"Long Train Runnin'" - Doobie Brothers, 1973

I don't know how John managed to stay sane, commuting for so many years on Thameslink in and out of London!

I'm teaching in London this week. On Wednesday, I had two interesting experiences on the commuter train...one on the way into London in the morning, and the other at West Hampstead station on the way back out of London that evening.

Wednesday morning, there were delays on Thameslink. By the time the delayed 0654 train pulled into Borehamwood Station around 10 minutes after 7, it was almost full. At the Mill Hill Broadway stop, which came next, even more commuters tried to crowd onto the already-full train. The train driver kept announcing, "Stand clear of the closing doors." but to no avail. Finally, clearly exasperated, he announced, "It's not rocket science, people...stand clear of the closing doors!" I couldn't help but chuckle, and other riders obviously had the same reaction that I did.

That evening, as a north-bound Thameslink train pulled into West Hampstead station, those of us waiting on the platform could see that a fistfight was already going on in the last car of the train. I quickly moved up to the next car. As we pulled out of the station, the fight has spilled out onto the platform.

Ahhh...the joys of city commuting!

Janet