An old story

I knew it couldn't last.

Last night was a journey home from hell.  The tube bit to Waterloo actually worked fine, but all trains out of Waterloo were subject to horrendous delays and cancellations thanks to a person hit by a train 'in the Earlsfield area'.  Arriving at the station, I hopped onto the (delayed) 17:50 to Hersham.  It was rammed, but by going right down to the very tip of the platform, I managed to find a seat just before that carriage too became not only packed, but with a crowd outside the doors 10 people deep,pushing and shoving.

Sat on the train for a further half hour, before the driver announced it was being cancelled.  Got out.  Crossed the entire station to get on the (delayed) 18:24 to Hersham.  Just as rammed.  Found seat just in time in the same way.  Was smug.  Sat on train for another half hour.  Less smug.  Train cancelled.  Getting a little irritated by now.  Announcement that the 17:50 would now depart after all.  Couldn't make it back to that platform before it set off.  Got on train to (ironically) Hampton Court, thinking I could change at Surbiton to a suitable one (working on the assumption they're run services up to there and then turn them around so at least that part of the line would be frequent (wrong, by the way).

Sat on that train for ages, and it eventually left.  Changed at Surbiton.  Train to Hersham coming in from Waterloo about 20 minutes later.  Impossible to get on - for me, or any of the 100 or so other people waiting for it on the platform at Surbiton.  Had enough.  Got taxi home.  Made it home for 21:15 against an original (planned) arrival time of 18:21.  That's a one hour, 54 minute delay.  £285.00.  Plus £20 for the taxi: £305.00.

This morning, the 06:20 from Hersham to Waterloo was five minutes' delayed, and the connecting Bakerloo Line tube to Edgware Road as further two minutes.  That £17.50 more for a grand total of two hours, one minute and £322.50.

I am very, very unimpressed.