Neccesary Evil

Unfortunately, due to the amount of spam I'm getting in my comments section lately, I have had to implement a 'word verification' security code.

What this means is that you'll have to type the shown word (or letters) into a box before posting comments. This is intended to fool the spambots.

I hope you will not be put off from posting comments because of this!

Strange Request!

Normally when people ask me things at work, it's questions along the lines of "How do I get to x" or "What time is the last train" etc.
This evening, as I was heading towards Upminster, I stopped in the platform at Aldgate East and a rather drunk gentleman knocked on the cab door.
I'm always a bit wary about opening the cab door anyway, however I opened it and this gentleman asked me (in his drunken, slurred way) if I wouldn't mind waking him up at Dagenham East!
I was temporarily gobsmacked to be asked to leave my comfortable cab to wake up a drunk at his stop and I had to bite my tongue from being sarcastic and offering him a nice cup of tea to go with his morning call! Anyway, I agreed - after all, he was kind enough to breathe all over me while he was talking to me... I'd probably have failed a breath test after that!
Anyhow, as we were approaching Dagenham East, I made a nice loud announcement along the lines of "WAKEY WAKEY!", and it seemed to work because he staggered off my train without me leaving my cab!

Had the pleasure of finally having a chat with Tube Dude this evening too! We really must arrange a drinking session at some point, give us more of a chance to talk than the minute or so dwell time in the platform!

I also had the pleasure of being told I had a sexy accent this evening as well! (No it wasn't Tube Dude who told me that!!) A young Aussie lady who I had to evict from my train at Ealing Broadway at 0120 was quite taken with my accent, asking me where it was from etc. Really made my night! Of course she was very drunk!

The answer to my little photo quiz... Thanks to those of you who had guesses, but sadly you were all wrong!
The photo:

Is actually at Kensington Olympia! They are the new(ish) flats which have been built directly opposite the station. I'll try and find another photo to test you with soon!

Boring Rest Day

Yes, I've had a day off today and I've done absolutely nothing except catch up on my sleep!
The shared washing machine in the house is broken yet again, so I couldn't catch up with all of my washing like I was intending. I've only got two more uniform shirts left clean, so I'll have to buy some hand washing powder tomorrow.

As a little competition, albeit with no prizes on offer, I've been having a sort of my photo's. I found this one, and it took me a few minutes thinking of where it was! So my challenge today is guess the location! It is somewhere on the District line. I'll give you the answer tomorrow or whenever I next blog. Any guesses in the comments section please!

Brought the weather with me...

Hi everyone!
Firstly, my apologies for the longer-than-planned lack of blog entries! This is mainly due to the fact that sod all has happened worthy of note in the few days I've been back!

Spent almost three weeks in Newcastle (my home town) visiting family. The weather almost all of the time was wet and cool! I noticed on the forecast that London has been enjoying a lot of sunshine and high temperatures again, so I thought I'd bring the Newcastle weather back down with me! Almost every day since I've been back it's been raining, and today was pretty cold too!
Still, at least it gave me an opportunity to take a (rather naff) photo of a rainbow earlier this evening approaching West Ham (taken from a moving train).



It also provided an opportunity to take a photo from the roof terrace at Barking of the sky. I am often struck by how amazing our weather is, and the way clouds move etc etc. In the photo below, you can see completely black sky over Barking, but away to the west, the sky is still light. I thought it looked artistic anyway!



Meanwhile, back to earthly matters, it seems that nothing has changed since 7/7 on the Underground.
I am amazed daily at the amount of people who are kicking bags etc out of the way. My colleague, Tube Dude, mentions in his blog entitled Oh What A Day about a driver who handed him a plastic case which apparently had been left on his train. I've tried in vain to trace the driver concerned to kick his arse! The mind boggles! Less than 2 months ago, more than 50 people died in several bomb blasts. Yet we still have punters and (more worryingly) staff who are becoming complacent again.

PLEASE if you see something left on a train DON'T TOUCH IT! Ask around if it belongs to anyone (I know it's a sin to talk to people on the Tube, but you can make an exception in emergencies). If no-one claims it, press/pull the emergency alarm! Move away from the bag/case. Inform the first member of staff you see. BUT FOR GOODNESS SAKE DON'T TOUCH IT.

Anyway, that's off my chest now... Back to looking at my soothing weather pictures to calm down!