I just missed the the 7:40 this morning, which isn't normally a problem as there's usually only a 5 minute wait for the the 7:46. Not today, however. The 7:46, 7:55 and 08:30 were all delayed and I didn't get a train out of the Bronx until 08:30 and was pretty darn late into the office as a result. The reason given for the delays? Over-running of engineering works.

Thankfully, I've had a relaxing weekend and was in too laid back a mood to care. I'm sure that'll change as the week progresses...

On a slightly different note, it looks as though I'll be spending all of November at the firm's head quarters in the US. I've been to the US of A only once before and that was on holiday in Miami, so I'm quite looking forward to it and I can't deny not liking the idea of missing a whole month of the GNER/Bronx/London rat race. It's not often one gets to jet off for an extended period, so I'm going to make the most of my time there by planning a few escapades for my spare time. So far on my to-do list, I have:

1. Watch a ball game
2. Get into a bar fight (complete with pool cues and Country & Western blasting out from the jukebox in the background)
3. Order my toast done on one side

Feel free to suggest any other silly shenanigans for my list - they don't have to be stereotypes like the above.

As usual I arrived to catch the 06.15 this morning, however there was no sign of it, the departure board said "delayed", this was soon changed to "cancelled". How can it be both? if its delayed surly its on its way? in which case it would not then be cancelled. The excuse was "non availability of set". WHAT?? how can there not be a set sitting at or near kings cross that could come up to Peterborough? As usual it was the commuters that got the rough end of the deal.

I can imagine the conversation at GNER control. Boss Boss we are a set short what should we do?? "do what we also do mate, F-ck the commuters, we have their money in advance and no matter how bad the service they always come back, so cancel the commuter train from Peterborough"

I was off Friday, so coming home thursday i was hopefully of a trouble free week, silly me, the train stopped just north of Huntingdon for 20mins, but I was given another excuse that I had not heard before "safety checks at Conington", another entry for my book of lame excuses from GNER

I arrived at P'boro station at 07.10 this morning to catch my usual 07.20 connection to KX. As I walked onto the platform I saw a good number of people stood waiting on the opposite platform which was strange becasue this is were FCC trains usually depart yet there was the 07.13 FCC train in it's usual place on platform 2. 

With this in mind I checked the departure screen on the platform, but couldn't make head nor tail of it. As I did so the tanoy announced a change of platform for the late running 07.00 GNER service to platform 3 which started to explain what was going on. I had 2 options, join the throng on platform 3 or wait on platform 2 for my usual 07.20. I opted for the former and how glad I was that I did.

As I walked onto platform 3 I looked at the departure screen which clearly stated that the 07.00 was delayed by 20 minutes, The 07.20 had been cancelled altogether, the 07.40 and 08.00 were running 20 to 30 mins late respectively. As the 07.00 approached the tanoy announced that the delay was due to engineering work at the weekend over running.

I entered coach E, sat in a reserved seat, and like 100's of others, hoped the occupent had caught an earlier late running train. Thankfully they had. It was at this point that the guard apologised for the delay but unlike the station tanoy, he blamed a broken down engineering train in the Botany Bay area. This struck 3 cords with me. Firstly I thought it was ironic that and engineering train had broken down. Secondly I jokingly wondered how a broken down train in Australia had reeked so much havoc on the ECML. Finally I wondered who was right, the Guard or the station staff? I don't think I'll ever find out.

Anyway, we arrived into KX at 08.05 which is the earliest I have seen the 07.20 arrive.

I hope Platform6 and Shahmacher haven't had too many problems. Perhaps they'll tell us if they decide to blog and entry.