Thursday, November 30, 2006

Defective bogey at Earlsfield*

One does so try to avoid tedious Commuters' Tales. I would not normally mention the 2.5 hours it took to get from Kings Cross Thameslink to Lovely Luton last night but for this: it seems routine that some group of people somewhere around the capital is having their journey fucked up for them nearly every day.
I had plenty of time yesterday while stationary "in the Harpenden area" to wonder if London travellers are uniquely unfortunate or if other large conurbations worldwide suffer these endemic "points failures" and "signal faults", such that the evening paper has the word "chaos" poised in large type ready to go next to "tube" or "travel" for every edition.
Indeed, what would our own dear Evening Standard DO if "chaos" was removed from the language?
*"Morning Joan: 11 minutes late - badger hit a junction box at New Malden."

3 comments:

Betty said...

If trains weren't delayed, the people who send indignant letters to London newspapers would only be able to complain about:

1. People who use their mobile phones on trains.

2. People who sniffle constantly on trains.

3. People who listen to loud music on their headphones on trains.

granny p said...

Ah the 'Harpenden area'. Truly the howly howly void. Good to see you back.

Colin Davey said...

Hi Granny - they all get on at Harpenden with their FTs and their Eurythmics-infested Ipods. Not that I have anything against Eurythmics per se...

Manhole Covers

All those years ago I tried to tell you that manhole covers were interesting. I was Japanese at heart it seems. See?