37 The Westhaven Express

We have learnt to expect that trains will be punctual.

After years of conditioning, most of us have developed an unshakable faith in railway timetables.

Ships may be delayed by storms; flights may be cancelled because of bad weather; but trains must be on time.

Only an exceptionally heavy snowfall might temporarily dislocate railway services.

It is all too easy to blame the railway authorities when something does go wrong.

The truth is that when mistakes occur, they are more likely to be ours than theirs.