HOT HOT HOT
the trains are painfully hot and the lighting is shit. I boarded a PM train last night but having got on close to departure it was packed and so hot it reminded me of a time spent with a friend (howard mitchell) who was sweating buckets on a peak hour central line tube - so I decided to hop of this train and try my luck on another.....
This evening's journey, and the motivation for the post, was spolit for me by the lady at Chelmsford who couldn't cope with me sitting in the door way. The train was still moving at full pace but we were close to Chelmsford, I was mildly sleepy but well aware of my need to get up and give access to people wishing to leave. Her words were pugnacious in asking me to move - I reacted a little colder than I normally would explaining I would get up when the train arrived as I had a bad back. Our conversation didn't develop....
Tuesday 29 July 2008
Tuesday 15 July 2008
Tuesday 15th July 2008-A JOURNEY OF SWEAT
Getting into work was painless this morning. Obviously I had a seat next to the toilet door (on the floor) but could be worse.
This evening wasn't so smooth. The 19:00 train had a late boarding time, an engineer was inspecting the train, in the end we were allowed to board a train on platform 9 at one minute to seven. Departing six minutes late I was sitting with my face towards London next to a chap who sheepishly was tucking into a burger king. The sun was beating my face with all its power, my shades were on but nothing could stop the sweat dripping into my ears. I became rather self-conscious and it prevented me from nodding off. The only good thing was that my shades were so steamed up I couldn't see people's reactions to my state. Man I hate humid Britain conditions at times. Its a skanky heat and not even my organic socks and 100% cotton boxers could cope....
The train wasn't moving very fast and stopped for nearly ten minutes just past Witham as there was a report of a "burning smell" (we were advised over the tannoy). Excellent stuff - convo broke out with my neighbour, nice chap from the IPCC living in Ipswich.
Arrived at Ipswich at 8:42pm noting en route, with my neighbour, how special the Dedham Vale is - albeit for the slightly strange collection of transitional residents 'living' in the field at Manningtree station.
This evening wasn't so smooth. The 19:00 train had a late boarding time, an engineer was inspecting the train, in the end we were allowed to board a train on platform 9 at one minute to seven. Departing six minutes late I was sitting with my face towards London next to a chap who sheepishly was tucking into a burger king. The sun was beating my face with all its power, my shades were on but nothing could stop the sweat dripping into my ears. I became rather self-conscious and it prevented me from nodding off. The only good thing was that my shades were so steamed up I couldn't see people's reactions to my state. Man I hate humid Britain conditions at times. Its a skanky heat and not even my organic socks and 100% cotton boxers could cope....
The train wasn't moving very fast and stopped for nearly ten minutes just past Witham as there was a report of a "burning smell" (we were advised over the tannoy). Excellent stuff - convo broke out with my neighbour, nice chap from the IPCC living in Ipswich.
Arrived at Ipswich at 8:42pm noting en route, with my neighbour, how special the Dedham Vale is - albeit for the slightly strange collection of transitional residents 'living' in the field at Manningtree station.
Sunday 13 July 2008
Friday 11th July 2008
I was trying to read my book Rum old buoys (an East Anglian Classic) but was being constantly irritated by some chavs repeat playing distorted video on their phones and calling mate to advise how "pissed off" they were because it was raining.
The tube journey to Liverpool St was smooth and I managed to resist the urge of the golden arches and a brew to find myself sitting on my suit case on a train to Clacton via Colchester. The 23:30 to Norwich had been cancelled. Standing next to me were three 'rum old' suffolk lads, late 30s and tucking into the smelliest cornish pasties possible. They weren't happy with having to change at Colchester (to get to Ipswich presumably) - this led to a conversation about "shouting down" Col U fans in the work place, as well as a convo about a hatred of Spurs FC. This man who hated Spurs put it down to his fathers love of the Gunners and that was it. What seemed like the slowest train in Europe arrived in Colchester sometime before 1am - after 2 days on the road it was good to be back.
Wednesday 9 July 2008
Wednesday 9th July 2008
AM
Incredible I got a seat in the quiet coach on the 07:30. Read the metro in about 8.5 seconds and fell asleep. Train arrived on time and there wasn't too much stress/congestion at the gates. Fantastic.
Tuesday 8 July 2008
Tuesday 8th July 2008
PM
Upon getting on the 19:00 to Norwich we were advised to expect delays due to "line side failures" and a 'tresspasser' on the tracks.
Sure enough my journey to Ipswich was delayed by just under half an hour. Fair enough not a lot you can do about the idiot on the tracks/potential suicider but "line side failures"! :(
Upon getting on the 19:00 to Norwich we were advised to expect delays due to "line side failures" and a 'tresspasser' on the tracks.
Sure enough my journey to Ipswich was delayed by just under half an hour. Fair enough not a lot you can do about the idiot on the tracks/potential suicider but "line side failures"! :(
Monday 7 July 2008
Monday 7th July 2008
The 07:30 train was held up for a few moments due to "congestion in the Stratford area". Standing in the vestibule area I kept hearing grunts and sighs from a suit behind me which didn't do anything for morale.....
On arrival at Liverpool Street there was a lot of congestion getting out of the barriers, I always amuse over the guys who do a sneaky move by overtaking on the right hand side. Will that three minute time saving really enhance your day? I was amused last week one morning when someone's ticket wouldn't let them through the barrier, clearly not a regulr commuter she stood there in disbelief, meanwhile a middle aged chap ,with a quiet voice, muttered "if it doesn't work just move on" and "c'mon".
Last Thursday (3rd July) I was travelling on the Tube to Belsize Park, it was around 9pm (I had a seat) and become distracted by some noise from the carriage next door. I looked through the window to see a drunk man, boasting an extremely red face (Capel guys think Micheal Curfey), and holding a can of strong lager, shouting and thrashing his arms around. He was clearly making distasteful gestures towards a young Asian family standing next to him. It was disturbingly inappropriate and I shock my head at him, he reacted by brandishing his fist at me. Through fear of what might happen next I looked away only to be pulled back in his direction when I heard a man shouting "Shut it". A big white chap had stepped in and firmly advised the man to shut up or risk being thrown off at the next opportunity. Cheers and clapping ensued. This had proved an eventful evening as I had previously seen some stand up poetry (Luke Wright) and tried to engage with a mad old women intent on ripping down calling cards only to tear them up and throw them around like confetti. A London Lite distribute had a theory that the women's husband had run off with a prostitute. Regardless it was the mindless littering which bothered me.
On arrival at Liverpool Street there was a lot of congestion getting out of the barriers, I always amuse over the guys who do a sneaky move by overtaking on the right hand side. Will that three minute time saving really enhance your day? I was amused last week one morning when someone's ticket wouldn't let them through the barrier, clearly not a regulr commuter she stood there in disbelief, meanwhile a middle aged chap ,with a quiet voice, muttered "if it doesn't work just move on" and "c'mon".
Last Thursday (3rd July) I was travelling on the Tube to Belsize Park, it was around 9pm (I had a seat) and become distracted by some noise from the carriage next door. I looked through the window to see a drunk man, boasting an extremely red face (Capel guys think Micheal Curfey), and holding a can of strong lager, shouting and thrashing his arms around. He was clearly making distasteful gestures towards a young Asian family standing next to him. It was disturbingly inappropriate and I shock my head at him, he reacted by brandishing his fist at me. Through fear of what might happen next I looked away only to be pulled back in his direction when I heard a man shouting "Shut it". A big white chap had stepped in and firmly advised the man to shut up or risk being thrown off at the next opportunity. Cheers and clapping ensued. This had proved an eventful evening as I had previously seen some stand up poetry (Luke Wright) and tried to engage with a mad old women intent on ripping down calling cards only to tear them up and throw them around like confetti. A London Lite distribute had a theory that the women's husband had run off with a prostitute. Regardless it was the mindless littering which bothered me.
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