Haw-Haw

To someone of my generation, Haw Haw means something to do with the Second World War.

On Tuesday, I discovered that haw-haw is a noun for something completely different. The full effect has to be seen from the opposite side - it really is quite effective. Unfortunately the house is not mine. I was a car park attendant!

Busy, Busy, Busy...

I've had good value out of my Chiltern Railways season ticket today.

Trip (1) was an early morning visit to Northolt to get my hair cut. I wonder just how long I am going to keep commuting for that? My dentist is still there as well. A couple of one stop trips on the Central Line (I don't use it that much any more) and I even bumped into my boss on the train at South Ruislip on the way home. Not a total surprise as I did know he was tee-ing off at Ruislip this morning - he did look a bit more bright-eyed and bushy-tailed than I was feeling.

Trips (2) & (3) (a couple of shopping trips) then followed - there still seem to be lots of photographers out and about stalking the Virgin Trains. Oh and lots of people wearing Arsenal shirts on their way to the 12.45 kick-off against West Bromwich Albion. Apparently the trains from Birmingham were packed for that.

I'm off down to Hampshire now for the rest of the weekend, to get rained on (I think). Enjoy yours.

Those Pesky Engineering Works - Again!

There I was on Saturday morning, doing nothing in particular, as per usual. The telephone rings- it's work... To cut a long story short I had to go in to the office to sort out a problem.

The trouble was, I hadn't planned on going anywhere, so the fact that the Central Line was again suspended from Marble Arch out to both Ealing Broadway and to West Ruislip had completely passed me by. What's more I didn't realise that engineering work was taking place until I got to my local tube station.

No matter, in no particular order, there then followed:

• Two bus journeys
• One tube journey
• One overground train journey and
• A four hundred yard sprint

and I made it to work in less than an hour. What a waste of energy.

Perhaps I should read my own blog entries and take note!

I have to go down to Hampshire next weekend and see that the Central Line will again be suspended between Marble Arch and North Acton. Will I remember?

The Opposite of Rant?

Apologies for the delay in posting anything. The reason?.... Everything has been going just too well.

Over the last couple of weeks I have experienced numerous journeys using:

• London Underground (Central, Piccadilly, Jubilee, Bakerloo and Northern)
• Docklands Light Railway
• South West Trains (Waterloo to Andover and back)
• First Great Western
• Chiltern Railways

And in all those journeys, not a single delay. Not a sausage. Not a second lost. Pretty good.

This weekend no Central Line at all west of Marble Arch. Not a delay, as such, but still a pain.

BTW, hope you had a happy Easter and have recovered from any chocolate poisening. Toodle-pip.

Too good to be true?

I've done a lot of travelling around this week. By way of example:

1 Day: Central line to Bond Street, Jubilee Line to Waterloo, South West Trains to Portsmouth Harbour, Fast Cat to Ryde, Train down Pier, Train back up Pier, Fast Cat to Portsmouth Harbour, South West Trains to Clapham Junction, South West Trains to sister's house, bus to Hounslow, tube home. On time all day. Fantastic! The reason for the journey was less happy.

2 Day: Bus to Heathrow, Plane to Glasgow, Bus to Glasgow City Centre, Bus back to Glasgow International Airport, Plane to Heathrow (left 20 minutes late, but landed on time), bus home. On time the whole day.

The above were on Wednesday and Thursday. On other days I have been using the Underground, Chiltern Railways and First Great Western Link. All without a single delay or problem all week.

Today I'm off down to Hampshire via Reading and Basingstoke. It usually works well, but I've no doubt just put a jinx on it.

Have a good weekend.