Yesterday evening the signs at Paddington clearly displayed the
Heathrow Connect as 'cancelled.' I saw two fed-up tourists then go to
the Heathrow Express ticket office and purchase over-priced tickets
for their service. I also wanted to catch the Connect since FGW locals
always seem to leave from platforms 13/14 and I usually can't be
bothered to treck up there when Connect leaves from 12 nearer the main
concourse.

Then about 5 minutes before it was due to depart lo and behold the
Connect appears on platform 6, becomes 'uncancelled,' and then departs
on time. I trust that the 'cancellation' was not a ploy to force
Heathrow-bound passengers (sorry customers) to purchase a more
expensive Express fare.

Being the BAA (owned by Spanish property demolition and construction
company Ferrovial) I wouldn't put anything past them. But one of the
conditions for being allowed to expand Heathrow (resulting in the
biggest enforced relocation of people - 35,000 and more - since the
Highland Clearances) was that public transportation to/from Heathrow
has to improve. With the vicissitudes of Herathrow Express and
Heathrow Connect (still at times terminating early at Hayes &
Harlington), BAA has a long way to go.

CJB.