Farm Diary

AFTER some very sunny weather and cold nights, we are now reminded that winter is more or less here. Snow in October! Well three and a half flakes, just enough to bring three or four counties to a halt.Forgetting to grit motorways and roads in general brought mayhem to visit for the first time this winter (there will be many more, of that we can be assured).

Trains don't need such excuses these days. Leaves, wrong kind of snow etc: that's the serious stuff, which will delay you for half a lifetime! Lorayne and I caught the train to London the other night, and as it was just after 5pm, of course there was not a single person in Haslemere to sell tickets. Some of the ticket machines are outside in the driving rain, and the queue to use the ones inside means you miss your train.

I did what I usually do; queue up until the train comes and then run with or without ticket. We ran over the bridge to platform 2, only to see the train doors shut, and although it stayed there for at least 30 seconds more, there was no way in.

We were not the only ones frustrated to miss the 'fast' train (slower than it was 10 years ago!) to London, and five minutes later hopped on board the 'stop at every station' slow train. As we boarded, the guard came past and I called out for tickets, only to hear a voice behind me offering to 'help'.

We were both fined 20 each (separately), and subjected to several minutes interrogation, and demands for personal details such as date of birth etc.

Given our experience on the night so far, and that there are no toilet facilities at Haslemere currently, and that the waiting room was locked up for the night, I was less than friendly! The journey took almost two hours due to rail works at Wimbledon and 'stacking' (whatever that is). Public service? Do me a favour.

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette November 5