Yesterday I had to go to Dublin for the day. For once, the high speed link really makes a difference as it makes Heathrow as accessible as other airports. It takes only about 10 minutes longer than to get to City Airport and it's far more convenient than trying to get to Gatwick by public transport.
This morning, though an early start was plain sailing and I was sitting in the Aer Lingus lounge less than 2 hours after leaving Chilham. Coming back was a bit more of a problem.
We left Dublin half an hour late because of bad weather in London and touched down 25 minutes behind schedule, arriving on stand at 1735. As I waited for the plane door to open I realised that I had either to dash for the Heathrow Express - with ten minutes to catch one - or potentially be an hour later home. It's all to do with the fact that the 1840 from Charing Cross does not stop at Chilham.
Had my plane arrived on time, at 1710, I would have comfortably made the 1733 Heathrow Express, getting to Paddington at 1748. I would then easily make the 1840 from St Pancras and maybe even catch the 1810. As it was, it was touch and go whether I would catch the 1748 and, if I waited for the 1803, my chances of catching the 1840 from St Pancras would have been slim and so I would have had to wait for the 1940.
Fortunately there are no passport checks coming form Ireland and even though the gates are quite long way from the terminal there are some travelators and I ran most of the way, in fact, catching the 1748 with time to spare.
To Paddington and a comfortable walk to the circle line and 2 minutes to wait for the rain. I should have guessed there might be a problem because all the destinations shown on the dot matrix indicator were 'check destination on front of train'. And so there was. As e arrived at Edgware Road the driver informed us that there was a fire at Liverpool Street and that we would be held up for 20 minute or so. He advised us to take an alternative route.
From Edgware Road this means the Bakerloo line up the street, so I ran there and just caught a train to Oxford Circus. Another dash t change platforms and I squeezed on to a Victoria Line, just making it onto the platform at St Pancras by 1838.
But it was a close run thing.
