Going to work in the strike...

Im going to start this post from Tuesday evening...

...Im sitting on the train and notice that I have a text message from nxea, it says something on the lines of "regrettably the 48 hour strike on Thursday & Friday will go ahead as planned - limited services will run - please check website for details".

So on Wednesday morning I tell my boss that the train strike will be going ahead and would he like me to work from home, or try to come in? He says he would like me to try to come in but to "play it by ear"! So I checked the Industrial Action timetable and saw that they were running one train per hour with the first train of the day at 6.43 that was starting from Colchester. I decided that I would go for that train as it was my best chance of getting in.

On Wednesday morning, I left with James just before 6am so I could stand on the platform just where the train doors would be (otherwise you have no hope of getting a seat). I got to Chelmsford Station at about 6.25 and the platform was busy - but not so busy that they would stop people from getting on the platform (this has been known to happen if there has been signal failures or the like).

At about 6.40 there is a tannoy announcement that the 6.43 is "full and standing" but there is an extra service starting at Witham that will arrive at Chelmsford at 7.13 so if you cant get on the 43 you can get on this train. So the 6.43 arrives and they werent joking, every carriage had people standing in the doorways. And all the people "who just had to get on the first train" crammed onto the train. One carriage was so full that the doors wouldnt shut and a skinny bloke had to get off the train! THEY WERE THAT FULL THAT NOT EVEN A SKINNY PERSON COULD CRAM IN!!!!

The 7.13 then arrives and it is practically empty (I didnt tell my boss that bit ;o)), so I get a seat and get into London just before 8am. My colleagues were well surprised that I got in at all.

I then checked the trains going home...

...as we all know getting in is one thing but going home is an entirely different matter! The trains home were again one per hour, this time on the hour. So I was told I could go for the 4pm train (as the 5pm would be crammed) so I decided to leave at 3.35 its a 10/15 minute walk to Liverpool Street Station, and this should get me there early enough to get a seat. I just about got a seat (everyone else had a similar idea!). As it was I got home just after 5pm so that was good ;o).

On Friday I again got to Chelmsford in time for the first train, again it was busy (not as busy as Thursday but there were people standing in the doorways again). Good job I was there early again as the extra service being run that day was at 6.51 (so anyone who was hoping to catch the extra service at 7.13 as per Thursday would have been disappointed). Again the extra train arrived practically empty and "the cherry on the cake" was that I had a two seater all to myself! I dont normally get that even on a normal day ;o).

My boss again was really pleased that I got in and I told him about "just getting a seat" and he said that I could leave earlier so I left at 3.30 and there were more empty seats when I got on the train (so I was well pleased).

Yesterday I was in Marks & Spencer looking at desserts, and came across some scrummy Lemon Meringue cupcakes (and even better James doesnt like them - so I dont have to share ;o)).


see my other flickr pictures here

This morning I was doing the shopping in Sainsbury's, I was in the crackers aisle and shock horror they didnt have any Marmite Breadsticks, I just stood there whimpering and pining thinking what am I going to do (they dont sell them in the Sainsburys near where I work!), I then see the shelfstacker and ask her (in my calmest "inside" voice) if they have any marmite breadsticks in the back? In reality I said "gotmarmitebreadsticksinbackneedmarmitebreadsticksneedthemnow-MUSTHAVEMARMITEBREADSTICKS!" yes I didnt pause for breath while frantically asking. She humoured me and looked in the store room. She came back with a Security guard (worrying that I would throw a hissy fit) to tell me that she was really sorry but they didnt have any but they would be having a delivery tonight. I then feeling defeated (I was close to tears I tell you) decided to go for the Marmite Ricecakes.
I weighed myself this morning and was well chuffed that I lost the 100 grammes I put on last week.