Mushroom management is the FGW way!

I know FGW is not to blame for the track, but today has been a day of trackside equipment failure, and not just on my FGW route. It all started at Dartford, where lots of railway employees paraded the platforms as train after train was delayed. Did any of them know the issue...well they all thought they did, but each answer was different. Good to know ineptness spreads beyond FGW. When that train to Charing Cross finally arrived we then had the fun of each station platform sign saying it was a Victoria bound service, and the driver having to announce it wasn't. then there was the fun of watching all the passengers wanting to go to Victoria getting off, and all the Charing Cross ones get on, plus debates, despite the drivers very clear announcements as to where the train was going. Chaos reigned supreme.

When I eventually got to Charing Cross and headed to the Bakerloo line I did so in hope that within 30 mins I'd be on a train out of Paddington heading home. As ai emerged from the Underground those hopes we're dashed.

Every train had the word 'delayed' beside it. I tried to find out what was going on. There was the occasional muttered announcement, but due to the large crowd and noise of conversation (mostly on mobiles saying sorry I'll be late home...no, no idea when they will be running again etc.) these announcements were as much use as a chocolate fire guard.

Thank goodness for the t'interweb, as that told me the problem. It also told me things weren't much better at Waterloo so I may as well wait it out (despite helpful advice from a couple of FGW employees to go to Waterloo!)

To all who stood with me, and who joined various stampedes for the trains when they started running, I feel your pain.

I was just about to buy a bottle of water and sandwich having queued for a wee while when my train was announced. I joined the Oxford bound passengers who thronged through the station like a herd of migrating wildebeeste and was delighted to arrive at a train less platform. The train arrived 5 minutes later, and there was then a vigorous scrummaging session as some impatient fools tried to get on as others tried to get off.

Eventually all was calm, the train was boarded and we got underway.

Still FGW showed they excelled at one thing, mushroom management...they left us in the dark (in terms of communication) covered us in shit (in terms of wrong advice) and hoped it would all turn out ok.