Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Interlude at Acton

The Piccadilly line train I was on this morning was terminated at Acton Town (to prevent congestion further down the line due to some unexplained problem at Green Park). This is not worthy of comment in itself but I mention it because it is the first time for a long time that this has happened. As we came into the platform there was a train on the adjacent platform and of course just as our doors opened, it moved away (you just can't beat the excellent communications on this railway, he lied).

Fortunately a Heathrow branch train came in fairly soon and we all managed to squeeze on. But I am so glad that my journey ends at Baron's Court. Having to stand on that crowded train all the way into central London, on such a nice day, must be no fun for the poor sods who regularly have to do it.

Simon Hoggart, writing in the Guardian on May 28th said "One of my favourite books - it's 21 years old now - was Notes From Overground, written by a civil servant under the name of Tiresias. It was a series of witty and percipient jottings about his daily commute from Oxford to Paddington, and the fact that the journey was much the same every day allowed him to note changes and make fresh observations". Hm, so I'm not the first in this field. Nor am I sufficiently strong-willed and energetic as to write this blog daily. But can Oxford to Paddington even be half as romantic as Ruislip to Baron's Court? No, I say, and so do the mass ranks of all those who agree with me. And I don't hide behind a silly Greek name either.

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