Great Western Coffee Shop

Mods - if you want move this..........feel free

non west bit......

Got up at 0445 to get the 0545....only threw a flat 2 miles from home.  RAC took 1.5 hours to come out, then 45 minutes to replace tyre and I get to WOS at 0830for the 0841 train.

Now for the west bit

The train that pulled in was a 180 - now I have never been on a 180 with issues - I've been lucky - until today

All the way down we were crawling (but ironically on time - how much slack is in the time table?) we make an in promptu stop at shipton where the TM and driver inspect the train as they think we are dragging a break ( whatever that means but to the layman it means, the breaks are grabbing)

We continue on our way, get held behind a SLOW freight at didcot and get to reading 14 minutes late (how - we SHOULD be ages late given speed and unscheduled stop?).  then e head through slough and get to airport junction.

TM acts like he's training for the olympics as he runs through the train......and we come to a halt

Seems the doors in A at the front had decided to spontaneously open but not fully - not caused by a passenger. They open them but then cant get them shut - so we have to await a fitter.  Who fixes them but - and the rest is just alledged - the breaks have siezed and we have to wait another fitter.

Official announcement is we are 63 minutes late but I swear the clock at Pad had use about 80 late.

On the return journey - the fridges were stuffed, there was no hot water and the buffet was out of everything but water by oxford.

and they say the third world has no infrastructure

(why could they not lock the offending carriage out of use and put the passengers into the remaining carriages since it was A that was broken I dont know)

Mookiemoo,

LARGE gin + (notional) tonic = relax: you've clearly had a real nightmare of a day, and I DO empathise!

Best wishes, Chris.  ;)

0837 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington yesterday...

16 mins late arriving Reading, 17 late departing.
17 mins late arriving Slough, 17 late departing.
68 mins late arriving London Paddington.

Dragging brakes means just that, a brake is applying pressure and is therefore causing the train to drag.

They can't just lock out a coach when there is a exterior door problem - as you lose interlock which means the train can't move full stop.

Why not claim the double compo then?

On weekly tickets at the moments - as was in munich last week, here for two weeks, munich the week after and the week after that.....

Not economical to get monthly - and when they refund you for unused ticket, they dont take into account the discount when they work the figures (had that argument before).

I didnt comment about the return journey - HST - just one with no working fridges ad no hot drinks

so tepid cokes and warm wine (unless you are a red drinker) all around then

Wait, you can't change a tyre by yourself?

Oh dear...

In the dark?

I've done it before with nothing other than my hands and the light from a mobile phone at 4am

If the OP is an RAC Member make use of it whether can change yourself or not.

No wheel wrench?  :o

And on a pick up truck?

Where getting to the spare is a feet in itself as its on the under carriage?

with a 90 minute wait, I would change it on a normal car - but on a pick up truck you need a proper trolley jack due to the weight and having to crawl under it to get to the spare

Without trying to be rude, why do you need a pick up to go to the station?

well obviously i used one ;)

Because I live 25 miles from it - half way up a hill and have to cross a ford to get to the main road which is currently closed to anything other than 4x4s.  And I have to haul feed etc.  And we are not on the gas network so our heating is oil fired central heating and log fires - therefore I need to haul logs rtc etc

not everyone lives in a 3 bedroom semi in suburbia

As I run a limited company, it is more efficient for the company to buy a commercial truck than for me to buy a sho gun, defender or other suitable vehicle

So far we have been snowed in 4 times as we live at altitude - or do you suggest I have two vehicles?

I often get asked this when I complain about parking the truck in car parks - its either - one multi purpose vehicle or a multipurpose vehicle plus the cost of a run around - go figure

I thought you were a "self employed IT contractor"  ;)

I am!

I run a ltd company because agencies wont deal with official self employed cos if we dont pay the tax they are liable

So I have to have a ltd company between me and the agency

End result is the same - I am self employed I can just take advantage of ltd company benefits- such as company trucks and dividends not salary (no NI on dividends)

Money flows

Client - my ltd company - me

PS I'd rather be fully self employed but I'd never work if I was

...who lives in South Shropshire (10 miles east of Ludlow, 15 miles west of Kidderminster, and 18 miles south of Bridgenorth). (http://www.takeforum.com/forum/images/smiles/br.gif)

Mookiemoo as you speed past Old Oak Common train care depot on Monday have a glance across. Your sure to see a class 180 with all it's First Great Wertern branding removed. A sight for sore eyes I'm sure. ;D ;D ;D ;D

Two points, hope you can claim compo from the RAC, all the recovery firms claim to be with you in the HOUR.

Second I won't expect a lady to change a wheel, and if it took an EXPERT 45 minutes to do it, then I doubt most MEN could change that wheel.