"Paul Corfield" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 26 Jun 2007 19:24:18 +0100, Edward Cowling London UK
wrote:

I could try to explain but I don't think that would help. It was a
particularly awful morning in terms of big signal problems so I'll say
sorry instead given that I work for LU.

That's the first and only apology from LU (ok, you're not a spokesman but
I'll accept it).

The first I became aware of it was getting into Euston from Watford at
08:05. Large crowds were queueing into the underground and after a 10 minute
pass by the deliberate bottleneck I got down from the concourse and onto a
northern line train (Bank) and thought that would be it. The train waited
for 10 minutes at Euston with the driver giving regular updates about a
train stopped at Kennington. Then most bizarrely he started repeatedly
shouting for people to get on the train or leave the station. I wish I could
have recorded it. The station was to be closed. A sort of weird panic ensued
and the train took off to Kings Cross. I think at that point we were told
Euston was closing down due to a power failure. At Kings Cross the platform
was totally full and we were going nowhere. After much faffing (driver was
telling people to get off, announcements were indicating otherwise), we then
overheard lines were stopped at Circle, Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan
and Victoria. Complete chaos. I then heard Kings Cross was to close. I got
above ground at 09:00 and paid £20 got get a black cab to Bank for the DLR
to Canary Wharf for 10am. Buses were not an option.

I have only got stuck once in a number of years when trying to use my
alternative routes and it is much less stressful to be able to take a
firm decision to go to the stop to catch bus x to get to y.

You should have seen it outside Kings Cross. Try competing with about 500
other people trying to get where they're going. No amount of planning ahead
can prepare you for that.

P.S. I know the staff were under a lot of stress but I heard on various
occasions people saying "well, at least they could apologise and not just
shout at us".