In message , at 12:56:09 on Tue, 16 Nov
2004, Paul Terry remarked:

I used to live in SWT-land (near Surbiton). I was *extremely*
surprised to find that there's no SWT train running in the early
morning that would have connected me with the first E* from Waterloo

Then think how much worse it is going to be to get from Surbiton to St
Pancras in time for a 05:30 departure!

If there are no National Rail trains it's a moot point.

- necessary if you want to make a morning meeting on the Continent.

Depends - the 06:26 departure arrive in Brussels at 10.01. But I don't
know many people who are so keen on their jobs that they would want to
get up that early just for a meeting.

It's not just being keen on the job. I worked for a not-for-profit
organisation where funds were very strictly limited. An overnight stay
in Brussels was a significant expanse, and there were morning meetings
that I needed to be at.

the company for which I sometimes do some work (and which has
charitable status) will always pay for a hotel if there is a morning
start and the travelling time is much more than about an hour.

Mine had a fixed annual budget for such things, and no amount of
"extenuating circumstances" would produce any more money :-(
--
Roland Perry