Thankfully only the only major incident I've had involving Public Transport, but it was more than enough
A good few years ago (we're talking 1999/2000 or so) I needed to get from up on the North Norfolk Coast down to Wimbledon for a work project. Just a few hours needed on site to do a measured survey of the ground floor of a property, and 3 elevations of a property, ready for a custom made bespoke hardwood conservatory to be drawn up and prepared by the company I was working for at the time. (Not a 'cheap' conservatory company either)

Now, at that time I didn't have a car, but the company said they'd like me to go, so all travel expenses were taken care of (which was nice)

Leaving a seaside town on the Norfolk coast at 7am, I reckoned I be in London Liverpool Street for around 10.45am - 11am, and then another hour via tube and I'd be there, certainly no later than midday.

So, train journey starts off well enough, get from Sheringham to Norwich without too many delays, but it was also the school time, so hundreds of kids screaming and shouting wasn't the best start to the day I could have hoped for.

Got to Norwich, and on the train to London, and that's where the fun began. The night before torrential rain and storms had hit Ingatestone, and the entire track was flooded, so we were backed up with at least 7 trains waiting to get through. And we waited... and waited, and waited. At 1pm we were still at Ingatestone, it was standing room only on the train by this time, and everyone was getting riled, and didn't get to London Liverpool Street until 2.15pm, where we were told that the last train back to Norwich would be leaving London at 5.30pm due to the dangerous conditions of the track.

Arriving at Liverpool Street, I didn't get to site via tube until 3.30pm.

Working out rough times in my head, I had just under 45 minutes to conduct the best part of an entire measured survey for a 3 storey property, meaning I then had enough time to get back - just - for the last train.

4.15pm - or thereabouts, and already 15 mins. behind schedule - I finish, and high tail it around the corner back to Wimbledon Tube station for just after 4.30pm, ready to get back to Liverpool Street, but was met by burly Tube officials saying there's been an 'accident' on the line, and it'll take at least another hour before anything can get moving again. It took us the best part of half an hour just to get this information.

It was at this point the crowds around me had the same idea I had, and we all cast a gaze at 3 lonely taxi's sitting outside the tube station.

Now, whether it was the adrenalin rush of the events leading up to actually getting to London, or the intervention of someone smiling down on me, I legged it and reached one of the taxis just ahead of the throng of people behind me.

"Where to mate" came the inevitable reply.

"Liverpool Street. And you have 25 minutes".

He looked stunned, then puzzled, and as we drove he asked why the rush. Never in my life have I met a nicer taxi driver. Hell, he must have broken just about every rule in the Highway code, but he got me outside Liverpool Street station at 5.25pm, £45 lighter (it was worth the hefty tip, but he even made me out a heftier receipt so I could claim it back as expenses)

On the train, YES! nothing could stop me now. I reckoned back in Norwich for 7.30-ish, and back to Sheringham by 9pm.

Nope, that didn't happen either.

Bloody train stopped again at Ingatestone, due to a previous accident there and the water hadn't drained properly from earlier in the day.

We waited. And waited. And waited.

Norwich arrived... 11.30pm. Last train for Sheringham left at 9.55pm. The station staff were handing out compensation and refund forms as we came off the train, to save us queuing for them in the reception area.

Another taxi. Another £40. Arrive home 12.45am.

A total of 17 and three quarter hours to do around 45 minutes work.

Conservatory was drawn up and fitted like a glove on site though. After claiming back expenses as well, I'd also made around £40 profit.
( The Great Architect is still waiting for his account to be deleted on, Thu 29 May 2008, 20:51, Reply)