Bad start to the week on East Coast trains.
Arrive at Peterborough station at 8.10. Plenty of time to get my ticket and catch the London-bound 8.33.
No worries. Wait patiently on the south-bound Platform 2.
The announcer tells us the next train on Platform 2 is the 8.33...
Reassuring.
But then he adds that it's going to Lincoln.
Not so reassuring.
No mention of my King's Cross 'service'.
So where's my train?
One of the three ticket stampers at the barrier at first denies any knowledge of such a train as the 8.33 to London.
He produces a sheaf of papers which is apparently his print-out of the timetable.
"There is no 8.33 to London," he confidently declares.
"So it's cancelled?" ask irritated commuters.
"Not cancelled," he insists. "As I have already told you, there is no 8.33 to London. We have an 8.33 to Lincoln..."
When other commuters point out to Jobsworth that they've been catching the 8.33 to London for years, he offers: "Ah, yes sir, but we're operating a revised timetable today and as I say, there is no 8.33 to London."
He then causes more grief with his warning that the next East Coast 'express' will be 'exceedingly overcrowded'.
He advises catching the next First Capital Connect train instead.
But he doesn't mention that this is a 'slow' service which stops at every lamp-post including Huntingdon, St Neots, Sandy, Biggleswade, Arlesey, Hitchin, Stevenage, and Finsbury Park...
Of course, no mention of cancellations earlier when I parted with my £87 for a ticket...And no mention that the next 'express' to London that actually did exist would arrive late into Peterborough...
But of course, when you operate a 'revised' timetable, and don't tell the paying customers, there are no delays or cancellations...
So, not the four hour marathons twice experienced trekking to London in last week's snow, but every bit as frustrating!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Wolfie is World Champ Again...
Deeping St James darts star Martin Wolfie Adams has done it. He's World Champ for the second time.
Well done Wolfie...he's just picked up a cheque for £100,000 for his trouble...
Hope he shares it with his wife Sharron who had to watch Wolfie's edge of the seat match. At least she didn't lock herself in the loo at the crucial moment like she did last time Martin was on the verge of becoming World Champion!!
UPDATE: Market Deeping blogger Roy Dennis has pointed out that in fact Wolfie collected £103,000.
My mistake. He was paid an extra £3k for scoring an impressive 170 on a three dart finish in the final. Thanks for putting me right Roy!
Well done Wolfie...he's just picked up a cheque for £100,000 for his trouble...
Hope he shares it with his wife Sharron who had to watch Wolfie's edge of the seat match. At least she didn't lock herself in the loo at the crucial moment like she did last time Martin was on the verge of becoming World Champion!!
UPDATE: Market Deeping blogger Roy Dennis has pointed out that in fact Wolfie collected £103,000.
My mistake. He was paid an extra £3k for scoring an impressive 170 on a three dart finish in the final. Thanks for putting me right Roy!
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Wolfie in the final....
Deeping St James darts supremo Martin 'Wolfie' Adams has just thrown his way into the final of the World Darts Championship.
'Wolfie' who was 2007 world darts champ quickly went 5-1 up against Welsh wizard Martin Phillips.
But then 'Wolfie' had us on the edge our the sofa as he allowed Phillips to come back to 5-4 before finally closing out the match 6-4.
Final is tomoorow on BBC TV starting at 5.45pm.
GO WOLFIE...
UPDATE: Wolfie streaks ahead against young Dave Chisnall, but then makes it difficuilt for himself by allowing Chisnall to close it to 6-5...
He's only a couple of chucks away from being world chamnp for the second time...fingers and everything else crossed...
'Wolfie' who was 2007 world darts champ quickly went 5-1 up against Welsh wizard Martin Phillips.
But then 'Wolfie' had us on the edge our the sofa as he allowed Phillips to come back to 5-4 before finally closing out the match 6-4.
Final is tomoorow on BBC TV starting at 5.45pm.
GO WOLFIE...
UPDATE: Wolfie streaks ahead against young Dave Chisnall, but then makes it difficuilt for himself by allowing Chisnall to close it to 6-5...
He's only a couple of chucks away from being world chamnp for the second time...fingers and everything else crossed...
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Cameron's Canute Conservatives
Astonishing to hear the Prime Minister today being urged from the Conservative benches to scrap Governmment investment in alternative off-shore energy sources.
So now Cameron's Conservatives are campaigning to stop off-shore energy farms, as well as those on-shore too.
Come back King Canute!
So now Cameron's Conservatives are campaigning to stop off-shore energy farms, as well as those on-shore too.
Come back King Canute!
Monday, January 04, 2010
Friday, January 01, 2010
Back the Ban on Barbaric Hunting with Dogs
David Cameron's priority - apart from giving a tax break to a few millionaires by cutting inheritance tax for the country's richest estates - is now bringing back hunting.
I would have thought there were much more important issues to deal with to secure the recovery following recession.
Same old Tories, eh.
Chief Exec takes action at Tory-led Council
More fall-out at the Lincolnshire council where the Conservative Leader facing questions over planning was forced to resign last month.
The Chief Executive of West Lindsey District Council has now reported a number of elected members to the Standards Board apparently over their actions following the suspension of a planning officer.
It's not clear from the report in the Market Rasen Mail which councillors have been named.
Bernard Theobald stepped down as Leader of the Council a month ago following allegations concerning a planning application to develop a site which he jointly owns with another Conservative councillor.
Cllr Theobald was a member of 'Honest' Jim Speechley's Conservative Group on Lincolnshire Council before Mr Speechley was jailed...for abuse of planning procedures.
Cllr Theobald failed in an attempt to take over the Leadership of Lincolnshire County Council in the aftermath of the Speechley affair and lost his seat at the next local elections.
He went on to become Leader of West Lindsey District Council.
I wish to make it clear that Cllr Theobald claims he has done nothing wrong and has resigned to clear his name.
I wish him the best of luck.
The Chief Executive of West Lindsey District Council has now reported a number of elected members to the Standards Board apparently over their actions following the suspension of a planning officer.
It's not clear from the report in the Market Rasen Mail which councillors have been named.
Bernard Theobald stepped down as Leader of the Council a month ago following allegations concerning a planning application to develop a site which he jointly owns with another Conservative councillor.
Cllr Theobald was a member of 'Honest' Jim Speechley's Conservative Group on Lincolnshire Council before Mr Speechley was jailed...for abuse of planning procedures.
Cllr Theobald failed in an attempt to take over the Leadership of Lincolnshire County Council in the aftermath of the Speechley affair and lost his seat at the next local elections.
He went on to become Leader of West Lindsey District Council.
I wish to make it clear that Cllr Theobald claims he has done nothing wrong and has resigned to clear his name.
I wish him the best of luck.
Public support for wind power is blow for Tory protest...
More than three in four people favour wind turbines - even if they are near their own homes, according to a survey published in this week's Lincolnshire Free Press.
The survey seems to show that Conservative local councils who turn down planning applications for windfarms on principle are out of touch with local opinion.
Personally, I always suspected that the Conservative Party's objections to wind turbines - as voiced by John Hayes, our right-wing MP for South Holland and Deepings - were hot air...
The survey seems to show that Conservative local councils who turn down planning applications for windfarms on principle are out of touch with local opinion.
Personally, I always suspected that the Conservative Party's objections to wind turbines - as voiced by John Hayes, our right-wing MP for South Holland and Deepings - were hot air...
Vote Labour or the fox gets it...!
In a quote for our local paper, the Stamford Mercury, I see Tory grandee Alan Duncan describes Labour's ban on hunting with dogs as 'vindictive...'
Tell that to the fox...!
Tell that to the fox...!
Lincoln-born hostage coming home...
Happy New Year one and all - and especially to Lincoln-born Peter Moore who has been held hostage after being kidnapped in Iraq two-and-a-half years ago, but is expected to be reunited with his family on British soil later today.
UPDATE: Lincs Echo
UPDATE: Lincs Echo
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Death of Busby Babe who signed for Lincoln
Sad to hear news on Sky of the death of Albert Scanlon who was something of a hero of mine when I was a young lad growing up in Lincoln.
Scanlon was one of the original 'busby babes' who survived the terrible 1958 Munich air crash which destroyed so many stars of Matt Busby's Manchester United football team including Duncan Edwards.
By the early 1960s, Scanlon was playing at Sincil Bank for Lincoln City where I have fond memories of watching his skills from the terrace.
Sky say he was 74 when he died earlier today.
Hard to believe that the Munich Air Crash was over half a century ago.
Scanlon was one of the original 'busby babes' who survived the terrible 1958 Munich air crash which destroyed so many stars of Matt Busby's Manchester United football team including Duncan Edwards.
By the early 1960s, Scanlon was playing at Sincil Bank for Lincoln City where I have fond memories of watching his skills from the terrace.
Sky say he was 74 when he died earlier today.
Hard to believe that the Munich Air Crash was over half a century ago.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Sh*tbucks comes to Peterborough...
Snow-slow drive to Peterborough this morning after digging my car out of the drive, so miss my usual London bound train, and watch the next one pull out while I queue for a ticket.
At least the trains seem to be running pretty much to time despite the first snow and cold snap of winter...whatever happened to Global Warming..?
Info board says next train due in 20 minutes, but updates say it's going to be 8 minutes late, then 20 minutes late and eventually over half any hour late...so have any overall wait of any hour trying to keep warm.
Fancy a hot drink to fend off the cold, and keep my hands warm. Decide to give 'Pumpkins' coffee a miss and plum instead for the new outlet on Platform 2.
Should be a treat. It's Starbucks. Order a 'hot' choc and hand over my dosh. First sip reveals it's only mildly warm, and so down it in one.
Yuk.
It's stone cold and hasn't even been stirred.
Nasty after-taste.
It's easy for anyone to make a mistake when you're new and busy and, like the choc drink, er...cold.
What's amazing is the reaction of Starbucks staff when I politely point out that their 'hot' choc is anything but.
No reaction at all!! Not a word of apology, refund or fresh drink. Just blank faces..
Astonishing.
My reaction to being blanked is to start loudly advising others in the queue that the 'hot' choc isn't.
Still no reaction.
Someone at Starbucks clearly missed the 'have a nice day' training course in customer relations.
Surely the American coffee giants Starbucks would appreciate knowing they are getting it wrong in Peterborough.
Faith restored somewhat when I ring Starbucks in London and I am able to regale my story to a pleasant young? Lady with a warm American drawl who apologises for my bad experience with Starbucks, promises refund in the post and wishes I have a nice day.
Get the late train which has just come to a juddering halt after a few miles. Guard just announced a pipe has broken.
Ah, that old excuse.
Must be the wrong kind of snow...
Maybe i should have stayed in bed...hope to be inching towards London soon and hope to get there in time to come back...
UPDATE 11.52 Just passing Knebworth, Guard says pipe fixed but slow now because there's congestion ahead and snow blown onto signals means Driver having difficulty seeing them.
I need a hot drink, but now feeling rather sick after my Starbucks Experience...
At least the trains seem to be running pretty much to time despite the first snow and cold snap of winter...whatever happened to Global Warming..?
Info board says next train due in 20 minutes, but updates say it's going to be 8 minutes late, then 20 minutes late and eventually over half any hour late...so have any overall wait of any hour trying to keep warm.
Fancy a hot drink to fend off the cold, and keep my hands warm. Decide to give 'Pumpkins' coffee a miss and plum instead for the new outlet on Platform 2.
Should be a treat. It's Starbucks. Order a 'hot' choc and hand over my dosh. First sip reveals it's only mildly warm, and so down it in one.
Yuk.
It's stone cold and hasn't even been stirred.
Nasty after-taste.
It's easy for anyone to make a mistake when you're new and busy and, like the choc drink, er...cold.
What's amazing is the reaction of Starbucks staff when I politely point out that their 'hot' choc is anything but.
No reaction at all!! Not a word of apology, refund or fresh drink. Just blank faces..
Astonishing.
My reaction to being blanked is to start loudly advising others in the queue that the 'hot' choc isn't.
Still no reaction.
Someone at Starbucks clearly missed the 'have a nice day' training course in customer relations.
Surely the American coffee giants Starbucks would appreciate knowing they are getting it wrong in Peterborough.
Faith restored somewhat when I ring Starbucks in London and I am able to regale my story to a pleasant young? Lady with a warm American drawl who apologises for my bad experience with Starbucks, promises refund in the post and wishes I have a nice day.
Get the late train which has just come to a juddering halt after a few miles. Guard just announced a pipe has broken.
Ah, that old excuse.
Must be the wrong kind of snow...
Maybe i should have stayed in bed...hope to be inching towards London soon and hope to get there in time to come back...
UPDATE 11.52 Just passing Knebworth, Guard says pipe fixed but slow now because there's congestion ahead and snow blown onto signals means Driver having difficulty seeing them.
I need a hot drink, but now feeling rather sick after my Starbucks Experience...
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Local woman dies in crash with ambulance...
A 39-year-old local woman walking near The Deepings this morning has died after a collision with an ambulance which was on its way to deal with a road accident in Langtoft.
Deepings Comprehensive goes top of the class...
Deepings Comprehensive School has just been awarded an 'Outstanding' grade during Ofsted's latest inspection.
Anyone who knows Deepings Comp won't be surprised that it's achievements put it in the top 15% of all schools in the country.
As a Governor for eight years until a few months ago - and as proud father of two daughters who were given a great start at Deepings Comp - I know we are blessed with a fantastic local school.
The Business and Enterprise specialist school is a fine example of what can be achieved by a true Comprehensive. Unlike some other local schools, no child is turned away because of their perceived academic ability. At Deepings Comp, every student gets the chance to develop to their full potential.
Chris Beckett who was promoted to Head Teacher five years ago provides first-rate leadership and has strengthened a great team of staff which, together with the students, fully deserve the thanks and praise of our local community.
Here's some of the highlights from the Ofsted report which has just been published.
Outstanding quality of education
Innovative and dynamic leadership
Standards have risen year on year since the last inspection
Students of all abilities make exceptional progress
Students, parents and carers are very pleased with the quality of education provided
Good quality teaching
The school's Business and Enterprise specialist status makes a significant contribution to students learning
The school's capacity for continued improvement is outstanding
Students enjoy school and feel safe
The curriculum provision is outstanding at all levels
Care, guidance and support is outstanding
Links with partners and other schools are outstanding
Sixth form provision, leadership, management and outcomes are outstanding.
Hope the Stamford Mercury, Local, ET, and Free Press pick up a good story about achievement...
Anyone who knows Deepings Comp won't be surprised that it's achievements put it in the top 15% of all schools in the country.
As a Governor for eight years until a few months ago - and as proud father of two daughters who were given a great start at Deepings Comp - I know we are blessed with a fantastic local school.
The Business and Enterprise specialist school is a fine example of what can be achieved by a true Comprehensive. Unlike some other local schools, no child is turned away because of their perceived academic ability. At Deepings Comp, every student gets the chance to develop to their full potential.
Chris Beckett who was promoted to Head Teacher five years ago provides first-rate leadership and has strengthened a great team of staff which, together with the students, fully deserve the thanks and praise of our local community.
Here's some of the highlights from the Ofsted report which has just been published.
Outstanding quality of education
Innovative and dynamic leadership
Standards have risen year on year since the last inspection
Students of all abilities make exceptional progress
Students, parents and carers are very pleased with the quality of education provided
Good quality teaching
The school's Business and Enterprise specialist status makes a significant contribution to students learning
The school's capacity for continued improvement is outstanding
Students enjoy school and feel safe
The curriculum provision is outstanding at all levels
Care, guidance and support is outstanding
Links with partners and other schools are outstanding
Sixth form provision, leadership, management and outcomes are outstanding.
Hope the Stamford Mercury, Local, ET, and Free Press pick up a good story about achievement...
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Have I missed something, or what...?
Has anyone seen any media coverage in the nationals - or even the regional press - on the latest Tory Leader in Lincolnshire to resign after facing questions over his involvement in planning issues...?
I'm fairly certain that if Bernard Theobald were a Labour Leader forced out of office in similar circumstances, it would have been all over the Daily Mail and other choice publications by now...
Am I getting cynical in my old age, or have I missed something...?
I'm fairly certain that if Bernard Theobald were a Labour Leader forced out of office in similar circumstances, it would have been all over the Daily Mail and other choice publications by now...
Am I getting cynical in my old age, or have I missed something...?
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