With Fentykes warning of disruption I arrived at KX at 18.05 expecting the worse,and I was not dissapointed the concourse was packed. The only train on the board was the 16.50 Sunderland service which I instantly ignored as they never stop at Peterborough, but then I heared some poor sod with a megaphone telling people this was going to stop at Peterborough.(Why do they always get that megaphone out when there are problems, on a packed station surly the PA system would be better?).

Unlike most Peterborough commuters I chanced my arm and walked down the platform towards the Grand Central service expecting it to be packed, but no it was empty, I sat in the front coach and there were only 4 people in there. Its a refurbished 125, the seats were clean, there was twice as much leg room as NXEC, and it even had chess and Cluedo boards built into every table top. Sadly there was no one sitting near me to have a game with, and Prof Plum and his mates were not around, (prehaps you have to bring your own pieces?) The train left around 18.15, had the inevitable problems around Biggleswade and got into Peterborough around 19.45. Not only was this a pleasant train to sit in, it also seemed to have far more staff that NXEC, (2 ticket inspectors, 2 Trolly staff)and the staff did seem much friendlier. What a shame Grand Central don't stop at Peterborough normally.