle and the train on platform 2 pulls out of the station.

> e
You move east.
Private
The warm and cosy Station Master's office is a pleasant surprise from the rest of the station. It even has wallpaper and a carpet. The room has a fireplace but it is a long time since it held a fire. You can also see a desk, a telephone and a parcel. The Station Master is standing to one side. The door out of the room is west.
A train thunders through the station and it doesn't sound like it is going to stop.

> give note to station master
You hand the note to the Station Master. "thanks, I thought I'd lost that. I must get it to the Signal Man now."

> give pen to station master
You hand the pen to the Station Master. "I thought I'd lost this. My wife gave it me you know."

> w
You move west.
Wet Platform 2
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. To the west you can see the door to the toilets. The platform is now very slippery from all the rain. You can see a large poster with a picture of a policeman on it. You can also see a payphone and a chocolate wrapper. You appear to be able to move north, east and southwest.

> drop credit card
You drop the credit card.

> get wrapper
You take the chocolate wrapper.

> sw
You move southwest.
Bridge
You are on the covered footbridge over the train lines. At either end of the bridge is metal staircase which is open to the elements. The bridge itself has a metal floor and sides which reaches to nearly shoulder height. A metal grill then fills the gap up to the roof. From here you can see both platforms. A Trainspotter dressed in wet weather gear is watching you. You appear to be able to move northeast and southeast.

> se
You move southeast.
Wet Platform 1
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. Attached to the wall you can see a large clock and next to it is a poster. The platform is now very slippery from all the rain. You can also see a set of double doors with glass panels. The Porter is here leaning against the wall. A drunk is sleeping off a heavy night on a bench. A tall business woman is looking at you. You appear to be able to move east, south and northwest.

> s
You move south.
Ticket Hall
You are in the grimy ticket hall. The floor is stained with decades of footprints and the walls look like they haven't seen a coat of paint for a long time. You can see a counter behind which is a man (selling tickets probably). The floor is wet in here; the rain must have been blown in. You can also see a set of double doors with glass panels. The Ticket Seller is looking at you expectantly. You appear to be able to move north, south and west.

> s
You move south.
Front of Station
You are at the front of Coltby Railway Station. All the stations that belonged to this company where built of local stone in a sort of mock Georgian style. Now many years later and after decades of neglect and vandalism it looks a very sad place. You can see many spaces for waiting taxi's (all empty) and the main entrance to the station. You can see several large puddles from all the rain. Against one wall you can see one of those wire frame rubbish bins. A bearded chap is pacing up and down. To the north you can see the station entrance.

> drop wrapper in bin
You put the chocolate wrapper inside the rubbish bin.

> n
You move north.
Ticket Hall
You are in the grimy ticket hall. The floor is stained with decades of footprints and the walls look like they haven't seen a coat of paint for a long time. You can see a counter behind which is a man (selling tickets probably). The floor is wet in here; the rain must have been blown in. You can also see a set of double doors with glass panels. The Ticket Seller is looking at you expectantly. You appear to be able to move north, south and west.

> n
You move north.
Wet Platform 1
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. Attached to the wall you can see a large clock and next to it is a poster. The platform is now very slippery from all the rain. You can also see a set of double doors with glass panels. The Porter is here leaning against the wall. A drunk is sleeping off a heavy night on a bench. A tall business woman is looking at you. You appear to be able to move east, south and northwest.

> nw
You move northwest.
Bridge
You are on the covered footbridge over the train lines. At either end of the bridge is metal staircase which is open to the elements. The bridge itself has a metal floor and sides which reaches to nearly shoulder height. A metal grill then fills the gap up to the roof. From here you can see both platforms. A Trainspotter dressed in wet weather gear is watching you. You appear to be able to move northeast and southeast.
The whole station seems to be shaking as a freight train rumbles through. The shaking feels like it is never going to stop. The trainspotter writes something in a notebook.

> ne
You move northeast.
Wet Platform 2
You are on the wind swept platform. The platform is covered by a canopy which seems to neither protect from the rain or wind. To the west you can see the door to the toilets. The platform is now very slippery from all the rain. You can see a large poster with a picture of a policeman on it. You can also see a payphone and a credit card. You appear to be able to move north, east and southwest.

> z
Time passes...

> z
Time passes...

A train thunders through the station and it doesn't sound like it is going to stop.

> z
Time passes...

> z
Time passes...

> z
Time passes...
The whole station seems to be shaking as a freight train rumbles through. The shaking feels like it is never going to stop.

> bored
Time seems to fly.......
You look at your wristwatch and see that the time is 15:00.
(pity you can't do this in real life - if you use the railways you know what I mean.)
(You only have 1 hour left to finish. The time is now 15:00.)

The station sound system bursts into life and you hear some crackling and whistling. You then hear Thrumpton followed by something like "running approximately 5 minutes late."

> z
Time passes...

> z
Time passes...

A train thunders through the station and it doesn't sound like it is going to stop.
A train arrives at Platform 1. You just manage to catch the name Thrumpton on the announcement. a handful of people get off the train and leave.

> z
Time passes...

You can see that the Thrumpton train is at platform 2.
You can see that the Thrumpton train is at platform 2.
You can see that the Thrumpton train is at platform 2.
You can hear a beeping sound. The automatic doors on the train must be closing.

> z
Time passes...

You can see that the Thrumpton train is at platform 2.
You can see that the Thrumpton train is at platform 2.
You hear someone blowing a whistle and the train on platform 2 pulls out of the station.

> z
Time passes...

> z
Time passes...

The whole station seems to be shaking as a freight train rumbles through. The shaking feels like it is never going to stop.
Somewhere in the distance you hear the siren of a police car or perhaps a fire engine.

> z
Time passes...

A train thunders through the station and it doesn't sound like it is going to stop.

> z
Time passes...

> z
Time passes...

The whole station seems to be shaking as a freight train rumbles through. The shaking feels like it is never going to stop.

> z
Time passes...

> z
Time passes...

A train thunders through the station and it doesn't sound like it is going to stop.
A train arrives at Platform 2. You just manage to catch something about "unscheduled stop" and "Grantby" on the announcement. Someone you recognise gets off the train.
John Tailer looks over at you and says "Hello Colin!"
(It is now 3.30pm which means you have 30 minutes left.)

You can see that the Thrumpton train is at platform 2.
You can see that the Thrumpton train is at platform 2.

> get credit card
You take the credit card.
You can see that the Thrumpton train is at platform 2.
The porter looks at you and whispers "the Police are here. They say they will arrest anyone with stolen property."

> give credit card to john tailer
You hand the credit card to John Tailer and explain how you found it.
I have a feeling that Super Stationary will not be getting the business now!
You appear to have been fairly tidy during the game and so get a little extra credit.
The Trainspotter loves his nice new tights and thinks they will keep him warm. You helped the lost German girl. You put the Station Master off using Super Stationary. You got rid of that damn pigeon. The baby has its rattle back. You found a possible new customer (the beardy bloke).
Not that bad a day after all.
You won and managed to score 101 out of a possible 110 and ended the game with £48.
Great score!

Ticket to No Where was written by Richard Otter during 2004
e-mail: trouble@rotter.freeserve.co.uk


NOTE: several of the events in this game - the bag of shopping, various other items and, in particular, the location of the young girl - are time-based. The young girl tends to wander around pretty much at random. So if the game plays out slightly differently than the walkthrough above, you might need to persevere to get to the end in one piece.