Despite ample opportunity to burn the evidence, Fire Brigade shows TfL how to do it

Everything perfectly on time for my journey home on Wednesday evening.  I had they day off yesterday, and am working from home today, so no personal updates till next Tuesday (I'll be working from home Monday too).

In the non-personal travel news, London's Fire Commissioner sets an example for the TfL bosses in the wake of their expenses scandal.  I particularly like the phrasing from mayorwatch.co.uk:

"Commissioner Dobson’s expenses are dominated by a fixed special payment made in lieu of any monthly mileage or standard travel claims and which is paid 'in recognition of the on call requirements placed upon the Commissioner.'

"That all seems reasonable because fires, as the Fire Brigades Union has told us a few times, don’t happen at regular, predictable and scheduled times. Unlike presumably the meetings of senior TfL officials who get a free Oyster card yet still need taxis to get through their schedules.

"Also wholly absent from the Brigade management’s claims are toy vehicles, hotel Wifi and magazines."

This morning in the car, I briefly overheard on Magic FM a story about the UK having the worst and most expensive rail service in Europe.  I wasn't really paying attention at the time, hence my vagueness.  I've been unable to track it down, so if anyone knows what I'm talking about and point me in the direction of a link, I'd be very grateful, since this will scupper TfL's draconian attempts to control the news agenda and remove detrimental stories...

Goodness me!

A lot of people were waiting for this post, weren't they?  At least that's what my stats show.  I was at a meeting from 8 a.m. until now, but I hadn't forgotten about you!  Nor have I (yet) entered into Fatherhood squared.

So: on to the updates!  Tube was on time yesterday afternoon, taking me neatly to Waterloo in time to catch my connection to Hersham.  This, however, was three minutes late - all within Zones 1-6, so that's £7.50.

This morning, the train from Hersham was a minute late arriving in Waterloo, despite being a minute early to leave Hersham.  This means, even though I can only charge TfL for the one minute late I was, TfL actually cost that service two minutes once it entered the TfL network.  Nice.

The connecting tube was delayed by nine minutes, owing to a fire alert at some station or other.  It sounded like they said Queens Park, but that's not on the Bakerloo Line, is it?  Well, go figure.  All I know is I spent a godly amount of time sitting in tunnels listening to semi-inaudible announcements about fires.  That's three strikes on the Tube Bingo card to add to the strike on non-explanations I've received all week.  Still no Bingo in the frame though.  I guess the £30 Signal Failure's earned since last night will have to be compensation enough.

What else is on today's fab menu?  As part of its continuing plan to suck all the joy out of the universe, TfL's line closures will disappoint fans of The xx.  The band has had to reschedule and relocate its upcoming gig because your friendly evil London transport Czars have made it next to impossible to get to or from the venue.  If only Justin Bieber had thought to blame his recent lateness on tube delays, perhaps he wouldn't have pissed off so many of his fans!  Or, more accurately perhaps, their parents.

Also in the news, remember that satisfaction poll for the cable cars that TfL has been promoting selected snippets of but refusing to share in its entirety?  It cost £150,000.  This is, apparently, equivalent to what TfL would have earned from 35,107 full-price fares on the gigantic folly fairground attraction beloved transport service.

And speaking of satisfaction surveys, no-one likes the Boris Bikes anymore after TfL doubled the price.  (OK, I admit 'no-one' was an exaggeration.)

Green politician

What does a politician do when brought to task on stupid plans or asked uncomfortable questions?  That's right, change the subject.  Boris Johnson, how do you justify shutting down the capital's fire services while allowing TfL employees to walk away with unreasonably high perks?  Quick, look over here at my world-first ultra-low-emission zone plans!  Sorry,  not fooled.  Answer the damn question already.

Fiery shitstorm

The tube from Edgware Road to Waterloo was delayed by a minute going home yesterday afternoon, which didn't matter as it did not cause me to miss my connecting train to Hampton Court (pick-up shift for my daughter).  The train was a couple of minutes late, however, so that's a fiver.

This morning, I had drop-off duty, and the train in from Hampton Court was seven minutes delayed.  This caused me to miss my conencting tube, and the one I did take was two minutes late arriving at my final destination - overall a 10-minute delay on the published arrival time.

So that's £30 altogether since yesterday morning.

In other news, Victoria station was evacuated this morning owing to a fire on a Gatwick Express train.  A horrifically busy interchange at the best of times, that must have been fun if you had to travel through it this morning.

Far be it from this blog to resort to toilet humour, but on a lighter note, Morden station is kicking up a shit-storm about the lack of toilet facilities - more than a decade after they were decommissioned.

Public transport back on form!

Well, after a quiet week last week, owing to illness and working from home more than usual because of my wife's business travels and our infant daughter's needs, TfL and South West Trains are back in the saddle.

This morning's train into Waterloo was delayed by 28 minutes, owing to overrunning engineering works.  Then by a passenger taken ill on the train in front of us at Clapham Junction.  Then by another passenger taken ill on my carriage as we waited to pull into Clapham Junction.  Flu season, eh?

After that, the Bakerloo Line was delayed by two minutes (no explanation offered), so that I arrived at Edgware Road (my final destination) 31 minutes late (remember the connecting tube wasn't the 08:34 I should have been able to take).

After that, not that it's relevant to my travel, I'd just set up at my desk when we were evacuated for a fire (a real one, not a drill), and I got to go back out into the cold.  I'd also forgotten to take my security pass with me, so I had to argue my way back into the building.

So a flying start to the week, which at least gives me £77.50 in honorary money (yes, I realise the irony in describing anything about TfL as 'honorary') with which to console myself.