I've found that the best way to get the cheapest bargains with tickets is to take yourself to the station ticket office.  For those of us who don't qualify for senior railcards - there are still some great offers but you need to go in person.

For example with Virgin, I got Preston to Euston first class for £39.00 last time I went.  To get that you have to book 2 weeks in advance.  They also have a 5-day offer and a 3-day offer, so if you miss the 2 weeks you can still get a bargain even just 3 days before.  Second class is obviously much cheaper still.  I've tried phoning but never had the same success, nor online.  At Preston station they're great!  They look on the computer, get you the best deal and away you go.

It's because Mort is already on Broadband and changing her phone service provider as well that the problems are multiplying, AtTL: because Bb applications have fixed assignations, if you're moving from one provider to another, those coordinates have to be handed over, too.

(Exactly the same thing occurs if you every want to port a mobile number across from one network to another. It has to be done within a very specific time frame, and both the donating and receiving systems must be in exactly the correct state. It's very like passing the baton in a sprint relay, and every bit as critical. It only needs one programmer on either side to make a single error and the whole thing can fail, sending you back to stage one, which I've seen happen with monotonous regularity over the past few years.)  

Must be that things have changed Mary (or diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks). I used to enjoy watching the scenery go by, even when it was grey industrial. And the luxury of just sitting there enjoying the ride rather than having to drive myself.

I enjoy watching the scenery, too (it's always reassuring to me that there is so much green space left in England), BUT the new Virgin trains have quite a few seats that don't have a window view.

Oh good. They've gone away (though this is their second time around the block today).

One of the more poignant exchanges was as follows:

her    If I'm such a nasty lying slut, then why do you keep following me around?
him    SILENCE

WHAT?? AGAIN!! THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!!!!

R3OK Posse rounded up and on its way, Mort.

 

I had an interesting experience with BT when I moved.
They changed my phone number and told me that the broadband was being transferred, but on switch-over day... nothing.
I phoned them up and they told me that they had no record of broadband on my account (which for some reason is address specific, not person specific). They got me to order up a new contract and gave me a new switch-on date (a week later). Two days before that, I got a 'welcome pack' through the post so I thought 'I wonder if it's working' and switched it on. It worked. Two days later, I got another 'welcome pack'... I seem to have two account numbers now. I'm waiting to receive two bills before I complain. Not only was the order processed late but due to staff incompetence or ridiculous account management, they've apparently messed up my accounts.
I was furious (because I didn't have internet connection at work at the time and felt really quite isolated in a new city without the means to find the nearest, for example, recycling point) at the time, and writing it all out I'm getting angry again. Can't wait to get my bill(s) so I can officially register my disgust.