‘I’ll be fine…’published at 09:44 British Summer Time
09:44 BST
Jamie Whitehead
Live reporter
After the email went out on Friday reminding us of this morning’s Tube strikes, one of our assistant editors asked me if I would be able to get in OK on Monday.
“I’ll be fine,” I responded confidently. “I get the Elizabeth line.”
Famous last words.
We’d known Bond Street station, the nearest Crossrail stop to the BBC’s London Broadcasting House would be closed. But, I found out the next nearest station, Tottenham Court Road, was also closed, while I was on the train.
Then my phone signal dropped completely.
I was actually on time for work as the train cruised through Bond Street. Then, as Imogen found at Liverpool Street, Paddington was also mayhem.
People everywhere, all looking for the same bus. For which the queues were massive for and even when they arrived, you couldn’t get on them.
Keen to capitalise, there were black cabs a plenty but not an orange light to be seen.
“It’s probably easier to just walk now,” I said to myself as I set off on the 35-minute walk, which admittedly was quite nice in the sunshine.
So an hour later than planned, I’m finally here. And ready to help making sure you’re across the strikes and how you’ll get around the capital today.
And who was the first person I bumped into outside when I got here? The assistant editor I’d confidently spoken to on Friday.
“I’ll be fine,” she laughed sarcastically.
I deserved that.
Image caption,
Admittedly, it wasn’t the worst one-off commute, but it took almost two hours to get to work