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Wednesday, April 16, 2003
On Tuesday: I have very little recollection of my journey in to work. The train was late, but that's not unusual. I think I read a book, but I've got no idea what was going on around me. Maybe I was in the twilight zone. No. It was Commuterland.
Coming home, I bumped into my wife who like me was late. We got the 1822 which chugged in at 1857. The roads around the station were cordoned off by the police. Loads of 'em: vans, cars, flak jackets, radios, pips on shoulders, donuts. Think there must have been some big sh!t going down.
Monday, April 14, 2003
Another week begins: 0844 ex West Norwood - 4 minutes late. Nothing unusual. Same old tabloid newspapers and cheap novels. Arrived at Victoria at 0910.
And, then in the evening...1807, 13 minutes late, severe overcrowding. Blecch!
Friday: I seem to remeber being late for no particular reason. It was another cold day, but that was no excuse. Still I made the 0902, 4 minutes late to get into to Victoria at 0931. In the evening, we went to the South Bank for a concert so caught the 68 bus home. ( Paul Gambaccini was in the same restaurant as us, with a very young man.) For once the bus was empty apart from an excessive amount of rubbish on the floor. I half expected there to be vermin filling the bus at Elephant & Castle.
Friday, April 11, 2003
Not so great omens for the tube PPP.
"A small spillage of glue has caused a backroom bust-up between the three partners responsible for running London's tube network, less than a week after the completion of the controversial public-private partnership."
More
Contractors: Not our fault. I'm not to blame. It may not be you, but it certainly isn't me.
Passenger: Excuse me, could you just get the trains to run, please?
Thursday, April 10, 2003
Two days in row on the 0833. Thursday's train was 4 minutes late and I had the unusual pleasure of travelling with my wife. She went on to the Victoria Line on her daily trek across London.
And, it snowed this morning!
The only highlight this week seems to be the weather which has turned very cold. On Wednesday I boarded the two minute late running 0833, which pulled into London Victoria at 8:35. Returing home I just got the 1807 ex-Victoria.
Wednesday, April 09, 2003
Tuesday 8 April
After Monday's early start, a change of pace catching the 0902 (dep 0903). It was another fine morning with a chill in the air. April is turning into March, afte March was May. So, May will be...which month? I had to walk fairly brsikly to get to the station on time because I was fiddling with my other blog. The train pitched up pronto and as soon as I'd finished a few pages of my new book, we were at Victoria.
Coming home I missed the 1752 so had to stand next to Cinnabon for a while. That smell is getting rank. But, soon I was homeward bound on the punctual 1807, arriving twenty minutes later. Stopped off for the essentials of breakfast: bread, milk, orange juice.
Monday, April 07, 2003
Today's journey? Early bird! Meetings early in the day so I hopped aboard the 0759. As I made it to the station after 8:00am, it was a good job the train was late! 0804 departure, 0827 arrival at Victoria.
In the evening, I met up with my wife and we got the maniacal 68 bus home.
"Darling we need to talk. London Transport Act violates UN Declaration on Human Rights - Article 19."
So sayeth grafitti scrawled on a hoarding across the road; now erased. Can anyone explain this to me?
Article 19 says: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." (But, the declaration is not binding.)
Most of the London Transport Act has been repealed. Could this have anything to do with the Public Private Partnership (PPP)? Busking? Grafitti?
From my other blog
Friday, April 04, 2003
"Motorists beware: one particular stretch of road in the capital is the most dangerous spot to risk driving or parking in a bus lane. "
"Two CCTV cameras have caught 4,000 drivers there in the past year, leaving each with a fine of £80"
Report
Late again! Me, not the train. The effects of last night meant I was not out of the house until 9:30am (Friday 4 April). Ooops! Fell asleep on the train this evening and nearly missed my stop.
Thursday 3 April
The Thames, at low tide, looked flaccid as we crossed Wednesday morning. I too was a bit limp having left late and catching the 0902 (departing at 0905). A late return after the Mull Historical Society gig at the Bush. Only a one minute wait for the Central Line at Notting Hill Gate on the way there in the evening (first day of running through Central London after the derailment - see below).
Central line trains will resume running through the middle of London first thing Thursday, Tube chiefs confirmed today.
It will be the first time in 68 days that Central line services, shut down for safety reasons after the Chancery Lane derailment, have
operated through the City and West End.
Report
Not an awe inspiring journey to kick off this journal. But, it's got to begin somewhere!
Wednesday 2 April, 2003: arrived at the station just as a few drops of April shower were falling. It held off for the short wait on the platform as the 0842 London Bridge train came through. I had just missed the 0833, which as usual was late.
So, I caught the 0844 which departed a minute late. The usual on board: I read and listened to tunes. Other drones were reading tabloids and a few cheap novels. This time of year, the trains can be stiflingly hot as they (unnecessarily) put the heat on. Tuesday was no exception. We pulled into London Victoria at 0906 from where I walked in the cool breezy air round the back route ot the office.
Thursday, April 03, 2003
HELLO FROM COMMUTERLAND
Anyone is free to join - just e-mail commuterland[at]hotmail[dot]com.
The rules are simple. Just write anything about your journey to/from work/school. Keep it clean and steer clear of (non-commuting) politics. Write as much as you want, but keep on topic please. Doesn't matter where you work or how you travel. The more places, the more modes of travel, the better. Feel free to be literary or just factual and simple: whatever you want to do. No other guidelines.
Step on board, fasten your seat belt, show your ticket and blog away!
Comments, suggestions, help always welcome.
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