Posts about "commuting"

Train travel too expensive? Perhaps not compared to the car…

Published on 20 January 2009 in London, Transport, cars, commuting, London, money, railways, trains

Whilst I was up north over Christmas, I had one of those inevitable "cost of transport" discussions. This conversation was on the depreciation in value of cars. The result was that the annual depreciation value of their car was roughly £1,000. So if they bought their car - not a new car incidentally - left it on the drive for twelve months, and then sold it, they'd be around £1,000 out of pocket. If they left it on for two years, they'd be £2,000 out of pocket. And so on.

Hot, Sweaty and Crowded – trying the commute on the West London Line

Published on 5 November 2008 in London, Transport, Clapham Junction, commuting, London, London Overground, London Underground, railways, Shepherds Bush, trains, White City

Back in 2005 I tried cutting out central London from my commute. And failed. Three years on, and it was time to try again.

Constant Craving

Published on 23 June 2007 in Life, books, commuting, food

One of the few reasons I continue to tolerate a lengthy commute to White City every morning, is that it gives me plenty of time to read - something I confess to rarely doing at home.

Back To Zone 1

Published on 25 October 2005 in London, Transport, Clapham Junction, commuting, London, London Underground, railways, trains, West London Line

And so all good things must come to an end. And by that, I mean a real end. Yes, I've put Zone 1 back on my Travelcard.

Paying For Time

Published on 12 October 2005 in Life, London, Transport, commuting, London, London Underground, railways, trains, West London Line

A discussion in the canteen recently involved around one of my colleagues saying about how he is less inclined to do DIY and more inclined to get someone in to do things - it's about balancing up how much your free time is worth in comparison to the cost of getting someone in.

Is She, Isn’t She…

Published on 27 July 2005 in Life, commuting, railways, trains

Train is very busy. People are left on the platform. You notice a woman stood next to you. Her belly looks slightly big. You cautiously attempt to look at her face just to make sure she's not just well built. She could be pregnant. It could just be the way she's standing due to her grabbing on to the rail. You're just not sure.

Journey Home

Published on 21 July 2005 in London, Transport, commuting, London, Shepherds Bush, White City

Shepherds Bush. What an odd place to target. And what a bloomin' nuisance. The whole of Shepherd's Bush Green was sealed off as I set off for home. Which left me with an interesting problem - how to get to Kensington Olympia so I could get my train to Clapham?

Sorry I’m Late Home. It Was Coldplay’s Fault

Published on 28 June 2005 in London, Transport, commuting, London, music, railways, trains

Which prat decided Crystal Palace was a good place to host a Coldplay concert on a weekday evening? I ask as one of thousands of commuters whose journey home this evening was made a misery thanks to countless train disruption on the Southern Metro network, caused by hordes of gig-goers filling trains and stations whilst railway staff struggled to cope with the crowds.

Silverlink Hell (part 2)

Published on 11 April 2005 in Transport, Clapham Junction, commuting, railways, Silverlink Trains, trains, West London Line

Badger people enough - and importantly be firm - and you might even get a proper answer to your question.

Silverlink Hell (part 1)

Published on 3 April 2005 in London, Transport, commuting, London, railways, Silverlink Trains, trains, West London Line

Every day I get the 0835 West London Line service from Clapham Junction to Wilsden Junction. Every day the train leaves the platform at 0835. Every day the train leaves the platform packed like a sardine tin - with people crushed into every available space in gross miscomfort.