Unexpected View

The return to Aberdeen today was fraught with rail difficulties. The line into Paddington had a speed restriction due to defects on the line near Southall. Instead of 90mph we were restricted to 20mph, and sometimes zero mph as trains were backed up. Then there was no platform for the train at Paddington.

We were told the train would be a maximum of 25 minutes late at Paddington. I had allowed for this by getting an earlier train. It was not enough, we were nearly an hour late (not bad for a thirty minute journey). At Maidenhead the train was very crowded as it only had four carriages instead of eight, seeing all the people on the platform I wondered how they would all get on. At this point the train was still on time, but after Maidenhead it crawled all the way to Paddington. Ahh, the joys of commuting in to London.

Inevitably I missed the train to Aberdeen. I had to take a later train to Edinburgh. That train was held up by a slower train preceding the one I was on. So I missed my connection at Edinburgh for Aberdeen.

As I had time to waste at Edinburgh I wandered out of the station. It was very cold in Edinburgh despite the sunshine, and there had been a little snow at some point. This photograph was taken when I wandered outside. It looks over the railway line to the hotel across the tracks. I think it is the Balmoral Hotel.

I got to Aberdeen eventually, though somewhat later than intended.