What a journey!

I took an early train to London this morning - I was up at 5:45 am, left the house at 6:15 am and got on the 6:56 am for King’s Cross in plenty of time. I took this shot of Newcastle station at 8:37 am and all was well. The train wasn't crowded and the air conditioning was just right.

We were a few minutes outside York station at about 9:45 am when there was a short thunderstorm. It doesn't take much. Evidently the lightning hit a signal box at York station and paralysed the entire east coast line. Trains couldn't get any further south than Darlington or further north than Doncaster. We were stuck outside York for three and a half hours and when we did arrive passengers were five or ten deep on the platform. After some deliberation the decision was taken to carry on to London. The aisles were packed with people, the temperature rose and yet tempers never seem to fray - at least not in my hearing. One child in particular was very well behaved.

After setting off from Edinburgh at 6:56 am, I arrived at King's Cross at 4:42 pm - a few minutes shy of 10 hours for a trip that can take as little as 4 hours 21 minutes. Phew!

Tim was at the station to greet me with a big smile making it all worth it.